Thread regarding Follett layoffs

I@Britten. We did get back to work, just not with Follett. No one left is truly happy. I've talked to employees across many divisions and not one is "happy" with the NEW Follett. Eliminate a job, replace it with Sears, KMart, Office Max person with no text knowledge. Not even customer service knowledge..... Cut benefits, reduce staff, increase workload to a point that is unmanageable.

Money wasted on new IT programs that go nowhere. Can't tell you how much time my area spent testing ORPOS only to see that shelved. Everyone tiptoes around so you don't get noticed, because we are afraid that we will be next.

Every person I looked up to has been RIF'd. Great talent just gone.

And BTW, why don't you ask questions about DGs management method. I believe it is call the Crucible, based on marines training. Brutal. And a fact- I have heard from several people, including VPs that he tries to break you so you can be molded into a new associate. Not exactly the Follett values.

@Britten, I AM back at work, just not a Follett. I was RIF’ed so that Follett could bring in yet ANOTHER V.P. from Sears. So nobody from within the organization with 10, 15, 20 years of dedicated service to the company is good enough to promote from within but some great talent from a failing company like Sears, that know nothing about the business, is qualified to step in and direct associates with 10, 15, 20 years experience? Tell us about Blue Book and the warehouse full of unsalable books. And what about that Code of Conduct thing? I guess it’s o.k. now for vendors to be coerced to hire friends and relatives or be given expensive gifts? Report it to Mr. Heat, they can’t find anything (cover up). Report it to you, nothing. I got to get back to work now for my new company that values Each and Every Associate.

@Britten - maybe you can explain why I was laid off and replaced with a Sears employee. Maybe you can explain how one of the biggest jerks I've ever met is the VP for the text area. Why is Follett getting rid of customer service?

@ Britten. Sorry but we have seen too much retaliation to take the risk to meet openly and Mr. Heat is just a way to get yourself into trouble. I've seen it happen. The work environment is so hostile it is hard to just 'get back to work'. I will say that the new health plans are going to cost me thousands of dollars more a year in health costs. I wish Follett would stop trying to spin all these cuts as good things. They aren't. They are ways to save the company/family money. Try being open and honest instead of constantly lying. The Follett Values are a joke and the employees know it.

I'd be happy to share insights from the field. But if you're serious I'll only send them through a Tor email system. Sorry, nothing personal, but the Mr. heat line does earn retaliation from higher ups. This -would- be career suicide.

My name is Britten Follett. I'm Chuck's daughter. I work out of our McHenry West office. I'd be happy to hand deliver any letter or message you have to Chuck or any other family member. In fact, I'd be happy to spend time meeting with any of you to hear your ideas. All of us are committed to making Follett the best company for our employees and most of all, our customers. I look forward to hearing from you. Now let's get back to work!

Send it to Santa Claus.

A letter to Chuck would probably be preaching to the choir. Chuck REALLY cared. Mr. Traut REALLY cared. Both are gentlemen. I think the branch(es) of the family that are running the show now don't really care about anything except their dividends. Everyone working for Follett now is just the help. They don't know the business and they prove that with every cut to the stores and every VP they allow to be hired. I think Chris and Chuck just threw in the towel and gave up. Both are financially well off and they tired of fighting their own family.

Good Luck. It is worth a try. Personally, I have given up. Company seems to be going down the tube. Focus seems to be on hiring VPs and cutting benefits every few months.

Be careful where you mail it from. They may try to track you down and fire you for challenging the status quo.

Chuck's address can be found in the white pages.

1818 Koda Drive. Marengo

Go to whitepages.com and search for him

I'm the original poster, thank you all for your responses. I will send it to Chuck Follett. May I ask how I would look up his address? I am fairly resourceful, I'll try to figure it out on my own. But if anyone knows a valid address for him, that will be one less thing I need to do. I think if I send it to the Westbrook address, it will probably be opened and read. Not illegally -- but I mean by, maybe, a secretary, who will then forward it onto a lower-level person. So I'm going to try my best to find a correct address. Your help will be appreciated.

And, thank you to the person that wished me luck. I really appreciate it. I feel like I really need it. Thank you.

I agree send it to chuck Follett in Marengo. He's a good guy.

Good luck!

Send it to Todd and Ray. Whether you have seen it or not, Ray cares and wants to improve things.

Send it to Chuck Follett in Marengo IL

I believe he still may care.