Comments on: Inc. magazine’s second story on Kepler’s http://rickyopaterny.com/blog/2007/02/28/inc-magazines-second-story-on-keplers/ Ricky Opaterny on Books, Music, Art, and Sports Sun, 28 Feb 2010 20:25:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Rob Anderson http://rickyopaterny.com/blog/2007/02/28/inc-magazines-second-story-on-keplers/comment-page-1/#comment-9407 Rob Anderson Thu, 22 Mar 2007 18:39:02 +0000 http://www.gen-o.com/blog/2007/02/28/inc-magazines-second-story-on-keplers/#comment-9407 Having worked at Kepler's in 1994 (and unless things changed drastically since then) I can attest that Banta's comment about "managers [now] being held accountable" is complete nonsense. When I was there one of the biggest problems was too many metrics. People in training were reviewed after <i>three weeks</i>. Each manager was peer reviewed bi-annually. So this is obfuscation. I do agree with the writer who mentioned Clark's ludicrous rules. If a customer requested a book, an employee had three minutes in which to lead said customer to said book in the stacks. This "McDonald management style" is exactly why I and so many other former employees hated the place. It is completely inauthentic, nothing like the late, great Cody's, or City Lights, or Black Oaks, or Green Apple (especially Green Apple). Unhappy, harried, terrorized employees make for bad mojo for the customer. And don't let the "laid back", hippy-dippy appearance fool you. I know from personal observation and experience that Kepler's employees are ORDERED to dress and groom that way. What a sham. Having worked at Kepler’s in 1994 (and unless things changed drastically since then) I can attest that Banta’s comment about “managers [now] being held accountable” is complete nonsense. When I was there one of the biggest problems was too many metrics. People in training were reviewed after three weeks. Each manager was peer reviewed bi-annually. So this is obfuscation.

I do agree with the writer who mentioned Clark’s ludicrous rules. If a customer requested a book, an employee had three minutes in which to lead said customer to said book in the stacks. This “McDonald management style” is exactly why I and so many other former employees hated the place. It is completely inauthentic, nothing like the late, great Cody’s, or City Lights, or Black Oaks, or Green Apple (especially Green Apple).

Unhappy, harried, terrorized employees make for bad mojo for the customer. And don’t let the “laid back”, hippy-dippy appearance fool you. I know from personal observation and experience that Kepler’s employees are ORDERED to dress and groom that way. What a sham.

]]> By: evicious http://rickyopaterny.com/blog/2007/02/28/inc-magazines-second-story-on-keplers/comment-page-1/#comment-8903 evicious Thu, 01 Mar 2007 06:49:57 +0000 http://www.gen-o.com/blog/2007/02/28/inc-magazines-second-story-on-keplers/#comment-8903 Ok is it just me, or did it also make you ill that Banta's proposed goals are called BUBBLES of focus? God, remind me when/if I ever become an executive of some place to never call anything bubbles. IT just really bugs me, especially because she's a female executive. Bubbles? Of...focus? Ok is it just me, or did it also make you ill that Banta’s proposed goals are called BUBBLES of focus? God, remind me when/if I ever become an executive of some place to never call anything bubbles. IT just really bugs me, especially because she’s a female executive. Bubbles? Of…focus?

]]>