Getting into trouble and losing your job

[GoldenBears]

This is aimed towards people who work in pet shops including big chain pet stores. Would you be willing to perhaps lose your job and get into trouble for giving the correct advice and pointing customers in the right direction? I have always been curious about this.

[Itstheodorebearpls]

It's actually very rare that you'll have a manager who isn't 100% animal safety first. In fact, if we tell our manager about a better solution or product, they will 100% back us on recommending it. It's not like we're heartless machines or anything.

[racinghamster]

I don`t see why you would be in trouble for giving customers factual advice although your probably tied-in to what the shop sells. For example, if the shop sells a cage you feel is on the small side and you advise the customer to buy another cage that would suit their needs better, therefor, losing the shop a sale, you can quote RSPCA guidelines on this. This would possibly fall on deaf ears though as they are only `guidelines` and not law sadly.

Given most pet shops don`t abide by these guidelines, discretion is required really. It`s a tragedy that many new hamster owners are hoodwinked into spending good money on inadequate caging and accessories and then later realise they have spent money on these products and then find out they could have got a better deal elsewhere. It`s not much good for the hamster either as it`s better to have the correct cage to begin with to prevent switching cages after the hamster has settled in. It just makes sense. x

[Pebbles82]

Are you asking this because you are thinking of doing something that might get you into trouble (and you work in a pet shop?). It's a tricky one. I can't see why you would lose your job if you go about something in a diplomatic way. But if you directly give customers advice that is against the current pet shop policy they might see that in a negative way and decide you aren't the kind of employee they want.

I'm trying to think of an example you might be having an issue with. eg - if the pet shop only sells small cages and you want to advise customers that the cages are too small and suggest they get a bigger one elsewhere. Firstly you could try and persuade your Manager to stock a couple of extra, bigger cages and say they are very popular with Hamster owners (eg the Hamster Heaven or Sky which look attractive). If they say no, try being extra wheedling and persuasive and ask them to just get one extra bigger cage in and see how the sales of it go and then think about getting more. If you are met with a flat refusal then you are in a tricky position as if you advise customers that all the cages in the shop are too small and they should buy x cage elswewhere, then you will be losing your shop sales and yes they might decide you are bad for business. You could take a middle ground and say that these cages are fine for the first 2 or 3 weeks but they hamster will need a bigger cage in future.

I would start with working on the pet shop and Managers and suggest you stock RSCPA books on Hamsters and sell a wider selection of cages including some larger ones like the Hamster heaven and Ferplast Duna Multy. If you aren't happy, they won't take that on board then you could either risk telling customers they'd be better getting a bigger cage elsewhere and anything they buy now will only be good for 2 or 3 weeks (you'll have done your best), or how about setting up your own pet shop and doing things your own way? You'd need advice for doing that. There is usually some local venture organisation that advises and helps you set up a small business, helps you draw up a business plan so the sums add up and guides you with the finances and gives info on any funding sources.