The other day I wrote about Sanyo suggesting its employees spend a considerable chunk of their own money to help boost faltering sales. With the proposed amounts starting at a staggering 200,000 yen (1,000 pound) for rank-and-file workers, and 500,000 yen (2,500 pound) for section managers.
As expected, the comments this post garnered were overwhelmingly critical of Sanyo. Except one that is. A response rather surprisingly from the company itself. Who the person is, and what position they hold wasn’t disclosed, but the IP address confirms the reply came from Sanyo. And as such it’s a response far too interesting to be left buried in the archived comments. So here it is.
Clarification:
1. It is recommended/encouraged.
2. Employees can buy their quota or promote the sales equivalent of such.
3. Executives have a 700,000 yen target.
4. Sanyo sells homes, does reform of homes, car loans, home solar power systems, plasma TVs, heating and cooling systems in addition to small home appliances, so meeting the quota might not be too difficult if you are in the market for high end products.
5. There is a Hello Kitty toaster and hot sandwich maker too.
Now to be honest, I feel this clarification makes the whole sorry affair seem even worse (if indeed that’s possible). The fact that it’s a recommendation leads one to suspect that non-compliance will result in the employee being disadvantaged in some form or another. And the option of going out and trying to cajole unsuspecting punters into buying Sanyo products in order to reach the necessary target isn’t what I’d call a favour. Whether it be a house, heater, or home appliance.
Even the mention of a Hello Kitty toaster isn’t enough to distract attention away from Sanyo’s sneaky shenanigans.
Is it?
eddie says
O_o;;
Hahahahaha! Everything this dude has said seems darn pointless.
Plus, Sanyo products are shit!
futsukayoi says
how could you be mad a company that makes a hello kitty toaster? awwwwww…….look at it…..
PT says
Let see:
1) if the company makes the quota, the employees receive their bonuses
2) if the company does not reach quote, no bonuses
3) bonuses may be several months salary
4) relationships employers/employees in Japan is seen differently than Westerners see it
I have to conclude that this is not such a bad idea.
Now, if you were in as position to control Sanyo and were in a similar situation, would you just do nothing and accept the drop is sales, or what would you do (we can assume that special promotions are already full blast, etc.. and that an EXTRAORDINARY measure is needed).
gleek says
distract me? hmmmm, that IS one cute toaster. just LOOK at that toast. yep, i’m distracted. must. buy. one. now.
Matt Goebel says
Seriously. I’m glad he pointed out the toaster, that changes the whole thing. I mean, come on, it’s going to be so easy to sell that! Hell, I’d even buy 10 or 20 for my house and neighbors! Everyonhe needs one of those. EVERYBODY. The employee’s will have no problem reaching the quota with those toasters up for sale. Now jsut wait until Sanyo makes a toaster that prints advertisements on the toast via wifi connections, that’ll be a hit.
Seriously though, it’s probably being streched way out of proportion; depending on the bonuses they get, or if there are any punishments for not reaching the quota. I doubt the company would alienate any of there employee’s, it’s probably just get nothing if you do nothing, or get money/time off/free stuff if you buy or sell Sanyo…
Ron says
I want my Hello Kitty toaster as well! But only if it imprints Hello Kitty panties on the toast when it pops out.
Did I say fresh and not soiled panties?
Cheers!
Debster says
Yes but I STILL need a Pooh toaster.
Simon says
I`d never even heard of Hello Kitty before I came to Japan. I guess I was just lucky. The toaster looks cheap and awful.
Tim says
If they could put the Virgin Mary on toast I’d buy it. (That item actually fetched $22,000 on eBay IIRC).
I feel bad for the company, but this seems like it’s unfair to the employees, and wasteful as well. The point of capitalism is for supply to meet demand, not purchase something you don’t want or need simply to artificially create demand to stimulate the economy. Otherwise it is just a pointless use of resources.
Are they supposed to bring in receipts or something to prove it?
Tyson Blades says
Kitty-chan! Kitty-chan! Kitty-chan! Better hope the employees’ young daughters don’t get a whiff of that requirement.
Seriously. It doesn’t say anywhere whether the employees get a discount on any of these items. A discounted home or car loan would be nice.
However, as a worker in the US, we just couldn’t understand this type of motivation. We do get bonuses from time to time, but I have never worked anywhere that gives them out for buying the company’s products.
The store employee who commented says that employees don’t have to just buy the products, they can promote the sales of the products as well. Again, coming from the US, that doesn’t seem like something an electronics assembly worker or a janitor would consider doing…isn’t that what salespeople are for? The Japanese have such a different work ethic though; it may not be so out of the ordinary.
In the US, companys would just start laying off (sacking, for you Brits) workers when sales start to sag, rather than finding a creative ways to boost sales.
kmbkj says
this is dumb….