I usually enjoy my weekly grocery shopping. I buy lots of
fresh fruits and veggies. I have a new selection of snacks. And it gives me a
chance to spend money! I love spending money, but as a SAHM I don’t have much,
if any, frivolous money to spend so any chance I have to swipe a card I enjoy.
This morning I made a list (no small feat when you are fighting
off a baby who wants to do everything you are doing). We went to our local
grocery store (not Walmart) and had a lovely time strolling up and down the aisles.
While going through the store I passed a store manager several
times who was congratulating each employee on the previous month’s numbers
being so great. I flashed back to the several jobs I’ve had and how important
numbers seem to be to management.
My father has been a manager for as long as I
can remember, so I know how stressful it can be when the numbers are not where
they should be. At the time I was impressed at the manager for what he was
doing.
Then I got to the checkout and my opinion of their numbers
changed. I had done some WIC shopping so I stood in line at the only cashier.
All self-checkout terminals were open and normally I would willingly go through
self-checkout. But I knew I needed an actual clerk and was waiting patiently.
Out of nowhere this little 18 year old cashier turns up,
grabs my cart (and baby) away from me and pulls it over to the self-checkout. I
tried to protest, but she wasn’t listening. Just before she started ringing up
my items I inform her that I have some WIC checks.
She looked at me like I had lost my mind and said rather
annoyed, “I can’t do WIC at self-checkout. You need to go through the regular
lines for that.”
Before I could say anything she was pushing my cart (and
baby) and heads back to the “regular” checkout lines. I’m doing my best to not
roll my eyes at her and to bite my tongue to keep from saying “I was in the regular checkout line!”
She was considerate in that she didn’t make me go stand back
in line, she called up another cashier to open a line just for me. As soon as
my cart was unloaded they closed the line again to the dismay of the three
people standing in the other checkout line.
This new cashier was very efficient, although not good and
making conversation.
Cashier, “Asparagus, huh?”
Me, “Yes.”
“Zucchini, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Mushrooms, huh?”
This continued through my entire basket. “Eggs, huh? Soy
milk, huh? Pumpkin puree, huh? Chicken, huh?”
I know from past experience that cashiers are encourage to
smile and talk to customers. But this was just ridiculous. I neither wanted nor
felt compelled to explain the contents of my shopping basket. I appreciated the
fact they were trying to help me checkout faster, but I don’t think they went
about it in the best way. They were more concerned about keeping their numbers
low and following the “rules” than they were about my needs as a customer.
My mother used to be a loyal customer at this particular
grocery chain until they started focusing more on their numbers than their
customers. She prefers to use a regular cashier run checkout line than the
self-checkout. However the store really pushed their self-checkouts. It became
very frustrating to her because she had a lot of groceries and wanted help
checking out and bagging, but they wanted her to do it all herself. She wrote a
letter to the company headquarters complaining about their lack of customer
service and received a form letter in return congratulating themselves on the
speed and efficiency of their self-checkout systems.
That was the straw that
broke the camel’s back for her. After a lifetime of devotion to that chain, she
left it in favor of the more customer friendly Walmart.
Even knowing of her struggle, I continued to shop at this
chain because they offered a better selection of products, fresher produce, and
they offer free fresh fruit as children snacks. It’s closer and slightly less
expensive than the local Walmart. However, I have experienced firsthand how little
they care for their customers and how important their numbers have become.
As a customer I say, take a chill pill! I know when self-checkout is needed and when it is not. Forcing me to go to three different terminals before helping me and refusing to listen when I protest these moves is NOT good customer service. I’m not ready to leave them for Walmart yet, but if this treatment continues I may follow in my mother’s footsteps.
