Some Stores Seem To Have Better Employees Than Others. Is it just me?

[Jules]

Jim Pattison is a Canadian billionaire with a reputation for being a tough taskmaster. He insists on top quality service from any of his employees and any time I’ve been in one of his businesses, it shows. Staff are extremely polite and well trained. In his grocery store chain I know I’ll get quality service. There were a couple of clerks who were snippy. I didn’t report them; someone must have at some point dbecause they’re now at lower end jobs.

Even the staff at Walmart seem to be happy; many have been there for years and most are polite. There’s another chain store where the service and staff are miserable.

One drugstore chain here that can’t keep the pharmacists; these are poorly run.

It’s just hearsay, since I rarely go to Starbucks, that they have really efficient and friendly staff.

Not all young people should be described as lazy; I’ve seen some real hustlers and you know they’ll succeed in their careers later on.

 

[Geezerette]

Kiki, I swear I’ve had that same conversation word for word at Dr offices!
And trying to hear & understand it through thick plexiglass from someone in a heavy mask,, holding a phone to her ear with her shoulder at the same time

 

[hollydolly]

Maybe you should have told them you would deduct $1 from their pay for each 'f-bomb' they said...

I confronted 3 guys a couple of years ago in my garden. I had a sink-hole appear suddenly in my front garden, and the council sent workers out to fill it in and sort it out... The language from the 50 something supervisor, was absolutely appalling.. F Bomb every second word .. and so loud I could hear him with my windows closed.. I was both mortified and appalled that contractors at my home could disrespect not only me but my neighbours.. so I went out there and confronted them.. told them they better stop right now otherwise I'm going to request that they get replaced ... I got some apologies ''didn't realise we're doing it '' BS.. but it stopped them anyway..

 

[fuzzybuddy]

Let's face it. These are minimum wage jobs- the kind you just don't retire from after 45 years, -there pretty much temp jobs. So, are you going to learn where each of 12,000 products are in the store? And if you think the staff is rude, abrasive, etc, can you imagine what kind of customers they would make?

 

[JaniceM]

I confronted 3 guys a couple of years ago in my garden. I had a sink-hole appear suddenly in my front garden, and the council sent workers out to fill it in and sort it out... The language from the 50 something supervisor, was absolutely appalling.. F Bomb every second word .. and so loud I could hear him with my windows closed.. I was both mortified and appalled that contractors at my home could disrespect not only me but my neighbours.. so I went out there and confronted them.. told them they better stop right now otherwise I'm going to request that they get replaced ... I got some apologies ''didn't realise we're doing it '' BS.. but it stopped them anyway..

Good for you for speaking up!!!!

 

[Mike]

Probably down to wages and training, in any order.

Pay peanuts and you will get monkeys!

Mike.

 

[hollydolly]

Let's face it. These are minimum wage jobs- the kind you just don't retire from after 45 years, -there pretty much temp jobs. So, are you going to learn where each of 12,000 products are in the store? And if you think the staff is rude, abrasive, etc, can you imagine what kind of customers they would make?

you don't have to learn where everything is in the store.. As a section supermarket worker You work certain aisles or departments... for example.. produce.. or toys... or clothing... and each aisle and department has a section manager assigned to it..

 

[hollydolly]

Probably down to wages and training, in any order.

Pay peanuts and you will get monkeys!

Mike.

..absolutely wrong. When I first left school I worked in a lot of retail stores. We earned very low wages.. no minimum wage in those days, but we were taught and expected to treat the customer as King, and we did...

people nowadays using minimum wage as an excuse .. and not all bad , rude or disrespectful workers earn minimum wage by any means .. are very wrong to excuse bad working practice in such a way...

 

[Blessed]

Uh oh! You gave me an excuse to sound off,, haha!
Walgreens! : Horrible. And not just since the PD. They’ve always been like that. And not just one branch either. Send out ads then when I go looking for the product they don’t have it & never heard of it.
Pharmacy: Rude, act like they’re doing you a big favor to fill your stuff, don’t want to be bothered with questions, sacred lunch hour, will slam down the window even if people are in line.
OTC and cosmetic prices at least 1/3 more than WM or grocery
Constant staff turnover: nobody knows anything about anything, where is or if carried.

Also agree with Remy & Holly. “ Things ain’t like they used to be” Haha.

And these are the reasons I no longer give them my business!!

 

[MountainRa]

I agree about Walgreens and never go there.
Publix grocery has good employees.

 

[Georgiagranny]

Publix grocery has good employees.

I agree. And their stores are soooo nice.

However, Kroger has really great employees. After all, they've got me And once our store is remodeled, it'll be even nicer than Publix.

 

[Lethe200]

Most large grocers have pleasant employees, and most large grocery chains are unionized. Doesn't mean that non-union companies can't have the same, but it's a matter of top-down mgmt. Many companies just give lip service to caring about their employees, and workers catch on fast as to whether mgmt is trustworthy or not.

If you know mgmt doesn't give a crap about you and your mgr/supvr, no matter how good or bad, can't really change things....well, why would any worker put in extra effort? So they can be given even more work for no increase in pay? Almost all the younger Gen Xers I know say their departments (in a variety of private and public companies) are understaffed. As people retire or leave, they aren't replaced - workers who stay get saddled with the extra work. "Don't worry, we'll reward you at the end of the year compensation bonus" - sometimes they do, and sometimes they don't.

One woman I know had to wait three years before getting her promised promotion/raise, because the company kept shuffling depts and changing her managers. And this is/was a very large, profitable, household name company that is very good to work for. It paid off for her eventually, but the old days of being rewarded/promoted immediately are pretty much gone forever.

I mostly shop on-line. I loathe going in and out of stores, and do it as fast as I can. I know what I want and I buy it as efficiently as possible.

 

[Mike]

..absolutely wrong. When I first left school I worked in a lot of retail stores. We earned very low wages.. no minimum wage in those days, but we were taught and expected to treat the customer as King, and we did...

But that was half a century ago hollydolly, things were done
properly in those days and in the City where you were.

If you are correct about the pay, then it must be down to bad
or no training, there is very little, "The customer never interferes
with what you are doing, the customer is the reason for you being
here", enter a shop where the two workers are chatting and see
how quickly you get any attention, no speed at all in my case.

Mike.

 

[Lavinia]

'Currys' is one of the worst stores where I live. You wander around trying to find someone to pay for your goods. It makes you wonder whether they actually want any customers.

 

[Mike]

'Currys' is one of the worst stores where I live. You wander around trying to find someone to pay for your goods. It makes you wonder whether they actually want any customers.

Anytime that I am in Currys and all the staff are busy
ignoring customers, I stick my hand up and shout as
loud as I can, "over here, quick", in no time there are
several of them around me.

The last time that I went there to buy a printer, I got
a young man to come and help me, as soon as a
supervisor saw him talking to me about printers, he
came across and told him to go and some menial
job, he then turned to me and asked how he could
help, I told him that he was very ignorant in taking
the young man away when I was talking with him,
he said that he would help instead, looking for the
bonus no doubt, I told him that he would not be
helping me and I went to find another youngster
to help, he kept following me for a while, till I asked
to speak to the manager, that was when he got the
message and left.

Mike.

 

[hollydolly]

'Currys' is one of the worst stores where I live. You wander around trying to find someone to pay for your goods. It makes you wonder whether they actually want any customers.

All the worse since they became Curry's PC world... Pc world were renowned for horrendous customer service... simply due to their lack of knowledge and their absence from the shop floor

 

[Remy]

@carouselsilver That's really a sad way to be treated to say the least. It doesn't make one feel good.

I've had to go to the Comcast store/office and I've actually been surprised about how nice they are. If there is a line, they are apologizing for the wait and when they get to you, they thank you for your patience. I mean it's what they should do but at least you feel OK about the wait because they acknowledge it.

 

[NorthernLight]

I've known several people who worked in retail. They said their job was not to serve customers but to stock shelves and do invevtory, etc. Helping the customer was incidental.

That said, I do find most clerks helpful.

I'd just like to comment on what people have said about good workers being promoted. I worked in restaurants, bars, and fast food for many years. There was almost no opportunity for advancement. (I believe I was a good worker.) Becoming a manager might mean a 25-cent raise or something.

 

[Remy]

I went to JoAnn's for some fabric just before the pandemic hit, and the service was abysmal. They couldn't even cut the fabric properly. When I questioned the girl who was cutting it, she just looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language and shrugged her shoulders.

Wow! That sounds about right though and typical for them. I'll buy thread there and look at the remnants because you can get some really good deals. I've bought fleece to make kitty beds. But I really do try to avoid that store. We have a local quilt store. They will do 1/8 yard cuts and they have these $1.00 fabric rolls I always go through. I don't need fabric, but I have to stop in once in a while.

 

[Remy]

Here is what I think is rather funny. Every business I have dealt with recently, send me some sort of survey questions that say, "How are we doing?" I think it's strange that nothing has come from the moving company. Maybe they "know" their employees and don't have to send out any survey questions. LOL

When I had my gall bladder out, 15+ years ago, I got the 'how was your experience' call from the stupid hospital. It should have been day surgery instead of overnight. I could have thrown up bile until 2am at home. I threw up right in front of the nurse. She walked out of the room. Never sent an aid in or anything. I got up and emptied it myself. I told that idiot caller 'everything was fine' No way would I state the truth. They could get my address and those movers know where you live.

When I sold that house I had boxes stollen by the movers.

 

[Remy]

I have found that in recent years the office staff in doctor's offices are not anywhere as nice as they used to be.

At the reception desk, it is more difficult to hear given the plexiglass and mask wearing. My last experience went like this:

Me: Dr. So & So wants me to come back in 6 weeks
(Receptionist, is chewing gum, mouth open, wearing a hoodie with hood up)

Reception: Ok, when do you want to come.

Me: Any day but I am not available on Thursdays

Reception: Ok, I have Oct. 27 at 11 am.

Me: Let me put that in my calendar.....oh, wait, that's a Thursday, not good for me.
Receptionist: Rolls eye & sighs, heaving shoulders. Ok when CAN you come?

Me: Never mind I'll check my schedule and call.

That really ticks me off. Totally unprofessional. Sounds about right though.

 

[Remy]

you don't have to learn where everything is in the store.. As a section supermarket worker You work certain aisles or departments... for example.. produce.. or toys... or clothing... and each aisle and department has a section manager assigned to it..

That's true. They can still help or ask someone else that works there. I'm not going to ask the young punks at target who are on their cell phones or cursing while they talk to each other like it's normal speak. No way. I just won't ask for help.

 

[Packerjohn]

When I had my gall bladder out, 15+ years ago, I got the 'how was your experience' call from the stupid hospital. It should have been day surgery instead of overnight. I could have thrown up bile until 2am at home. I threw up right in front of the nurse. She walked out of the room. Never sent an aid in or anything. I got up and emptied it myself. I told that idiot caller 'everything was fine' No way would I state the truth. They could get my address and those movers know where you live.

When I sold that house I had boxes stollen by the movers.

I feel for you about the boxes stolen by those movers. I moved a couple of years ago and they stole something but I forgot what. This time they stole a dolley I used to move heavy furniture. I suppose it could be worse. There are god awful stories in the Consumer Report Magazine about entire truck load from someone's home disappearing on long distance moves across the country. It seems they double up with the load and it just disappears! How is that for "Consumer Satisfaction?"

 

[hollydolly]

I feel for you about the boxes stolen by those movers. I moved a couple of years ago and they stole something but I forgot what. This time they stole a dolley I used to move heavy furniture. I suppose it could be worse. There are god awful stories in the Consumer Report Magazine about entire truck load from someone's home disappearing on long distance moves across the country. It seems they double up with the load and it just disappears! How is that for "Consumer Satisfaction?"

how on earth did they not think you would miss the Dolley ?... incredible !!

I've moved house a lot since a child, and then as a forces wife moving from Quarter to quarter, and never once have we got away with not having something go missing, if not several things..

 

[Lara]

Trader Joe's and Publix have the best employees ever...before the pandemic and now still.
I often let them know. One Publix employee smiled and said, "that's because they make us watch a ton of videos and take classes".
Another Publix employee replied to my compliment saying they had received an award for the friendliest grocery store in the US.