I'M the boss!

Mouth for war · Mon 15/01/2018 23:05:07

So, I've been working as an ice cream salesman for less than 2 years (Never worked in sales before in my life actually but I've been working with people a lot) Anyway, I have really worked hard and done everything I can to do a good job and always have happy customers and I think I can honestly say that I probably have 99% happy, the 1% are the ones who fail to read fine prints on coupons etc and blame me for that

suddenly my boss told me he was quitting and actually told his boss, who just took over the company that I should replace him. I sent him a letter and he was immediately interested. Had an interview last thursday and boom...here I am now...the boss haha

Never thought that was even possible in that short time but I must say that it feels really great that my boss has that much confidence in me. It also feels a little scary of course to have that responsibility but I felt I just had to go for it. An opportunity like that doesn't happen very often. Nice way to start 2018! Thank you for your time my friends!

Click'd · Mon 15/01/2018 23:09:27

Is ice cream a whole-year business where you are? Here, it isn't.

Mouth for war · Mon 15/01/2018 23:12:49

more or less, even if the weather often says otherwise haha. But we close down for 3-4 weeks in the winter and then it's back to business.

Mandle · Mon 15/01/2018 23:17:20

Congratz!!!

Now, no getting greedy and skimming the ~~profits~~ products.

You'd end up looking like this guy:

Mouth for war · Mon 15/01/2018 23:39:17

Thank you!!

Haha one major benefit is the free ice cream...there's a fridge for the staff in the office and we can just take how much we want from there. I have been careful though so that I will NOT look like that gentleman above haha. I think I really nailed the interview when I presented ideas for changes to the big boss, the same ideas he had also thought of so it turns out we have the same way of thinking. The interview lasted for 3 hours!!! it should've been 1,5 but we had so much to talk about so

Even my boss (The one I will replace) said "Holy crap, we didnt talk that long when you hired me" That big boss was actually boss in that office a few years ago but then walked away from it and is now back in action. He told him "Yeah that's how it is when you talk to someone interesting" and I filled in with "You know, it doesn't take long when you talk to a golf ball" Good thing we have humor there haha. I also told him some time ago that it's every employees dream to back over his boss" he kindly told me to get the F out and just keep bringing the money in haha

dayowlron · Mon 15/01/2018 23:47:08

Wouldn't happen to be for Blue Bell would it? only reason I ask is the free ice cream because their slogan is "we eat all we can and sell the rest". lol

Stupot · Mon 15/01/2018 23:54:30

Nice one dude. Does this mean you have to work on sundaes?

Mouth for war · Tue 16/01/2018 00:05:22

No it's called "Hemglass" (Sweden) roughly translated "Home Ice cream" (We drive around, annoy the hell out of everyone with those amazing melodies haha) Thanks Stupot and that was a terrible joke (That's positive, I like it

) I much rather work on sundaes than on saturdays that's for sure

CaptainD · Tue 16/01/2018 08:46:19

Quote from: Mandle on Mon 15/01/2018 23:17:20
Congratz!!!

Now, no getting greedy and skimming the ~~profits~~ products.

You'd end up looking like this guy:

Nah I think he'd more likely end up looking like this:

(HA! And you thought Stupot's joke was bad!!

)

TheFrighter · Tue 16/01/2018 19:03:06

Hey, it's a good idea for a MAGS: Interviews for the new boss!

Just kidding.

MiteWiseacreLives! · Sat 20/01/2018 06:38:08

A late 'Congrats' from another in the illustrious world of food sales management

Mouth for war · Sun 21/01/2018 00:56:56

Haha thanks a lot! Getting kind of nervous now when I'm about to begin

Mandle · Sun 21/01/2018 14:33:45

Quote from: Mouth for war on Sun 21/01/2018 00:56:56
Haha thanks a lot! Getting kind of nervous now when I'm about to begin

If you weren't nervous you would do a shit job.

arj0n · Sun 21/01/2018 15:10:52

So your customers now end up at the ice cream car like...

Gratz with your new function!

Ryan Timothy B · Sun 21/01/2018 15:21:48

Follow your dream. I also recently followed mine by quitting my job last weekend and going to college for programming. I was in a team leader position of a forging department. Actually shortly before I gave my notice, they had an open position for assistant manager of forging. I didn't even apply for it. I didn't want it to pull me away from the direction I was aiming. Also I would have no idea what to say in a 3 hour interview, so that's pretty impressive.

Mouth for war · Sun 21/01/2018 21:39:07

Haha I will actually still be out on the roads selling but not like before and during the busy season I will be a desk jockey 100% more or less. And @Ryan
I wouldn't actually consider this a dream I think. It's not super easy to get a job today but my boss believed in me and I repayed that by working hard and being 100% loyal, so being offered the boss position beats "just" being a foot soldier

Yeah 3 hours just flew by and I was kind of shocked when I saw the time when I came out of there haha.

Mouth for war · Fri 09/02/2018 21:03:16

Uffff... I don't think I've ever welcomed a friday more than today! I will take over from march 1 and from the end of january my boss has been teaching me everything I'll need to know and I've been out on the roads selling as well....damn 12 hour days all week plus conducting job interviews. Can't wait for some peace and calm

Mandle · Sat 10/02/2018 11:26:48

Quote from: Mouth for war on Fri 09/02/2018 21:03:16
Can't wait for some peace and calm

Never gonna happen.

Sorry boss.

Mouth for war · Sat 10/02/2018 13:52:29

Hahaha you SOB.

at least i won't work the weekends

Mandle · Sat 10/02/2018 15:43:58

Quote from: Mouth for war on Sat 10/02/2018 13:52:29
at least i won't work the weekends

Oh, just you wait...

You will, and you won't get paid for it, but you will...

Mouth for war · Sat 10/02/2018 20:48:20

Well actually...the current boss was never working the weekends so I really want to keep that tradition going

Mouth for war · Mon 04/06/2018 21:56:55

I just need to ask. I was going from a regular salesman to the boss position in less than 2 years. That of course gave me a lot of responsibility. I'm starting to think if I'm doing too much for one person. I will list my daily work. It feels like I don't have time for everything.

Clean the facilities (That really takes time from more "important" stuff. I'm not saying cleaning isn't important but I'd rather spend that time doing other office stuff)
All administration (Enter sales numbers, order ice cream, calculate the employees salory etc)
Everything in the big freezer, receive shipments and organize it.
Load up the ice cream for all employees when they need to refill their supply in their trucks. I put everything on carts/wagons for them, I don't load their trucks though.
Make sure all cars are running like they should (Taking each of them to the repair shop when needed and so on)
Coach the employees/Make sure they do their job
drive routes myself/selling
Manage all online orders
get supplies for the office
+ other minor stuff

Would you say this is normal? Maybe it doesn't sound like much but it sure feels like it when it's everyday. I can't even take a damn coffee break without feeling guilty. Today I went to work at around 9.30 and I didn't eat until 8 in the evening and this is starting to feel "normal" I can't say that my paycheck increased THAT much either :-S

Cassiebsg · Mon 04/06/2018 22:08:25

Uhm, I thought "cleaning" would be a job to someone else, not the boss.
And yes, I think you are doing too much. If you don't take care you will end up stressed out and on sick leave.

Mouth for war · Mon 04/06/2018 22:23:05

Yeah I would've thought so too...but no...I must do every little damn thing. My boss is coming tomorrow so I did a "panic" cleaning just before I went home. vacuuming, swabbing the floors. That's how I clean the place....with an insane amount of stress. At the same time he's breathing down my neck with "You must find more people and conduct job interviews, book 5 for this week" He IS a good guy though and listens to what I have to say and really wants to help me but that doesn't give me less work so what's the point in even talking about it?

Cassiebsg · Mon 04/06/2018 22:27:24

Hire some one to do the cleaning?

Or schedule it so each employee needs to do the cleaning once every... (how many employees do you have?) So instead of doing it alone every day, you only do it every x days... But then again, not sure if that would work, as they would contest with "but I was hired to drive the truck and sell/distribute ice cream!"...

Mouth for war · Mon 04/06/2018 22:39:26

I would if I could (So would the woodchuck

) but my boss holds on tight to his wallet if you know what i mean hehe. Yeah I do have good employees though and they see how stressed out I am every day and they do what I tell them. Cleaning is not in their job description though, but I guess I could ask them to help out a little

Stupot · Mon 04/06/2018 23:16:01

That does sound like a hefty workload. I think you should demand (or ask politely for) an assistant even if it's part time, 3 or 4 afternoons a week or something, just to take the load off your shoulders a bit.

Mouth for war · Tue 05/06/2018 01:46:42

That would be good but I don't think that will happen unfortunately. I even did the salories today and there's an old guy working there, he's been in the company longer than me and he does a few more routes than the rest and he is a good seller. The job has steady pay plus commissions. This month I think that guy even got more than me...and I'm doing all that work for shit money. How do I even begin that discussion when I'm still on a, what's it called...probationary period? I have no problems with conflicts but there's a lot at stake here and I can't afford to lose my job. The pay is a f*****g joke IMO. And when the summer season is over, my job will require me to do more routes. Now I'm supposed to do one per week and that I can handle...but later on I'm supposed to do 4-5 routes per week as well as all that office stuff. That is gonna burn me out completely...I'm really looking forward to that

Mouth for war · Tue 05/06/2018 01:50:06

Forgot to mention that I also went to the office yesterday, on sunday, on my day off for three hours just to try and reduce the work for monday....and still I couldn't even have a god damn lunchbreak for 10,5 hours.

I really felt proud of myself when I started this thread all those months ago, I felt like I had actually accomplished something. I know I did a great job as a salesman, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten the job. Can't really say that I feel proud anymore. I feel more like a used sucker and there's a war inside my head now about what to do.

Cassiebsg · Tue 05/06/2018 15:14:29

Also, keep in mind that all your employees now assume that you get twice or ten times the pay they get...

Mouth for war · Tue 05/06/2018 17:08:34

Haha yeah well I do have some perks, and I deserve it I think. I can take home food and icecream without paying for it of course and I always get commission even if I don't reach the expected sales budget so that's something at least :-)

Mandle · Wed 06/06/2018 08:06:01

Quote from: Mouth for war on Tue 05/06/2018 01:50:06
Forgot to mention that I also went to the office yesterday, on sunday, on my day off for three hours just to try and reduce the work for monday

Quote from: Mandle on Sat 10/02/2018 15:43:58
Quote from: Mouth for war on Sat 10/02/2018 13:52:29
at least i won't work the weekends

Oh, just you wait...

You will, and you won't get paid for it, but you will...

Quote from: Mouth for war on Sat 10/02/2018 20:48:20
Well actually...the current boss was never working the weekends so I really want to keep that tradition going

I don't want to be that guy so...

Instead I'll ask this: What else wasn't the old boss doing that you are doing? I'd say make a list of about 3 major things that fall into this category and, once your parole period is over, approach the owner with these points. Nothing too aggressive but ask why you are expected to do these extra things for the same (or less) pay than the guy before you. Tell the owner, in reasonable tones, how you feel and ask him honestly if you are in the wrong feeling that way. That's what I would do. Hope I'm not getting you fired/demoted with this advice...

Cassiebsg · Wed 06/06/2018 15:21:10

Well fired would be a pain, "demoted" back to being a driver/seller, seems at present more like a promotion...

Mouth for war · Wed 06/06/2018 20:38:34

Haha you're kind of right there. I have one stupid thought though, that being promoted to this after less than 2 years might look pretty good on paper if I apply for something else in the future. I think it will not be frowned upon at least

Cassiebsg · Wed 06/06/2018 20:57:54

Yes, that would actually be the one and only reason I might accept a leader position at my current job (if I ever got asked...)

Mandle · Wed 06/06/2018 23:22:33

Being the boss of a smallish operation sucks. The people who work for you generally either think you are an asshole or they think you are a "nice guy" and take advantage of it and then you tell them one time "no" or "don't do that" and suddenly you're back to asshole.

As you said, you sit down on payday and pay some of your workers more money than you are getting.

And when something goes wrong it's ultimately your fault.

Stress-fest!

Mouth for war · Thu 07/06/2018 08:41:38

You pretty much nailed it there mandle. I have at least found good workers and we do have a nice atmosphere even if I say no to them sometimes haha. I HOPE i will still have the best pay. Compared ro the rest I have of course more...that old guy does nothing but work. 6 days a week and much longer in the evenings so he of course sells more than everyone else. I can't live for my work like that (unless it's game development

), I only work to live