Undercover Boss

[Posts: 4691Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 23:07Location: Taunton Somerset]

Maybe of interest to some.

Tonight 9.00 - C4

William Reeve works on the shop floor of Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, encountering shocking attitudes among some staff and meeting others who have experienced armed robberies.

[Posts: 626Joined: 05 Jun 2012, 14:26]

Thanks for the heads up.

Talking of robbery, 12/1 Mars next year's Derby, daylight robbery!!

[Posts: 4691Joined: 12 Mar 2008, 23:07Location: Taunton Somerset]

Mars was very impressive indeed Steve.

[Posts: 488Joined: 27 Jul 2011, 22:05]

They had one a couple of years ago when Jockey Club boss Paul Fisher did this. It is still available on 4 on demand

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/unde ... od#3117330

[Posts: 1030Joined: 24 Apr 2011, 00:59]

Thanks Nathan..
Just got home from work and almost forgot about that. I'll crack on with dinner now and set the video for 9.00...

[Posts: 1074Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 12:56Location: Wrexham]

Should be interesting, how many PP shops are there? I've always thought of them being more of an online bookie....guess there's quite a few in Ireland? These Undercover Boss programmes are usually prompted by poor sales or poor state of affairs at the 'bottom', so will be intriguing to see what's unearthed at PP.

[Posts: 257Joined: 09 Jun 2012, 14:35]

The Paddy Power in Birmingham is quite an intimidating place & refuse to go in there unless I have company.

[Posts: 557Joined: 01 Oct 2011, 18:53]

The Paddy Power in Birmingham is quite an intimidating place & refuse to go in there unless I have company.

Ya big Jessie

[Posts: 1074Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 12:56Location: Wrexham]

I suppose most places in Birmingham are rather intimidating....

[Posts: 1536Joined: 31 May 2004, 16:59Location: Warwick]

This program made me realise two things:

1. Betting shops are full of witty characters from the full range of society who dispense bonhomie and partake in informed chat about racing.

They are by no means a toxic combination of nutters, dregs and compulsives who would kill you for a 5p Lucky 15.

2. Paddy Power are a wonderful, warm-hearted company who treat their staff like royalty and their customers with respect. Any thoughts that they may be a bunch of avaricious, uncaring, addiction-peddling, bottom-line merchants was dispelled last night.

Lovely stuff.

Mike

[Posts: 1058Joined: 25 Mar 2011, 11:32Location: Catterick, N Yorkshire]

Enjoyed the programme very much indeed and thought William Reeve came out smelling of the proverbial 'roses'.

They have some excellent staff, far better than Billys and Laddies in the Catterick and Darlington areas! Having been around the bookmakers for many years I struggle with the attitude of some bookies in my area, staff are rude and ignorant of racing, we all know the 'machines' pull in more dosh within the shops with 'on line' horses taking the majority of money.

It is no wonder with the attitude of some staff, Joes are far better and have a more jovial and friendly attitude towards their customers.

[Posts: 1074Joined: 25 Nov 2009, 12:56Location: Wrexham]

It's always the same, the company always uses the programme as a vehicle to show how theyre such a caring and ethical place to work, and it was no different here. However it wasn't the boss who went undercover, just one of the directors, kind of defeats the object! One thing that I gleaned was that it doesn't really matter what bookies name is above the door to determine it's poor state or if they're liable to be robbed, the locality (ie a deprived area in London) is a bigger factor I think.

[Posts: 601Joined: 22 Jun 2010, 00:44]

When the director delivered his finidings to the board they looked defensive and put out that this bloke was telling them things they didn't want to hear. Which is probably why the issues raised/discovered existed in the first place.

I must say if I had been the victim of a robbery at one of their shops and found I was to be given a whole extra days holiday as opposed to an all expenses paid holiday pplus £5k spending money, I would feel somewhat miffed.

I was also curious about the scottish manageress' story. In my experience shop staff end up working 50+ hours a week to earn the overtime so that they can earn just a normal wage. Salaries paid to asst managers and managers in particular are usually derisory. I am not aware of PP's policy on this being any better. So whilst the viewer was moved to learn this lady's shop was to be given a relaunch including a £20k marketing budget, there was no mention of her being rewarded financially for getting the profits up. I couldn't help but feel all of the "rewards" were for the benefit of the TV audience and that they were as cheap a shot as most of PPs adverts.

It struck me at the end that as nice as the gestures were, I remain unconvinced that the isses will ever get resolved.