Customer Service is Lacking at Home Depot

It seems that the older generation puts up the biggest fuss about Self
Checkouts. They are the ones that are still writing checks at the
grocery store taking a long time doing it as well. AND they will be
the first to complain about lines, even though their check writing is
slowing it down.

Most younger people embrace the technology because it is faster. It
is faster if you know how to use the machine.

I work retail Grocery that has been my observations.

I love self check outs....No one to hassle me but myself! If you
don't lke them use a line with a check out person.

I would say get use to it..because one day you will proably have to
check yourself out everywhere.

By not having cashiers ..that staff can be repositioned on the sales
floor.


I have noticed in my city Home Depot has improved its customer
service.

I try to stay away from the self-checkouts as much as possible. The
ones in stores around here tend to double-charge you for the first
item scanned. But the manager always claims it is the customer's
fault, not the scanner. I never was able to get a manager to agree
that the scanner was doubling. If it was my actions causing it, why
would it be the first item only? I just do not trust using those self
check units.

I think this complaint is valid. It's nice that Home Depot offers the
self check-out for those who like to use it (I personally love them
and use them whenever I can). However, if a guest/customer chooses to
not use them then they should not be pushed/forced into using them.
She seemed fine with waiting in line. She even responded that she'd
rather wait on a cashier when someone first pointed out that she could
use a self check-out kiosk. That's where it should have ended. She
shouldn't have been asked/told again to use them. The employee
offered her the service of self check-out and she declined. End of
story. Last I checked they were optional, not mandatory (no matter
how many items you have). I hope you get a response!

After being a union member for over 30 years, the simple reason that I
don't use self checkout is that I choose to use a human being and save
a job. The more people that check themselves out, the less cashiers
needed. I'd rather stand in line a few minutes longer.

I have worked in retail for roughly half of my life,and none of the
stores I have ever worked at offered self checkout.I wish they
had.This way,I would never have been subjected to customers who whined
at me about long lines,poor customer service,being out of things and
any of the other thousands of things customers like to complain
about.
Self serve checkout lines are obviously not for you,although most
people seem to love them.I sure do.My husband and I have saved lots of
times at various stores using self checkout,and we love it.Sometimes I
don't feel the need to chat with a total stranger about my day and
whatnot,sometimes I just want to buy what I need and leave.
That being said,it really isn't Home Depot's fault.....although
admittedly the cashier could have been more helpful to you,since you
seem to need a lot of assistance while shopping.Home Depot is doing a
lot of us a favor by having self check out lines.It saves us time and
at least in my opinion,frees up my time to more important things
besides shop.

You know, today's world is awfully busy. When I shop at Home Depot or
other places that have allow me to check out on my own, I like to take
adavantage of it when the rest of the registers are busy or if I only
have a few things in my cart. Fact is, after talking to people daily
in my job, it's kinda nice to just be quiet mentally for a bit.

Finally. The person that doesn't have a life to get back too. I'm
guessing that you would probably prefer if they greeted you by name,
asked how the family was, talked about the weather and then cascade
upon you endless praise because you chose their store of all stores to
bestow your precious dollars. How much hand holding do you need? Self
checkout is EASY (even for a NASCAR Busch Light drinking person) and
FAST. And horror this... the new Lowe's in my neighborhood had
self-checkout active at the Grand Opening. In fact, the cashier
encouraged me to take a shot at it. Thank goodness. No more standing
in line behind old Nellies like you that expect courtship and a kiss
good night just to "win" your patronage. Next time, go to an Ace
Hardware or local building center, but hold your tongue when you want
to complain about the mark up in price.

Self checkout is the pits and I'm not going to accept it until I am
forced to. Shopping for hardware and home appliances is also the pits
without friendly, helpful, and dedicated sales assistants.

I agree fully with you about home depot. I went in there 2 months ago
and was looking to purchase new french doors for my home. I finally
found an employee and he passed me off to another employee who was on
the phone and told me to go and wait over in that particular isle and
he would be right with me, thirty minutes later I went to look for him
and he was deeply involved with another customer, so I too left the
store and bought from Lowes.
I also place a very high value on customer service and it is lacking
in most companies today.

Well, delicate Nascar sensibilities aside (?), I think you went a
little overboard in your reaction.
It's sad that so many people these days seem to go off over the
smallest things.

Self checkout, as has been pointed out by several others, isn't a hard
thing. I'd rather have a regular cashier ring me up, but it's not a
big deal one way or the other.
As for the proposed 'discount', I have to ask: since most gas stations
these days are self-serve, do you demand a discount for having to pump
your own fuel?

Totally valid complaint- even if you have 'only one item,' if you want
to use the regular checkout you should be able to, you shouldn't 'have
to' use the self checkout.

But I love self checkout. Love. Looove! :) Seriously, I never imagined
that there are so many who don't, that's a total eye opener here!

I go to Home Depot sometimes especially since they have self checkout,
usually I am just picking up 1-5 items and I would just rather be able
to scan, pay and walk out instead of having to wait on line, behind
people who appear to have never swiped a credit card before, behind
people who don't know the difference between credit/debit, behind
people who start searching through bags/purses for their form of
payment *after* everything is all scanned, behind people who have that
87 cents- in pennies, etc. People who use self checkout have their own
difficulties too, but I get out of the store much faster with self
checkout than I do when I have to wait online.

(ps- thanks to the people below who explained who Tony Stewart and
Jimmie Johnson are, I had no clue.)

Personally, I like the self checkout when I only have one or two items
but to each his own. If you want to use a manned register, you should
be able to.

In my time not having to wait in line, behind granny trying to pay her
bill with a check that it takes her 5 minutes to write out, only to
decide that she wants to use cash instead. Once she decides to use
cash, now she has to dig through her purse to find the pennies all the
way at the bottom so she will have the exact change!

Unfortunately, this is the way our world is changing. More and more
people complain about how things are so slow, so the stores invest in
self-checkouts to help customers move along faster.

And the customers complain.

So it all comes down to, you're darned if you do, and you're darned if
you don't. No matter what, there is always going to be someone who
isn't happy.

This same thing happened to me at Stop & Shop. I wrote about it in my
profile. The only reason I let the manager show me how to use the
self checkout was because I've known her for a long time, and I didn't
want to seem ornery, but I have no intention of ever using it again.
If you're interested, you can read the reasons in my profile.

I only use self checkouts at Walmart... they seem to be smarter and
faster than most of the cashiers (at my location, not in general!!!!).
Plus the lines are always empty at the self checkout. But I don't do
my grocery shopping at Walmart so... I usually buy only a handful of
items.

I kinda agree with you. A discount should be applied to the orders
that are self scanned. A tiny tiny tiny discount... Actually I think
that a point system would probably be more efficient and wouldn't
burden companies too much. Like... 1 point for every time you self
scan and so many points earn you a gift certificate. That would work
great at my grocery store. They have a fuel-perks program and the
points could add up to fuel-perks... hmmm... maybe I'll write a
letter...

I digress.

If I wanted to ring items, I'd be a cashier. I have been a cashier
and it's not always the greatest job but I think that the self scan
checkouts probably end up being more trouble for the line supervisors
than they are worth. You know, when you add the cost of the computer
and what not... it probably costs them nearly one cashier's yearly
salary to purchase each self scan system then you need to add
maintenance costs. And those things seem to go down, A LOT. I can't
imagine them saving places a ton of money. Money sure... but a ton...
I don't know... hmmm... It's late. lol

I have a dislike for the whole self checkout trend in retail. It's
highly impersonal, there's usually someone less than willing to help
with any glitches or problems and it just leaves the customer feeling
like their being trained for a job they don't want.
The fact that the issue was FORCED and not left up to the poster is
probably the point where I would cop and attitude and leave.
I don't think the sponsorship issue and your loyalty to one
opportunist driver over another opportunist driver in a race should be
mentioned. Not many people base their consumer decisions on the
company's choice to sponsor, but if there's some aspect of Lowes you
like better, perhaps that information would help Home Depot improve
and gain another opportunity to win you over.

Am I the only one confused?
He says
"When I got to the cashier after standing in line to pay for my
purchase I was told that since I only had one item I could use the
self check out feature. I said I preferred to have someone take care
of the purchase, but she said you would do it for me and started to
the self check out counter. At that point I walked out of the store
and will probably not go back. "

So from what I gather, he waited in line, got to the register and the
cashier said he could use self-check. He said he didn't want to, so
she offered to ring it through for him at the self-check and he walked
out.

If that's the case, then a) why wouldn't she ring it in at her
register? b) How is it different to him if the cashier rings it in
there or at a self-check?

If that's not the case, then maybe it's past my bedtime! LOL

Self-checkouts, while saving money, are mostly present as a
convenience to customers who would rather not wait in long lines for
just a few items. I know that as people grow old, they resist change
and fear new technologies, but the helpful self-checkout employee
would have showed you how to operate this basic piece of equipment,
if given a chance.
As for the management sending you a letter informing you that your
non-problem has been solved? Don't hold your breath waiting on that
one. You may get a corporate form-letter, but that would probably be
about it. They make their big money from professional contractors, not
homeowners.
And finally, you choose where you shop based on Asscar drivers? That
is the funniest thing I've heard in a long time.

I'm torn because I love self checkouts, but if the OP had already made
it clear she preferred a regular cashiet, than the cashier should have
just checked her out instead of trying to force the issue.

The tone of this letter bites, though, so it pains me to admit she has
a point.

I completely agree with you! I, too, hate those self-checkouts. I
thought they were limited to the grocery--didn't realize they really
are everywhere. I don't want to do the work and still pay the same
prices...if the stores are saving money to have the self-checkouts,
they should be passing the savings along to me. Until then, I'll
expect someone else to ring and bag my goods!

In my humble opinion, I must agree with the OP on this one. If the
store has both the self-service AND a human operated checkout
available, it should be up to the customer which one he chooses to
use, whether he has one item or one hundred.
The only exception I can see is if there is a sign posted that says
something to the effect of "if you have less than X items, please use
self-service checkout". Since I have never seen this type of sign,
then I doubt there was one present at this Home Depot. But who
knows?
If this OP wanted to use a human operated checkout and he only had one
item, I can only imagine it would have been much faster for the store
to just check him out and move on to the next customer. Instead, this
checker decided to make the customer feel alienated. I have no doubt
that it was not her intention to make him feel that way, but she did.
Their loss.

Who are Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson?

I think this is a valid complaint, if I interpret it correctly. If
the cashier was trying to lead him to the self check-out and show him
how to do it, after he'd already expressed his desire to have HER ring
up his purchase, I think that's pretty rude and bad customer service.

If the OP's definition of improved customer service is equated to the
elimination of the self-checkouts or the suggestion that he use one,
he is likely to never receive that letter.

I use a self-checkout when I have one or two items and there are long
lines (it is actually much more convenient as long as someone
purchasing a weeks worth of groceries for their family of four, as
well as the spread for a Superbowl party, is not in front of me), but
I prefer to use a regular checkout.

Machines don't call in sick or have flat tires, require health
insurance and vacations or necessitate the presence of a manager when
a consumer decides the cashier's greeting was not sincere enough.

For this reason, it is more likely that these machines will become
more prevalent instead of the other way around.

I suppose it's possible that the cashier was instructed by management
to encourage the use of the self-checkout (most customer service
representatives are not particularly eager to "upsell" or push
additional product and services, but are generally required to do so
anyway). However, I would agree that attempting to bring the OP over
to one is stretching it.

I LOVE the self-checks everywhere. When I am just running in somewhere
to grab one thing and be on my way, I don't want to wait for the
person with a cart full of stuff and coupons who then decides to write
a check after everything has been rung up. In my experience, Home
Depot has the best self checks around. You can turn off the voice
prompts to make the process go faster, and anytime I have had an item
with a security tag in it, there has been someone at my self-check to
deactivate it within 5 seconds of me scanning it.

In this instance, I'm sure the person directing you to the self-check
was just trying to make your trip a bit speedier, since wait times are
usually one of the biggest complaints about retail stores.

I hope most people would not have your response to being asked to take
their one item to the self checkout.

I can understand you may prefer to use a human being. However, the
concept is pretty straightforward. That is probably what the cashier
was thinking. She was probably hoping to show you how easy it is.

You press "Start". You know the barcode? You place it over the glass
and a laser reads it. You've seen a cashier do this hundred or
thousands of times. Then when you are done, you press "checkout" or
the equivalent. Then you choose your payment method and proceed.

Just as we WASPs are going to end up in the minority soon, large
stores without any self checkouts are going to be in the minority. It
is just one of those things that we need to get used to. You know the
competitor to HD has self checkouts also, and this just as easily
could have happened there. It is pretty much up to the cashier, I
suppose.

I can see why the cashier wanted to show you (it sounds like she did;
she didn't point and say "walk over there," evidently). It sounds
like the dynamic was completely wrong that day. I hope you will come
to realize that using the self checkout for one item is something that
would ultimately benefit you and everyone else. Just like it would
benefit everyone if people didn't hold their cell phones to their
faces while driving.

I'm with you on this. I generally dislike self-checkouts, and if you
don't want to use one, I don't feel you should be forced to do so.

However, I'm just wondering how much good a letter is going to do.
Chances are, the manager will just bang one out of necessity and not
because he/she really feels customer service has improved. And I'm
sure that if these two issues are resolved, there will be others that
crop up.

More and more places are having self checkout registers, which I LOVE.
For me, as a cashier, its MUCH easier. I'd rather just pay and leave.
Not deal with other cashiers who don't want to be there/have a bad
attitude. You want a discount for using the self serves? Pulease.BUT
at least your not asking for any freebies, which I give kudos on.
Gosh, if they got them at my store, I'd be the first in line to
volunteer helping people w/ them. HOW hard are they to use? You scan,
pay, and go. Its not rocket science.