What grinds your gears?

[starleen2]

I was REALLY excited about moving to a town with a (B)Lowes and Home De(s)pot. But as time went on I noticed that the aisle or section workers are really lacking in the customer service department. Forget about pressing that Button – it’s just a signal for them to flee the area and leave you to track down the poor sucker who didn’t leave quick enough! And when you find em’, what do they say – Text Book answer: This is not my department, but I’ll page for someone else to come (which is code for I’m getting the H3ll outta here, good luck on your own).

Ok folks it’s time to start a revolution. The next time that happens to me (or you), kindly reply with this: Well shouldn’t you get back to your department because I bet there is someone down there that needs your help!

I shall not soon forget the day when I went to Lowes to get a rubber grommet for an insulator to keep some wire from chaffing on a metal edge. I even had a sample in my hands so I would not have to describe it. Slowly, one by one a worker joined me in the search until I had FIVE people following me around to find where the grommets where. A church member was in the store as the search party went past and I heard his comment, “it must be the preacher ’cause he’s the only one who’d have five people looking for somethin’.â€

[eamarquardt]

I'm fortunate to live within two miles of a True Value hardware store (closer than either HD or L). They have a HUGE selection of nuts and bolts in all flavors and lots of little bins and boxes filled with all the little stuff the big boys won't stock.

The owner says he's doing just fine!

Cheers,

Gus

[S. Heisley]

With big box stores, Weekends seem to be the worst time to ask questions. I think the people who work on weekends, especially Sundays, are the newer people who know less. Of course, the worst people to ask are usually the ones who work the order desks, back in windows and doors or appliances.

Lowes came to town a year or two ago. Since then, the other big box store has been giving better service. They probably don't want to loose their business to the newer store. I still go to both. Each has their good points and less good.

Small hardware stores can be more helpful, if they have what you need. Also, newer small hardware stores seem to be better and more helpful than really old ones.

[Gage]

Funny you should bring this up. I just posted something along this line in part on the Formica thread.

...............I've found that the 'kids' today could care less about knowing their job. They just want their paychecks for coming in and spending time on the job. And yes I know that there are exceptions.

[caseydog]

Well, I buy most of my stuff from Lowe's because they are close.

If I need something special, I live close enough to Dallas to go to Elliot's Hardware. They even have replacement parts for antiques.

What I find with customer service is less about age and ethnicity, and more about wages and management.

If a store's main goal is to cut costs and maximize profits, then the employees are less than qualified and don't really give a s--t.

Now, if the management really cares about customer satisfaction, then the pay for the best employees, and get what they pay for.

Next time you get bad service from some "kid" who doesn't care, perhaps you should wonder how much his employer cares.

CD

[Aaron Coffee]

Go to the box store and try to explain what I'm doing and get a blank stare and "We don't carry camper parts" Go to a mom and pop and explain what I'm doing and they say "We don't carry that but what if you used this..." or "you could use this but this will do the same thing but is cheaper"
At the big box store I always get "This is not my area" I always want to say "Then what are you doing in this area?"

[doug hodder]

I find it frustrating with some of the younger people when trying to locate items at the big box stores as well. But hey....remember...we all had a first time job. If it were your kid in there, would you rag on them? They may be short on product knowledge/ location but everyone has to start somewhere and just maybe you can give them some info to help them out in the future and become a better "associate". I believe that they all have the best of intentions and want to help.

A basic tenet in sales is to say..."I don't know, but I'll find out and get back to you"....but that is based on custom sales, and not necessarily applicable in a big box store. Maybe what should be said is "I don't know, but I'll find someone that does know for you". I can't help but imagine that this is explained to any of the newer people as these stores are incredibly competitive and given the state of the economy, are wanting to do what they can to take care of their customer base.

I've found that if I spend some time with a younger person helping me try to find something and I teach him a thing or 2 about a tool or an item, that the next time I see him, he's more than willing to spend time with me to find what I want.

Just remember....it could be your kid in there....Doug

PS...when it does work out, be sure to thank them and let them know they were of help to you, it will make a difference in the future. Nothing is more discouraging that having someone just walk away from you when you've helped them out.

[S. Heisley]

Okay, after reading what Doug wrote, I have to open my mouth (keys?) and say that it's not just kids that send people on a wild goose chase in the big box stores.

A couple weeks ago, I got sent all over in one store. I had asked 4 different people for the things I needed ('L' brackets, metal cleats and shower door glides? You'd think they'd know where at least two of those items are. Nope!) They seemingly tried to be helpful. One guy sent me to the back of the store, across from the kitchen cabinets. Another sent me to plumbing and yet another said I'd find what I was looking for in aisle 20 or 21. One guy sent me to aisle 14 and 17. I finally found everything I was looking for in the same place, in the middle of aisle 15.

None of those guys was a kid. The youngest was about 40. So, what's it about? I suspect people are scared of loosing their jobs in the current economy and are, therefore, afraid to say they don't know or to ask somebody who does know. After all, sometimes any job is better than no job.

[doug hodder]

Well, what can I say...I tried to put a positive spin on it all....Dopes come in all ages....look at it this way...it could have been a trip to the DMV or a call to the Calif Tax Franchise board!

[Mighty Mouse]

While looking for cedar siding {very old style to replce damaged siding on a very old house} I tried 3 diffrent big box stores in my area. At the last store a young guy of about 20 told me almost no one had that kind of siding but that a small local mom and pop yard close to me did have it in stock. He knew this from experience but no one else at all 3 stores regardless of age had a clue what I was even talking about. I then remmembered that as a kid my dad always went straight to a small hardware store to buy al his needed parts and supplies. People we knew thought that he was crazy because this place cost more than the chain hardware store in town. Thing was at the little guys store the owner and his son always knew what it wa he needed even if he didn't. You could tell them what your problem was (toilet, electric what ever) They knew how to fix it, what you needed, and would take the time to work out a good solution if they did not have exactly the parts needed, always found a workable solution for your problem and helped you to understand how to do the job right. Now I try to go to places like that if I can just to get the service and care you will never find in some big corp profit center. Just my 2 cents for whay it's worth.

Bud

[Scooter]

Building a teardrop means you learn the layout of a hardware store better than the employees do.

[tk]

One of the things about Mom & Pops is that those people buy or start those businesses because it is something they already know something about, it's within their comfort zone. "Business" is what they have to learn when they go into business. People who manage stores these days go to school to learn "business", and then go to work at any old place because business is their comfort zone. And it works--from a business perspective. (Ooh, ooh, ooh, I feel a Walmart rant coming on!) Now from a business perspective, it is not only OK but is also desirable to run your competition out of business. So when you get big enough you undercut their prices. The little store sinks or swims. Then, when you're the only game in town, you maximize profits. You hire cheaper, less knowledgable, and fewer personel (and call them 'associates' so they feel like they know something), you reduce inventory by only stocking two brands of any item, you stock the cheapest of any item even if it doesn't work as well, and you call it the American way.

When he startred this thread, Starleen asked if anybody wanted to start a revolution by trying to get box store associates to do their jobs better. If you really want to start a revolution, be ready to turn loose some of your pennies. Go to small, locally owned stores whenever you can even if things might be cheaper at the big store. I spend about $30/month extra because I get prescriptions filled at a locally owned ReXall rather than at Walmart or through the mail. Some will say that's not very smart. I disagree. It's about long-term interests. I think it's in my better interest to keep a guy in business who I know will come help me out Sunday after church because I forgot to get a vital prescription filled. I used to go to a local True Value till it went out of business for things I could have gotten cheaper at Walmart. When Joe & Evelyn wanted to retire they sold to a young couple with dreams of their own. They couldn't compete and now there's no hardware store in town and we're all the poorer for it. So it goes.

Rant over.

Best,
Tom

[Shadow Catcher]

I have had very good experiences with Lowe's, knowledgeable workers (for the most part) and good customer service. It may well be the local managers. They do not have everything i.e. the 1/4" airline fittings (check valves) I need to hook up the air suspension, which I found at the Parker Hannifin store.
You find different sources for different items, for common nuts and bolts including grade 8 I stop first at Tractor Supply (they sell by the pound) then Lowe's for what I cant find there (have you ever tried to find the castle nut for the front axle of a 72 Sonett) there is Walter C Gogel in Toledo. Finding the stuff no one has i.e. the 60mm duct hose that fits a Pet Cool is really a challenge, I still have it if any one wants it.

[steve smoot]

OK, I can relate to not finding help at the big box stores, BUT this does not frost my butt as much as how some folks drive around here.

Like yesterday, it was a nice day and my 84 year old mother wanted to get out and finish up her Christmas shopping for the grandkids, so I am driving along trying to watch where I'm going while Mom is talking my ears off...LOL...This kid in front of me slams on the breaks and comes a complete stop in the road. She decided to make a left turn at the last minute, no signal, just stopped. well, I cram on the breaks and bounce Mom's head and and her oxygen tank off the dang windshield. The kid never looked up, she was texting with both thumbs! There should be a dang law against using a cell phone while driviing.

Well, I feel better now. Thank you kindly.

[Larry & Jill]

Try buying auto parts these days. I go into Autozone to get some chrome lug nuts for some old mag wheels I restored to put on my teardrop. I even brought an old one with me. Unless I give the young man a year, make, model he cant find them. Says its a big problem. After a few minutes he gets the manager that's been there for years and he matches it up perfectly in no time. All he can say is rookie.