Did I Cause These People to Get Fired? - Poor Customer Service

[gtaus]

I very strongly doubt your one complaint caused her to get fired. Mangement doesn't fire a good employee based on one customer's complaint. They'll get a talking to, maybe a letter in their employee file, but one incident does not justify firing her. I've never heard of that happening over a complaint like yours.

I had to go back to the start and reread my initial post. I was not trying to say that I thought my one compliant was a cause for dismissal. I am not that important, nor do I want to be. But I thought maybe my complaint might have been the last nail on the coffin, or maybe their absence had nothing at all to do with my complaint. I don't know what happened to them.

I just wanted to rant about a few negative situations and get some feedback from the good people here on what they thought. Again, thanks for your comments.

 

[Brooks_]

I had to go back to the start and reread my initial post. I was not trying to say that I thought my one compliant was a cause for dismissal. I am not that important, nor do I want to be. But I thought maybe my complaint might have been the last nail on the coffin, or maybe their absence had nothing at all to do with my complaint. I don't know what happened to them.

I just wanted to rant about a few negative situations and get some feedback from the good people here on what they thought. Again, thanks for your comments.

At least you didn't go epic beard guy on them.

 

[fuzzi]

Yeah, I hate to shop for groceries at WalMart. They have a terrible reputation for displaying one price on the shelves but charging you more for the item at the checkout. One thing I do like about the self-checkouts is that I can go as slow as I need to check the prices of the food I scan into my bags.

WalMart used to have a customer display for prices at the checkout with real people, but they took them away. So, you don't know if you have been overcharged until after you get your receipt. I am pretty sure they planned it that way so you would be busy getting out to your car before you ever realized that you overpaid for those items.

Speaking of poor customer support, last year I was in WalMart and purchased some cup of soups. Well, they scanned in at an extra 10 cents per item on a 40 cent purchase. So I called over the "supervisor" about the overcharge and to have it corrected. Well, the young girl was like "What's the big deal about being overcharged 10 cents more per item." I asked her if it was Walmart's policy to add a 25% hidden markup on all their items, or just the ones I purchased. That comment went over her head.

So, I asked her to override the higher price on the machine to the lower display price on the shelf. Well, she stated that the scan price was correct, but I could choose to return the items. I then asked her to check the price on the shelf and honor it for my purchase because I wanted the items. She told me that even if the shelf price was lower, she could not override the scanner. I told her that was not the store policy, and she could override the price on the machine if there was a lower price displayed on the shelf. Then she finally admitted to me that she did not know how to do it. Finally, the real reason.

I told her to call in a more experienced manager to show her how, the manager came over, overrode the higher scanned price for the lower display price, while instructing the young "supervisor" on how to do it for the next customer if it comes up again.

Problem is, nothing changes for the next person buying those items. They will get overcharged and probably not notice it. And many, if not most, people won't bother to complain.

A week later, I was back at WalMart picking up a few items, so I went back to the cup of soup display, and they still had the lower price displayed. There was another young woman there in the aisle putting price tags on items, so I asked her over to me to scan how much the soup was. Again, it scanned in at 10 cents per cup more than the display price. So, I showed her the price on the shelf display and asked her what I would be charged at the checkout. She said it would be the scanned price. I asked her if she thought it was OK that the store is displaying a lower price on the shelf, but it scans at a higher price at the checkout? I swear to God, she was either completely clueless or just did not care - maybe both. I suggested that since she was now aware of the problem, and that she was marking items for sale in that aisle, that maybe she should correct the display price to match her inventory price. But no, she stated that it would be changed by someone else in a week or two!

It wasn't.

I wonder how many pallets of cup of soup they sell daily displaying a lower price on the shelf but scanning at that 25% higher price? I bet a lot.

Our WalMart used to have scanners throughout the store so you could check how much an item was before you brought it to the checkout. Some items don't get marked and/or the display price is missing. Our WalMart removed all those price scanners, so you cannot check for yourself on the price anymore. I think that is all part of their plan.

This is why Dear Wife does almost all the grocery shopping for us.

I hate Walmart.

I was looking for price scanners one day, asked an associate where they were as I didn't know how much an item cost. She told me that I could scan the item on my phone with the Walmart app. I asked what would I do if A. I didn't have a smart phone and/or B. I didn't want the app on my phone. I got a deer-in-headlights look.

Our local Food Lion has gone to almost all self-checkouts. The middle-aged woman manning the area said that it was corporate's way of reducing labor costs.

Back to the OP...I generally do request a manager in order to bring a situation or issue to their attention. I've been a manager/shift supervisor in restaurants, and wanted a customer to inform me of issues. I also take the time to commend good employees and service with management. They always love it.

 

[fuzzi]

Speaking of poor customer service, nothing I have experienced amounts to the experience that a disabled man had at his Target store. It took him too long to get out his cash to pay for a bicycle at a Target self-checkout, so they called the cops on him. Instead of trying to help the disabled man complete his purchase, the employees choose to call the cops. The cops came and instead of helping the man, they arrested him. (The cop in charge was later fired and charged after the YouTube video blew up.) Instead of helping this disabled man, all the customers in the store chose not to help him and stood by as the police removed him from the store and arrested him for taking too long to pay for his bike. There are no good guys in the upcoming video.

Anyways, forewarned, if you want to see how bad we all have become in our society, here is the link to a video that will turn your stomach....

I've seen that video. Shameful!

 

[Brooks_]

I hate Walmart.

 

[Alagirl]

I hate Walmart.

I was looking for price scanners one day, asked an associate where they were as I didn't know how much an item cost. She told me that I could scan the item on my phone with the Walmart app. I asked what would I do if A. I didn't have a smart phone and/or B. I didn't want the app on my phone. I got a deer-in-headlights look.

Our local Food Lion has gone to almost all self-checkouts. The middle-aged woman manning the area said that it was corporate's way of reducing labor costs.

Back to the OP...I generally do request a manager in order to bring a situation or issue to their attention. I've been a manager/shift supervisor in restaurants, and wanted a customer to inform me of issues. I also take the time to commend good employees and service with management. They always love it.

yeah, they have done with the scanners a long time now.
You can find somebody walking about (LOL) or scan them at the register for a check. If you decide you don't want it, because the item does not ring up as marked (or expected) somebody has to take it back.

they really took advantage of the pandemic chaos to really not only drop the ball but give it a good kick down the hill.
As if they really don't want people to come into the store anymore.
It used to be a thing, to go downtown to window shop.
Then I would walk walmart floors to discover new things.
All of that is boring now.
new things to discover in the electronics, or anywhere else for that matter.
and I hate Amazon more.

 

[fuzzi]

yeah, they have done with the scanners a long time now.
You can find somebody walking about (LOL) or scan them at the register for a check. If you decide you don't want it, because the item does not ring up as marked (or expected) somebody has to take it back.

they really took advantage of the pandemic chaos to really not only drop the ball but give it a good kick down the hill.
As if they really don't want people to come into the store anymore.
It used to be a thing, to go downtown to window shop.
Then I would walk walmart floors to discover new things.
All of that is boring now.
new things to discover in the electronics, or anywhere else for that matter.
and I hate Amazon more.

Their app sucks. I won't use it.

 

[gtaus]

I generally do request a manager in order to bring a situation or issue to their attention. I've been a manager/shift supervisor in restaurants, and wanted a customer to inform me of issues. I also take the time to commend good employees and service with management. They always love it.

That's good to know. My goal in talking management has always been to correct a bad situation, never to get anyone fired.

I've seen that video. Shameful!

Yes. Shameful on everyone. Shame on the Target employees who failed to help the disabled man and instead calling the cops on him, shameful for the other customers not willing to step up and help this poor man, and shameful for the cops who could have helped this guy trying to pay for his bicycle and instead haul him off to jail on bogus charges (that were dismissed in whole). Like I said, there were no good guys in this video anywhere.

Yes, eventually the lead officer on that arrest was arrested and charged for his actions, but nothing seems to have been done to address the failure of the Target team who were the first line of help for this disabled man. None of the customers were able to step up and offer assistance? Have we become that dispassionate that we no longer offer aid to those who need it most and a little help would have meant so much? And the police that are paid and entrusted to serve the public instead jail a developmentally slow adult because he was unable to pay for his bicycle fast enough at the self-checkout lane? No heroes anywhere.

I will link to the video again. It's not just an anti-cop video, it condems us all and that is the point I think all of us should understand. Only the cop was punished, but lots of other people were in the wrong as well.

 

[fuzzi]

That's good to know. My goal in talking management has always been to correct a bad situation, never to get anyone fired.



Yes. Shameful on everyone. Shame on the Target employees who failed to help the disabled man and instead calling the cops on him, shameful for the other customers not willing to step up and help this poor man, and shameful for the cops who could have helped this guy trying to pay for his bicycle and instead haul him off to jail on bogus charges (that were dismissed in whole). Like I said, there were no good guys in this video anywhere.

Yes, eventually the lead officer on that arrest was arrested and charged for his actions, but nothing seems to have been done to address the failure of the Target team who were the first line of help for this disabled man. None of the customers were able to step up and offer assistance? Have we become that dispassionate that we no longer offer aid to those who need it most and a little help would have meant so much? And the police that are paid and entrusted to serve the public instead jail a developmentally slow adult because he was unable to pay for his bicycle fast enough at the self-checkout lane? No heroes anywhere.

I will link to the video again. It's not just an anti-cop video, it condems us all and that is the point I think all of us should understand. Only the cop was punished, but lots of other people were in the wrong as well.

That YouTube channel is really good, I've been watching it for months.

 

[Sally PB]

I was looking for price scanners one day, asked an associate where they were as I didn't know how much an item cost. She told me that I could scan the item on my phone with the Walmart app. I asked what would I do if A. I didn't have a smart phone and/or B. I didn't want the app on my phone. I got a deer-in-headlights look.

I think I'll ask, "What are you talking about? What is an 'app?' I don't want to apply to work here. Is that what you're talking about? I just want to know the price of this item."