speaking of customer service

libby

New Member
Does anyone here want to correct my opinion about customer service at retail establishments? Growing up in a family business, the customer was the most, most, MOST important part of your job!
Every, single time I've been to, for instance, Food Lion in Callaway, I've waited at the deli. There is one person waiting on customers, while others stock the deli display, deal with roasting chicken, or whatever. I realize that, periodically, someone might be working on a cake or something, for a customer that is on the way; not my gripe. FL also has staff walking around and prattling on at the customer service desk while the line at the check out gets deeper and deeper.
Yesterday I was at a local craft store and the line to check out was five deep, with another 3-5 stepping into the line up. One checkout. A woman who appeared to be some sort of supervisor was paging through a three-ring binder at a snail's pace, and not even looking up at the line. Finally I called to her and pointed out the number of people waiting and asked if she was going to open another register. "Customers are usually the priority", I think I said.
Anyway, a few of the waiting customers mouthed "thank you" to me for saying something.
Anyone here a retail manager? What the heck are the managers telling their employees about customer service? Heck, even a customer on the phone is less important than the ones in line waiting to give you their money. Tell the one on the phone that you'll take their number and call them back!
At the very, very least, let the customers who are waiting know that you see them and you'll be right there to open another register!
Okay. I'm done.
 

slotpuppy

Ass-hole
Its only going to get worse. With the increase in the minimum wage, I bet stores and going to reduce staff to reduce payroll and save money.
 

StadEMS3

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
It's the same at most retailers, my favorite is Walmart :)sarcasm:). Lines out into the isles and only a couple of the 50 registers open while 10 supervisors are standing around "supervising". :smack:
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
It's not your imagination, and not just because you live here and see it more frequently. Customer service really is worse in SoMD - St. Mary's in particular. I travel and roam a good bit, and I definitely notice a difference.

A fun story:

A girlfriend and I went on a road trip to Lincoln to visit my folks one summer a bunch of years ago. She's lived here all her life except for when she was at college, and was laughing about how nice people are in the midwest. Just, hi how are you, can I help you, big smiles, nice to meet you...

So after a week of this we get back into town and stop at a C-store in Mechanicsville for gas, soda, cigs. The girl at the counter was blabbing with someone on the phone, glanced over at us waiting, and actually turned her back on us to finish her clearly personal phone call. :lol:

My friend said, "Yeah, we're back home.... :ohwell:"
 

slotpuppy

Ass-hole
It's the same at most retailers, my favorite is Walmart :)sarcasm:). Lines out into the isles and only a couple of the 50 registers open while 10 supervisors are standing around "supervising". :smack:

Remember when walmart used to have signs that said if there were more than 3 people in line, they would open a new register?
 

sm8

Active Member
My gripe is customer service when it comes to waitresses at restaurants. Tipping has become pretty much a mandatory 18% that it seems some feel they no longer need to work for their tip. I have gotten to the point I can not stand to eat out because 8/10 times I have an issue with the waitress and I am not even a very demanding customer. 3 main goals: listen to me instead of talking over me when I am ordering, refill my drink, and bring/take the bill in a timely fashion.
 

GURPS

INGSOC
PREMO Member
A fun story:

A girlfriend and I went on a road trip to Lincoln to visit my folks one summer a bunch of years ago.

The girl at the counter was blabbing with someone on the phone, glanced over at us waiting, and actually turned her back on us to finish her clearly personal phone call. :lol:



could this be the result of liberal entitlement attitudes of either coast vs strong work ethic of the fly over states
 

bilbur

New Member
When I was growing up everyone would wave to everyone in St. Mary's. As a kid I used to laugh at my dad who seemed to always have his hand up to give a greeting to someone. As more and more people started moving in from other areas I noticed the returned waves were getting less and less. There was a lady that called my mom and threatened to call the cops on the guy that waved at her and her daughter who had just moved on to my parents road. My mom laughed and explained that it was her husband and he waves to everybody. I am not faulting the ones who moved here because they have their own way of doing things but I do miss the occasional friendly gesture.
 

MarieB

New Member
well, you cant "beat" the service clerks you get at any MVA



its against the law....

I was actually pleasantly surprised about the service at the MVA when I moved here. I've never had a problem there

And speaking of the supervisors, it seems like there are too many chiefs and nit enough indians any more. I also wonder about Wal Mart and whether the cashiers are permitted to hand you your bags. Most of them won't even spin the carousel to help you get the bags
 

sm8

Active Member
When I was growing up everyone would wave to everyone in St. Mary's. As a kid I used to laugh at my dad who seemed to always have his hand up to give a greeting to someone. As more and more people started moving in from other areas I noticed the returned waves were getting less and less. There was a lady that called my mom and threatened to call the cops on the guy that waved at her and her daughter who had just moved on to my parents road. My mom laughed and explained that it was her husband and he waves to everybody. I am not faulting the ones who moved here because they have their own way of doing things but I do miss the occasional friendly gesture.
Must be what is wrong with my dad. He is in his 60's and lived here his whole life. He waves or talks to everyone and loves to shake peoples hands. I have OCD and it drives me nuts because they either try to shake my hand also or then he touches all of my stuff with their germs on his hands.
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
could this be the result of liberal entitlement attitudes of either coast vs strong work ethic of the fly over states

I think it's a quality of life issue. When you live in a high cost area many people cannot afford to live decently on a cashier's wage, so you get the dregs in those jobs. Around here the higher skilled people are NOT managing a discount store, they're working for a contractor.

That is a pure generalization and not 100%, so I don't want to hear any stories about the terrific clerk at Wawa or the wonderful cashier at Target. They will tell you themselves that their co-workers and boss are idiots.

Also these little bitty states with scads of humans all crammed together - that will make you pretty crabby or at least indifferent. Vs. nice big states where there's room to spread out and you're not all on top of each other getting on each others' nerves.
 

FED_UP

Well-Known Member
My favorite is when they actually do open another line and take the people at the end first.

Yep, you been in line for 5 minutes and the last person there for 5 seconds, they quickly head to the line that just opened up, no shame to their game. Once I did see a cashier say no hold up those people were in front of you first.
 

Retrodeb54

Surely you jest ...
When I was growing up everyone would wave to everyone in St. Mary's. As a kid I used to laugh at my dad who seemed to always have his hand up to give a greeting to someone. As more and more people started moving in from other areas I noticed the returned waves were getting less and less. There was a lady that called my mom and threatened to call the cops on the guy that waved at her and her daughter who had just moved on to my parents road. My mom laughed and explained that it was her husband and he waves to everybody. I am not faulting the ones who moved here because they have their own way of doing things but I do miss the occasional friendly gesture.

When we first moved here I was wondering why all these people I didn't know waved at me. Driving down Mechanicsville road (not just there though) I was greeted by several strangers daily, on my way to work and on my way home. Even when someone passed me on the other side of the road, they waved. Even waved in the parking lots as I got back in my truck. Figured they were just being nice so I began to look forward to it and waved back. *shrugs* Sadly, not so much anymore.

:coffee:
 

Freefaller

Active Member
Right On!

Does anyone here want to correct my opinion about customer service at retail establishments? Growing up in a family business, the customer was the most, most, MOST important part of your job!
Every, single time I've been to, for instance, Food Lion in Callaway, I've waited at the deli. There is one person waiting on customers, while others stock the deli display, deal with roasting chicken, or whatever. I realize that, periodically, someone might be working on a cake or something, for a customer that is on the way; not my gripe. FL also has staff walking around and prattling on at the customer service desk while the line at the check out gets deeper and deeper.
Yesterday I was at a local craft store and the line to check out was five deep, with another 3-5 stepping into the line up. One checkout. A woman who appeared to be some sort of supervisor was paging through a three-ring binder at a snail's pace, and not even looking up at the line. Finally I called to her and pointed out the number of people waiting and asked if she was going to open another register. "Customers are usually the priority", I think I said.
Anyway, a few of the waiting customers mouthed "thank you" to me for saying something.
Anyone here a retail manager? What the heck are the managers telling their employees about customer service? Heck, even a customer on the phone is less important than the ones in line waiting to give you their money. Tell the one on the phone that you'll take their number and call them back!
At the very, very least, let the customers who are waiting know that you see them and you'll be right there to open another register!
Okay. I'm done.

On Saturday, I stopped at the Lowes in Waldorf to pick up a few hardware items for a few small repairs I was making at home. After picking up my items, I proceeded to the checkout. There were only 2 cashiers open (On a Saturday!) Not only were there several people in each line, the cashiers moved at a glacial pace (this may be an insult to glaciers). I started to notice that everyone in line were growing impatient. 2 customers in the other line gave up, abandoned their carts right there in line and walked out of the store. No one at Lowes even noticed (Or cared). A woman behind me in line did the same. She put her items down and walked out. Shortly after, I did the same. I drove 3 minutes to Home Depot. While there, I saw two of the 3 customers who had walked out of Lowes. I picked up the items I needed, walked up to a self Checkout, scanned my items, paid, and was out of the store in no time. I think I'll skip Lowes from now on and just go straight to Home Depot!
 

stgislander

Well-Known Member
PREMO Member
I find that I pass the same people every day to and from work. (Some I do know personally but many I don't.) Since our paths cross practically every day, it seems almost rude not to waive.
 

libby

New Member
Yep, you been in line for 5 minutes and the last person there for 5 seconds, they quickly head to the line that just opened up, no shame to their game. Once I did see a cashier say no hold up those people were in front of you first.

I've been pleasantly surprised that most people (all in my own personal experience) actually do let those who have been waiting longer go ahead to the next open register. Perhaps that's because, come hell or high water, I do not shop at Wal-Mart.
 
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