So despite the fact that I've lurked here for a year being entertained by the "Kroger Sucks" stories, and can commiserate to a point, if I were to be perfectly honest, i love my job.
No, I don't want to make a career out of being a Kroger cashier, and there's always going to be SOME bullcrap with any job.
But I've had much worse, and am thankful that Kroger allowed me to leave it.
For me, it was hands down : Department Store Cashier.
Up to 75% of customers would argue with me about prices and coupons, or throw tantrums and walk out. This would occasionally happen at my Kroger (except the "walk out" part, because fatties gotta have their food) but it happens less than 5% of the time, not an everyday occurrence. And there was no "Make It Right" option or policy to placate them. If I were to override a price by even a dollar, I could get fired. So management would take their sweetass time to come to my counter and consent to a price override. This would cause 3 people to ragequit my line and check out elsewhere. Why did it matter that customers wouldn't check out with me? Because the cashiers had daily and weekly "credit card" quotas to meet. Management wanted you to get 1 credit card application per 4 hours worked, so if you worked 20 hours that week, you'd better have gotten 5 customers to sign up for the store card that week. Even when I exceeded my goal for 2 months straight, if I had one bad week after the fact, management would accuse me of slacking or doing something wrong. Management was just as snobby and ungrateful as the customer base of privileged menopausal hags. Speaking of hags, the salesfloor witches would harangue me to tag and fold their **** at my counter, but absolutely REFUSED to interact with customers and promote the store credit card, even though (according to the training video I had to watch) it was their job too, not just all on the cashiers! When people are ready to check out, after 2+ hours of shopping and 20 minutes in line, they want to GO HOME, not hear someone beg them to sign up for a credit card they don't need. Yes, I said I would get a lot of credit cards, but it was because in my downtime, I would do the saleswomens' jobs of interacting and talking to the customers about the card. These same useless dinosaurs would then funnel customers to my counter by telling them that I can give them coupons or override a price (NO I COULD NOT, I COULD GET FIRED!!!!) Telling management was useless, because they would tell me they'd remind them, but would make excuses saying "Well, Peggy Sue has been here since the 80s, when we use to do it, so she forgets.) I could go on about how toxic the daily work atmosphere was, but I'll end it here. In retrospect, I'm shocked that I lasted over 6 months. I ultimately quit because I felt that I was on the verge of cussing someone out, and the little incentives and rewards I got were not worth the stress that was beginning to impact my health. So, I want to hear from you guys. Have you had any job (retail or otherwise) that was worse than your current Kroger position?
I've been away from Kroger a little over a year now, but just left a job that is right up there with Kroger on the BS level. I just left a fast food joint because I was tired of having to work two stations because the same people would always call off and nothing was ever done about it. Sure if they continued calling in or not showing up after a few times they might have their hours slightly cut, but those of us who actually came to work were expected to pick up the slack and bitched at when we couldn't do the work of two people.
what krogerman77 said. applies to kroger; people in my department have called in well more than the limit but remain because the higher ups like them
i've only had three-four jobs and kroger is probably the worst, altho being in a better mood and in better health is making up the difference. the toxicity, drama, outside heat and lack of appreciation for hard work makes for a miserable experience sometimes. fortunately, i still have a roof over my head, and i just pay my mom's car payment and my phone bill. if i had to make my living here or at a worse job, i would totally break down
I've had jobs that didn't pay as well as kroger or without the good medical insurance benefit but never had a job where you felt no matter how hard you worked, how good you were at your job, that it was never good enough for "them". It is just the way it is at Kroger. I guess since the markup isn't very high on most items and they have to sell a ton to make good margins and the fact that they have a gazillion layers of management from the stores all the way to the corporate office, they have to sweat the blood and soul out of every employee to make their bonuses. Honestly, I always do my best every day but I only stay there because I can't find anything better.
