Question on a tang

[GaryP]

Better yet, how about we send to both corporate and to her district/regional manager? You mentioned a particular manager that said fish only needed to be fed flake. Can you get us a name and address?

We could print up letters and get signatures at MAAST meetings.

[falcondob]

Better yet, how about we send to both corporate and to her district/regional manager? You mentioned a particular manager that said fish only needed to be fed flake. Can you get us a name and address?

We could print up letters and get signatures at MAAST meetings.

Sounds good, the more people that get it the better. However, sometimes volume is better than signatures.

[GaryP]

I was just thinking that lack of knowledge on the district level in charge of the fish dept. seems to be the problem. I think this is understandable. They probably came up through the system and learned the same misinformation that they are out there perpetuating as managers now. Obviously they have no experience as hobbysists themselves.

The staatement that experienced aquarists don't by from Petco sounds like the lamest thing I have ever heard. In saying that he seems willing to resign himself to the fact that he is willing to give on 90% of the market. Its not like we wouldn't buy from them if price and quality were there. Well, maybe not. I would rather support the local LFS that actually has experience and knowledge.

Because of their size and buying power, I'm sure they are getting livestock at such a low wholesale price that they are willing to accept losses that would put any LFS out of business.

[DaneDodger]

Sounds like a good start on a plan of action to me. Keep me in the loop and I'll facilitate in any way I can.

Better yet, how about we send to both corporate and to her district/regional manager? You mentioned a particular manager that said fish only needed to be fed flake. Can you get us a name and address?

I was hired on as a Team Lead and voluntarily stepped down to Aquatics when it became apparent that the fish needed me (and that neither of the general managers I worked under had any intention of honoring their promise to me to promote me to salaried manager...just so you know fair and honest that I wasn't COMPLETELY altruistic in my decision :lol ) so I'm fairly well in the know concerning who's who and such. From bottom up in the stores there's associates, specialists, team leads, salaried manager, and general manager. Above the general manager the higher ups we deal with regularly at the store level is a district manager, who mainly oversees how the store looks and is doing on a whole, and a type of district animal care manager, who is in charge of seeing that the animal's needs in particular are being met according to Petco policy. Those two we usually only see about once a month or so.
Yes, the district animal care manager is the one who (through a store manager) ordered when asked what she wanted me to feed the fish that freshwater fish get only one type of flake and one type of pellet, saltwater fish normally get one flake, one pellet, and only once a week frozen (which I take to mean only brine shrimp since that's all they've sent me despite repeated orders for AT LEAST mysis instead). She's very strange and repeatedly contradicts her own and other's orders and such leaving me to just jump through whatever new hoop she puts up.
At one time I had a very serious couple who were hobbyists that also wanted to do something about the problems just as I was stepping down into Aquatics. They took pictures of a bagged saltwater fish they'd purchased as they tested the water showing nitrates well over 200 to document their concerns. I gave them the name of the two district overseers not thinking twice about it. If a customer directly asks for the name of a higher up shouldn't they get it? If Petco lives up to it's own standards they shouldn't have anything to hide, right?
Apparently some in the store didn't think so because the general manager was furious! If she knew it was ME that gave them the info I have no doubt she would've fired me right then. Honestly my personal take on that situation, not being in management just then so piecing things together, I believe that corporate took this couple's concerns very seriously so the AHEM rolled downhill from there which is really what got the GM's panties in a twist.
Hmmm perhaps we could get you in touch with that couple and ask them to give you the info so that I'm clear on that particular account.
As to present concerns, in my store those nitrate levels have certainly been fixed! Petco policy is to test three tanks with the most inhabitants three times per week and record the results (salt and two fresh). If the readings fall outside of what policy says is acceptable I'm expected to make the changes to fix it. I don't have the sheet right in front of me and frankly I never go by it anyway because I feel my own standards are higher than they expect. I.e., policy says that if nitrates are at either 70 or 80 (can't remember exactly) or higher I must do a water change. In my mind, especially considering we've started carrying inverts, this is absolutely not good enough. If I test a tank that reads higher than 20 nitrate I do a water change.
It seems to me that we need to list exactly what the problems are, why they're problems, what Petco should do to fix them, and who to send all the info to. Agreed? If so when I go into work tomorrow I'll get exact details on policy and anything else I can think of that would help out and give it to you guys.
(Sorry, I got so long winded here that I had to log back in to reply!! :lol )
Jenn

[jroescher]

Maybe the proper course would be to go to someone really high up in the chain, and somehow convice/entice them to take an interest in the better management of thier livestock. Make them aware of everyone's concerns and offer to help or provide some guidance in some way. Maybe offer to write some standards and protocols for care. Get them to attend a meeting or something where they actually see what a healthy tank really looks like.

Then as the AHEM rolls down....

Of course another action could be:
Dear District/Regional Manager, the news is here with thier cameras doing a story on the pitiful shape of our livestock and that we even turned down local hobbyists offering to help. What do I tell them??

[Bug_Power]

Don't worry your not the first to be in your situation either. I have a guy I went to HS with that after HS we parted ways. He ended up going to the Port A UT Marine Bio school and worked in the Phytoplankton research lab. He worked at Petco as well. He saw the horrible shape the tanks were in and began a transformation. He brought in some lights from home, Halides and such, cleaned up the tanks, ordered fish that people really wanted which thier supplier carried, however they were not supposed to order. SPS's LPS's you name it. The store was #1 in the nation in SW animal sales. Well big wig's came out, saw the setup and had him remove it because it wasn't "coorporate approved" So he took it down and new my niece get's to see all the "dusty fish" I tried to save a Racoon Butterfly which began an ICH outbreak that killed over $300 in fish. I now have a QT tank! Don't get frustrated, keep on keepin' on and I hope all get's better at your store.

BTW
My buddy from HS now owns his own LFS, Exotic Aquatic, and one of the other guys works at a competing LFS.

[DaneDodger]

Don't get frustrated, keep on keepin' on and I hope all get's better at your store.

Impossible. I know I'll be frustrated and want to throw in the towel from time to time but I've also been through some REAL traumas in my life too so I know Petco can't dish out a single thing I can't take either.

BTW
My buddy from HS now owns his own LFS, Exotic Aquatic, and one of the other guys works at a competing LFS.

Now that is one of my dreams!!! If I concentrated mainly on saltwater animals and supplies in this area there's no way the other stores could match me. It always comes down to money though :(
Jenn