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STAFF AT the stricken high street CD and DVD retailer HMV took over the company’s official Twitter account earlier to vent their grievances at a round of staff sackings.
The @HMVtweets account, which had been dormant since the British-owned chain entered administration two weeks ago, was revived by staff who complained that over 60 “loyal employees who love the brand” were being fired at once.
“Sorry we’ve been quiet for so long,” the users added, explaining: “Under contract, we’ve been unable to say a word, or – more importantly – tell the truth”.
The tweets – which were posted with the tongue-in-cheek hashtag #hmvXFactorFiring – were later followed with:
Just overheard our Marketing Director (he’s staying, folks) ask “How do I shut down Twitter?”
The users behind the account explained that they would never ordinarily use the Twitter account in such ways, but that they felt they had no other choice when “the company you dearly love is being ruined and those hard working individuals, who wanted to make HMV great again, have mostly been fired”.
They also added that HMV’s Facebook and Twitter accounts – the latter having about 63,000 followers at the time the tweets were posted – had been set up by unpaid interns two years ago.
The tweets were removed shortly after being posted.
In a statement, HMV’s administrators Deloitte confirmed that they had made 190 redundancies in the companies’ head office and distribution network.
There were no job losses at any of the HMV retail outlets, some of which have reopened in the UK. The chain’s 16 Irish stores – which have a total workforce of about 300 – remain closed, however.
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It took an intern to get HMV on social media and even that was two years ago. They were already well in trouble two years ago and they still didn’t have a basic social media presence. It pretty much tells you all you need to know about why a company with loyal staff, loyal customers, a decent and recognised (perhaps iconic?) brand, a decent enough product and a hefty market presence managed to run into the ground. How inept are their management? Who are these people and why are they allowed be so chronically stupid? Hundreds of people may end up unemployed because of their ridiculous inability to do seemingly anything! What did they do to try and save the business? It seems nothing!
Wow a music retialer who sold to the UK & Ireland markets, which have a combined population of nearly 70 million people only has 65,000 followers on Twitter & Facebook. The Journal has an impressive 214k and growing and they don’t even sell music !
Sad to see all this happen to the employees, the management really never moved with the times and now it is them who will pay with their jobs.
A lot of us have lost jobs over the past 4 years but didn’t have the option to air our grievances to thousands over a twitter account. Obviously I think anyone losing their job is terrible and I can sympathise, but working for a massive retail chain doesn’t make you anymore special than the rest of us. (Waits for the red thumbs)
Ask and ye shall receive.
Of course you had the option. You could have set up a free Twitter account at any time ( as you’re here you obviously have Internet access ) and could have aired your grievances to your heart’s content. You always had the choice.
Yes, on a personal account. Not to thousands on an account that would also be picked up by the media and exposed to thousands more.
You’re confusing my less then able brain here. You are moaning that those losing their jobs at HMV are using the official HMV Twitter account to air their grievances. You think this is somehow wrong, or is it simply that you feel hard done by that you didn’t have the chance to co-opt your own soon-to-be ex-employers account? If it is the latter, didi you try? If you’re upset that they’re getting media coverage ( to be honest, not much, and I’d doubt that the media coverage will benefit them in the long run, sadly ), I have to ask if, when you lost your job, did you attempt to get your story to the media? i may be misinterpreting you here, but it seems that you’ve a case of sour grapes. They’ve done something that you didn’t try to do, and you’re feeling put out by this. Why?
Unfortunately it’s usually the frontline workers who suffer rather than upper management. I’m amazed they are not doing more to keep them open here in Ireland? Their competitors haven’t half the selection of stock that HMV had and their staff were always excellent, if they hasn’t got it they made every effort to got it for you. Most music shops left now have a limited selection. Hope the staff set up their own account and continue to tweet on.
Brilliant idea! We should do the same!
With Ireland’s official Twitter?
My point is simply that thousands of people have lost their jobs. HMV workers don’t deserve anymore or any less media coverage then anyone else in a similar position. Twist it how ever you want.
When a large number of people from 1 company lose their jobs, it is news worthy. But over the past 5 years you would be hard pressed not to have noticed the media coverage of our country’s growing unemployment numbers. Unfortunately a majority of those made unemployed were from small companies/retailers/manufacturers/building sites. So when ‘Joe’ & ‘Mick’, the two plasterers, were let go by O’Sheas builders, it was just such a common event by all the other small family run businesses, it would be impossible to have covered EVERY lay off and redundancy. No special treatment for anyone. The CSO count every unemployed person the same way, one by one.
Meh!
Very insightful Michael.
“Simon Fox, the outgoing chief executive of HMV whose six-year tenure saw the music and video retailer’s share price collapse by 98pc, could walk away with a pay-off of almost half a million pounds.
Mr Fox said: “There is a time to move on. After six years I feel the time is now right. We have moved from crisis to calm waters.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/9448624/Former-HMV-boss-Simon-Fox-could-walk-away-with-499000.html
Now there’s an apt surname if I ever heard one. Mr Fox cunningly left the sinking ship just in time, just like our own Bertie.
Although, I can’t say that I miss the days of paying £30 punts for an album, or £20 for an EP, especially when they only had the Japanese Import version of the album I was looking for. “Oooohhh, it’s all importy”. Then there’s the problem with scratches.
Nobody buys CDs or DVDs anyomre. Regardless of recession or mismanagement, HMV is outdated and doomed anyways. Stop blaming “The Man” because your job is no longer viable. Suck it up and immigrate like the rest of us. Im sure Ireland will be a grand little country in a few years……. maybe 20……
They, the Staff that Tweeted, criticised their’ (Now Ex-) Employers anonymously. Did any Individual Employees do it publicly? I.E. Through their’ own personal accounts? Or did they not have courage of their’ convictions? Not that I’d necessarily condemn them for not doing so. Condemning your’ (Ex-) Employer on a Social Network will not get you a Reference of any sort. However, anonymous Twitter Handles bug me. Similarly to Forums. Come out unless there is a very personal reason or you’ve something to hide. Anonymity can, ultimately be easier to bully with.
@poppy_powers on twitter has taken responsibility…
Thanks Mick! Not sure my point has come across sufficiently but while I admire people standing up & sticking it to the man proverbially, long term, when the Tweeter goes to apply for jobs/work, IF PP is her’ real, actual name, it could work against her. Criticising your’ (Ex-) Employers publicly is a big no-no. That’s all I’m saying. And even IF PP isn’t her real name it could still come back to bite her in the rear-end. What I’d recommend to her & others is to keep a separate e-mail for work, job applications etc. and have one solely for Twitter/Facebook/Online Purchases etc. because obv. Twitter/Facebook searches are done by HR Managers.
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