Some of my coworkers are getting double credit for sales due to a glitch.

[darkrose50]

Basically some folks have been getting REALLY good sales numbers. We have two programs. One is from our department, and the other is the companies sale tracking program. If someone makes a sale in the one from our department, then logs it in the companies programs . . . *BAM* two sales outta one.

I cannot compete for promotions, trips , televisions, or gift cards with this going on. I get bumped down in the pecking order because of this. To quote my 12-year-old . . . "they are taking food off of my children's table."

What would you do?

[Tvtyrant]

Ask for the same software or tell the management that they are getting false information from the software.

[Peelee]

I'm no lawmaster, but that sounds like fraud.

[thirsting]

tell the management that they are getting false information from the software.

Definitely do this.

[Brother Oni]

...tell the management that they are getting false information from the software.

And if management are no help, escalate to Finance or HR.

[Chen]

I'm no lawmaster, but that sounds like fraud.

Its the way the company tracks their internal sales. I mean if people are just using the program they are supposed to and it double counts thats hardly their fault.

Everyone should be using the same program though. Let management know or start using the program that double counts yourself.

Also are you SURE it actually double counts? I mean do you have access to how the sales numbers are produced?

[Peelee]

Its the way the company tracks their internal sales.

And if it tracks them in a way that reports financials differently than how they actually are? Again, not a lawmaster, but that sounds like a pretty straightforward definition of fraud.

[Chen]

And if it tracks them in a way that reports financials differently than how they actually are? Again, not a lawmaster, but that sounds like a pretty straightforward definition of fraud.

Who are they defrauding? Unless they use that individual sales tracking system to determine how much actually money they get (highly unlikely) I can't see how they'd hit an regulatory issues in terms of defrauding the public.

[Peelee]

Who are they defrauding? Unless they use that individual sales tracking system to determine how much actually money they get (highly unlikely) I can't see how they'd hit an regulatory issues in terms of defrauding the public.

Assuming this is indeed fraud (which it may not be), the employees would be defrauding the company. They may be using a software exploit in the company's own software, buy they are still misrepresenting their sales for financial gain. Which, not to sound like a broken record or anything, really seems like the textbook definition of fraud.

[Chen]

If they are intentionally double counting I suppose. If they just think they need to do a sale somewhere and then log it in the official system and it counts twice, well that's hardly their fault.

[Peelee]

If they are intentionally double counting I suppose. If they just think they need to do a sale somewhere and then log it in the official system and it counts twice, well that's hardly their fault.

Given that darkrose is specifically not doing that, I'm led to believe those who do know what they're doing.

Regardless, even if it's not intentional, the benefits they get would likely be taken back (since they are incentive rewards and they did not meet the incentive requirements).

[Rogar Demonblud]

More likely they'll just eat the fees and stop it going forward, given what DR50 has said about the turnover rate. Several of those people aren't available for clawbacks.

[LaZodiac]

Do what they do.

[Malozing]

I would talk with the higherups. Express your concern about possible doubled up data from some departments. If they brush it off, keep expressing your concerns to their bosses.

[Peelee]

Also, if you talk to superiors about this, do it in email or any other text-based form. Get it in writing, is the short version.

[Ornithologist]

There are a few good options you can do.

Talk to your boss about it. Skip up the chain to your bosses boss if you think you need too.

Talk to The HR person if there is one about it.

Some places have an anonymous tip line you can call if you are worried about talking to someone on site.

If the the place is small enough that you have access to them, talk to the owner. They really wouldn't like it.

If there is a regional manager (guy who comes by to check stuff), you can try sending him an email. They are harder to get face time with.

Manager from another department. This would likely be more risky to you, but a competing dept would want that shut down just as badly.

As an aside, I would also be careful on sending anything in writing. That does lead a paper trail back to you if you are worried about reprisal at all. I'm not saying don't use written communication, but there is some risk involved. You would know more on your work environment whether or not its a good idea to have a written complaint.


Short fun aside article: I was on my bosses last nerve (My own fault, I was being a bad employee.) then I found he did a major security breach because he was being lazy. I live in a right to work state, so I was rightly worried about being fired with no reason given. Anyway, I took it to the his boss and he took care of it without getting my name involved at all. no one got let go, the breach is gone, and I heard through some back door channels my boss did get talked too.

[Peelee]

I live in a right to work state, so I was rightly worried about being fired with no reason given.

That's not what right to work means. You live in an at-will state, which means you can be fired with no given reason. Right to work has to do with unions.

[Ornithologist]

That's not what right to work means. You live in an at-will state, which means you can be fired with no given reason. Right to work has to do with unions.

One of these days I'm going to know the right words before I say them. But yes, I should have said at-will. Still, not getting my name in the drama fest coming was important to me at the time.

[Peelee]

One of these days I'm going to know the right words before I say them. But yes, I should have said at-will. Still, not getting my name in the drama fest coming was important to me at the time.

No worries, it's a common mistake. In another venue I might have a lot more to say about that, is all.

[Brother Oni]

That's not what right to work means. You live in an at-will state, which means you can be fired with no given reason. Right to work has to do with unions.

Without treading on forum rules, I understand that means you can fired for no given reason unless it's a protected one, in which case they make up some other bull manure reason to get rid of you?

[Peelee]

Without treading on forum rules, I understand that means you can fired for no given reason unless it's a protected one, in which case they make up some other bull manure reason to get rid of you?

More or less true. There are reasons they can't fire you other than protected class, and it varies by location, but that list typically isn't terribly long, from what I understand. A lot of employers will just give no reason whatsoever, because that's easier and safer.

[AMFV]

Without treading on forum rules, I understand that means you can fired for no given reason unless it's a protected one, in which case they make up some other bull manure reason to get rid of you?

Even in states that aren't at will you can be fired for basically any reason, they just say that it's for a different reason, or they use rules that "everybody breaks" to fire you. Basically you have no real defense against being fired if your employer wants you gone, and to be frank and from my own experience, if they don't want you there, you're better off going somewhere they do than trying to tough it out, trying to tough it out will just make everything miserable.

Edit: The other thing to remember is that being "at-will" also means that you have the right to quit an employer and can't be fined for doing so or face a breach of contract suit for doing so.

[AMFV]

In answer to the OP, you're already known (potentially) as somebody who got people fired, keep your mouth shut. You don't have the friends or the clout to pull that off. Just wait it out, they'll eventually figure it out and fix it, or they won't.

[darkrose50]

• Sometimes you can use program A, and other times you can use program B. Sometimes it is good to have a backup.
• Some new people are likely double logging their sales on accident.
• I have suspicions that other folks double logging their sales on purpose. I waver from convinced to questioning my sanity. Several coworkers think that there is something odd going on.
• One coworker just pulled 6-sales out of nowhere to win a TV. She won two vacations. If she was this good, then she could get into a higher-paying department and make six-figures easy. I am not sure why she would stay in my department.
• A manager said that he will check on Saturday.

[Crow]

Talk to your finance department about it. They will definitely want to know.

[razorback]

Here's something to consider, whether it is you or someone else who reports this.
When the company finds out, all of those people are going to have to pay back that money. The company won't accuse anyone of doing it intentionally, unless they can iron clad prove it, no one in the sale department will get fired.
Don't get involved in the double dipping as its unethical and just not worth it.
Bringing it up to the higher ups is the right thing to do.


PS- Don't expect to make any friends by bringing it up, if/when it comes out.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Sounds like you have done what you can.

Incidentally, what is a "right to work" state? Is it a euphemism?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Basically, it means unions can't establish a labor monopoly by barring non-union members from employment.

[Jay R]

Report up the chain that you know about a computer glitch that is costing the company money. This is something that the company needs to know about, and they could reward the person who tells them.

But put in terms of a glitch that is costing the company money, not in terms of possible fraud or cheating.

[Chen]

Aren’t these inter employee competitions though? Is it costing the company money? Wouldnt the sales prizes just go to different people?

[Crow]

Aren’t these inter employee competitions though? Is it costing the company money? Wouldnt the sales prizes just go to different people?

Depends if there are sales incentives as well.

[Evil DM Mark3]

Basically, it means unions can't establish a labor monopoly by barring non-union members from employment.Ah. No wonder I never heard the term before, I was 3 when that was outlawed in the UK.

[darkrose50]

Well they are removing some of the duplicates, but they need to figure out how to remove all of them.

I would like to know more of what is going on, but apparently something is going on.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Often, that's all you know. And really, probably all you need to know. Your job is sales, not executive watching.

[darkrose50]

They are removing some of the duplicate sales, but evidently have not found a way to remove all the types of duplicate sales.

[11-20-2019] I was told that they were looking into a different method of cheating the system.
[11-21-2019] We are apparently having meetings where we compare our sales logs to our sales in the system. One of the offices just finished their meeting, and we are next.
[11-21-2019] No meeting, but we are being asked if our sales logs match the score board.
[11-29-2019] We got an email telling us not to do the thing that we are not supposed to do. I hope that they will remove the scores from the board before next payday. I hope folks do not end up getting paid for doing things that we were told not to do. I also think that I missed out on a prize trip (and raise) in 2018 due to cheating like this.