My store is about to open a fuel center. One issue is that it's half a mile from the store down a neighborhood street where they won't get any business.
I'm a cashier who is a bit tired of things.
How is working the fuel center? Would you recommend it? Will the terrible location have an adverse impact on working there?
Those that work the fuel center do NOT get any health insurance. I wouldn't do it. From what I hear from those that work it, they really don't care for it.
I worked it, I was also fired from it just today. Don't play your music too loud, don't get seen sitting around, don't put forth extra effort.
Those seem to be the goals I learned working there.
Often times I'd be called in or asked to work a close shift and open the next morning because one of the other workers called in. I kept the pumps clean, everything stocked, was always more than eager to go help customers out on the pumps. None of that counts though because the management doesn't actually see you do it, so you didn't in their opinion.
I got complaints from other employees that came out to relieve me for breaks saying the radio was too loud. Well fine, I can always turn it down.
The boss saw me sitting in the station a few times because there's only so much you can do, and there's a chair there...I guess they felt they weren't getting enough for the money since they never saw me do any of that stuff above.
The only real gripe I had was the low hours and pay. Aside from that it was ok, so long as you didn't want insurance.
Today I was taken in and told I was being let go because the radio was too loud, something about a glove I inflated and taped to the desk and apparantly saying "hi" to other employees is considered abusive language.
Fuel sucks. For all the work you do you'll get nothing because the management can't witness it. You'll work all kinds of ridiculous shifts and hours. Thankfully it was only a temp job for me so I'm not all that torn up I lost it, just that the rigid totalitarian system the management holds up causes good employees to lose out in the end
I worked it, I was also fired from it just today. Don't play your music too loud, don't get seen sitting around, don't put forth extra effort.
Those seem to be the goals I learned working there.
Often times I'd be called in or asked to work a close shift and open the next morning because one of the other workers called in. I kept the pumps clean, everything stocked, was always more than eager to go help customers out on the pumps. None of that counts though because the management doesn't actually see you do it, so you didn't in their opinion.
I got complaints from other employees that came out to relieve me for breaks saying the radio was too loud. Well fine, I can always turn it down.
The boss saw me sitting in the station a few times because there's only so much you can do, and there's a chair there...I guess they felt they weren't getting enough for the money since they never saw me do any of that stuff above.
The only real gripe I had was the low hours and pay. Aside from that it was ok, so long as you didn't want insurance.
Today I was taken in and told I was being let go because the radio was too loud, something about a glove I inflated and taped to the desk and apparantly saying "hi" to other employees is considered abusive language.
Fuel sucks. For all the work you do you'll get nothing because the management can't witness it. You'll work all kinds of ridiculous shifts and hours. Thankfully it was only a temp job for me so I'm not all that torn up I lost it, just that the rigid totalitarian system the management holds up causes good employees to lose out in the end
Seems like Kroger is the problem, not the fuel center...
oh the fuel center spent two months on a late shift 8pm-1am it was boring and i just sat around and maybe saw 20 customers. since most people use there cards. and the damn building was always so cold so i would say no.
I worked it, I was also fired from it just today. Don't play your music too loud, don't get seen sitting around, don't put forth extra effort.
Those seem to be the goals I learned working there.
Often times I'd be called in or asked to work a close shift and open the next morning because one of the other workers called in. I kept the pumps clean, everything stocked, was always more than eager to go help customers out on the pumps. None of that counts though because the management doesn't actually see you do it, so you didn't in their opinion.
I got complaints from other employees that came out to relieve me for breaks saying the radio was too loud. Well fine, I can always turn it down.
The boss saw me sitting in the station a few times because there's only so much you can do, and there's a chair there...I guess they felt they weren't getting enough for the money since they never saw me do any of that stuff above.
The only real gripe I had was the low hours and pay. Aside from that it was ok, so long as you didn't want insurance.
Today I was taken in and told I was being let go because the radio was too loud, something about a glove I inflated and taped to the desk and apparantly saying "hi" to other employees is considered abusive language.
Fuel sucks. For all the work you do you'll get nothing because the management can't witness it. You'll work all kinds of ridiculous shifts and hours. Thankfully it was only a temp job for me so I'm not all that torn up I lost it, just that the rigid totalitarian system the management holds up causes good employees to lose out in the end
Seems like Kroger is the problem, not the fuel center...
True, Kroger is the problem, but fuel gets you even more problems. Fuel is that alienated little booth no one cares about. You're the hunchback of Notre Dame in a way.
Sounds to me like your played your music too loud, the employees and managers didn't like it and they basically canned your ass for it.
You admitted this three times in your post.
My suggestion is to grow up and stop playing your music too loud?
So Yoda, how loud is too loud? I played the radio just audible enough for me to hear. How much quieter must it be Mr. Know-Everything?
I think I know why I was fired when I went to turn in my shirts today. Seems a bunch of others were fired as well. Most all were hired within the period of a month. I also noticed the store was a lot slower today. I'm honestly wondering if they hired a bunch for the holidays and now they're booting them because the season's slowing down again. after all, they don't need reasons to kick newer employees
As someone who actively works at the fuel center, I'd say it depends on how strict your managers are. I read books, play on my phone, listen to music, anything to pass the time, its extremely boring at times, but the way I look at it is this, it gets you out of the limelight of being in the store, so unless you piss alot of customers off *enough for them to go complain*, and you dont mind the fact that there are no bathrooms out there *this is probably my main issue with working fuel is they generally dont give a full 8 hour shift, meaning you get 4-6 hour shifts, 4 hours fine, you get 1 break, but 6 hours you still only get 1 break meaning you have to hold it. If you call in and ask for someone to come out, they generally will, but you feel like your really putting them out to do it. I enjoy it, because I hate larger groups of people, one on one at the window, generally only a couple things to ring up at a time, its pretty mellow. If you can keep youself entertained and you dont have an overactive blatter, I'd recommend it, especially if you don't like the stress of being a cashier. Its alot to take in at first, learning to open learning to close, safe drops, etc etc but once you get it down, you find you can do almost 100% of your work within about an hour, the rest of the time your just in wait for the customer to come to window.
Is it the end all be all job? No, a monkey could do it, I'd say for every 6 people, 1 of the 5 people comes up to the window to pay with money, so its alot of just watching people pump gas, and helping them with problems they may have with the pumps. Just be attentive, dont be dumb, if a customer is coming up to the window, put your phone down well ahead of time, and get ready to greet them. If you sit and finish your text, while the customer watches, they likely will complain meaning they will be stricter about having the phone in there. I like it thus far, my only problem is right now im low man on totem pole, I'm getting rather crap hours, but one of the guys is supposedly leaving next month so YAY i get a more set schedule no more AMS /pray.
Sounds to me like your played your music too loud, the employees and managers didn't like it and they basically canned your ass for it.
You admitted this three times in your post.
My suggestion is to grow up and stop playing your music too loud?
So Yoda, how loud is too loud? I played the radio just audible enough for me to hear. How much quieter must it be Mr. Know-Everything?
I think I know why I was fired when I went to turn in my shirts today. Seems a bunch of others were fired as well. Most all were hired within the period of a month. I also noticed the store was a lot slower today. I'm honestly wondering if they hired a bunch for the holidays and now they're booting them because the season's slowing down again. after all, they don't need reasons to kick newer employees
Ok, update on the situation. I was able to talk to one of my co-workers out in fuel. He told me one employee complained about the radio, one of the other fuel workers because I left it on and she couldn't reach it to turn it off.
The other complaint that got me in trouble was when I asked early on if it was possible to check fuel prices early in the day so we could avoid the slaughter we got one afternoon when prices around us went up 20 cents. I had no idea Kroger waited for the others to move and then did so itsself. It seems my request was taken as a demand...I guess for some reason "Is it possible" is the same as "You should!"
The others that got canned? Coincidence I guess. I'm hoping this "fire an employee over ridiculously stupid, trivial things" isn't the norm, but from what I read and hear, it seems to be.
My store is about to open a fuel center. One issue is that it's half a mile from the store down a neighborhood street where they won't get any business.
I'm a cashier who is a bit tired of things.
How is working the fuel center? Would you recommend it? Will the terrible location have an adverse impact on working there?
I have never heard of a fuel center being a mile from the store. I hope they put a restroom there.
I work in mid south. I'll give the short version of my experience working there. I am full-time or the "assistant".
The customers aren't bad and the work isn't terribly hard. I stock merchandise, do paper work, count money, run the register, and clean inside and outside.
You are the fortress of solitude down there, the store managers don't care about what goes on. No, you don't have to deal with the lime light of working at the store, but..
Customer service and store management don't come to give breaks or lunches, if a co-worker isn't there.
In my district (UFCW1995) only the fuel lead gets insurance and benefits, as well as students.
My fuel lead is an *******. Granted, the work down there isn't terribly hard, but it sucks working with him. I would have a shift of 5:30am-2:00pm and he would work a mid shift of 10:00am-6:30pm. Soon as he got there,
He doesn't relieve me for breaks, and instead goes up to the store and doesn't return until 1:30pm, most days. If he does return through-out my shift, I will only be given enough time to take a bathroom break. He doesn't run the register, do any of the chores we have to do daily, and etc. He gets constant customer complaints for being rude to customers, which he is. He slams drawers at customers, yells and calls them names loud enough for them to hear, and etc, and honestly the customer was usually polite. I know we get rude ones, lol, oh I know we do. But he gets rude with people if he's outside stocking something and they want to pre-pay for gas and he has to walk inside. He makes lued comments about women infront of co-workers and customers. I constantly hear complaints about him from customers, fuel co-workers, fuel delivery guys, vendors, and store employees. Man, if he does an opening shift of 5:30am-2:00pm he leaves around noon every time, he's nortorious for leaving early. Early enough to leave a fuel co-worker or me without anyone else coming in for 6-7 hours and since no one from the store will come relieve us for a break..yeah It sucks working with him. It's kind of sad in a way, none of his fuel coworkers liked him, store employees hate him, and only maybe a few customers like him.
BUT, when our fuel lead is off or on vacation, everything goes great at work. We get chores done, no one has to run the register for 7 hours without more than a piss break, and we all are just a lot happier, lol.
So, my experience isn't all bad. I have a ****ty fuel lead my store manager won't do anything about because he has "bigger fish to fry", but my other co-workers are awesome. Most of my customers are pleasant, too. The work isn't hard either, and I get paid the same amount as store employees, or around the same.
BUT a word of caution, if they are fully staffed, in our district part-time employees only get 18-20 hours a week. Also, only two full-time positions which would be the fuel lead and the "assistant" lead. We only get 160 department hours.
I did try to talk to HR and my store management about what was going on, but they didn't give a ****.
