Member Article

Christmas at risk of cancellation as Santa Claus

Red Coat Holdings made a loss of £4.2 billion in 2011 while analysts predict a further £1 billion black hole in the group’s 2012 figures.

Sickness alone is said to have cost the group in excess of £27 million in sick pay in 2011, seeing toy-production fall by 46 per cent during the key months of August and September.

Employee Lobby for Fairness (ELF) coordinated several walk-outs that cost Father Christmas nearly 3,500 working hours last month.

Red Coat Holdings finance department has been described as something that “only a child could have faith in”. Increases in the cost of reindeer accommodation and food have only added weight to cynics’ questioning of outdated delivery methods, while volatile energy prices - particularly at its peak operating time of winter - have only added to the financial strain of the company’s operations.

Perhaps the biggest threats to the Father Christmas operation are those presented by supermarket chains such as Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s. Many have gone all-out in their attempts to dominate the seasonal market, employing tactics described as “underhand” by Father Christmas to get punters through their doors: icing on mince pies, the addition of full oranges to Christmas puddings, and the sale of presents that “kids can open on Christmas Eve”.

The lack of payment options for families to pay for products delivered via reindeer is a major put-off for those scared of committing to hire purchase - particularly when the lion’s share of gifts made available by Father Christmas are given to children.

As you probably guessed, this story, provided by XLN Telecom, is not true. However, it does offer useful lessons on how to run a successful business.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by XLN Telecom .