Customer Service in 2011...DEAD

[GenXer]

So I am at Walmart this evening...yeah I know...Walmart. Anyway, our store has 40 checkout lanes and had exactly ONE open on the side where I parked my car. I had ONE item in which I was going to purchase and head to the one line that was open. There were about 3 or 4 people in that line, so I fall in behind the last person. I stand there for about one minute and then the male cashier pipes up, "I'm closed."

Funny...I didn't see a "Lane Closed" sign or someone roping off the lane or a cashier manager standing there telling people that he is closed. So I ask him (nicely), "Can you get me? I only have one item. It will take 30 seconds and I will be gone." Then I hear, "I am on lunch." I repeat, "I will be quick...only one item."

Then, in a REALLY firm tone, "I said I am on LUNCH!" That's when I said, "F--- your lunch!" He chimes back, "Oh, you expect me to check you out now?" Like he is doing me the favor. I then gently set my item down, looked at him and said, "F--- you!"

Now look, I know I should have taken the high road and not swore at the guy. That is my fault. We all have our imperfections. However, there was NO reason for the guy to get snippy at me. His lunch was not going to get cut short because of me. If he clocks out at 6:04, he can clock back in at 7:04. PLUS, why should I bust my ass so I can give them them my money? There was a time when businesses cared about the customer. They would be more than happy to take your money. Now it seems as if the customer is a bother to the workers. The worst part of all of this is that, since it's Walmart, they don't care about losing the $60 I was going to spend. In 2011, the customer is wrong...sadly.

(Sorry...I had to vent)

[MrMischief]

Nothing annoys me more then someone trying to interrupt my lunch break. I work tech support and it happens all the time and it always starts with "it'll be really quick..."

But yeah, they should have a clear and easily understood way to basically prevent more people from queueing up in a checker's line when they're going to break/lunch or whatever.

[Silverone]

Geez, must be nice to have a designated lunch hour.

[dixiedawg]

I've found the only way I ever really get a break, is to leave the building. Of course things were better before the cell phone, now I get calls anytime, even on vacation, good thing for voice mail.

[Ignatz]

Yes, Wal Mart is the largest retailer, but they won't be around for ever. Remember such giants as A&P? Bradlee's? Zayre? Ames? Woolworths? Rich's? JMFields? WalMart will find their way onto that list. I for one, don't expect to shop in a WalMart ever again. I don't care if the prices are lower, even cheaper is the product I don't buy in the first place. And, no, WM isn't necessarily cheaper, either; often their price is based on a label unavailable elsewhere.

I go out of my way to avoid WalMart -- indeed, sometimes I have to go out of my way -- but its always worth it. Plus I feel better about the transaction. How will WalMart ever make me feel good about shopping there?

They too will pass.

[johnnyboy123]

Originally Posted by Ignatz

Yes, Wal Mart is the largest retailer, but they won't be around for ever. Remember such giants as A&P? Bradlee's? Zayre? Ames? Woolworths? Rich's? JMFields? WalMart will find their way onto that list. I for one, don't expect to shop in a WalMart ever again. I don't care if the prices are lower, even cheaper is the product I don't buy in the first place. And, no, WM isn't necessarily cheaper, either; often their price is based on a label unavailable elsewhere.

I go out of my way to avoid WalMart -- indeed, sometimes I have to go out of my way -- but its always worth it. Plus I feel better about the transaction. How will WalMart ever make me feel good about shopping there?

They too will pass.

You're right, WalMarts prices are not even that cheap anymore. Some things are but others are not. The clearance section of my local WalMart shouldn't even be called 'clearance' if you know what I mean.

Target had better after-Christmas sales on holiday lights and such. But I avoid Target because their return policy sucks.

And YES customer service sucks nowadays. I went to Burger King to pick up lunch for me and 2 co-workers. I asked for 3 separate orders and the woman (who was the manager BTW) says "OK but just so you know you can only use one coupon" before I even mentioned coupons. I did want to use 3 coupons since BK's prices suck. Well I have these people's money and I can't just spend it when they were expecting me to only spend a certain amount so I say "OK, never mind then." As I'm driving by the window that she was at she FLIPS ME OFF! I stopped on a dime, reversed, and had some words with her before I sped off and went to Wendy's where I received excellent service and didn't need coupons because their prices are decent. Rant over.

[GenXer]

BTW, I went online and bought the item I was going to buy at Walmart. It was cheaper at Amazon by $10 and I got free shipping. F--- Walmart.

[Ignatz]

GenXer. I suspect the internet will be the end of retail as we've known it. The malls are for people who 'shop' as an activity. The internet (or an old fashioned store) is for people who wish to buy something in particular.

[GenXer]

Originally Posted by Ignatz

GenXer. I suspect the internet will be the end of retail as we've known it. The malls are for people who 'shop' as an activity. The internet (or an old fashioned store) is for people who wish to buy something in particular.

Exactly. If I have to go to the mall, I have to gear myself up for days beforehand. I freaking hate it that much. I hate wandering around, looking for that one pair of jeans that is on sale. I can go online, pick my size and have it shipped. No fuss.

[jepstr67]

I'm having a problem finding what I want in the store. (not Walmart, I saw the light long ago) I go in to buy an item. It isn't there. They say "you can get it on line" with that irritating smile. So great! will they beam it to me? Do I just add water to the faxed photo they send? Look, I can't make corn bread, tonight for supper as a side dish, if I can't buy the damn pan now in the store where I am standing ready to spend money. I want my corn bread in 2 hours. Not 3 days from now.

[Weatherman]

I've found that I prefer shopping inline nowadays. If you're bargain hunting it really can be a way to save the most money (not to mention gas). For example, last week I decided I needed new sneakers because mine were wearing out. I went to three different major name stores, all in tbe same shopping center, and nobody had what I wanted in stock. (Plain old retro style Adidas) They all said "check oir website." Well, I did and it turns out I found them online at a different site $10 cheaper and with free shipping. Turns out that the imternet has now rid me of any excuse to go to any of those places again.

[jepstr67]

You know, there might be a cornbread pan at the mall. Like you, I'd rather order it online and wait. I've lived in this town 22 years, I've been to the Mall about 30 times.

I quit going to malls when I discovered they force out unique stores. It queers their ability to size up the competition. "mall stores" don't like a local business who happens to exist in the mall environment. I found those odd ball local stores were the ones I liked.

[christo827]

Don't immediately blame the store itself for the poor service. Blame the useless generation of self-absorbed idiots that are currently holding those positions.

I employ dozens of teens and young twenty-somethings and the vast majority of them are absolutely worthless. Once in a while, I find a keeper, but that's a rare occurence.

I can't tell you how many times I've interviewed candidates whose first question is, "How long do I have to work before I can call in sick?".

I could piss and moan all day about the quality of the available work force, but this is a JEEP forum after all.... Cheers!

[dixiedawg]

I don't shop wall mart, mostly because everything is from China. And nothing against the Chinese, but I'd rather support US companies. I might pay a little bit more, but it's worth it to me.

And I agree on most of the young folks today, the education system is failing us, and so are a lot of parents. I get the most luck with young folks from the country, guess they still understand the work ethic.

[Weatherman]

Have any of you watched that documentary "The High Price of Low Cost?" It talks all about the shady stuff that goes on behind the scenes at Walmart. Most of the people in the video are former store managers and employees that had worked there 10+ years, and their stories are sickening. I know when I worked there, our store closed at 10pm(before super walmart). In what I can only guess was an attempt to keep the payroll hours down and avoid child labor law issues(in SC kids under 18 weren't supposed to work past 10 on school nights), the manager would lock the doors at 10pm and make everybody clock out. Then we would have to clean the store off the clock until they were satisfied. Only then would they unlock the doors so we could get out and go home. We were basically told that this was company policy and if we didn't play along, we wouldn't have a job. Being a bunch of 16 year old kids(many of whom this was our first job) nobody really knew any better. Also what led to me leaving this job was on my last day I stood at the hardware counter throwing up in a trash can for 4 hours because the manager wouldnt get me a replacement. I told him i was sick and he could let me go home for the night, or he could refuse and I would go home forever. Of course he said, I was not his concern and he "could give a $*#@ less if i was sick." Well, that was like I said my last day there. I had tons of issues in the year and a half I worked there. Numerous times id be asked to come in early, stay late, and work my days off, but then only be paid for what was on the schedule. Id ask them about it and all they would say was that they'd look into it. If I asked again they would say I could leave if I was unhappy. Watching that movie and seeing all the people who dealt with crap like this makes me sick. And now it looks like I'm moving to another town that has had walmart shut down all the competitors business so its either shop there or drive 50 miles for grocerys...