Managers wasting their employers money.

Like in a Dilbert comic.

[jecasc]

A few weeks ago a woman ordered some products in my shop. Last week her husband called and told me they were living outside the EU and asked for the procedure to get a VAT return. So I explained they have to show the goods at the customs when leaving the EU and then send me the confirmation from the customs, so I have proof the goods have left the EU. Then I could refund the VAT.

Sure enough. Today the documents arrive. With DHL Express. Sender address - the company the guy works for in a management position. I checked - price on the DHL website is 45 EUR for this express delivery.

The VAT return was 20 EUR.

This guy wasted 45 EUR of his employers money to cash in a 20 EUR VAT return for his wife. Even if the company gets bulk disounts for express deliveries it must have cost more than the VAT return.

What's wrong with some people? How greedy can you be? I wouldn't even bother to stand in line at the customs at the airport for a 20 EUR VAT refund. Let alone steel money and risk to loose my job if someone finds out.

[enigma1]

Maybe there is nothing wrong and it's a matter of principle and maybe he's self employed. I may do the exact same thing when its my money. Better to spend on a private company extra about the shipping than paying 20% for bureaucracy which is a total waste especially for broken EU economies.

[jecasc]

Maybe there is nothing wrong and it's a matter of principle and maybe he's self employed.

No, he is not self employed. He is working in a mid level managment position in the overseas office of a large car manufacturer.

[PCInk]

It sounds like that person has spend 45 EUR of the companies money to get 20 EUR back into his personal pocket? So he is 20 EUR up?

Alternatively, some large organisations don't pay per parcel with couriers if they use them a lot. They agree a yearly amount and quantity in advance. So it might be $4 million for 1 million deliveries (+- a percentage on quantity). Therefore it may have actually cost no extra to send the delivery and the employee may know this.

[Marshall]

Regardless of whether or not the company gets a shipping discount, using their money to recover your own (or do any personal business) is, IMHO, unethical.

Marshall

[Planet13]

I used to see this all the time when I worked in the corporate world.

People are oblivious. They just don't realize when they take pens or paper clips home from the office that it costs employers money.

Same with using the company UPS / USPS accounts for personal use. We see this with people when they return an item to our store. They just don't know (or care) that it might cost their employer $10 or more in shipping charges.

[lucy24]

Yes, they should do like proper employees and wait until they reach upper management. Then the company will pay for the whole vacation. Sheesh.

[greenleaves]

Not surprising at all. When you have a system that encourages this behavior, why is anyone shocked?

It is funny how if the small guy does it, it is unethical, but if the big guy does it, it is just business.

If a CEO makes millions in bonuses by making decisions that are short term beneficial but long term bad, then he is just doing business. If a company does it to an employee (see 'corporate bankruptcy restructuring' where employees get the shaft on their pensions) then it is a necessary business move.

If a company does it to another company, it is just competition.

But if a small guy does it to a company, he is being un-loyal and unethical.

I mean, I'm all for loyalty. I wish things were like they used to be, where people felt loyalty towards companies because COMPANIES felt LOYALTY to people.

I actually don't believe in public companies, IMHO, it creates for situations where people play with other people's money, and that rarely ends well. I believe in private enterprise, where people do the best for their company because it is THEIRS.

But in a loyal-ess society, it is a bit much to have this double standard.

[g1smd]

So employee x has the choice to use their whole meal break to queue up, pay several hours worth of wages to post some documents and then get hauled over the coals for being a few minutes late back to work, or take 30 seconds to toss them in the corporate outbox and have it taken care of... especially when they see their bosses on endless jollies and junkets.

[jecasc]

So employee x has the choice to use their whole meal break to queue up, pay several hours worth of wages to post some documents and then get hauled over the coals for being a few minutes late back to work, or take 30 seconds to toss them in the corporate outbox and have it taken care of... especially when they see their bosses on endless jollies and junkets.

Or he could send it as a normal letter instead of international express and put it in a random mailbox on the way home.

[Old_Honky]

One of my customers (who shall remain nameless) just sacked and prosecuted a fairly senior executive who was creating false invoices for small amounts to big customers (people who would probably pay without checking), then he was selling the goods on ebay and amazon.

The best part of the story is that he only got caught because he was stupid enough to use the company's carrier account to ship the items he stole. Someone several pay grades below him asked his supervisor why they were suddenly sending out lots of small orders which always appeared ready packed. The supervisor asked the sales manager and the scam was uncovered.