Work expecting me to use my mobile phone at my expense

[alltoomuchrightnow]

(I also posted last week about my appraisal which will be tomorrow.. it will be interesting to see if this is brought up in it)

We are an independent charity shop so I fully understand that they need to keep expenses low , e.g. we wash the windows ourselves, do the rubbish etc.. this was in my job description. I agree with this , more money for the charity and I knew the score from the start
However, an ongoing issue has been the use of the shop's landline to ring mobile numbers. Usually this can't be helped as only a mobile number has been given to ring. I don't make phone calls unless really necessary. I've been told time and time again to use my mobile phone instead, to ring mobile numbers (and if it's to the branch manager for e.g., ring or text her from my mobile, asking her to ring me back on the landline)
I have told them time and time again that I get no signal in our shop.
I also am not contract these days for various reasons.. I'm pay as you go. Old fashioned perhaps but I had reasons and it suits me. But surely that's not relevant because if I had a contract I could still not use my phone there. The whole town (more village really) is pretty much a black hole.I have to go out and walk around to find reception. I don't get breaks so I can't leave the shop anyway.
Branch manager has acknowledged before that I don't get a signal but always forgets. I just got another snotty email re the shop's phone bill and again asking me to text/ring where possible from my mobile. We had an incident when I worked yesterday and I had to ring a lot of mobile numbers (all the shop's key holders etc) so no doubt I'll be hauled up for this too even though was asked to ring them
I can't afford to do this anyway (i.e. ring from my phone). I don't get any free calls or texts since switched to pay as you go. But surely that's my choice?
It's not like I miss it at home either as I'm also in a 'black hole' area here (v rural) I use email (from the PC) for nearly all contact or I take incoming. My mobile is saved for emergencies i.e. if my car breaks down. I often don't have credit on it anyway, I live a hand to hand existence on minimum part time wage

I appreciate a charity needs to cut costs but you'd think any business would factor making mobile phone calls into its budget? On a normal week it's only a handful a week but this is what I got the email about

[alltoomuchrightnow]

and yes I have been told it would be at my expense to use my phone but they can't understand why I don't get a certain amount of free calls and texts. If I did I'd be saving them for emergencies. I'm not a slave to the phone… I'm not a fan of talking on it. I'm an emailer or live chatter.
But what does this matter when I can't get a signal in my workplace?

[alltoomuchrightnow]

I can't email anyone from work either

[alltoomuchrightnow]

(when I'm at work , I mean)

[RoundTheBend]

Why don't you suggest to them that they get a PAYG phone for the shop? It would be cheaper for them to do that than to pay daytime landline call charges. They could ask other shop keepers who they have a mobile phone with that gets a signal.

[DoreenLethal]

and yes I have been told it would be at my expense to use my phone but they can't understand why I don't get a certain amount of free calls and texts

Irrelevant about the signal - you pay for your calls as it is pay as you go and you are not using your mobile phone for work calls, end of! Can you print off the pay as you go phone charges that it costs you? On their paper of course.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Actually Round, I just emailed them with that idea!

[TheWeeBabySeamus1]

Well I'm on contract and only get a set amount of minutes in order to keep the bill low - unlimited minutes would add an extra £7.50 to the bill - so I would not be happy about it, and if I was on payg I would point blank refuse. I understand it's a charity but you shouldn't be covering their costs.

In my last job we moved office and the boss said no mobile calls to clients from landline. I refused to use my mobile and after a brief standoff a he had to buy a cheap payg phone for us to use in the office as no clients were being called and we were losing business. Can't they just get a basic mobile and top up when needed?

[alltoomuchrightnow]

they will do the usual emotional manipulation thang. e.g. 'we spent £800 on a cat's vet bill last week rather than euthanise' (it's an animal charity) and then I feel guilty….

[alltoomuchrightnow]

But I will be standing my ground. I just literally cannot afford to do this even if wanted to.
Right now I have about 50p on my phone. If my car breaks down I'm stuffed as it is.

[Zazz101]

Find out how much the CEO is taking home, and then see if you still feel obliged to use your mobile ! I would guess not

[alltoomuchrightnow]

I would so like to ask what the CEO is taking home. I have my appraisal tomorrow (on my day off) and I'm certain the phone issue will come up

[alltoomuchrightnow]

although we are a self supporting independent shop we are part of a nationwide charity that has been named and shamed recently. However I do very much believe in the work they do in our particular area.. I see the good they do…. which makes it harder…. and why I take the crap

[annandale]

'I don't have free texts or minutes on my mobile and I'm not prepared to use it without being reimbursed.'

'I appreciate that, but I don't have free texts or minutes on my mobile and I'm not prepared to use it without being reimbursed'.

Rinse and repeat. I wouldn't even bother getting into the signal side of things, just do the broken record. They surely must have some kind of expenses policy?

[Choughed]

I would just lie. "Yes, of course I will always first try my mobile phone, but if I have no signal then I will use the landline."

Then just go straight to the landline.

Are you the poster with the nightmare trustee at your appraisal ? How did it go?

[dodobookends]

Take a look at the Charities Commission website, call up your charity and look at the finances. It will all be on there, and then you will know where the money really goes.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Yes Choughed, I am. It's happening tomorrow (Wednesday / my day off) so I'll report back

[SilverBirchWithout]

Are there any other solutions to keep costs down you could explore? A closed Facebook group for the shop team to communicate by PM. Maybe use Whatsapp to communicate with your manager.

Does the shop have a PC, maybe think about Skype or email?

I have worked for a charity as a shop manager in the past and I am frankly astonished that they expect you to fund work calls in this way. Are you sure that the shop's phone bills are not excessively high for some other reason? Could someone be using the phone, when you are not there, for personal calls? I have known this to happen when I worked in the shop.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

the phone bill is small. It adds up to only several calls on average a week. It's crazy. On an average day I won't use it. They just don't want any mobile numbers called for it except in absolute emergency. The person I job share with does all calls on her phone but she gets signal and free calls. I don't know why I don't get signal. It is a black hole area though, many customers say they can't make calls in our shop on their phones
The till is touch screen and has access to eBay only (to check prices for pricing stock) If it had email it would make life easier

[SilverBirchWithout]

If it has access to eBay, it must be on the Internet.

[ReallyTired]

The shop have Internet access? You could use Facebook or whatapp or Skype as much as possible. Maybe the shop could get WIfi and see if customers might pay for use.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

eBay access only. It's set up that way. We can't check prices on Amazon etc only eBay as they don't want risk of staff going on FB etc

[Choughed]

How did it go today?

[daisychain01]

Honestly I would start looking for a new job at a different charity. They are treating you appallingly. Once it gets to the point where they put upon their staff to the extent they are with you, it's time to take your services elsewhere.

[StealthPolarBear]

They are exploiting you

[Moreisnnogedag]

Just as an aside EE do a £1 a week payg that gives you free calls and texts. It's pretty good and let's you do some free boost things if you stick with them for I think 12 weeks.