Has customer service just gone out the window with every other form of politeness?

[Marie in Oh]

Yesterday I did the unthinkable and laoded 6 kids and a very pregnant mom into the van and drove the 46 miles to Costco. After my poll here, we decided to cut our trips in half and buy more when we are there instead of joining Sams, which is much closer.

 

So, we made an event out of it. We got lunch when we first got there and then headed into the aisles to shop.

 

$500 later and a flat bed and a cart loaded to the hilt, not one employee offered to help take it all out or load it into the car. The receipt checker just looked at me wide eyed. So, with the help of my 10 yo son, who is a whopping 65 lbs. we loaded everything ip, including the 50 lb bag of cat litter.

 

Did I mention I am 6 months pregnant. And that all 6 children ages 1-10 were with me. And I had 60 items on a flatbed and a cart. And not one person offered to help.

 

:glare:

 

Has this been your experience at places like this?

[Sharon H in IL]

I don't think loading help is part of the bargain. It's just not in their program, not on their radar, whatever you call it, it's going to be very rare, because little to no customer service is how a warehouse store is run.

 

I think simple human kindness would have prompted someone to offer assistance, whether employee or another shopper. I'm sorry things were so rough.

[Sandy in Indy]

I think I would have asked at the door if someone could help me load the car. There's usually someone around who CAN; they just don't OFFER.

 

Of couse, common courtesy would have dictated that someone would have offered to help you.

[HollyinNNV]

Yes-customer service stinks.

 

I have never, not once, saw a Costco employee outside helping a customer. However, I do think they operate under a strong incentive program. How many customers can you ring through in how much time etc. So, they might be, in some way, incentivized (wow, is that a word?) to NOT offer you help because it would take away from what they are supposed to be doing. I do not know this for a fact-more like hearsay.

 

Even though customer service is in decline, I bet that you would probably get some help if you asked. Too bad they don't offer, but I can't imagine that they would refuse to help you either!

 

Sorry for your experience. It reminded me of the time I had just moved to Nevada from another state. I had a toddler and was making my first shopping trip to Walmart. They loaded my cart so high (when they still loaded carts) that things started falling off in the foyer in front of the greeters. Not one person came to lift a finger to help me-grumble, grumble. It was 100 degrees, my kid was crying, and the greeters didn't even offer to lift a finger. So......I feel for you.

Holly

[battlemaiden]

It certainly isn't the norm for business these days. My dh and I bought a gihugeous outdoor storage closet at homedepot last weekend. My dh asked the check out lady if they had rope to tie it to the top of our Suburban- she said, "yeah, over there but I don't have anything to cut it with." :001_huh::001_huh::001_huh: It's a *hardware* store. I literally went around the corner and got some pruning scissors. Then when we rolled it out to our Suburban by ourselves a total stranger who was just going in to shop came running over and said, "you can't lift that" to me- it must have been the 8 1/2 month protrusion from my middle. He helped us get it on the roof. Awwww. See? some people are polite, it just isn't encouraged from business anymore- which is a great pity, because it is so rare people would probably cater those stores that made it more of a priority.

[angela in ohio]

I don't think loading help is part of the bargain. It's just not in their program, not on their radar, whatever you call it, it's going to be very rare, because little to no customer service is how a warehouse store is run.

 

I think simple human kindness would have prompted someone to offer assistance, whether employee or another shopper. I'm sorry things were so rough.

 

Yep, it's just the way a warehouse store works.

 

My dh would have helped you in the parking lot, though, if we had been there. :001_smile:

[newbie]

YES!! It is completely gone. My best friend and I were just talking about that last wk. We used to work together in banking, and if we ever treated customers the way they do now,we would have put on probation, than fired.

 

We were saying if these people do not want to work, step aside and we will take their jobs. There are so many people who could use the money nowadays.

 

We were griping because it took 2 wks and four callbacks, just for someone to return my call at a law office. That is ridiculous.

 

It makes no sense.

Jet:confused:

[Julie in CA]

I remember shopping with my 5 little ones--not fun!

 

I've got to say though, that it would never ever have occurred to me that Costco folks would help me load my groceries to/into my car. Part of the *point* of a warehouse store is that you're helping yourself in order to keep prices down.

 

With that said though, if I had been in the parking lot and seen you struggling I would certainly have run over (or sent my big boys over) to give you a hand! Also, even though I think Costco's policy is that they don't load unless it's a big item (like a shed, or something) I'm sure that if you'd said you just couldn't do it yourself, they would definitely have sent someone to help you at the door.

 

ETA: I've always actually been impressed with the service at the Costco stores I've been in. They're unfailingly efficient, usually cheerful, and absolutely have done everything I've wanted them to do (with warehouse standards in mind).

[KatieJ]

My DH and my sons would all have helped you!

Costco employees are about the freiendliest people out there, and I never hesitate to ask for assistance if I need something. They are just fantastic at my store! Next trip ask for help!

 

I recently bought a very large heavy sink at my local Home Depot store and the guy who works in kitchens, who designed my kitchen and still talks with us even tho we hired a carptenter to build the cabinets..

Whew..takign a breath...

Chris helped me buy the sink, took it up front on a cart to help me chekc out and then called another employee to help lift it up into my truck!

There is no way on earth I could have lifted that sink alone. It weighed about 80 pounds!

[Happy]

It is not offered, but they WILL help anyone who asks...at least that is my experience at Sam's and Home Depot.

[Colleen]

I don't disagree that someone, out of common courtesy, could have offered to help you out with your items. And in that same vein, you could have made your request known. If I need help and it's not extended, I ask for it. Simple. Now, if I asked and someone flat out said, "No, I won't help you", that'd raise my hackles ~ but I've never faced that reality.

 

This isn't to say polite people in a polite world shouldn't offer to lend a hand. It is to say that polite people can also politely ask for help rather than suffer in silence.:)

 

(ETA: I don't mean to imply you weren't/aren't polite, Marie! Upon rereading, I realize how short it sounds. My apologies. I think women in particular often take on unnecessary burdens ~ and then suffer some resentment over doing so ~ when we could just make our requests known. People, more often than not, are happy to help ~ even if they need some gentle prodding to do so.)

[HRAAB]

This is why I always drag my dh to Costco with me. However, I have seen them help loading very large items so I would think if asked, they would help a pregnant mom. I would hope anyway.

 

Janet

[justme]

Customer service? What's that? I haven't seen/experienced any anywhere in a very long time. At a local chain grocery store, I have experienced the following:

 

1. cashier waiting until I have 1/3 of my cart unloaded on the belt to turn off her light and say she will be closing after current customer.

 

2. I choose a lane with a bagger, only to have the bagger mysteriously go on break as soon as I am unloaded and ready to pay. A replacement is never called or appears, so I do it myself, kids in tow. Cashier just stares at me as I bag.

 

3. The bagger standing at the lane next to me with no customers just watches me struggle with bag upon bag, and when I pause and give him a look like 'a little help please', he just walks away to stare out the window.

 

4. Right in the middle of ringing up my order, the cashier stops to call for back-up because it is break time and I guess she just can't go on for another second. So I wait as she leaves and a replacement comes to finish my order.

 

5. Right in front of me, cashiers and baggers act as if I'm not there and air their litanny of complaints about their job, co-workers, life and how tired they are and can't wait until their shift is over/it's break time, etc....

 

6. When I do have an entire order bagged, I get home to find eggs cracked, fruit bruised and bread smooshed.

 

Getting help out to a car? HAHAHAHA. Not in a million years. And these are just the stories from ONE grocery store chain. I'd be here all day if I listed all the bad service I get everywhere. If I get even mediocre servic I am surprised.

[Tammyla]

I think/wish more people would simply help where they see a need. It's too bad you need to ask for help when anyone could see it.:grouphug:

[Quiver0f10]

Wow and I thought ony Wal-mart had bad customer service. :lol:

[Plucky]

Did I mention I am 6 months pregnant. And that all 6 children ages 1-10 were with me.

 

 

Can I just say how impressed I am that you can shop with 6 kids 10 & under and 3 of those were under 6? And you're pregnant! I don't know how you do it. You are a superwoman. I'm sorry you didn't get any help. :grouphug:

[Desert Rat]

I'm so sorry you had that experience! The Costco here (in Las Vegas) offers to help you out to the car if it's a big purchase, at the check out. Vons is also really good here and I've seen Walmart employees help too.

 

Can I tell you my GOOD customer service experience though? Amazon.com. I'm thrilled! I ordered a book, George's Secret Key to the Universe, months and months ago. We just picked it up a week ago and have been reading it aloud and I come to page 186 and find that 40 pages are missing. I email Amazon and tell them I don't even have an original order number and it's been months and I have no idea if there's even anything that can be done. I get an email THE SAME DAY with a prepaid return postage to print out and the email let me know that a new one was on it's way. That was Friday afternoon. A new copy was in my mail box on Monday. Amazing!

 

I hope you have a better day and I applaud your courage undertaking such a large task with the kids! You're an amazing lady!

[Murphy101]

In many cases they are not ALLOWED to offer for liability reasons.

If an employee were to help you and the employee got hurt doing so - that employee could get in trouble.

I think you have to ask, and then they can call someone up who is allowed to do such things? But yeah, they often do it with an air of - "oh geez, I guess so. If I have to...

 

Also, although I think a man should be a gentleman and offer in such situations, my dh will not and says many other men won't either because far too often women treat every man who is trying to be a gentleman like a predator or egotistical jerk. Seriously, I've heard women snap "I capable of opening a door on my own." or presume the only men who would offer to help are looking for sex.:blink: And it doesn't neccessarily matter that he's with his own wife and kids. My dh once offerred to help load a womans van who was parked next to ours. (It was raining and she had a screaming infant with her and 2 carts over flowing.) And she snapped that she could do more than be barefoot and pregnant all the time, thank you very much. (I suppose referring to me and the kids in the big 12 passenger van of course.)

 

My dh is a real gem of a gentleman, but he rarely offers for strangers under the age of 60 anymore and I've heard other men say the same - they just have gotten burned too often and are not comfortable offering anymore. Now isn't that a shame?:(

 

He'll offer with me around and does get some smiles and thanks, but he can't assume a gentlemanly offer of assistance will be well received these days.

 

ETA: Oh and I should note, some of this is habit after years in the workforce. My dh could have a complaint filed against him for being sexist or biased if he did things like open doors or pull chairs for female coworkers. Or offerred to carry their boxes for them. Even if the woman appreciates it, male employees could and have cried that it's special treatment.

[threetreasurs]

I have come to the conclusion that I must look like someone who needs help because usually people help me out when I am in a similar situation.:confused:

[Amy loves Bud]

Marie, all I can tell you is that I won't go to places who have shown that my business is unimportant to them. I rarely leave the house anymore. ;)