Kroger's approach is a little different...we'll bend over and even offer to apply the lube ourselves! But seriously, have you seen what seemingly intelligent human beings will do to a public restroom? Yea you look like an independent adult, but all the fecal matter you managed to not get in the toilet tells me you are brutally retarded. /rant
-- Edited by atlantadiv_fml on Wednesday 7th of March 2012 05:58:19 PM
I wonder what you guys think of this, but I went into a Walgreen's the other day that I've been shopping at for years. There's a new manager there who has been there a couple of months, and from what I can tell, seems to have a very anti-customer attitude. He seems to be constantly on the lookout for potential shoplifters, eyeing people suspiciously, and some of the employees, who I've known a while, seem to be on edge around him. Now I see that he has put "electronic" locks on the "public" restrooms, since he's afraid that people are hiding merchandise in the restrooms, and somehow it is getting stolen from the store. Never mind to go after the supposed thieves, or "train" a camera on the actual backdoor. Now, the poor girl up front has to get a key and unlock the door all the way in the back, every time a customer needs to use the facilities, even when the store's busy. I've heard of this happening at other drugstores, and I've had to use a key at some doctor's offices, but this store seems to be making things worse for the customers, not better. Now compare that with Kroger, where vendors, salesmen, merchandisers, customers, managers, and employees are using the restrooms day in and day out pretty regularly. If someone had to open a door each time with a key, our front end person would be deluged with so many complaints, it'd make his or her head spin! Not to mention the fact that we can't even get a kid to change a paper towel roll, or empty a trash bin consistently!!! How is something like that even enforceable??? We would drive away more customers than keep them. The Walgreen's example is just one example of putting the customer last. Over the years, in other establishments, I've seen rudeness from workers, health concerns in restaurants, red tape policies that make the shopping experience less enjoyable...I guess we should all be thankful that Kroger puts it's customers first!!! It would be "false advertising" if we didn't, since that is supposedly the core of our operation.
My question is...Have any of you, as shoppers and customers, not necessarily employees, noticed any similar actions at other businesses and/or had similar bad retail experiences over the years? What things would you like to see changed? What would make things better? Not saying whether this particular manager is right or wrong, but his being so off-putting is making me shop there less and less now...What he may not realize is that competition is fierce. What can be bought there can be bought at the CVS across the street or the Rite-Aid down the way. Not to mention all the department stores, grocery stores and convenience stores. I like the employees there, but I don't owe them any loyalty, if I feel uncomfortable shopping there...Just my two cents...What's yours?
I put the customer first sometimes if its at convenience. However, if I am by myself and have alot of work the customer comes next to last as in I won't do no special cutting because they're strict on Overtime and I'll try and get out of steaming anything. If the help is there I have no fuzzes at going the extra mile and Kroger needs to realize this.
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My Views and Opinions do not reflect that of the Kroger company. I'm an indivdual expressing my 1st amendment right.
I'm always confused by the "CUSTOMER FIRST!!!!" strategy, but then they undercut the strategy by staffing places so thinly that they cant actually put the customer first. In theory, yes! The customer always comes first, and you do whatever you can to satisfy them, if it means special cuts, wrapping a bunch of stuff individually, popping something in the steamer (glad we dont have any out here!), whatever, we'll all go the extra mile to make a happy shopper.
I've had to argue with food managers about getting say 15 minutes of overtime because there was a big rush of customers right at 5pm (duh of course there is!) and what was I supposed to do, stare at all of them and say "I can't help any of you because i cant get any overtime, and if I start to then it may put me over the time limit"? The closing clerk might not be back from lunch yet, you might be involved filleting 3 salmons for someone, etc.
Basically they say yes you should, without saying that you should. They just say "I SAID NO OVERTIME" and maybe say "MAKE SURE THE CLOSER COMES BACK BEFORE 5 SO YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO CLOCK OUT". So basically, customer first, as long as it doesnt show up on a report.
Of course, I did say that "Customer First" is "supposedly" the core of our operation. The signs and symbols of this are everywhere, but actual stores may differ. Someone did bring up the subject of understaffing. Of course you can't, in reality, keep the customer "first" when morale is low and/or enough manpower is scheduled. Duh!!! That's common sense, which is why we couldn't enforce locking the restrooms!!!...And as regarding the fecal matter issue, I've seen grown men walk out of a restroom, leaving their diapers behind, with a steaming pile of you-know-what left behind...Of course, guess who had to clean it up??? Yeah. The good ol' days of being a bagger, huh? Of course, I've seen gas station restrooms and restaurant bathrooms in way worse shape than Walgreen's (They can't say it's because of the mess people leave), and they're open all the time...Oh, I've seen it all. I just try not to be too surprised. Once in a while, I'll feign surprise just to amuse myself (They did what? Really??? No!!!)...Other than that, it's retail...What are you gonna do???
By the way, that "common sense" stuff I mentioned earlier is in no way a mandatory practice at Kroger. It's actually not mandatory anywhere, but once in awhile, if you're lucky, you might see an example of it, on the rare occasion...I wouldn't hold my breath, though...
ELMS is another program that puts the customer last. Cashiers have to "strive" to make that 95%, which is supposed to make the customer happy because they get out quicker. But it doesn't work that way in reality. Customers forget stuff... they lose their Kroger Plus Card, they lose their debit card, they leave their wallet in the car, they need cigarettes, they search through coupons, etc., and it really makes them mad to be hurried because of some efficiency measuring system that corporate has thought up, supposedly to gain more customer satisfaction.
What Kroger needs to do is to make sure there are enough employees in the store to meet the demands of all the customers in the store, maybe more than enough, and to quit putting emphasis on efficiency programs that don't work. Only then, will they see more satisfied customers, which is what they claim their goal is in the first place.
ELMS is another program that puts the customer last. Cashiers have to "strive" to make that 95%, which is supposed to make the customer happy because they get out quicker. But it doesn't work that way in reality. Customers forget stuff... they lose their Kroger Plus Card, they lose their debit card, they leave their wallet in the car, they need cigarettes, they search through coupons, etc., and it really makes them mad to be hurried because of some efficiency measuring system that corporate has thought up, supposedly to gain more customer satisfaction.
What Kroger needs to do is to make sure there are enough employees in the store to meet the demands of all the customers in the store, maybe more than enough, and to quit putting emphasis on efficiency programs that don't work. Only then, will they see more satisfied customers, which is what they claim their goal is in the first place.
Never thought about it like that...See, it cuts both ways!!! These are the kind of variables no one talks about!!! Someone should ask the employees how they see things once in a while...but they don't!
How about a sign that reads..."For better service, please have coupons ready and filed, wallet and/or checkbook handy, bottle return slips, and credit and/or debit cards out. Do not forget your Kroger card. Are your keys in your pocket or purse? Have you read all ads and signage carefully? Did you remember everything on your list? Have you checked the fine print on all coupons? If you're in the express lane, do you have more than 15 items? If so, please use a different register. If you have any issues with this store, please bring them to management's attention. Please do not berate and/or harass the cashiers and employees, as they are there to do a job. Be as kind to others as you would have them be to you. For even quicker service, U-scan machines are also available." Something likes the signs at the beach that tell you where to walk your dog and what behaviors are not allowed, etc. Maybe this could be an announcement over the PA once in a while...What do you think? Got something to add?
While I'm on it, what about a big bright neon sign by the garlic that says "garlic" and has an arrow pointing to it...Same goes for horseradish, toothpicks, and restrooms...
Anonymous wrote:While I'm on it, what about a big bright neon sign by the garlic that says "garlic" and has an arrow pointing to it...Same goes for horseradish, toothpicks, and restrooms...
They would still ask you were to find garlic.
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
We would not even care how slow or stupid the customer was if they didn't have ELMS and weren't threatening cashiers who weren't scanning over 95%. Just let it be. Some customers want quick service, some customers want patience. None of them care if the cashier is scanning over 95%. It's called customer service for a reason... we are there to serve the customer. Corporate is just complicating things with these silly little programs. Want better customer service? It's called "training" and "staffing".
I do not know about other Kroger stores but the one I work at misses the Customer First attitude in a big way. The customer should have a seedless shopping trip, not onewere they feel dependent on getting someone to help themcomInstantly. There is a great deal of lip service paid to Customer First but really having your store ready, with easy access to stock so the customer does not have to wait for a product is lacking. This seems to be a fear by management to mmake department heads do their jobs to ensure all customers can be served without waiting. Oh well, I do my best, and that is all I can do,management seems to have a number crunching approach only, even though I attended the rollout of Customer First in Michigan. I know it is much more than lip service, it is efficiency.
