Tempo LTD was an independent electrical superstore established in
Essex,
England around the late 1990's with other outlets in and around
London. It was on a par with the likes of
Comet and
Currys (sorry to all you Yanks but I don't know any comparable American stores) but probably with more focus on the Home Computing market which was taking off at the time.
The stores themselves where big warehouse style structures located mainly in retail parks. These give a large amount of floor space (sometimes on two levels) for the cheapest possible construction cost. They were then packed out with a huge variety of:
Televisions & Home Cinema Systems
VHS Recorders & DVD players
Hi-fi's, Personal Stereos, Mini-Discs and MP3 players
PC's & Laptops
Washing machines, vacuums, and fridges.
And many other electrical domestic appliances that you could imagine. Unfortunately (false sincerity mode on) Tempo LTD has ceased trading. NB Kahn and AV Lomas of PricewaterhouseCoopers were appointed Joint Administrators to Tempo Holdings LTD, KF Group LTD, and Tempo LTD by order of the Court on 24th September 2001 to manage their affairs, business and property as agents without personal liability.
Before 24th September, I could see this great tragedy to UK retailing coming a mile off. Tempo LTD was a classic example of how not to run an enterprise, and I speak from personal experience:
- The majority of their employees were kids who knew little or nothing about what they were selling, and in many cases, what their job actually required them to do. You know when you were at school and you had a couple of kids in your class who genuinely seemed as though they had learning difficulties, well they were that sort. They always ended up congregating behind the counters on the lower level working out such puzzles as how to get a bothersome barcode to read. As one of them once said "Don't ask us mate, we're just monkeys". Kind of says it all doesn't it.
- I was once waiting to pay for a product at the counter on the second level......and waiting.......and waiting.....(there wasn't a queue btw, I was just waiting for someone to appear to serve me)........and waiting.......then this guy appears, and says "do you want to pay for that mate?" My brain almost exploded with the amount of angry but witty comebacks that immediately raced through my brain. I eventually settled for "No, is it alright if I just steal it?" He wasn't amused and neither was I. The transaction was completed grudgingly by both parties.
- My parents ordered a washing machine once. It was never delivered and they ended up canceling the order. They just lost themselves a customer.
- The biggest bust up came when I accompanied lofidan to purchase a web-cam. He had his eye on one but wasn't sure if the connections were compatible for his PC. The sales assistant (if you could call him that) wouldn't offer any advice, and would not let lofi buy it, and then bring it back if it was the incorrect one. I was pretty sure this privilege was protected in our statutory rights, and took up the case. I had a heated argument with him while he tried to talk to another customer. After this, we vowed never to shop in Tempo again. I believe this decision was the one and only cause for the entire collapse of the Tempo empire. Well I like to thinkso.
Man that was the shittiest shop ever!