bad debt or chargeback. telesales

[tdavies]

After making a mistake on a booking our admin staff and customer missed the error. I am now being asked to pay the debt. Any suggestions?

[CheekyChops]

I'm not sure what you are talking about, your question doesn't make sense.

Who made the mistake, you? What exactly was the error and how much? Who are you, a Manager, a sales person, what?

[tdavies]

Sorry for the confused question. My daughter works in a call centre selling holidays. She made a mistake on the dates of a booking and booked the customers holiday for December 2009 instead of December 2008. The booking was made approximately 6 weeks before the hoiday was due to start. When the error was noticed the package was sold out. As part of the call centre procedures all sales are supposed to be checked by the centre admin staff prior to the documents being sent to the customer. When the error was detected the company offered a sum of �2000 as compensation for the missed holiday. My daughter has been told that she this money will be taken out of her wages until the debt has been paid off.

[saxy_jag]

If it was checked and missed, then the fault should surely remain with the checkers. If your daughter sent out the documents without getting them checked, then she has breached procedures and it is her fault, I'm afraid

As to whether she should pay the �2000, as far as I know it's still actually legal for an employer to do this, as much as we might disagree with it. Your daughter needs to check the terms and conditions of her contract. She could well have signed her agreement to this at the beginning of her employment.

[Buenchico]

The deduction of pay is unlawful unless your daughter has previously been provided with a written contract stating that such deductions may be made (or she has signed a document, prior to the error being made, authorising such deductions):
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employe es/Pay/DG_10027228

Chris

[terambulan]

Surely the company has insurance to cover this loss. Your daughter should be reprimanded but her pay cannot be 'docked' unless she has agreed to same action in her contract. If that is the attitude of the company none of the staff would feel safe making any bookings.

Tell her to resign and contact the CAB for tribunal action against the company.

[kinell]

teram,

i dont think a company can take out insurance to cover stupidity.

[sue11]

With respect to Terambulan, please ensure that your daughter does not resign without checking if the deduction is unlawful or not!
Buenchico is correct, if the clause is in her contract, then the company has the right to deduct her pay. I understand that they must give her written notice before they do this though.
Cheers Sue