Here is the note I am leaving for my customers....
Dear Amazing Customers/Friends,
It dishearteneds me to tell you that after 10 years of making memories for you and your families, my company Sears Portrait Studios/CPI Corp has decided to cease operations effective yesterday April 3rd. I have throughally enjoyed watching your children grow and creating memories for you for the past 10 years.
For those of you who were aware that this might happen I did my best to keep you in the loop. (We as employee were not given notice of this what so ever) For those of you expecting portraits I am unsure of how that will work but I am sure SEars will do their best to make sure you recieve them in a timely manner.
My heart breaks as I write this knowing that not only did the company do this to us but they did this to you also.
Thank you for the years of baby giggles, terrible 2s and lovely memories. I am so sorry that this decision was made but please realize that it was out of our hands.
I love you all like family and will do my best to stay in touch with those of you I have promised.
With an aching heart,
(My name)

So oaps22 What do you think of that? That is some awful crap right there.

I know in our district they are moving supplies around to the studios that need them. Not sure how all the others are doing it but this was the case in our district.

Oaps222....please show some respect and quit trying to play the 2 brands against each other. We are all in this together. I have always been with SPS for 10years but I have helped out at PMPS...I have complete respect for both of our jobs, they are equally stressful. Nuff said.

Did you check the appointment scheduler or from home on the web site?? You can only book 4 weeks out on the website...it has always been that way.

Please post something once you have your call. I don't have a call until Friday.

LOL It is just like Groundhogs Day!!

Thank you for explaining that! So what you are saying is we are basically in the "wind down" times? The bank is taking over? Just trying to makes sure I am clear on what is happening.

I was told by the payroll dept that because our week ends so few days before pay day every week check stubs and deposits won't post until Friday.

It's not a tab....it's on the employee list within EAC.....

Have you looked at EAC??? The "home office use" employee seems to be taking 15 and a half hours extra a week....what is that all about??? I am an employee in 4 studios because I travel and help out and I have seem this happen to all 4 studios....I found it weird but what do I know?

If the coupon states you can then are you going to argue with your customers??? I would hope not. It sucks that it can be combined but it is what it is.

I sure did notice the studio mail being shut down except in the studios. I think that is dumb because if there is some sort of emergency conference call or somthing we won't know about it if it is on a Tuesday or Wednesday if we are closed those days.

In the email I got from HR they did say our pay stubs will no longer post until payday. Not sure why but that is the way things will be going forward. It's really frustrating!

Yes had I not gotten the answer I was looking for my studio would have been dark this weekend. So glad there was someone there to answer my questions.

I sent an email to HRPayroll and got a very quick response. ADP was not supposed to post our stubs until the payroll changes had been communicated to the company so they pulled them back. We will get paid tomorrow and our stubs will repost at that time.WHEW!!!

Just tried calling Corp....can't get through to anyone. I tried dialing an ex. and it looped me back to the main message. Little scary...not sure what is up with that.

Fact...we all work for CPI corp.
Another Fact...we are all dealing with the same BS.
So...that being said let's not do the who is better then who thing. We are all frustrated and confused. There is no need to name call and fight. Again, we are here for answers, not to start a stupid pissing match between brands. I work for Sears, I have for 10 years, I have helped out in PicMe studios. There is no better or worse...they are different and have different clients. No brand is better they are just different animals. Ughh I can hardly stand to read the bickering and fighting on this board. We are all stressed out....quit the childish bs...seriously.

Who knows why they do what they do Snaphappy...we are living in the Twilight Zone. But it just goes to show ya that they lie about the dumbest things.

What??? I am unsure on what you meant? I confuse easily help me out here lol

I totally agree about staying civil. The fighting on here is childish and pointless. We are here for info....not to duke it out until the death.

Well they managed to get it in just under the wire there. LOL Things just keep getting curious-er and curious-er. I swear we are living in an alternate dimension.

They are supposed to give 2 weeks notice if they are changing our pay cycle....I think this might be a law...

Just got this...cut and pasted it so I apologize for how it comes out on here....what the hell is going on??? Paid weekly??? How is that going to work with insurance and all that....



As part of CPI’s ongoing cash management process, we are converting to a weekly payroll schedule. This change will assure every CPI employee of a more timely receipt of pay, and facilitate simplified management of payroll.
There is a multi-step process to implement this change. The revised payroll schedule, as set forth below, will be in effect until further notice. This change is for US, Canada, and corporate office employees.
Field & Corporate Employees who are paid on an hourly basis will be paid as follows:
Wednesday, February 20, 2013: Pay for time worked from Sunday, February 3, 2013, through Thursday, February 14, 2013;
Friday, February 22, 2013: Pay for time worked from Friday, February 15, 2013, through Tuesday, February 19, 2013;
Friday, March 1, 2013: Pay for time worked from Wednesday, February 20, 2013, through Tuesday, February 26, 2013; and
Each Friday after March 1, 2013: Pay for time worked from Wednesday through the Tuesday preceding the pay date.
Field & Corporate Employees who are salaried* will be paid as follows:
Wednesday, February 20, 2013: Pay for February 3, 2013, through February 16, 2013;
Friday, February 22, 2013: Pay for February 17, 2013, through February 23, 2013; and
Each Friday after February 22, 2013: Pay for the current week (Sunday through Saturday).
Additional information regarding payroll deductions will be distributed separately.
*Note: All salaried field management positions will now be on the same pay cycle going forward.

I have been with the company for 10 years and have never heard of any "rule" about doing write ups in person. I personally think that is a much better business practice but with the amount of studios that these DMs are currently handling I don't think it's an option to deliver them in person. They are also still on travel restrictions so pretty much they are working from home. I am by no means defending them, just saying they are doing what they are told to do to keep their jobs. They are very aware that they are just as much a number as the 50 fired DMs and the 50 furloughed DMs. Again I have to add that I think it's bad business to deliver write ups through email, but I don't think they have much of a choice at this point and I don't think it's a law or anything.

That is an amazing idea...but it would be considered a strike and then we won't get paid our unemployment when the actual end happens. But Presidents Day would be a great day to do it LOL

I am curious about how you know this. I search daily for info and can't seem to find anything. I don't doubt that it's the truth but I do wish this company would just be honest. I am sick of this stress. My DM was told to look for a job today....laid off until further notice. I refuse to listen to this new DM person with her rainbows and unicorns. So so sad.

I think that is because you can't book for more then a month out, but I could be wrong.

Yep I noticed it too and am very very very angry. I say we all send an email to HR about this one. They have now messed with my pay and that is unacceptable. They will be getting an earful from me.

Mine was up after midnight eastern time. No holiday pay....I am seriously so mad right now.

Yep! I just checked back as far as I could go and I have always been paid for MLK day...THIS IS BS!!

Ok....super mad right now. I just checked my check for this week and I wasn't paid for MLK day. I have worked for this company for 10 years and have always gotten at least 6 hours holiday pay for MLK day. The Home Office was closed.....it is supposed to be a paid holiday. Well that just saved them some money.

I believe she said she sold them the $50 for free and an extra sheet....but I could be mistaken.

Here is what I have heard....buyers are at home office this week...if they buy we are safe if they don't we close. We should know something by Friday. Try to relax and just continue doing what we do best....making babies smile and giving great customer service. Friday will be here before we know it.

So here is what we heard on our conference call. The company is going to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Which means we get to leave the lights on until the company finds a buyer. This buyer will get the company for a discounted price and the debt we have will not come with the company freeing up the buyer's funds for improvements with the company. Filing the Chapter 11 is a better move then closing according to our DM in charge. My question is....what happens if we don't get a buyer? And as far as the phone bills not being paid as was mentioned earlier...that sounds like we are all going to be getting similar calls very soon. That is scary stuff.

I got a message from the lab saying that my portraits are scheduled to be in my studio tomorrow. I sent a big thank you to this poor over worked woman letting her know how much I appreciate her. I really feel sorry for the lab people. I have a tracking number for my pictures so I know they have been shipped. YAY for small baby steps.

No...but they are handled by ADP we should have them shortly.

I contacted the DM in charge of our district yesterday about the delayed shipments and demanded to have at least an estimated timeframe for these portraits. I explained that I have been dealing with several angry customers who have the right to know where their pictures are. I was sent an email on how to appease my customers. Then we received pretty much the same email as a district. I have been doing this for 10 years. I know how to fix unhappy customers....if I can offer them an estimated timeframe, but when we have to tell them we don't know when the pictures will be here, they get a little pissy. I would also! I checked the order status lite on web apps for many of the studios in our area and some of the pictures are still listed as NEW (which means they haven't been printed) and these orders are from Jan 1st-7th. I have worked here a long time and we have had shipments get delayed from time to time but never like this. I personally have one customer that will be in on Saturday for a full refund if her pictures aren't here. Nothing else I offered was good enough and that was the only thing she would take. I pray that our portraits come but I am certainly not holding my breath.

As far as being honest with your staff, you have to be. I only have 2 on staff and if they are there when I am not they need to know what to do to handle any issues. I share all emails and info I get with them. My staff is loyal and will sink with the ship if need be. They are loyal to me because I am honest with them and make sure that they know what is going on at all times. This is management 101....I don't sugar coat and I keep my people informed.

As all of you do, I really wish we could get some more information. But since the company is not offering it, I guess that is why we are here. If they want to fire me for wanting to know what is going on then DO IT! It would just make my life/job/home much more certain right now.

To all of you that are posting here, just know we all feel your pain, understand your frustration, and know you love what you do. If they told me I was closing in 3 months...I would continue to do my job the same way I have for 10 years until the bitter end.
End of my ranting for now....

OMG that guy said exactly what I have been thinking in my head and saying out loud for this past week. Cudos to that guy. I would love to take his picture! :)

Oh I must know what this guy said!! I so wish I would have been on that call.