The final straw in my struggle with the local grocery store came when some sacker guy walks up (I was unloading onto the conveyor) and starts grabbing things out of my cart. I said "I'll take care of it. Thanks." I was taking things out and still working when I said it. He stood there for a moment and I looked up (this all was like seconds, but felt much longer) to see him glaring at me with a completely dirty look. He was mad that I didn't let him unload my cart! So, I gave him a huge 'kill you with kindness' smile to dismiss him and he walked away. Jerk. So then, as usual, the checker is sailing my items through the scanner and the sacker is throwing things into bags and tossing bags into the cart as fast as she can while her conveyor is rolling and things are getting pinned against the end of the counter. The cake that I was purchasing (it was for Father's Day - so what if our father was out of town for father's day, we can still celebrate!) got so smashed that the lid popped off and was broken and would not go back on. I said to cancel the cake, but they were insistent on getting a new one. She couldn't take it off my receipt because the transaction was complete. I said, never mind, I'll take it to Customer Service and return it. The sacker insisted on taking it back for me, which I think was all a bit odd (I think they knew they would get in trouble). So I followed her over there to get it taken off my receipt. (Never got that Father's Day cake. It's probably better for all of us...).So, I follow the cake over to customer service and when the CUSTOMER SERVICE girl decides to look up and acknowledge me, she gives me cash back for the cake. Then I asked her if she would page a manager for me.
When Larry got there, I laid it all out for him about how this is my favorite store. I hate the other neighborhood store; I said, "I really don't like [store] Larry. I don't want to have to shop there, but if this doesn't get any better, I'll have to." I said, (and I love dropping this!), " I spend a LOT of money here (I shocked him with the amount). I don't think that you can change an employees personality, but there are certain common courtesies that should be required. I'm not looking for a friend in the cashier, but I would expect them to acknowledge my existence when they are checking out my groceries..."
I went on and on about the smashed food, the bags thrown in the cart, the obsession about being fast with the checkout and scanning my shoppers card before they can scan any groceries. I said that the last straw was today when the guy literally got mad at me because I said I could unload my cart myself.
The sad part was how downcast Larry looked as I told him all this because it was the millionth time he had heard it all.
I'm a bitter old lady, so I'm going to say it: What is it with youth these days??? Is it texting and the Internet and video games that have made them so that they can not function in a world with real live human beings that they need to interact with? It's bad.
So, Larry profusely apologized and assured me that they were working on it. And thanked me for my loyalty and asked me to keep in touch to let him know if anything was improving and if there were any more problems, etc...
I was kind of hoping that for my trouble he would comp my $200 shopping cart, but no. Maybe next time....
6 comments:
WOW! You go girl. I used to work in a grocery store, one where the owners took real pride in customer service. I still shop there because of it. But, even the best of stores still need some reminders of how well they are (or aren't) doing!
As I read this I got madder and madder. I am SO glad you said something. It is ridiculous!!!
I think you hit the problem on the head. I agree...and it had not really dawned on me before, the youth of today aren't only lazy but, I agree...they don't know how and aren't interested in actually interacting with other human beings.
Wow, I'm impressed! As much as I want to complain about bad customer service, I rarely do. Good for you! I do think it's hard to find good employees among the spoiled teenage population, but it's not impossible. It sounds like the manager needs to implement some intense customer service training, and then follow up with incentives.
There is a store near here where I shop sometimes, and I ALWAYS get clean-cut, friendly, smiling cashiers and baggers. I don't know if they just have a better pool of applicants to choose from, or if they have some great management and training, but it works, whatever they're doing. it is possible!
Good job Nic. Just so you know I think it is also that parents who are to blame for not making their kids go outside and play. My parents, whether they couldn't afford video games or just didn't want them, made us go outside and interact. I can be very anti-social, and I mean very, but at least I know how to have a conversation. So those kids should be fired and their parents should be fired from being parents. That's my scoop.
Good for you Nic. I hope you tell them too if they improve. And to do it in person too instead of sending a letter, that took GUTS my dear.
I love it! Man I wish I could have been there. That would have made my day. I can't stand it when that conveyer belt smashes my stuff. That's why I shop at Wal-Mart! :) Same treatment, less money. J/k
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