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I sent a request to join but haven't gotten a response. I will try again
My Walmart is already pissed that all that stuff just sits there. And they got a letter stating they would be receiving the rest of the pictures people ordered within 10 days of the date of the letter. That was 2 weeks ago and they don't have anything yet
I have $300 orders that aren't going to be filled. Just makes me very angry that good customers get treated this way!
Hey.. does anyone know what is going on with the contents of the studios. My studio is half packed up (by me) and everything just sits there three weeks later.
I go in and talk to my host store management. If they get a shipment, i will take the responsibility to call everyone. that is not up to Walmart, but it is the least I can do for MY customers
I was in the middle of packing my store up and was told just to leave it "as is". I was closing this weekend anyway, but had customers coming in today to pick up their last portraits. I went and got my personal stuff and left.
Someone on this board told me not to stay, that it would be considered tresspassing and my studio is a mess. I felt bad for Walmart and they knew it and for my customers.
I couldn't take the risk of messing up my unemployment by staying.
... I believe Jim said MAY be delivered to the host store.... time will certainly tell. I'm sure none of us will be shocked if no one gets their pictures, we will just feel so bad for our customers
those that made this decision obviously DON'T CARE or have a conscience. I'm sure they left with bonuses in their pockets while we have been surviving on less than half pay.
I am glad to be done with this company, I just feel so bad that my customers have been let down.
I gave my pics to Walmart management and I will check up on it and call the customers myself if I have to
A studio manager who doesn't even work for CPI told me... My DM didn't call me and didn't return my texts or phone calls. I finally texted her, "why aren't you answering your phone". Her comment: " I no longer work for CPI and neither do you."
Nice, huh?
My walmart closes at 11pm so I can not go there now, but I will go get my stuff in the morning.
AMEN! they have made bad business decisions for years and now they have become a reflection on me to the customers I have established! SO VERY WRONG! This upsets me! Losing my job, I was actually happy about because it's hard to work for a company you can't respect and who doesn't show respect.
Treating customers who have built your business for years this way IS NOT RIGHT!
I will go in and get my stuff.... My DM hasn't told me not to go! I have props I purchased as well as other things there and I will go get them
To my Walmart? They are expected to deal with them?
I agree, the pictures are not the property of CPI.
My closest Sears studio is an hour away... will they still be delivered to a Sears?
I have been fine with losing my job with CPI because I have been tired of their BS for months now! But not giving us any warning to let our customers know that they won't be getting their pictures really pisses me off! They shouldn't have let us keep taking pictures then.
I'm not really concerned about the ones who purchases AOs but I have some customers that spent $200-$300 and deserve the stuff they paid for... this is wrong on so many levels! There has to be a time frame to wrap up all business related transactions!
NOW I AM SO ANGRY!!!!
And let me guess... we won't be getting paid either, right????
so what do I do about finishing packing that I started today
I guess I will be trespassing then, because I have stuff there as well and I will go get that.. I will take my customers pictures that are in the studio and make sure they get them. I hope they get their products they paid for
They would have to open.... what about incoming customers. Someone has to be there to explain. I was already closed and am packing up my studio... now what?
I hope some of you open studios for your customers to go to since they won't have a huge choice of anywhere else to go. Good luck to everyone!
Just got the message too that the whole company has shut down.
If your store does close, as did mine TODAY, they will send you a check for earned PTO but if you borrowed against any you haven't earned yet, you may have to pay it back.
Today was my official last day of business and it was crazy. Mostly just alot of phone calls from my regulars wishing me well, even some visits. It was harder than I thought it was going to be. Many have requested that I open a studio of my own, but I don't really see that happening.
Back in next week just to clean and pack. It's kind of a big weight of my shoulders.
Good luck to everyone else who closed today and those of you who most likely will be in the very near future.
This message board has been a great help. Thanks everyone!
See ya!
They should have given us more than 2 days notice, but hey...typical CPI and we all knew it was coming. NO need to get upset about it, it's not like they will change their minds and keep you open because you get upset. Cut your losses and move on. Prove to a new employer that you are an asset or if photography is your passion, do your own thing! Best of luck to everyone!
THANK YOU to everyone on this message board who has been understanding and supportive of this ordeal but I will no longer need to be a part of this message board after Saturday and wish those of you remaining the best of luck.
I fully intend to leave CPI in the dust and not look back. My DM did offer to find me a position in another PM but the closest one is 45 minutes away and I'm sure they will be closing soon as well. No Thank You! I'm out and happy about it. I stuck it out so I could at least draw unemployment until something else comes thru.
Thanks again everyone!
I'm out! Western NY here
I don't need to boycott Easter now... I just got word. My studio is closing. I shoot thru sat and go back 2 days next week to pack up. At least this way, I can draw unemployment.
What choice do we have but to speculate by things happening around us. The only fact is... Our treasured employer is not sharing any FACTS with us. I think it's a pretty underhanded way to do business and treat your employees. What would they do if we all just stopped working at once? Would they see our value then? As long as we keep bringing in money for them, they will keep leaving us in the dark.
Maybe that's the answer! Maybe we should all boycott work on Easter Sunday, especially since we aren't getting proper Holiday pay for it! LOL
I don't know if I have a conference call or not. There was no email about it prior to me leaving on Sunday. There weren't even notes this week about any last week, which I missed because I got the email at 10am when I got to work that there was a 9:30 conference call. I tried to jump on but there was no one there???? I don't know what is going on. No contact with DM for weeks and hasn't even answered my emails
No, unfortunately, no one can tell you what's going on because none of us know any more than you. It appears they are closing some studios nationwide that are both PMPS and KK but where and when doesn't seem to known information. Every week when I go in on Friday, I wait for the other shoe to drop. It will not be a surprise to me at all when this happens and actually, somewhat of a relief at this point. This not knowing from week to week is very stressful and I don't think I can take much more.
I don't have a clue what is going on because for the last two weeks when I get to work Friday morning, there is an email that there is a conference call BEFORE i get there. They know alot of us only work Fri, Sat and Sun so why not let us know ahead of time? Guess I'll find out something on Friday... maybe.
I thought I could hang in there until the end, but they just keep dragging it out. I have some things I'm working on and being available all the time and at least drawing unemployment would help that progress. I just don't think I have it in me to stick it out much longer.
I do believe the end if inevitable, so I can't see training anyone new for them to lose their job in a short period of time.
If and when the time comes, I will just go. They will have to find someone to replace me. They certainly haven't shown me any respect and I don't plan to show them any.
In good faith, I wouldn't hire anyone to work under the conditions I do now, with only 21 hours a week and without any real support from anyone. I will leave that up to CPI.
I agree, in the little over a year I have been here, this place and the work hours have destroyed my family. I am a single mom and it has taken its worse toll on my youngest who is 17. She has had too many hours of being alone while I work as a manager of a business who hasn't appreciated me and certainly hasn't paid me manager's wages and she found a bit of trouble.
I don't know how those of you who have been here for years, have stuck it out. Although I have heard that CPI didn't used to be this way. My family has always come first but I was glad CPI gave me a job when they did after my previous 25 year employment with a company that went out of business. I also lost a three year relationship because I worked all the time and had no time for my boyfriend. I had no idea at the price it would cost me to work for them.
From my point of view, I have been set up for failure from day 1, starting with very poor training and endless unsuccessful promotions (The CD Test- epic fail!) and endless free products. I have been a customer for years and I have never once received anything FREE!
Like you, the last day I work here will be a joyous one, but hopefully it will be before CPI turns off the lights for good.
I certainly don't blame you. Best of luck to you in your new job. I may be taking the same route before too long but right now, some money coming in is better than none.
That is crazy! I feel bad for you because unfortunately, it makes you look bad that you can't complete the orders when it is totally out of your control.
I would try to talk them into the CD and then if they just order the $9.99 AO, just put that on a CD plus and extra picture for them having to print their own orders. Use your "empowerment". ha ha
I wholeheartedly agree about that. I took this job as a manager's position but I don't manage anything. I am told everything to do. I am responsible for the amount of money coming in and that is it. I don't have any associates to manage and someone else seems to manage me. I am never told what a great job I did on any particular great day, just how awful I did on a bad day. And I certainly don't make a manager's wage or even get to work manager's hours at this point with my big whopping 21 hours a week!
Managers certainly don't get paid managers wages, that's for sure. "Frustrated", did you quit CPI or are you working at the other job 4 days a week?
yeah... it's pretty sad that they don't appreciate us. I started at $10/hr last February and I just saw today that I can get a job at Aldi's grocery store as a cashier for $10.50 an hour. I certainly made a lot more money as an assistant manager in my last job....
I know there is no legal obligation for them to share information, but I do believe they hold things back. Do you believe they didn't know BEFORE Christmas that they were going to cut all of our hours? Do you believe they didn't know prior to for MLK day that we weren't going to be paid for it? Do you believe that prior to changing our pay schedule that they didn't know? Of course they did and it would be so much easier if they would be upfront about these things.
I understand WHY that had to do these things, but they withheld that information from their employees to save themselves, so not as many would quit.
I just think a little honesty here would go a LONG way!
Plus the fact that it's on the website and not just to email customers