TSC? Handcuffs? Wow.

[sjmarshall87]

Quote:
Thats a bummer that you went through ALL that and walked away empty handed... I feel even worse for all those other people less experienced than you that walked away with different breeds than what they thought they were getting

I personally feel you have done nothing wrong. A store of that magnitude I would expect more from.. What day of the week were you there? a weekened they should have more than 2 people on the clock... to have no managers available... kind of convenient for this gentlemen I would say...

If you had paid your traffic ticket then whatever warrant that may have been out on you should have been retracted.. Was it paid?

I would call up another tractor supply and ask for the "main office information" to lodge a complaint about another store. Do you have the name of said associate?

 

[Keileigh]

I've been in great TSC stores elsewhere, but the one closest to us seems to be staffed mostly by high school students who know nothing about their inventory. I actually bought chicks from them for the first time this year because they had the breed I wanted (Golden Comets, happy and healthy now at 4 weeks), but I never go in there without knowing exactly what I need, because asking for help or advice is a joke. I called a few years ago to see if they had pine tar in stock before making a trip to get it, and ended up on the phone with the store manager, telling him which aisle and shelf the product was on in his own store because he had no clue where or what it was. There used to be one guy there who seemed like he'd had manure on his boots before, but I haven't seen him in over a year.

You deserve a decent response from corporate -- hopefully they want to know when one of their employees is incompetent and ends up driving away business. All of those people who got tired of waiting in front of you represented money out of TSC's pocket that day and probably in the future, and that should get their attention. It does sound like the guy was seriously overwhelmed, but that ought to tell them that he needs more training in product and customer service.

I really prefer shopping at local feed stores because the folks are so much more knowledgeable, but most of the ones around here have closed down in the last few years. Driving to the few that are still open isn't always practical, so I wind up at TSC. I doubt I'd darken the door again, though, if I'd been threatened with handcuffs just for knowing more than the associate, but maybe you're more forgiving.

 

[cuntryuppiechick]

I knew TSC was bad before going there but we didn't want to spend a lot or go out of our way for our first go at chickens. Kid knew absolutely nothing and had the interpersonal skills of a dried slug on a rock. I got two roos our of three that were supposed to be hens because they were all mixed up. He gave us the A&M quail which wasn't what I asked for. Should have checked the box. And I love how convenient for them that they deny refunds on birds. It was especially endearing when the counter person gruffly reminded us of that then didn't respond when I said have a nice day.

You were right!

 

[stubbornhill]

I think corporate and or the store manager owes you an appology to say the least. But if I am reading into this a bit, I think that we all would be happy for you and other locals in your area, if this particular store at least would pony up some time and money to properly educate all of their emlpoyees about chicks. This would need to be a yearly event for them right before "chick time". You can be a farmer, a son of a farmer, a farmers wife or just a lover of farms and not have the slightest clue about chicks.

If it's not your thing, you're not going to become an expert about it. However, if it is your job...it is the company's responsability to make sure that you are properly educated. And of course, a seemingly simple task of making sure the bins are marked correctly would be a huge benefit to everyone. It would cut down on store complaints, it would cut down on dissapointed customers and it would give the store a better over all image. I for one have been in retail sales for many years and as one in management, I would take a story and concerns like yours to heart. I hope you do make some calls and I hope that through your sincere concerns, this TSC will become a better place to shop!

 

[Anika Bren]

I will say that the employees at both local TSCs know nothing or very little about livestock, but neither do the employees at our local feed stores. I always take that into account be for I go.

On the other hand both have employees that will bend over backward to help you. Always smiling and friendly. When I was putting in a special order last week the computer kept trying to substitute another product, the clerk kept apologizing though it was no way her fault.

When I worked retail the managers wanted to know if one of their employees was causing trouble and driving off customers. My friend manages a large feed store and he also wants to know. Remember it costs 5 times more to get a customer back as it does to get them into the store in the first place, so the stores do not want to lose customers.

 

[WalkerH]

Gosh I am glad I have only had, well somewhat positive experiences at our TSC. The employees are wonderful, although sometimes don't know diddly-squat about what they are selling. You can usually find one person somewhere in the store that has some intelligence when it comes to some products. Although they can never seem to mark them correctly.

 

[ChicknLittleLexi]

I hate our local TSC...we were there last weekend, just browsing the chicks. We noticed that they had Cornish x chicks in a brooder, PACKED in there. There were 2 weekers with day olds, and the day olds were EATING the 2 weekers!!!

When I alerted an employe, she literally ROLLED HER EYES AT ME and said that there was nothing they could do because the big ones kept flying out so they couldn't separate them. Of COURSE they're flying out, wouldn't you??? Idiots, with no regard for animal welfare whatsoever, and she was no teenager so she can't claim adolescent ignorance and attitude.

 

[HenoftheWoods]

CALL the corporate office. I recently had a bad time at a MAJOR building supply company here. I went on a Saturday to order the materials for our coop. It was about a $700 order plus delivery. The ASSociate said I would have to come back on Monday because I did not have the SKUs etc and he was going to lunch

I was livid and just left. I have never called a corp. office to complain before. Well the following evening I couldn't stand it. I called the corp. #, they put me on hold called my local store, patchedat me into the store manager. He invited me down at my leasure and he would take care of it. I went there, he wrote up my order, with FREE delivery and knocked over $100.00 off my order. He also promised to "re-educate" the offending associate. Do your fellow shoppers a favor and call. (P.S. my local TSC has been very good so far

)

 

[Huskeriowa]

Every store is different i suppose. Ours is staffed by people that are nice enough but clearly don't know how to answer specific questions. I recognize they have no experience and I accept with it. They try to be helpful to me at least if I need something. It does irritate me a bit when they give you an answer to a question that clearly shows they have no idea what they are talking about. I would prefer that they just admit that they don't know and I can make my decisions based on my own assumptions and not on their guesses.

That being said, I had a dead chick arrive from a hatchery this spring. TSC does have a six chick minimum but they let me buy just one to replace (which I thought was nice of them). The six chick minimum is more so that spur of the moment buying decisions aren't made by people that don't have any reason to be buying the chicks. Even though I was able to buy the one chick I think that TSC needs to readdress their policy. Maybe something like you have to prove you already own chickens or something.

I guess that overall I accept the amount of competence that the floor people in TSC have. I doubt TSC is paying wages that would attract practical experience so if you shop there you should probably not expect much more than a helpful but confused smile in every isle.

I do notice that it seems that most products TSC puts out now is a lower quality than their competitors and it isnt organized very well. Maybe they are just trying to keep or attract the customer base that is only interested in the lowest cost on things.

I still shop TSC but it is my second choice by far.

 

[HLAC]

You had a problem with an employee of TSC. Not the chain itself. Unless you notify the company about your experience... TSC can't be expected to correct the problem. Please, call or write to them. I understand you want to vent, but complaining to us won't help the situation at that store.

Thankfully, our TSC is very good. Chicks have been in the right bins, well taken care of and the staff is friendly and courteous.