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Cpi is no longer a company. It went from CPI to Canadian Images and was "bought out" by Photos unlimited which is really just ran by the same head guys as all the others was! Hope that helps!
Well, I have officially handed in my resignation. I found a new job and am done with this company! What a relief!!
Anyone heard anything new? Anymore jobs cut, rigours cut?
Ya but I feel bad for paying customers that we can't fit in because we have a bunch of people booking for their FREE stuff!!! Why wouldn't they wait until after cut-off day??? Yes, the volume is down, but just having people coming in for their free crap isn't helping us money wise!! If they were smart they would have said "Book now till New Years Eve and get a full CD for $50!" At least then it would have been money in our pockets!! But no...."come and get your FREE stuff!!! (in hopes you will buy the big bundle)" UGH!!! We have one girl that has now said "when they say they are here for their free stuff, I am short shooting" So, now we are losing any upsell possibilities there!!! "Brand New Company" isn't starting out well, they are going to end up in the toilet just like CPI did!!!
I know right? They honestly think that those people are going to come in and spend $124.99 but we know they are going to come in for their FREE crap and then wait till they get another email for something else free!! They think that increasing the volume is going to bring in more money and they are WRONG!! I said why not offer the CD for $50 instead of sending everyone over $100 worth of free stuff? Who needs to buy anything?? They infuriate me!!!
Well I always feel that way with this company!! Because even though they have a new name, it is technically ran by the same people!! There is a reason they are making us resign these letters...and I just can't put my finger on it!
I think it would help if they said 1 Groupon or wagjag per family, then we could actually upsell! The way it is, they can buy 2, come in twice and what need do they have for anything I have to offer? I think the outreach $50 CD is a great way to upsell but many people know they can get something free again tomorrow by finding the bear or whatever...so they just take advantage of it! It does make it hard when associates aren't on the same page. And you are right, 20 hours of training isn't going to have these new associates ready!! We know we weren't ready after 40, so how are they going to feel with 20? I feel bad for them, and for the customers they are going to shoot!! We all have to learn somehow, but usually after more training!
I think it would help if they said 1 Groupon or wagjag per family, then we could actually upsell! The way it is, they can buy 2, come in twice and what need do they have for anything I have to offer? I think the outreach $50 CD is a great way to upsell but many people know they can get something free again tomorrow by finding the bear or whatever...so they just take advantage of it! It does make it hard when associates aren't on the same page. And you are right, 20 hours of training isn't going to have these new associates ready!! We know we weren't ready after 40, so how are they going to feel with 20? I feel bad for them, and for the customers they are going to shoot!! We all have to learn somehow, but usually after more training!
The Higher ups did tour some of the studios near me. But I think the #1 idea for making money is stop allowing people to buy 2 groupons cause why should they buy anything extra?? And stop giving everything away for free! I was waiting to tell one of the big wigs what I thought, but they didn't show up the day they were supposed to! LOL
I have heard that he is head of the company as well, but you have not missed any official news or anything cause there hasn't been any! I am kinda sad they aren't just closing! Oh well, I have decided it is my last Christmas here!! Can't work for them any longer! :( Same higher ups, same crap!
I really wish they would just get on with it already! I think we are all sick and tired of working for a Lying, Cheating company, and many of us are trapped in the job...waiting for them to finally shut the doors so we can collect unemployment! It is sickening that they can continue this underhanded activity, and get away with it!
I heard yesterday that the photographers were being paid their regular hourly wages with mileage for travel. Definitely not enough to get me to do it!!! And you are right...I'd want to see samples!! And how inconvenient for them...what if they are only all together for that day or something? Ugh...I can see it failing badly!
So, just curious if anyone out there is willing to do the "on location" photography?? I know I am not willing to go and shoot a family for an hour out doors, possibly with animals and get my CRAP wages for it! I could shoot a family at a park on my own and get a hell of a lot more out of it!! I find it RIDICULOUS!!
I do remember those days!! :( When I started we were still PCA, and honestly even they treated us better!
In total agreement! I know from years ago when I trained I was not ready to be in the studio after 20 hours, and I can tell you from many christmases there that NO ONE will be ready after 20 hours, whether they are on the camera from minute 1 or not! It is just to save them some money! All they have to do is quit giving away so much CRAP for FREE, than we could afford 40 hours of training again!!
Thanks for sharing! So many things are sounding the same. I am really almost hoping now that they close! I am just so tired of the lies and being treated like we are the reason the company is failing when we are working our asses off trying to recover from all the free crap they give out! I (like most of us) have not had a pay increase in over 5 years... I really am just tired of the promise that they never keep, and tired of lie after lie!!
It is sad to say but I think I will be disappointed if they don't close down!!
Thanks for sharing! So many things are sounding the same. I am really almost hoping now that they close! I am just so tired of the lies and being treated like we are the reason the company is failing when we are working our asses off trying to recover from all the free crap they give out! I (like most of us) have not had a pay increase in over 5 years... I really am just tired of the promise that they never keep, and tired of lie after lie!!
It is sad to say but I think I will be disappointed if they don't close down!!
Free2beme, I am just wondering, when you were leading up to the shut down of the U.S. did they have a major push for sits?? Get those sits in, get them in!! Cause we are being pushed to book book book!
Same here, but we will be closing at 5:00 on Sundays now instead of 6! I don't understand why they can't just close at 6:00 on Saturdays! I work many Saturday closes, and I can count on 1 hand how many people show up after 6pm (and that is multiple Saturdays). But no...gotta stay open till 8...you may get that all important big buyer in!!! *insert rolling of eyes here*
CpiOntario, are you a sears studio or Walmart? I am Walmart, and our hours haven't been cut yet.
Very true Muchwow! We have a lady in our studio who does it as a job, but is not a professional photographer by any means! So you are right. But I like to think that I am a "real photographer", I love what I do (Hate the company I work for) and like to think I am good at my job...took me a LONG time to say that!! But it still makes me angry when all of us are grouped together and it is said that we are not professional photographers! :( Many of us are amazing photographers, and just because we work in a sears or walmart portrait studio does not mean we are not professionals! What we do it NOT easy some days! And if you take someone who has gone to school to be a photographer and put them into our studio the result is often not good! In our studio we have had a few seasonal girls who are "professional photographers" and have school training, and they were really have a difficult time taking what they know and putting it in the studio!
Every day it gets more difficult to put up with their (the company)crap, and do my job! They really know how to take the love of a job, and destroy it!
I am pretty sure that Portrait Suites was created by programmers who work (or worked) for CPI. So I don't think that they would leave any loop-holes like that!!
I don't think so. The studio I work in has had Portrait suites since it was rolled out, we like many of the things that we were able to do with it...but I miss all the collages etc from Portraits and weddings! :(
Secret Santa, I totally agree...I took offence to that comment as well, I have been working with the company for over 7 years now...and I do classify myself a professional photographer!
Secret Santa, we were told to get rid of the old deposit slips, and use the new ones as soon as they arrived, then, a week later we were told to NOT use them until further notice, to use the old ones till we are told to use the new ones! Well, some of us threw out MOST of our slips! :S Who knows who is being told the proper thing! LOL
I am wondering if those letter were just for an easy way out! An easier way to get rid of us if need be, or if the company does shut down!! We have all signed saying "we accept that we will not get severance pay and we can let you go at any time" As for the "new company" I totally agree, they are just the same people running the show!! Change the name, and put on a band aid!
As far as I know the pp specialist has a different position. Not sure what it is though! As for the Deposit slips, why change them if you weren't changing the name? And I am pretty sure this is no longer called "end of Feb to beginning of Mar" We are much closer to the end of March! Lets see how much longer they can drag this out! *insert rolling eyes here*
VERY well said free2bme!! I have been saying that all along! Why keep the higher ups who have crushed us into the ground by giving away everything for FREE! They have cheapened us by doing this! And I don't think they should be left in executive positions in this "new" company! Of course, it is LONG past late February or Early March if you ask me! I really am sick of the lies, and being led on!!! I just want to do what I am good at and get the money I deserve for doing it! (As I am sure We ALL DO!!) I really hoped we'd get to start with a clean slate executive and company wise...but it isn't looking like ANYTHING is going to change!!! Pathetic!!!
It sucks that it has come to that! But I know exactly how you feel, as I am sure MANY of us do! I have always loved my job, enjoyed most aspects of it...now I feel like I would rather be anywhere! :( I am so very tired of the not knowing what is going on, and the not knowing from day to day if we will have a job! And I am VERY tired of the lies! I honestly don't care one way or another what happens! I am almost hoping the company fails so that we can at least collect EI! I hope that you are able to now find something that makes you happy again! You are brave, and I am sure many of us wish we were as brave!! Take Care!!
Yes, we were told that Jay is still with the company. Not sure of his "title" but he is one above Bob now I believe. Don't hold me to that though, cause I am not positive! Can't be positive of anything with this company!! :S
So, in other words, same crap...different pile? Because that is exactly what it is going to be! Those people have run the company into the ground, and will just continue to do so by giving everything away for free, and treating the associates like they are the reason that the company is tanking! Oh I love my job! I am so very tired of being lied to by this company it isn't even funny!!
Just Ducky, wondering if you clicked the "Accept" or "Decline" button on the Web Apps?? Signing the physical letter wasn't nearly as important as either of those things!! Hitting accept was your acceptance, hitting decline was your resignation. Sadly...I hit accept! :S I am really tired of their crap though!!