Here are a couple of feed store stories for you...
We originally had only a Del's Farm Supply store. A local chain, just a few stores in towns around western Washington. Our local store was GREAT -- you could purchase large quantities of items that were on sale (bags of alfalfa cubes, for example) and just pick them up as needed as they came in stock. They tracked people's orders manually and kept the file under the counter. Then Del's was sold to
TSC. The "new manager" came in and changed everything. He threw out the file of "orders owing" and people were either out of luck (and out of a lot of money) or, if you could show proof of purchase, you MIGHT get some of what you ordered. Eventually. The great folks that worked there all quit and and went to work for a brand new locally owned little feed store down the road. Needless to say, I don't do business at Del's unless I have to, even though they get all of their products at
TSC bulk-purchase prices. The little feed store down the road does more business, but has a much lower profit margin trying to compete with Del's/
TSC. I support them anyway.
So, a while back I decided I needed a part time job, so I approached the owners of the little feed store. I just wanted to work behind the counter and help people with the areas that I have knowledge and expertise in (expertise in the horse product area, experience in the chicken area). I gave her a resume, and apparently being totally overqualified (I had worked in Information Technology Project Management for 30 years and then retired) she decided my skills could be better put to use putting together employee policies and procedures. After working in a consulting role and putting together a number of documents for them, which I could never get them to review and provide input on because they were too busy, I threw up my hands. I just wanted to help them provide good customer service and feel like I was giving GOOD advice in at least a couple of areas that they didn't have knowledgeable employees.
I do have to admit, the little feed store has a good "chick policy". When they get them from the hatchery, the chicks that are similar in appearance (such as Welsummers and Speckled Sussex) are marked on the toes with a permanent marker so they can be distinguished from each other. Because they don't order very many chicks (usually a total of 150 per order) they put them in one large bin. However, they do NOT allow people to handle the chicks. You tell them what you want, and maybe even point out the exact chick you want, and THEY take them out of the bin for you. No crushed chicks, dropped chicks, or chicks handled by people with avian diseases on their hands.
All of that, and I still had to take my chicks back and get the right ones after I got them home and took a good look at them! I went there to get 2 Welsummers, 2 Speckled Sussex, 1 RIR, and 2 BRs. I got home with 0 Welsummers, 3 Speckled Sussex, 1 EE, and the rest were fine. I took them back and showed him why the one was an EE and which ones were the Welsummers and we got everything straightened out.
I still love the little feed store and the employees that work there. They all know my name, know what I'm usually there to buy, and treat me great. It's worth paying a little extra for that.
