ULSU Spar Shop

PROGRAM_IX

Not too far at all, but I'm not concerned about saving the money. I'm only mentioning it in passing. I don't begrudge them the extra 10c, especially not with the addition of twisty fries (!) to the menu at the same price. And they're good, too.

SarahBeep!

PROGRAM_IX wrote: »

Not too far at all, but I'm not concerned about saving the money. I'm only mentioning it in passing. I don't begrudge them the extra 10c, especially not with the addition of twisty fries (!) to the menu at the same price. And they're good, too.

I do, the robbing b*stards! I wouldn't mind if they were still tasty but the food is getting worse and worse

yupyup7up

SarahBeep! wrote: »

Was with two friends today and they were charged the price of a regular roll for a small hot chicken roll :rolleyes:

I find the deli staff VERY rude.

Badly laid out.

They try to mask their ridiculous prices with a few promotions (which often have obscene terms and conditions :rolleyes:)

very rude? you mad? I work on campus and go there the whole time (including summer) and they are always very nice. You can't blame them if they get annoyed with having to deal with thousands of moronic students every day. They aren't exactly getting crazy wages to reflect that. :rolleyes:

Delta Kilo

skeleton_boy wrote: »

Are you guys for real? How in the name of God can that Spar shop be in debt with the amount of customers that go through there each day?? (Without trying to sound like an old man.) No wonder the country's ****ed

Any idea how much it costs to kit out a shop like that? All the equipment, fridges, shelving, tiling, decorating and then filling the shop itself. I think the one in Cappavilla cost in the region of €200,000 just to kit it out, so the main one on campus would have possibly been double that.

Add to that the amount of staff, there are at least 6 deli workers there on a day, plus people in the back making the wedges, baking the rolls etc, not to mention people packing shelves and at the check out.

Add to that there are 4 months of the year (Jun-Aug, Jan) where there is more traffic through Bridies corner shop in Bally-go-backwards than there are through the 3 ULSU Spar shops, it is quite easy to be in debt.

I reckon the one just off campus does a bomb though, they seem to have the perfict mix of shop size, staff numbers and stock to run efficiently.

kflynn

cappa and dromroe are closed during the summer and only about 2 staff are on in the main shop......yes there is a lot of staff but they are also extremely cheap with no over time and are always busy so its staffed liked the other two shops relative to the amount of customers....Would love to see wages of management! Some managers there dont do a whole pile, while others are fantastic...but I bet there on the same wage! I THINK they also had to pay a redundancy package this year even though the position doesnt seem to be redundant! seems like they just wanted to get rid of that person!

I do not work in the shop or for ULSU so I am only writing my opinion!

kflynn

Spar also paid for a small amount of the equipment in the shop so they dont have the total cost..

Delta Kilo

What is the make up of the shop does anybody know?

What I mean is it SPAR themselves that are running the place or do ULSU pay for the SPAR franchise? I think its the latter but I'm not certain, if so add franchise fees to the list.

I cant recall where I heard it, but I was told that ULSU paid ~€200k to kit out the shop in cappavilla, which is failing to be profitable largely due to the builders going bust and failing to complete the medical school and extension to cappavilla, drastically reducing the footfall that should be there.

kflynn

yes your missing the point...every business has to invest in setting up but they paid redundancy that I dont think they had to infact I think they offered it to two people....for no reason that I can see as like I said those postitions do not seem to be redundant, I am sure the job title was changed for legal reasons as you can not make someone redundant unless the position is

They were more than willing to spend money on that, I am not giving out about the person who was made redundant as if he was he was more than entitled to the package

Cappa in my opinion did not run well because of management, all those factors did have an impact but it is not the full explanation

Delta Kilo

But surely it should have been analysed to see if it was worthwhile opening 2 additional shops. They are losing money and running up large debts, part of the reallocated C&S reserve funds went towards stocking the shelves in the shops.

I dont understand your point about redundancy, if the person was made redundant then he was surely entitled to a severance package of some sort, especially in a management position. Is the person still working there? Just changed his job title or what?

kflynn

Delta Kilo wrote: »

But surely it should have been analysed to see if it was worthwhile opening 2 additional shops. They are losing money and running up large debts, part of the reallocated C&S reserve funds went towards stocking the shelves in the shops.

I dont understand your point about redundancy, if the person was made redundant then he was surely entitled to a severance package of some sort, especially in a management position. Is the person still working there? Just changed his job title or what?

Yes it should of been analysed!!

ok there were a few managers in the shops. From what I heard (this is not a fact) they offered two people redundancy. To legally make someone redundant you have to make the position redundant. However one person took the package (well deserved) and it seems that another person was hired to do their job.......ie i went to the person who was made redundant when i was looking for a job but now I would have to go to this new guy so it seems to be the same! It is my opinion that they did not need to get rid of that person! I am sure they would of changed the title e.g manager position redundant so they hire a supervisor but the actual day to day work was is the same!

So my point is they had to take that c&s money this year and I assume this had to be something to do with the redundancy payment. but why did they pay somebody redundancy and just hire somebody else if they obviously couldnt afford it....in my opinion that person was doing the best they could!

Delta Kilo

I think what happened was a General Commercial Manager was employed and he oversees all the commercial revenue generators for the union. Everything from the rates/rent paid by the likes of scholars, o'mahoneys and all the shops, not just the spar. So they removed one of the shop managers and hired a guy to oversee all.

Could be wrong on that but I think I remeber Derek Daly say it when he was explaining the reallocation of reserve funds. Its something along those lines anyway.

kflynn

yes but instead of paying a redundancy package that they couldnt afford why not just promote that person?

So the losses arent just coming from paying for fittings its also for stuff like this.....there is no way this was the only option! it probably would of been cheaper to keep him on anyway!

Delta Kilo

kflynn wrote: »

yes but instead of paying a redundancy package that they couldnt afford why not just promote that person?

No idea, when a position becomes available they have to advertise it in the press etc, maybe the guy who got hired was better than keeping on the other guy, maybe they wanted a fresh head in there, maybe the first guy sourced another job during his notice period... could be any number of reasons.

Anyways this is semi off topic, I never really found the shop to be too bad, always a bit peeved when an incorrect sticker was put on a roll but I have the world of sympathy for those deli workers so I usually dont say anything.

What always annoyed me was the amount of rubbish left on the benches outside, when there are at least 5 bins all around by the benches... the mind boggles.

John_Smith123

Delta Kilo wrote: »

Could be wrong on that but I think I remeber Derek Daly say it when he was explaining the reallocation of reserve funds. Its something along those lines anyway.

You mean Derek Davis right?

I heard that a 5 digit amount was spent on recruiting the new manager. Now that's crazy.

John_Smith123

On topic,
Gleesons Spar (granted they have a lot more Spar shops in Limerick than the SU) manage to have consistent offers with a fraction of the staff and a much more pleasant feeling attached to them.

That being the case I've two questions:

1) How much better off is it for THE STUDENTS OF UL for the shop to be a franchisee of Spar? Gleesons have far more offers, in my experience, than the shop that the students will be taking any footfall for.

2) Why are the Union owners of the shop and not leasing it out like the space which is the Scholars'? (To make more money is obviously a delusion)

kflynn

no the first guy didnt get another job as far as I know....and none of those reasons are acceptable first of all employees have rights so you can just get rid of someone because you found someone more qualified management should of done that in the first place....and second they couldnt afford it!!!!

I dont think this is off topic, spar is expensive enough and look at what we are paying for......

Kiyomumizu

Is it just me but...

The female "manager" who who you'll know when you get in there is so rude. No greeting, no response of thank you. She doesn't care in the slightest to keep a string of customers waiting.

Then her plus the lads that work at night have the same problem ignoring customers or talking on phones.

Lately the stock is terrible they have been out of some basics for weeks and the news lay out doesn't work. I never see any of the SU Shop offer being passed down.

Is this just me... This type of service is not on anymore. People would kill for their jobs.

The woman that works in the deli is the only thing that would keep me coming in, genuinely lovely person.

wnolan1992

Kiyomumizu wrote: »

Is it just me but...

The female "manager" who who you'll know when you get in there is so rude. No greeting, no response of thank you. She doesn't care in the slightest to keep a string of customers waiting.

Then her plus the lads that work at night have the same problem ignoring customers or talking on phones.

Lately the stock is terrible they have been out of some basics for weeks and the news lay out doesn't work. I never see any of the SU Shop offer being passed down.

Is this just me... This type of service is not on anymore. People would kill for their jobs.

The woman that works in the deli is the only thing that would keep me coming in, genuinely lovely person.

The woman in the deli is so sound in fairness. Love it when it's just her there. I see where you're coming from about the other woman, but I haven't noticed it being as bad as you say in the post. A few times alright when I was checking out she was talking on the phone throughout which I thought a bit rude, but meh really.
Haven't been in since Monday so haven't experienced the new layout fully, though from what I saw of it, I'm not too impressed. Could be wrong though.

Kiyomumizu

wnolan1992 wrote: »

The woman in the deli is so sound in fairness. Love it when it's just her there. I see where you're coming from about the other woman, but I haven't noticed it being as bad as you say in the post. A few times alright when I was checking out she was talking on the phone throughout which I thought a bit rude, but meh really.
Haven't been in since Monday so haven't experienced the new layout fully, though from what I saw of it, I'm not too impressed. Could be wrong though.

I see it with myself and others. They shouldn't be allowed get away with the rudeness. Maybe highlighting it a bit more wouldn't be such a bad thing. For al their retail services need some student feedback.

New layout is terrible, and having a sweet tooth they have not got a chocolate delivery in weeks.

Jester252

Noted a LOT of bitching about the deli staff. Some of it I understand especially the mistake in the order but we are all human and we make mistakes.

But I wonder how many people that go to the deli make small talk to the woman working behind it or even say thanks when they hand over your order.

I used it almost everyday and I can say that they are some of the nicest people there.

Kiyomumizu

Jester252 wrote: »

Noted a LOT of bitching about the deli staff. Some of it I understand especially the mistake in the order but we are all human and we make mistakes.

But I wonder how many people that go to the deli make small talk to the woman working behind it or even say thanks when they hand over your order.

I used it almost everyday and I can say that they are some of the nicest people there.

In the case of the Dromroe show the deli worker is great.

The till staff and manager need a wake-up call about customer service. As students we should deserve a little better.

shabouwcaw

does anyone know if they've stopped stocking Blue Bear energy drink (the cheap Red Bull clone) in the shop? went in there today and was stuck paying 3 quid for 2 cans of Red Bull. Be a pity if they did, think they should try and stock cheaper alternatives where possible, need my essay fuel and all those euros count.

Also, no sign of the Nestle stuff they promised. Want my Milkybars!

Agent_99

Jester252 wrote: »

I used it almost everyday and I can say that they are some of the nicest people there.

I would have to say the same about the deli staff I don't get a sandwich everyday but will collect a couple of sausage roll 3 for €1 can't get better value than that, I have always found them polite and helpful. the new girls on the till are a lot more cheerful that the "small lady of advancing years" that was there last year and over the summer she was a dour 'ol b***h.

Still very poor layout thought even with the changes

Jester252

Agent_99 wrote: »

I would have to say the same about the deli staff I don't get a sandwich everyday but will collect a couple of sausage roll 3 for €1 can't get better value than that, I have always found them polite and helpful. the new girls on the till are a lot more cheerful that the "small lady of advancing years" that was there last year and over the summer she was a dour 'ol b***h.

Still very poor layout thought even with the changes

To be fair the layout is better then last year much more free flowing. The new layout at the counter is hand down better. For people who love the sausage roll deal the quick service counter is the best and the lady that normal works behind is a pleasure to talk to

dontaskwhy

i must admit iv been using the village shop for the past 2 years and i have always been served with a friendly face from both deli and sales staff.:)..they always say thank you and try and make conversation even if it is about the weather..so i can say well done girls

-Kenny-

Yeah the youngwan who works in the drumroe deli is 'very friendly' she'd definitely get it !

dontaskwhy

OMG....kenny ur wan in the deli is great but she's old enough 2 be ur mother!!!:p

dontaskwhy

iv been in the queue and i have heard the rudeness of some students to the shop staff in dromroe and they throw the money of the counter

wnolan1992

dontaskwhy wrote: »

iv been in the queue and i have heard the rudeness of some students to the shop staff in dromroe and they throw the money of the counter

Some people are just rude b*stards. It's not exactly that hard to say please and thank you at the deli and thanks at the checkout.

Jester252

dontaskwhy wrote: »

iv been in the queue and i have heard the rudeness of some students to the shop staff in dromroe and they throw the money of the counter

And there people in this thread bitching about the staff being rude
maybe if the rude students were nice they would be nice