Day 197 - 07 Dec 95 - Page 64


     
       1      A.  I do not class comments made on the performance review
       2      as being told off.
       3
       4 Q.   I see.
       5      A.  I have never been told, "You have not got enough
       6      people on, you should not run it that close, you should
       7      not be that tight."  Normally it would be: "Can I have
       8      half a per cent off your labour this month? Can you manage
       9      that?  Can you get it tighter?" They would be the types of
      10      things I would be asked to do.
      11
      12 Q.   Can you look at page 56, please?  If ever you do not hear
      13      just say so.
      14      A.  I am slightly deaf in one ear.
      15
      16 Q.   I know the problem myself and I apologise.  I will speak
      17      loudly and distinctly.  Under "People" on page 56: "The
      18      crew numbers", and this is 1st May 1990, "have at last
      19      taken an upward turn.  The quality of crew is far better.
      20      The appearances of the group.  Now you are beginning to
      21      see the benefit of this.  Turnover has improved and is the
      22      key for the store's performance.  The stores Managers are
      23      the key to your success, one with improved crew quality.
      24      Where are the Floor Managers developing from this?"
      25
      26      So finally, Mr. Coton, in May 1990 the message seems to
      27      have got home that you have to spend money on getting the
      28      right kind of crew, enough crew and the right kind of
      29      Managers and enough; is that right?
      30      A.  All along I have agreed that that is what you needed
      31      to run the business, but in the reality that is not what
      32      happened.
      33
      34 Q.   I want to turn from this -- we can go on with this
      35      indefinitely but you have re-read these documents, have
      36      you, these performance reviews?
      37      A.  I have re-read through them all, yes.
      38
      39 Q.   Just look at one more on page 60.  This is November the
      40      same year, 1st November 1995.  At the bottom of the page
      41      under "Profit and Loss."   I will read whole of it: "The
      42      second six months have been a struggle financially.
      43      Labour half month figures not attained twice.  Lack of
      44      reinvestment from the store culminating in large amounts
      45      spent at once. Food costs coming in at high levels, paper
      46      costs being average."
      47
      48      Stopping there, Mr. Coton, no doubt you would say, would
      49      you not, that that was the sort of pressure to keep costs
      50      low which you could not cope with without cutting corners;
      51      is that right?
      52      A.  Not really, no.  I mean what we are actually seeing 
      53      here is a situation where, unfortunately, you cannot
      54      always perform at your best every single month.  There are
      55      times when, for various reasons, you might struggle in
      56      certain areas.  That is what we are talking about there.
      57
      58 Q.   Let us look at the next paragraph.  "Your own personal
      59      understanding of the P&L has produced some reasonable
      60      figures.  These do not compare with those produced earlier

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