Community Chat

[Suziepeach]

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[Pianomama]

One place I have noticed that has good customer service is Home Depot. They have many employees, and I can usually find someone quickly. If they don't know, they will call someone else while waiting with you.

[JJsMom]

This is why I do so much shopping at Costco. They treat their employees well, and it shows. Trader Joe's employees usually always provide excellent service too.

I don't find the service at Whole Foods to be that great, and the people don't seem that knowledgeable, which surprised me.

[stilltamn8r]

On 6/1/2014 occasional rain said:

On 6/1/2014 stilltamn8r said:

Also remember that at most stores, plants are priced by the size and color of the pot they are in, an there is usually a "legend" somewhere, that says somthing like "Black 6 pack annuals $1.69, red 4 pack. $1.99"..

Many employees at hardware type store (I worked at one in high school) know very little about the actual plants, but just ring them up according to the "legend at their register....

Well they should know about the products they are selling. Cashiers in grocery stores should have looked at the weekly feature ad and know what's on sale, they shouldn't have to hold up the line while they page through looking for it.

You are right...and that is certainly the way it SHOULD be...it just isn't the reality! unfortunately...

[abbeythe 8th]

On 6/1/2014 occasional rain said:

Well they should know about the products they are selling. Cashiers in grocery stores should have looked at the weekly feature ad and know what's on sale, they shouldn't have to hold up the line while they page through looking for it.

Cashiers do not need to know prices. They simply scan items. The prices are programmed into the system. Back in the day when they actually read the price and punched it in, there was a good deal of undercutting prices for family and friends.

[sylviahomeatlast]

my husband's family owned an old fashioned department store (5 floors) for over 100 years---people loved this store---we got out of the retail business in 1996 with the advent of shopping malls---there were many if not most of consciencious clerks and available in the departments---knowledgeable about the merchandise and about other departments---willing to wait on everybody---

[sylviahomeatlast]

I only shop at businesses where I am sited on and with courtesy---no need to put up with lackadaisical service----we are now in the commercial real estate business

[Clover29]

For the last ten years I've lived near Seattle, and was happy enough with the service and standard of customer care. Not great, but good enough.

Last month I moved to northern California and I am absolutely blown away by the difference. Everyone in retail here has a sunny disposition (apart from that one lady at Safeway who was probably just having a bad day). It's a joy to go shopping, whether it's for produce, or home decor items, cosmetics or door stops. Service with a smile, helpful people when you need them (but not in your face when you don't). Restaurant staff are equally friendly and efficient.

Maybe it's the constant sunshine that makes people nicer? Like I said, I never had any actual complaints about Seattle service, but people down here are just ... sunny.

I love it. I wish we'd moved here ages ago.

[terrier3]

Remember when department stores had clerks for each department? and they knew all about their inventory?

Those days are long gone...it's cheaper to just have clerks at centralized registers.

Fewer employees and more profits mean more $$$$ for the executives, who rely on stock options.

[terrier3]

On 6/2/2014 JJsMom said:

This is why I do so much shopping at Costco. They treat their employees well, and it shows. Trader Joe's employees usually always provide excellent service too.

I don't find the service at Whole Foods to be that great, and the people don't seem that knowledgeable, which surprised me.

TJ's pays better than most and their employees always seem happy to be there.