Virgin Salespeople with Criminal Records

[Virgin Salesman]

Hi Guys

Dont quite know how to put this but I am aware of people who are working within direct sales at Virgin Media (who visit customers in their own homes and have access to bank details etc) who have Criminal Records for fraud, theft and violence.

I do not want to report this to my manager but was looking to you for some advice on how the management at Virgin Media can be made aware of this?

Most companies who employ people who work in direct sales require all new recruits to undertake a criminal reference check before they are allowed to sell - Virgin dont! I am aware of only a few with criminal records who work in my team but this could be many more salespeople across the country.

I feel we have an obligation to look after customers and ensure that the salespeople visiting them are the type of people you and me would want in our houses.

Any advice? please help.

[WHISTLED]

I will PM you

[cnewton2k]

Check this

http://www.crb.gov.uk/ also - http://www.crb.gov.uk/Default.aspx?page=313

People with a record are under No Obligation to disclose this at interview unless asked directly. Also i doubt very much a VirginMedia Sales Person would fall under the exemptions order. The CRB are quite strict on who is allowed to run checks on people.

[v0id]

http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrig...ers/index.html

[Virgin Salesman]

Thanks Solventcandy

Surely Virgin Media has a legal obligation to customers to ensure that they a visited by by a salesperson who has been checked?

They are certainly able to demand that these checks are carried out prior to appointing sales staff.

I have done a bit of reasearch myself and British Gas, Eon, Scottish Power, Npower and Sky ensure that all of their staff have to complete background checking on individuals before they are allowed to visit customers.

If they can do it why cant Virgin Media?

---------- Post added at 19:53 ---------- Previous post was at 19:48 ----------

vOid

You are talking about spent convictions which wouldnt even show on a criminal reference check as it is spent?

I am talking about staff with unspent convictions visiting customers.

[cnewton2k]

Because under the ROA there is no legal requirement for them to do so as they have no direct unsupervised contact with "Vunerable People".

http://www.yourrights.org.uk/yourrig...rd-checks.html

Good read

[Virgin Salesman]

Solventcandy

So why do all the big utilities and and other companies do it?

Is it right that these people are unchecked?

Rather be safe than sorry?

I have raised this now and with the number of hits its getting Im sure by now someone within Virgin is aware.

If they do nothing about it and a customer was to make a claim (for whatever reason) then the courts would surely look at this in a negative way as Virgin have the opportunity to carry out these checks but just didnt bother!

[techtrouble]

the company i work for made me get a disclosure certificate from disclosure scotland!
I dont even deal with customers bank details just their personal details!

[rogerdraig]

the crb system isn't meant for checking on all employees and depending on when the conviction was and what type of role they have should ( doesnt always lol ) have an effect on whether it would be included on the report sent to company ( i know i receive these things )

and in any case as said it was never meant to be used in this manner the only reason i could see for using it is if they are to visit people at home and have direct access to money or are going to be dealing with children or vulnerable adults

[Virgin Salesman]

VM direct sales staff have access to bank/credit card details, are in a customers home and potentially around kids etc.

The question is.........should these salespeople be checked?

I personally think the answer is yes.

I have never had a criminal conviction for anything - why should i be working alongside people who have convictions?

It is about protecting customers and the vulnerable.

Just to let you guys know i am going to resign and inform the press if Virgin do not address this.

This forum has allowed me to air my views but if a company is not willing to look after its customers interests do i really want to work there anyway. I will go and work in utilities (gas and electric) at least there i will be able to hold my head up high and say to customers "I have been background checked" to give them confidence in who I really am!

[rogerdraig]

Its not for people who meet children its for those who are going to be left in charge of them

same goes really for the bank details unless they are going to be left alone in the house it shouldnt make any difference

it should be easy to catch any who did try and sell these details they need for DD form as they should spot they were all called on by them

if you want to go to the press so be it ( lol me defending virgin )

but what with the government wanting to get single mothers the disabled and retired in work i cant see them trying to stop those who have served thier time from getting jobs either

plus in any case CRB's are not worth the paper they are printed on ( i have an enhanced one myself ) they don't even require references to get one now just proof of address basicaly there are no real checks in place to make sure you are who you say you are it just says the person named on form was checked by the police and other agencies but no where do they check in real terms that that is who you are

i would never employ some one at the nursary based on a CRB

[Virgin Salesman]

Sorry rogermevans do you work for Virgin Media?

all the companies i have mentioned previously (apart form Virgin) conduct these checks as well as gain references from previous employers. If the checks are not (to quote) "worth the paper they are written on" then why are they used by police recruitment candidates, local councils and all the big companies out there.

As far as employing somebody at a nursary you would have to CRB them and gain satisfactory references from their previous employer?!

As far as it being easy to catch those selling on DD details I think you are wrong.We have all seen the stuff on TV where this happens and it is happening today. Should we not be reducing the risk rather than act after the horse has bolted?

The whole point, imho, is that the CRB check is to minimise risk to children and vulnerable adults - if the salesmen had previous, but now spent, convictions for assault 10 years ago, how is this relevant to their employment with VM, and how does it put the customers at risk?

btw, a condition of my employment with a University was to undertake a CRB.

[Hom3r]

Originally Posted by techtrouble

the company i work for made me get a disclosure certificate from disclosure scotland!
I dont even deal with customers bank details just their personal details!

I did this through my job as I needed to go 'airside' at Liege Airport in Belgium. Even though I have been MOD security checked for a previous job and signed the OSA.

Cost £10 which i claimed back and it came with in 5 days.

Originally Posted by foreverwar

The whole point, imho, is that the CRB check is to minimise risk to children and vulnerable adults - if the salesmen had previous, but now spent, convictions for assault 10 years ago, how is this relevant to their employment with VM, and how does it put the customers at risk?

To be fair at one time there was a section on the form about one's financial and credit standing along side the criminal section of the form.