What the #$%^@* is Wal Mart thinking?

What the #$%^@* is Wal Mart thinking?

I put in 7 years with this company before leaving back in 1987. I started in the Candy dept right before Halloween and worked my way up into Support Management. I met Sam Walton 3 times and he was just a good ol boy from Arkansas with a HUGE vision.

I have been having some issues with Wally world of late and thought I would pose these observations and see if anyone can shed some light onto these subjects or tell me if I am just making a mountain out of a mole hill.

So here we go…..

Why do they constantly move stuff around so you cant find it? I know they think it will make us shop around more and buy other totally unnecessary crap we don’t need, but come on… when I am in a hurry I want to get it and go.

Why do they have over 26 check outs when they only have about 7 cashiersin the whole place and lines backed up for days.

When I worked at Wal Mart in the 80`s, when Sam was alive and the Customers were always right, if you had more than 3 people in line, you had to open up another register.

If that meant Managers, or stock clerks had to check then so be it.

Not true these days.

I was in the “EXPRESS LANE 20 items or less” the other night and there were 8 people in line and some of them had full carts! Cant they read??? I remember when they were 10 items or less. I guess even that isn’t safe from inflation!

I can remember when we used to have to turn people away if they had more than the 10 items, but we would open up another register to take care of them. That line was made fore people with 10 items or less…. period.

Customer Service was really important back in those days.

Sam made sure of it.

There was a custom at Wal Mart called the “TEN FOOT RULE”. If anyone came within 10 feet of you, you were to greet them and ask if they were finding everything ok. If they needed help you didn’t just point or tell them where it was, you personally walked them to the item. Now, when they see you coming, they turn around, or look away and if you need help finding something, they have to find the person that works in the dept and they can never be found so they point you in the general vicinity, and wish you well.

I came across this video on youtube and he voiced some of the same opinions I had, so I thought I would share his video, it is quite funny. Oh and by the way… I bought the fountain too… you`ll see what I mean!

Then there is the Customer Service Counter!?!?! That is a total oxymoron.

That is a total understatement if you ask me. I can remember when you could bring back anything and everything, no questions asked. Now, you almost have to give them your blood type and 1st born to get anywhere. And, if you want your money, well, you better hope you just bought it, didn’t open it, and have your receipt. And the lines…… I was overcharged at the register once, they rang up an item twice. I didn’t catch it until after I had paid. She sent me to the Customer Service desk and there was literally 12 people in the line….. and a Manager and another clerk standing right there just chatting away like there was nobody around.

I really miss the good old days when Sam Walton was alive and running the ship. Wal Mart was a great place to work and shop. But these days, most of the workers hate their jobs, look sloppy, and are just not very pleasant.

Now, there are some rare ones out there that still make me smile. Like our local Greeter Dorothy. She really makes me smile!

I was in line today and the cashier Thanked me for being such a great customer!!!! She was very pleasant and was doing the best she could, considering they had no cashiers and lines full of people. I smiled and told her she was doing great and it would be ok.

Sometimes, I wish they didn’t have such great prices on the things I need the most. I wish people could afford to “have a choice”. But Wal Mart is the king of retail and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.

I just wish life could be like it was in good old Mayberry. Where Aunt Bea`s home cooking was always waiting on the table, and kids went fishin barefoot with their Dads right by their side, and the corner Grocer knew everyones name. Where everyone shared a smile and life was so simple. What I wouldn’t give give to live in Mayberry!

Here`s to everyone striving to deliver what they promise.

Tagged as: Customer Service, Mayberry, Mayberry RFD, Wal Mart