Retail Hell

[buzz1941]

Re: Retail Hell

If a customer wants me to bring down a table saw for him, it'll take two of us approximately 30-minutes to help that one customer out. In that time the two of us could have helped 20-customers with their demands.

Too difficult to have one of each item within reach? The above scenario ties two people up for a long time ... but that's the way the store is organized!

[Hellbent]

Re: Retail Hell

I love it when they advertise items that they dont have or have only 2 pieces in stock. (I love how ads now say 'minimum 10 in stock') I went to compusa to buy a video card. It was advertised, and I finally bit the bullet and went down to spend $400 of my hard earned money on this awesome. Upon getting there I was told it was sold out by 2 associates who were just standing around. They didnt even look it up in the PC and seemed to just make it up. I was told that the 2 boxes they had in the display case were dummies. WHY WOULD YOU HAVE 2 EMPTY BOXES OF SOLD OUT STUFF??? I called my friend whos kind of high up and he made some calls and found out there were 3 of them in the computer, but 2 were shipped out and 1 was missing.
While waiting, my wife decides to buy her own Nintendo DS, instead of using mine. We wait 20 minutes for someone to help us. Another friend who works there sugggested later that I should have pulled an alarm label off, thereby summoning a squad of drones. =p

The problem with all these places is that they dont hire people with techincal know how (I used to work at Radio Shack) but people who can 'sell' even if they sell the wrong way. The bottom line is numbers - even if returns are up.

Craig - have you tried the 'I'm sorry but I dont work in this department, but I will get you someone who does' line? Also, perhaps your store should have a group of clerks whose job it is to bring down stuff from the upper tiers (isnt that a warehouse job?)

Cameron - in defense of those 3 associates, sometimes you forget what the customer looked like after 10 other people ask you for help. I can totally understand when they say "I'm sorry, but I'm helping another customer", sucks but at least you are only concentrating on helping 1 at a time.

[DannyWilliams]

Re: Retail Hell

I love it when they advertise items that they dont have or have only 2 pieces in stock. .

I experience something similar here are TARGET also.
Working in the L&G department outside our weekly ads feature items that guests inquire or wants to buy but we only had say "2" off hand and already and we are sold out of this given item on the first day of the sale.
I will get asked WHEN will this item come back in again but TARGET'S tracking system on replenishinments gives me NO indication when its coming back in again. All I can offer is.......

1. Checking With a Neighboring Store to see if they have the item

or

2. Taking their Name And Number to notifying them if it comes back in again

or

3. Asking they check back With us in a week or two

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Retail Hell

It comes down to staffing.

Home Depot uses a formula which translates prior sales amounts to number of associates on the floor.

So if we have a bang em up sale like our Ultimate Power Tool Sale that just ended on Thursday, staffing will increase because of those numbers the following week. Problem is that the following week is a slow one because everyone bought their tools from our massive sale the previous week.

Now we got a lot of associates but little customers. Sales go down and is reflected in the following week's staffing which is then reduced because of the weak sales numbers.

So that's why I can't get service at HD? Sorry Craig, I understand you guys are busting your butts and trying to do your best, but I avoid HD like the plague because I've never had a good experience with their customer service. You guys probably do way better on the Big Island.

We occasionally go down to the Pearl City HD from when they first opened. From day one, I could see that I was going to have problems if I needed help. I can't even count visits where I could find a sales rep for help. Only reason we go down there, now, is to look at plants or compare prices then go to Lowes where they'll give me what I want at the lower price plus an additional 10%.

Btw, Lowes is only marginally better and it's mostly their lower prices I go there for. Then too, I hit the big stores only if our local Ace or City Mill don't have what I'm looking for.

Never been to Sears to buy what they no longer stock so I've never had aforementioned problems, although some of the younger sales reps are just as I described in my prior post. I mainly go there to window shop or trade in old tools. What I do have takes care of whatever needs fixing, although I will be in need of a reciprocating or circular saw for a bit of home improvement and they're definitely not going to be Craftsman brand.

[Miulang]

Re: Retail Hell

One of the root causes of the customer disservice phenomenon is that in Hawai'i especially, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, employers have to scramble to find enough workers, so they will hire just about everyone who walks through their doors who can pass the drug test. Then they don't train them well enough on customer service skills or on the job they're supposed to be doing because turnover is so high due to low wages, and they have to continually look for new people. Employees who resent what they're doing are more likely to jump ship in a time when there are so many other opportunities out there.

Do you get the same level of disservice when you go to Costco? I don't think so. And their employee turnover rate is extremely low.

Miulang

BTW: I had a similar HD moment last week when I went looking for a lanai door. Stood at the desk of the Door Dept. for almost a half hour without seeing a single associate. Finally went to the service desk and asked for a manager to be paged. When he and I walked back to the Door Dept., miraculously out of nowhere appeared 2 associates. In the meantime, HD lost at least one other customer to Lowe's (which is conveniently just one block away).

[tikiyaki]

Re: Retail Hell

So that's why I can't get service at HD? Sorry Craig, I understand you guys are busting your butts and trying to do your best, but I avoid HD like the plague because I've never had a good experience with their customer service. You guys probably do way better on the Big Island.

I second that...If Craigwatanabe worked at a HD here in Burbank, I'd probably beeline right to him when I need help, cos the goons they got workin here are useless.
What bothers me the most, is that, with all the people shopping in HD, spending lotsa cash, you would think they could afford more employees.
Being that their customer service seems to be notoriously bad, you would think they would try to improve that situation, but they don't.

I also favor Lowe's when I need Home Improvement stuff.

[DannyWilliams]

Re: Retail Hell

Though I get stopped by customers or guests we call at Target I do my best in assisting them when I am waltzing by a section I do not work in.
99.9 % I try to answer their question if I am on or off of the clock.
As for our clothing attire which is Red Top and Khakhi Pants.......
When It is my lunch break and I am off of the clock I have my iPod plugged in my ears and shades so I can slither to the back without being stopped and sweater top or jacket in a different color.

[Pomai]

Re: Retail Hell

Though I get stopped by customers or guests we call at Target I do my best in assisting them when I am waltzing by a section I do not work in.
99.9 % I try to answer their question if I am on or off of the clock.
As for our clothing attire which is Red Top and Khakhi Pants.......
When It is my lunch break and I am off of the clock I have my iPod plugged in my ears and shades so I can slither to the back without being stopped and sweater top or jacket in a different color.

You know what's funny? I often get stopped in department stores by people who ask "do you work here?" or "are you the manager?" It's either how I dress (typical semi-formal office attire), I look approachable or someone pinned a name tag on me without me knowing it. lol

Even funnier is that I quickly answer "no", yet still ask them what they're looking for, and if I know about the product, give them personal advice. I "sold" a few things in retail stores while shopping that way.

[tutusue]

Re: Retail Hell

Add me to the list of those disappointed in HD. Craig? Puh-leeeeeze move back to Oahu!!!

In addition to being an Untechie Tutu, I suck in home improvement product knowledge, too! I shouldn't. I've done a fair amount of flipping in my lifetime and have a couple of remodels pending. Still, when I'm sent to the "hardware store" to buy <fill in the blank>, for the most part, I need help. That's almost impossible at HD. I stick with City Mill strictly because my customer service experience there is so much better. I was at CM/Waianae this morning and I didn't even have to ask for help. The most adorable senior citizen employee approached me. When I told him what I was trying to accomplish he took me all over the store showing me various products that might just do the trick. Jeez...I had options which meant I had decisions to make! This sales associate was knowledgeable, helpful and kind. Now, that's my kinda store. I'm willing to pay more for that kind of service.

Try wait! Maybe that's the new senior's pick up line..."Can I help you?"!

Does anyone remember the old Home Improvement Warehouse where K-Mart Iwilei is now? That was my home away from home during my "phlipping phase"! All I had to do was go to the customer service desk and they assigned me a "personal shopper". S/he and I would go over my list and s/he would accompany me thruout the store 'til everything on my list was in my cart. I was so loyal to them because of that. I was sorry to see them go.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Retail Hell

I really do appreciate the kind comments and I am making an effort to get back to Oahu and hopefully get tranferred to the Iwilei Home depot.

Regarding CompUSA and the two asociates that did nothing after saying the video card was out of stock.

I really cannot blame them. It's early in the morning and they have this terriffic sale on that card. They sell out. They check for inventory, they confirm none in stock and none on order.

If someone comes in at 4pm and is the 100th customer asking me if we have anymore in stock, I'm not gonna go to the computer to look it up for the 100th time. I'm just gonna say, sorry we're out of stock.

It may be your first time asking for that card but remember that associate has been there ALL DAY telling customers the stock levels for that card. Making that associate look it up that many times is like looking in the fridge for that piece of cake that is supposed to magically appear on the shelf waiting for you to eat it over and over again. It ain't gonna happen.

Yes we should put a sold out sign on the display product, but that makes too much sense. If I put one on I'll be told to take it off.

At Home Depot if we are out of stock the only person authorized to put any indication of an out of stock item is the Inventory Management Associate or IMA and they don't come in until 4am the next morning when they do their inventory then they flag the morning crew to pack down from the overheads or place an order to replenish that item.

Another thing customers must understand is that if the product is that good of a deal, don't wait until that afternoon to pick it up. Read the fine print: Limited to quantities on hand...no rainchecks.

If a customer demands we look it up in the computer and we do find five on hand. That doesn't mean we have five on the shelves to sell. Those five units could be in five shopping carts being pushed around by five customers who haven't finished their shopping so the registers cannot register the sale into the computer which would then reduce the inventory count by that many.

But some customers don't see it that way. They only see black and white. The computer says we have five, so he wants one and he becomes an arrogant asshole if he can't get one. What does he want me to do? Go rob another customer's shopping cart or magically pull one out of my ass. Sorry sir I tried to shit one out but I already went to the bathroom, I'm cleaned out.

I get customers fighting in the aisles over the last bale of insulation! I get the call to "help two customers in the insulation aisle". When I get there I see two customers one woman one man in a stare off. Now I gotta be the diplomat between these two adults?

At that point I have the authorization to refuse sale to either one but that's the last resort. So it's, "let's make a deal" time and I offer one customer an upgrade if he's willing to let go of the product he's clutching (yeah like kids).

Suddenly the wahine drops the insulation and tells me she'll take the offer instead. Fine let's go. The guy walks away with his insulation, and she gets a more expensive product discounted. Win win. Everybody's happy now.

I go into the break room and shake my head over a cup of coffee.

[tutusue]

Re: Retail Hell

I really do appreciate the kind comments and I am making an effort to get back to Oahu and hopefully get tranferred to the Iwilei Home depot.[...]

Wow...I was under the impression you'd found nirvana on the BI and could be pulled away only while kicking and screaming! Or, did Brenda's job change all that? None of my business, really, but it sounded like you feel about your area like I feel about Makaha! Regardless, if you end up at HD Iwilei...we'll meet, I'm sure! Will you be my personal shopper...puh-leeeze?!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Retail Hell

Craig - have you tried the 'I'm sorry but I dont work in this department, but I will get you someone who does' line? Also, perhaps your store should have a group of clerks whose job it is to bring down stuff from the upper tiers (isnt that a warehouse job?)

When a customer asks if I work in that department, I tell them, "No but let me try to help you anyway" with a smile and a gesture towards that department. One good thing about working there for three years is that you eventually get to know most departments.

If I feel uncomfortable in a certain department, I make sure I read up on the products and ask questions with the department supervisor. Sometimes I'll actually buy the product just to try it out so I do become knowledgable.

I'll admit that technical staffing can be better but if in doubt like Tutusue discovered, experience comes with age and just look for us old farts working there. We're not consumed by attitude and we really work there because we love helping people.

I had absolutely ZERO experience in sales before I was hired at Home Depot (maybe a bad thing) but three years later I asked my store manager Keoni why he decided to hire me back then. He told me he saw the passion in my eyes to help others and that was enough to convince him I was right for the job. I'm told I'm like a mother hen to some of our younger associates who get in trouble with management for not exercising excellent customer service.

Hey like I said before, retail isn't for everybody. You take a lot of crap from customers and gotta know how to fly it back with a smile and not let them know you did it Okay it's all about customer service, get the customer in and out with a smile and a sale, and they'll come back with their friends.

How simple is that right?

[EastCoastTropics]

Re: Retail Hell

Hubby and I love places like HD, Lowes and Expo. We are do-it-your-selfers and are nearly completed with remodeling the full bath downstairs...need to tile the shower walls and install the glass shower doors. Next we're gonna work on the upstairs bathroom and then the kitchen.

We buy home improvement supplies/fixtures/appliances from all 3 stores and the only negative experience I've had was not being able to find a spray bottle to apply tile cleaner. The dude in the tile aisle at HD paged someone but no one came. I waited for 5 minutes and saw him come back to the dept so I went after him to go get someone for me. The person in charge of the tile dept told me that the spray bottles were in the garden dept. There were no spray bottles in the garden dept and the two salespersons in that dept had no idea where in the store I could find this item. Then some woman walked by...I dunno...store manager(?) and they asked her for me and she told me the spray bottles were in the cleaning aisle.

But that was at the HD near my house. Another HD a bit farther from my house is in Salem, NH as well as Middleton, MA... I've never had any problems with finding someone to help me at those two stores...as with the two Lowes I visit in addition to Expo in Burlington.

Tile spacers, $2.48...Oblong toilet and tank $148...a salesperson that knows all the products in every dept, priceless!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Retail Hell

The spray bottles come in a three pack are are in the cleaning aisle which is part of the garden department.

Now if you want Plumber's Tape (and that's the stuff that looks like galvanized strapping with holes to make your own straps, you'll find it easier in the electrical department along side the wire nuts and other electrical fasteners.

Loctite is found in the paint department with the adhesives while WD-40 is found in the Hardware department.

Sheet sandpaper is found in the paint department while orbital and other power sander sandpaper is found in Hardware.

Wooden closet dowels are found in the Millworks department where we sell windows and doors while wooden closet dowel shelf hangers and end caps are found in Hardware.

All of our 1 x anything wood is untreated and is sold as clear douglas fir. Other 1 x planks are found in the Millworks along with moulding and is sold by the linear foot.

If anyone needs help finding stuff let me know!