After a rather harrowing week working with various FedexKinkos services in Lansing, MI, and Chicago, IL, I’ve decided to start compiling a list of their lies.
- Lie: “You can print to either black and white or color printers from your laptop.” Truth: Usually this is a lie. They have some sort of bizarre connection that only goes to the one printer. And, when I asked them about it, they gave me a rather condescending look and said, “Of course it doesn’t work. You can only print to one printer from the parallel port.” Ah. (Lansing, MI)
- Lie: the equipment for rental works. Truth: much of it does not. And, as a company, there seems to be a policy of not labeling anything that happens to be out of order as, well, “Out of Order.” As if that weren’t enough: two people just exclaimed–Yes, we should and will put an out of order sign on that right away. And then disappeared. I saw them helping other customers a bit later on over by the copiers. (Chicago, IL)
- Lie: Submitting via Docstore is the best way to get a document to them. Truth: Sending via email is the fastest way. Docstore might take 20 minutes. Why? I have no idea. The most helpful employee at the Lansing store, Dustin, a person with a bit of mental retardation, just said, well, it has to go to headquarters. And the least helpful person, when asked about using email vs. docstore, said, “No, don’t worry about it. There are smart people working here now.” 30 minutes later the same person said OK we got it only gave me a proof when I asked for it.
OK, that’s probably enough. I feeel better. Thanks for listening.
24 comments ↓
You’re welcome. Makes ILL seem simple by comparison.
Some things never change.
When the boss throws a tantrum (and to be fair, it’s been at least a month, and that was because the construction workers across the street knocked out our power, phones AND internet for a few hours), we say, “Watch out, Kinkos Bill is back.”.
Eileen
Well, such are the joys of working for a multi-national corporation. We offer more services with fewer and lower-paid employees. As a result, most of the good people (read: semi-intelligent) throw up their hands in disgust and quit. Whoever is left is either so intelligent they can’t fit in anywhere and settle for Kinko’s (like me), or they don’t see anything wrong because they don’t pay attention. I myself have become comfortable punching the clock and doing what I can without overextending myself and causing myself unnecessary stress. I have become used to the powers that be (high-powered executives, over 80% of whom have never worked in a Kinko’s store) giving us generally unattainable goals with the limited resources they also give us.
A case in point:
Our current phone greeting is three sentences:
Thank you for calling FedEx Kinko’s where you can now ship your ground and express packages. My name is _____. How may I help you?
Has that really been field tested? Try saying it a few times. You’ll see how annoying it is. And it’s every time I answer the phone.
Anyway, thanks for the rant. I feel much better now. Just know that there are a few good employees at Kinko’s who are every bit as bothered as the general public with our lies and inconsistencies. Unfortunately, as an employee, when dealing with it for 40 hours a week every week you have to pick your battles. Things that haven’t changed aren’t likely to anytime soon.
Nice to see that Kinko’s arrouses such passions from all concerned. I think the last poster summed it up well. Take Dustin, the guy with some mental retardation from Lansing. His take is, “Hey, cool! I’m working at Kinko’s!” I think a lot of others are, “Ah shit, I’m working at Kinko’s.”
Anyway, I don’t buy that it’s the fault of management. You always get out of anything exactly what you put into it. If you’re not happy working at Kinko’s, leave. There are plenty of similar jobs. If you don’t want to leave, don’t take out your frustrations on the people who pay your wage–that’s the customers, BTW, not the company. Get happy. It will, at the very least, make your day to day experience better.
Don’t blame poor Dustin. I think Kinko’s has to fill an employment quota of people below a certain IQ level. One young man about 18 years old recently spent 10 minutes arguing with me about the way my resume was laid out. He told me the two-page format was “incorrect” and refused to copy it until I edited it down to one page. “Sorry, dude,” he said. “But I’m really doing you a favor. You’ll never get called for an interview with a resume that long. Believe me — I know!” And that’s how Kinko’s finds its employees — the shorter the resume, the better.
I work for kinkos and most of the public or so called customers don’t know what they want or have a clue about what they want. Fivesticks don’t have a clue of the behind the scene us underpaid overabused workers have to deal with.
Since this seems to be getting a lot of attention: my local FedexKinko’s has been very good lately. (I’ve posted this in other parts of the blog–I’m sure you, intrepid reader, can sleuth them out.) My advice for the previous writer about not liking their job: quit. Life is way too short to be doing something you hate at a company you don’t like. Yes, it may be painful in the short run, but it will get better.
AAh Fedex Kinkos – You know there is alot of talk about how stupid or retarded the team members are there. The shorter your resume the better chance you have of getting hired. After thirteen years and multiple commendations about how I was the best ever, my experience is that most people at Kinko’s truly suck at there jobs. Either they think they know everything after three months. Or they have graduated to the machine operator position and cannot help customers. But the truth is that many managers intentionally do not hire the intelligent people because once the skills are aquired the manager becomes intimidated. This is not only at the Center Manager level but at the district level as well. The problem is this – poor performers are not dealt with, the good performers are not rewarded and if you hang out long enough you’ll eventually make the same money as everyone else. This is a company that terminated their top 100 Manager the same day they congratulated him for a record sales month. The reason- Team members who never give a crap about the business said they were being asked to work too hard.
I WORKED THERE. MOST OF IT IS LACK OF TRAINING, TOO LITTLE PEOPLE, NOT ENOUGH TIME, AND SHITTY MANAGEMENT. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS THEY ARE THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS, AND THAT IS GREAT. TOO DAMN BAD THAT THE EMPLOYEES THAT WORK DAY AFTER DAY, NOT TAKING BREAKS AND HOLDING THEIR PEE FOR HOURS ON END WHILE THE MANAGEMENT WHO YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO BLAME SPEND ALL THEIR TIME JACKING OFF. GET REAL!!!!
IF THE PEOPLE ARE THAT STUPID THEN NO ONE WOULD HIRE THEM. THEY ARE JUST DOING THE BEST THAT THEY CAN WITH NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!
I continue to be amazed at how many people comment on this. Seems Kinko’s inspires all kinds of emotions.
I worked for Kinkos for 16 years and over those years have seen one talented manager after another leave due to lack of good upper management. The store managers can only work with what is given to them. Everything trickles down and it is the poor saps who run the floor that get screwed. The company is always in termoil and will continue to be. The customers are the only good thing going for it!
I have worked for FedEx Kinko’s in Seattle for 6 months and was moved up positions not like I’m proud because I never got a raise and was hired on at $7.50 and currently still being paid 7.50. I never got a 90 day evaluation like everyone else and if customers expect good service. Than we need better pay. I got a bonus of $40 after six months. That is what is suppose to make me feel like I’m making more money well lets figure it out if I was paid at least $9.00 hr.. 40hr. week or 160hr. month… Maybe I could buy some clothing or maybe do something for my self or further my education.
Present pay month $1200 m
Reasonable pay $1440 m
It doesn’t seem like much does it now at up monthly cost just to live
Car payment $210
Cheap food $220
Gas $200
Rent $575
Total $1205 monthly expenses
$1200 monthly pay
$40 bonus just enough to pay off det.
$10 buy one shot of alcohol to go in and tell you I quit
Open copy surplus next door!!!
WOW!!!! At my current rates I go into the negatives buy $5 every month. Thank you Kinko’s for the great opportunity. You customers are great to sympathetic if you don’t like the price you just walk out thanks.
In case the above poster comes back, I have one recommendation: quit. I appreciate that you’ve added your voice to the list here–really. But I don’t understand why you work at Kinko’s. If it stinks, quit. You’ll find something else. And, finally, stop paying $10 for a shot. Got to Safeway and get a pint of JD for $7.99 like the rest of us.
Well there are alot of good, and yes, smart people who work hard for a living at FedexKinkos! I do sympathize for any of the bad experiences that you have had but there are many people who have had very good experiences as well. I know how much I make for them and we were f****** i mean screwing everything up we wouldn’t be making as much as we do. I know that when I help people, I smile and I know what I’m doing. I know that if you were to come into my center, we know what you need and how to do it, and we are not stupid!!!!! Unfortunately I understand that every center is not my center.
< THE MAN>
I feel bad for the Fedex employees! Though, I feel bad for the person who spent all this time designing this web page!!!This is not a debate. This is simply someone with no life,or free time,(hopefully free time)that is sad,or angry,or maybe the child that was bullied in his earlier years. He possible was abused and is crying out, So here him ROAR
Back in 2001 when Gary Kusin the newly appointed CEO of Kinko’s by CD&R, they were already in private talks with FedEx to acquire Kinko’s. This was in violation of an agreement by CD&R to inform the Kinko’s shareholders of any negotiations to sell the company. Subsequently, CD&R offered to buy back Kinko’s stock at $17.00 a share. The shareholders were unaware of the deal that was brewing with FedEx to buy the company, so they sold their shares. When the acquisition was finalized, the stock was worth $37.00 per share. Gary Kusin and CD&R swindled the founder and former Kinko’s partners out of millions of dollars. Make no mistake about it, Gary Kusin did nothing but cut cost to improve profitability. Gary Kusin lacked the ability to take the company to the next level. After the acquisition, FedEx made the mistake of keeping Gary Kusin on as the CEO. After 16 months of Gross Profit margins falling below 3%, FedEx decided it was time for Gary to hit the road. There’s new leadership at Kinko’s from FedEx, but there slow to replace Area Vice Presidents like Paul Reed who is responsible for the lack of customer service at the Chicago Branch mention earlier. Kinko’s needs to get rid of employees like Paul Reed and replace them with professionals who understand the value of great customer service. When that happens, maybe this web site will cease to exist.
THe Customer HATE us! We are spread too thin (responsible for ten million positions) What other company requires employees to fill so many positions in a given day. We are supposed to be experts in Shipping,packaging,copying,printing,office supplies,document creation and NOW NOTARY services
Dear God! In a restaurant the waiter isn’t the cook/bus boy/manager/hostess/bartender.
This company has eyes that are bigger than it’s stomach!
I agree that this company makes the employees wear too many hats. The knowledge required and the level of customer service demanded contradict each other. You cannot effectively do both.
Let’s reminisce…. What was Paul Orfalea thinking? Paul should have never “sold” Kinko’s to CD & R. This is when the company began to go down the drain. Remember when…. 1)Everyone made MONEY. Profit Sharing (the managers, assistant managers and co-workers) received a percentage of profit – EACH MONTH. 2) The payroll number to hit was 25%. 3) The branches were staffed with enough co-workers 4) And most people had fun. Now, FEDEXKINKOS wants more for less. The customers are frustrated, co-workers are frustrated, no one makes any money, monthly/quarterly goals are ridiculous to obtain. What was Paul thinking? The culture that once made Kinko’s a great place to work and one of the top companies to work for – IS GONE. PAUL, PLEASE HELP.
GREED, GREED, GREED. GIMME, GIMME, GIMME.
I’ve worked at kinkos since feb 07 ( it is now aug 07) this should be amply time to learn my job and feel comfortable at work- I left a very successful career at a retail chain (for reasons of my own, that could not be prevented) and took a huge pay cut to jack with the lowest common denominator every day. Yes I do intend to leave kinkos – yes kinkos employees always have that option- but let me also say this…..as a reasonable intelligent woman in my mid 30s I felt at the outset of this journey that given enough time, effort and with a good work ethic most jobs are workable.I was incorrect.Our customers are the most unprepared group of procrastinators i have ever even heard of,and our training program is a joke- I am pretty smart under normal circumstances but instead of feeling more comfortable in my job every day I feel that the longer I work at kinkos the LESS competent of a person I become – it’s bazaar it’s like it is sucking the intelligence right out of me – I feel more stupid every day just for having shown up to work- it sucks the will right out of you – kinkos is the most ridiculous place I have ever worked – I dread going to work every day – I finally had an epiphany today as to why we seem to be a mecca for the most imbecilic customer base I have ever encountered in the retail world…..Intelligent people with REAL jobs have their OWN OFFICES with their own fax machines, their own copiers and their own computers where FEDEX comes to THEM to make pick ups – all the other ass clowns have to pretend to be real business people and come to Kinkos to do the most basic office functions – it’s no wonder that they don’t know how to make a double sided copy – Kinkos probably has the first F*&^in copy machine they have ever even seen!!!! I work in North Texas – I had a 30 min argument with some idiot today about whether or not he needed an international airbill to send a package to SAN ANTONIO ….TEXAS. He thought it was in another state( I did not even begin to try to explain to him that an INTERNATIONAL airbill is for another COUNTRY not another state- I was too busy explaining to him that he was currently standing in the F&^%in state of TEXAS and that the reason San Antonio is so far away is that TEXAS is just ….bigger that most states). I have neither that time nor the inclination to go in to the many other episodes of mental masturbation that I have to go thru with customers all day every day – I will just say this …if you go in to Kinkos for godssakes give the people who work there a break because the very fact that they are standing in front of you as an employee there should speak volumes about their patience level – I guarantee you that every one of them has had the urge to reach across the counter and knock the sh*^ out of someone within the last hour…..whew…..I hate that place …can’t wait to get out – good luck to all of you bad asses who can tough it out and stay employed there- and for all of you who are pain in the butt customers….get a real job where you have your own office machines to break and screw with …or learn how to act like a decent human being before you walk in to one of our stores and some poor overworked- stressed out Kinkos employee finally snaps on you and reached across the counter and knocks you the hell out.
Sincerely,
There have been some new comments over at the old blog. Mine are at the end.
Anonymous Anonymous said…
I’m going to say this, you’re all very right and I would just quit if you can, otherwise if you’re stuck like me then try working it out but if you can’t move on, it’s not fun.
3:24 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said…
wow! I worked at kinkos as an assistant manager for like…. 3 months and I agree what that lady in Texas said. The customers are pretty retarded.I used to dread everyday coming in to work.so one day I decided to quit….well actually I just stop showing up.I think they got the hint.now I’m going to school to become a recording engineer.
Reid>>> +1 for you. That’s great.
1:32 AM
Anonymous Anonymous said…
I have an interview at Kinkos tomorrow.
Reid>>> +2 for you. Doing a little research on a potential employer is a smart move. Keep in mind that the people posting here might be a bit negative. (Including me
)
I have worked there for over 10 years now and have seen a lot go on. I strongly agree that upper mgmt does not have a clue what goes on from day to day in a Center. I like the work, but not all the policies. They are stretching us way too thin and asking us to do too many things to do them well. They have cut back on hiring and at the location where I am they just have stopped replacing people when they leave and we do an enormous amount of printing. They have rolled out a new system on the registers with little training and instead of streamlining the steps and processes it takes to place and produce an order they have added things to help with tracking customers. FedEx thinks they can run a printing company but they don’t have a clue or just don’t care as long as they can use the place to ship packages. I think FedEx should send in upper mgmt to talk to the people that run the day to day operations (and I mean no Center managers) and let us tell them what problems we are having and make suggestions and then make some changes. I really don’t think that will happen and I don’t see a bright future for FedEx Kinko’s. The stores will probably only be for shipping and no printing. Just one final note……I heard about a guy that worked at FedEx/Kinko’s and one day he checked into a hotel and shot himself in the head and died…..wonder why?
Thanks for sharing Anon. One thing: you probably can’t ascribe 100% of the suicide to his having worked at Kinko’s. Maybe you can, but in my experience those kind of things are usually fairly complex.
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