I went to my store on my day off yesterday to pick up a prescription, but since my new doctor is closer to the store I got there before it was ready. Since I had a few minutes to spare I went over to see what was going on in the deli. Wish I hadn't.
I see that the lady who opened was in a grouchy mood and the lady doing chicken had been in tears. And it was all because our management sided with a customer even though the customer was wrong. We had a 125 chicken order for that day due at 11. Well just a couple minutes before 11 a man comes in wanting 2 8 piece orders. The girl frying chicken politely told the man that she'd get it for him after she finished the 125 piece order if she had enough left. Well that wasn't good enough for him, and he didn't want what was already in the steam table. He said "why should I be punished because of someones order?!"
Well the a-hole customer goes to the service desk and complains to one of the co-managers. Well she comes back and tells the chicken person to give him his 2 8 pieces out of what just come out of the fryer. Well the chicken fryer asked the manager what are we going to do if the person with the 125 piece order come to get his before we can fry more chicken? Managers response, just get the man his chicken, he doesn't want to wait.
By this time it is 11 and right on schedule the man who ordered the 125 pieces is there for his order and is angry that his order isn't ready. So what do the girls in the deli that day do? They call the co-manager down and make her tell the guy why he has to wait. So to keep this guy happy our co-manager gives this man a free cake and pie, then proceeds to bitch out the deli for not getting their stuff done on time.
How the hell can we get stuff done on time when the managers to stuff that contradict themselves so much!?
Yea, if I ordered 125 pieces and found out someone sold my pieces to some other dlckhead I would straight up refuse to take delivery. If you order that much chicken there's surely an event going on like a party or a reunion. Would that trailer trash customer's day just be a total waste if he had to wait for his chicken?
It's called Krogerism, a severe mental disorder that affects store management and higher. It's a mental disorder in which the individual complains about two contradicting things not being able to happen at the same time, or that they bitch about the results of either decision made regarding some situation. Kroger needs to understand that you cannot please everyone.
I went to my store on my day off yesterday to pick up a prescription, but since my new doctor is closer to the store I got there before it was ready. Since I had a few minutes to spare I went over to see what was going on in the deli. Wish I hadn't.
I see that the lady who opened was in a grouchy mood and the lady doing chicken had been in tears. And it was all because our management sided with a customer even though the customer was wrong. We had a 125 chicken order for that day due at 11. Well just a couple minutes before 11 a man comes in wanting 2 8 piece orders. The girl frying chicken politely told the man that she'd get it for him after she finished the 125 piece order if she had enough left. Well that wasn't good enough for him, and he didn't want what was already in the steam table. He said "why should I be punished because of someones order?!"
Well the a-hole customer goes to the service desk and complains to one of the co-managers. Well she comes back and tells the chicken person to give him his 2 8 pieces out of what just come out of the fryer. Well the chicken fryer asked the manager what are we going to do if the person with the 125 piece order come to get his before we can fry more chicken? Managers response, just get the man his chicken, he doesn't want to wait.
By this time it is 11 and right on schedule the man who ordered the 125 pieces is there for his order and is angry that his order isn't ready. So what do the girls in the deli that day do? They call the co-manager down and make her tell the guy why he has to wait. So to keep this guy happy our co-manager gives this man a free cake and pie, then proceeds to bitch out the deli for not getting their stuff done on time.
How the hell can we get stuff done on time when the managers to stuff that contradict themselves so much!?
Were I an outsider, I would be shocked. But as I have worked at Kroger now going on 14 months this story does not surprise me at all. Not at all. In fact we have management at my store that would probably do something similar if not the same thing.
"The customer is always right!" Maybe, but he or she can also be a douchebag.
I am surprised that management did not do the 'make it right' on this story considering how hard they are pressing it.
By the way our store personally dropped from 64 to 63 over OSAT this past week.
I went to my store on my day off yesterday to pick up a prescription, but since my new doctor is closer to the store I got there before it was ready. Since I had a few minutes to spare I went over to see what was going on in the deli. Wish I hadn't.
I see that the lady who opened was in a grouchy mood and the lady doing chicken had been in tears. And it was all because our management sided with a customer even though the customer was wrong. We had a 125 chicken order for that day due at 11. Well just a couple minutes before 11 a man comes in wanting 2 8 piece orders. The girl frying chicken politely told the man that she'd get it for him after she finished the 125 piece order if she had enough left. Well that wasn't good enough for him, and he didn't want what was already in the steam table. He said "why should I be punished because of someones order?!"
Well the a-hole customer goes to the service desk and complains to one of the co-managers. Well she comes back and tells the chicken person to give him his 2 8 pieces out of what just come out of the fryer. Well the chicken fryer asked the manager what are we going to do if the person with the 125 piece order come to get his before we can fry more chicken? Managers response, just get the man his chicken, he doesn't want to wait.
By this time it is 11 and right on schedule the man who ordered the 125 pieces is there for his order and is angry that his order isn't ready. So what do the girls in the deli that day do? They call the co-manager down and make her tell the guy why he has to wait. So to keep this guy happy our co-manager gives this man a free cake and pie, then proceeds to bitch out the deli for not getting their stuff done on time.
How the hell can we get stuff done on time when the managers to stuff that contradict themselves so much!?
Were I an outsider, I would be shocked. But as I have worked at Kroger now going on 14 months this story does not surprise me at all. Not at all. In fact we have management at my store that would probably do something similar if not the same thing.
"The customer is always right!" Maybe, but he or she can also be a douchebag.
I am surprised that management did not do the 'make it right' on this story considering how hard they are pressing it.
By the way our store personally dropped from 64 to 63 over OSAT this past week.
Funny how our OSAT dropped when Make It Right came out. Biggest complaint? Can't identify employees because of the promotional shirts. That was potential-raise money well spent right there!
I make a point to stay away from the deli on my day off. I don't need to see that clown car trainwreck when I'm not working.
That being said, it's a shame a manager had to get involved. Yes, sometimes customers are flat out unreasonable, but the situation could have been avoided.
Sometimes you just have to be able to finesse the customer yourself... or be better prepared. If you're cooking a lot of chicken, use 2 fryers if you have them, and make extra... or just start making the large order just a tad earlier.
The way I do it is like this: customer comes in and gets xxx piece chicken order. New customer comes in and wants FRESH fried chicken.
New customer: waits. I WILL NOT... WILL NOT, take chicken out if the order I was working on. They get mad? Big deal so what? Go elsewhere. You'll get your chicken AFTER I am done with this order.
Guess that's why they don't want me working deli all that much....
The way I do it is like this: customer comes in and gets xxx piece chicken order. New customer comes in and wants FRESH fried chicken. New customer: waits. I WILL NOT... WILL NOT, take chicken out if the order I was working on. They get mad? Big deal so what? Go elsewhere. You'll get your chicken AFTER I am done with this order.
Guess that's why they don't want me working deli all that much....
That is messing with the 'customer is always right'. It's like how our store always piles up go-backs, we never have the manpower. because god forbid a customer actually has to bag their own groceries.
We had both fryers going. Ours only hold four 8 piece bags each. And for what ever reason our chicken person isn't scheduled until 9:30 most mornings, sometimes as late as 10.
I usually don't go in on my day off, unless my day off happens to be Friday, then I have to for my paycheck. Then, and only then, will I go into the deli and get my schedule. Then I walk out.
I have this theory that if I show up when they are shortstaffed, then they'll want me to work a shift that day. Nope.
Or maybe they could've tell the customer that someone had just bought the last of the chicken, but that they could fry him up some more. The customer doesn't have to know that it's for an order. If they know the chicken is still there, they will want it. They don't care about the other customer that took the time and made the order.
Also, that manager needs to understand this and not yell at someone for something that was beyond their control.
Or maybe they could've tell the customer that someone had just bought the last of the chicken, but that they could fry him up some more. The customer doesn't have to know that it's for an order. If they know the chicken is still there, they will want it. They don't care about the other customer that took the time and made the order.
Also, that manager needs to understand this and not yell at someone for something that was beyond their control.
That don't always work. Some will ask 'what's wrong with that chicken", and that's when you do have to disclose that it's for an order.
I tell them that this is for an order, but if they can wait ~20 minutes, there will be a fresh batch. Same with the rotisserie chickens. Some are willing to wait for the fresh batch, but others complain that we don't have chicken ready at their beck and call. In cases like that, I wish I could tell them to go to the meat department, get a few cut-ups over there and cook it their damn selves. They can even use fresh olive oil for their **** and it would save them the agony of having to wait an extra 20 mins.
I went to my store on my day off yesterday to pick up a prescription, but since my new doctor is closer to the store I got there before it was ready. Since I had a few minutes to spare I went over to see what was going on in the deli. Wish I hadn't.
I see that the lady who opened was in a grouchy mood and the lady doing chicken had been in tears. And it was all because our management sided with a customer even though the customer was wrong. We had a 125 chicken order for that day due at 11. Well just a couple minutes before 11 a man comes in wanting 2 8 piece orders. The girl frying chicken politely told the man that she'd get it for him after she finished the 125 piece order if she had enough left. Well that wasn't good enough for him, and he didn't want what was already in the steam table. He said "why should I be punished because of someones order?!"
Well the a-hole customer goes to the service desk and complains to one of the co-managers. Well she comes back and tells the chicken person to give him his 2 8 pieces out of what just come out of the fryer. Well the chicken fryer asked the manager what are we going to do if the person with the 125 piece order come to get his before we can fry more chicken? Managers response, just get the man his chicken, he doesn't want to wait.
By this time it is 11 and right on schedule the man who ordered the 125 pieces is there for his order and is angry that his order isn't ready. So what do the girls in the deli that day do? They call the co-manager down and make her tell the guy why he has to wait. So to keep this guy happy our co-manager gives this man a free cake and pie, then proceeds to bitch out the deli for not getting their stuff done on time.
How the hell can we get stuff done on time when the managers to stuff that contradict themselves so much!?
So this a-hole customer wanted chicken that was being set aside for someone else even though there was already chicken on the steamtable, right? Does that mean if he had gone to the bakery and wanted a cake he would have wanted the one the decorator was decorating for a customer's order instead of picking one out of the case?
Make it right or not, if it's already for an order for another customer, the 2nd customer waits. Pure and simple. I WILL NOT pull from the first customer's order " just because the 2nd customer wants some xxx." The 2nd customer gets mad? Oh well. Deal with it. Take a number and wait.
Sounds like the co-managers here in Dayton. They are putting warm bodies into training now, night leaders and seafood captains? And now we have a store manager convicted of domestic violence recently promoted. WOW!
Just goes to show how high the turnover rate is... They'll hire almost anybody. I remember as a kid, I wanted to work here. The smiles were genuine, and everyone honestly cared. Now, the smiles are fake and forced at best. Looking more and more like grimaces. How can anyone promote someone convicted of domestic violence?
Just goes to show how high the turnover rate is... They'll hire almost anybody. I remember as a kid, I wanted to work here. The smiles were genuine, and everyone honestly cared. Now, the smiles are fake and forced at best. Looking more and more like grimaces. How can anyone promote someone convicted of domestic violence?
Well minimum wage used to go a lot farther years ago, and I'm sure Kroger was a much better place to work. As far as the domestic violence goes, you never know the situation. A persons criminal record doesn't reflect their personality always. I
Or maybe they could've tell the customer that someone had just bought the last of the chicken, but that they could fry him up some more. The customer doesn't have to know that it's for an order. If they know the chicken is still there, they will want it. They don't care about the other customer that took the time and made the order.
Also, that manager needs to understand this and not yell at someone for something that was beyond their control.
That don't always work. Some will ask 'what's wrong with that chicken", and that's when you do have to disclose that it's for an order.
I tell them that this is for an order, but if they can wait ~20 minutes, there will be a fresh batch. Same with the rotisserie chickens. Some are willing to wait for the fresh batch, but others complain that we don't have chicken ready at their beck and call. In cases like that, I wish I could tell them to go to the meat department, get a few cut-ups over there and cook it their damn selves. They can even use fresh olive oil for their **** and it would save them the agony of having to wait an extra 20 mins.
You have a great point there. I was just assuming that the customer didn't actually see the chicken that was being prepared. Maybe if they thought that the chicken was paid for already and that the deli was just boxing it up...