Sellersville, PA Store lost a steady customer

Well, you are a steedy customer, Home Depot even went out of their way
to help you at one point but you get one bad experience and could not
accept no for an answer why do you (like a five year old) decide that
after one bad experience that home depot is bad and don't and decide
to learn. Also if they knew which old man they were talking about it
is perhaps because you described him in detail or because he was the
only old person working that day.

You seem awfully familiar. Just can't remember why.

I am a regular Home Depot shopper, and I have cut stuff up on several
occasions without paying. That is how it works. They don't come
running down the aisles and accuse you of stealing, theft or whatever.
You take your frigging barcode up with the pieces and they scan it.
They DO NOT look at you like "What the heck are you doing?"

They PROMOTE people cutting their own stuff by supplying cutting
stations for certain things, complete with saws. They DO NOT provide
signs that say "You have to pay first." They DO NOT provide signs
that say "Watch you children's hands" or "Cut at your own risk". Thus
they must assume a certain level of maturity and supervision on the
part of their family customers. Thank the Lord the entire country
hasn't gone liability nuts.

I agree the associate was a jerk. It sounds like you just wanted to
be told about their policy in a more polite tone rather than being
talked to like a child, which sounds like the associate in question
did. I would have been pissed off too.

I wouldn't, though, boycott Home Depot, though. Not for one bad
employee. I would have told the manager somehow (then and there or I
would have called the store later). I also would have just found
another associate and asked if I could get some assistance.

I'm sorry that guy was rude to you. You weren't aware of the policy
and he didn't do a good job of making you aware. Just don't leave an
entire company because of one miserable miser.

I'm sorry, maybe I'm missing something...where in this letter does the
OP call himself a "loyal customer"? I can see "steady customer" but I
don't see "loyal customer". There is a discussion at the bottom of
this thread regarding the OP calling himself "loyal" but leaving with
one incident. I just can't see where he called himself loyal to HD.
Maybe I'm missing something. But, if not, there is a world of
difference between steady and loyal.

JMHO

Oh, and hi again all! :o)

It's nice to just hear a "we hear you man, we're sorry." I don't even
expect it from anyone who has no idea where this store is. But it's
still appreciated. I'm taking to ignoring the many people who took
the time to write about how they've got me all figured out,
personality-wise, loyalty-wise, et al. I'm comfortable with who I am.
I know I'm a fair person who expects nothing more than fair,
reasonable treatment in return. When I'm treated like a subhuman for
overstepping my bounds, I take it personally, and I'll vent that in
any forum that it's appropriate. I think it's important to remind
companies that a huge part of the consumer experience is the service
end. If you don't want to get blown away by online competition and
overseas manufacturing, one sure-footed way of endearing yourself to
customers is to treat them well. I could have accepted any decent
reason for being told to stop. I cannot tolerate being told to stop
with the facial expression and attitiude that was given to me. For
those of you so quick to shoot me down, who were incidentally never
there to see what I dealt firsthand, you have nothing substantive to
back up your poorly masked suspicion of my character quality. And to
tbe nitpickers, LOYALTY means beuing steadfast, even in the face of
adversity. Don't think this is the first time I've walked out of HD
less than satisfied. My loyalty withstood all those times. It's when
I walk out having been directly insulted that the line has been
crossed.

To those of you at least a little more neutral, your points are heard.
You are correct in pointing out that the are several other people in
that store who have been great to work with and I should not put them
down or even imply that they are inept. They are not. If my original
post conveyed that an entire store has let me down, that's inaccurate.
I look more towards the management for putting people who lack the
social skill to be respectful to customers on their sales floor.

I'm surprised that they didn't toss you out for theft.

Yes, you read right: theft.

See, you attempted to alter a product before you had purchased it.

"But!" you cry, "the employee did it before for me!" That may be the
case, but the employee did it and knew you were going to pay for it.
How did this other employee know you were? You certainly didn't
indicate as such. As far as he knew, you were going to pull a fast one
on the store and claim damaged goods to try and get a discount on the
product. It does happen.

And the whole issue of insurance? What if a child had run by and cut
themselves on your razor blade? Or what if you had cut yourself while
cutting? Sure you can say that you'd be careful, but are you 100%
positive you wouldn't hurt yourself or others?

The fact is, if you'd really wanted to cut the drywall, you could have
waited until *after* you had purchased it and done it in the parking
lot. Would it have been so bad to wait until then.

I'm sure that Home Depot will not miss you in the least.

To all the critics and know-it-alls:

First off, I welcome balanced feedback from anyone. Will I admit that
emotion is an overriding factor in my letter? Absolutely. Do I
believe I still have a fair grip? Absolutely.

To those of you who can't stop talking about insurance, let me say
right now, right here, that I'm well aware of insurance and the
implications on handling "dangerous" tools/materials. Believe me.
Well aware. However, I'm not sure how much time some of you have
actually spent in Home Depot (or like stores) sourcing items for real
home DIY projects. I'm not talking about putting yard lamps in your
garden or installing a ceiling fan. I'm talking about purchasing of
building supplies for ground-up projects. I've been a patron of DIY
stores for YEARS. I'm well aware of the fact that Home Depot has
allowed it's customers to use saws in it's stores. There is a cutting
station and sharp hand saws all over the wood moulding aisle. And
they encourage you to cut what you need.

The simple fact is, the deterioration of the overall customer service
menatlity in stores all over the world is the overriding factor in
this experience. Some of you are so quick to judge me - "DID IT EVER
OCCUR TO YOU..." "DID YOU EVEN PURCHASE THE GOODS BEFORE YOU STARTED
CUTTING?" - you dare point at my apparent oversights when some of
yours are glaring all over this thread. I know what I'm doing! I've
been pretty much barraged by these crusader housewives who apparently
surf this board all day looking for people's letters to bash. Let the
company's stand up for themselves! And let the CEO's decide whether
to respond or not. I didn't ask them for compensation. I don't want
a gift certificate. I don't want an apology. What I do want, is for
people in stores to start saying "Please" and "Thank you" and "Sorry",
just as I do to people who I correspond every day with. Any given
day, all of us are wrong at some point. Being in the wrong is not
ground to be treated like a jerk. Plain and simple. End of story.
If you want to continue commenting on how I was wrong, you're missing
the bloody point completely. But have fun, housewife crusaders. Will
I probably go back to HD some day? Probably, because I won't have a
choice. Did I and do I have a right to flame them for employing an
ogre in their store? You better believe I do. Free speech folks.

*sigh* I can't believe I'm saying this...

Um.. I work for Lowes..
.. but John, honestly, don't let the actions of one bad employee turn
you away from a company that you were previously happy with. Go back
to the store, talk to the manager, I'm sure this guy has a file 2
inches thick and is on his way out the door.

I've never stepped foot in a Home Depot but the very idea that they
let customers cut thier own stuff send shudders up my spine.
*imagining severed fingers rolling around on the floor*


They must have hella good insurance *lol*

In my experience at Home Depot, you can generally cut things like
drywall and wood yourself (as you say they provide handsaws and a
self-serve cutting area). You do NOT have to buy it first as some
people here suggested. You take the pieces up including the one with
the barcode. I have done this many times. I do not believe this is
an insurance issue, or they would not provide a pile of saws like I
find in the moulding department of my HD.

I am guessing one of two things. First, handibacker is messier than
drywall if you cut both correctly, in my opinion. Drywall makes a
small amount of dust, hardibacker makes cement pieces that are larger
than dust.

I think more likely is that this particular employee was wrong in
saying you could not cut it in the store.

The rest of your letter is a bit over the top. So one employee was a
jerk. I have run into a few jerks at HD over the years. I still shop
at all the stores; I just steer away from those individuals. They
deal with a lot of troublesome customers too, so I have some sympathy
for them. There are some crotchedy old men who work at home centers -
it is one way then can fully staff their ranks.

If I were buying something a bit messier to cut, I would take it
outside on a cart and cut it there.

you have to take into consideration-if you cut yourself or injure
yourself, Home Depot is liable. They can't open themselves up to
lawsuits like that. Also, the guy who cut the first board for
you--you said he was young. He probably hasn't been on the job long
and he doesn't have the experience of the older guy. He probably
wasn't supposed to cut the board, he just did it because he's young
and young people still have that "let me do everything for you" that
older people lost a long time ago because they are TIRED. Shrugging
isn't rude. He's just letting you know there's nothing he can do
about policy. Now, if he'd called you a name, that's another story.
The "cash register girl" (God, i love that!) is probably young too.
Lots of young people think lots of older people are mean, no fun,
etc., when in fact, they simply know the reasons for what has to be
done, like it or not. Are you seriously suggesting that people older
than 60 not be allowed to work?! Darling, i HAVE to work till age 70
just to be eligible for Social Security benefits. You need to learn
some respect for the fact that these people are working because they
have to, not for the treat of seeing your pretty face. It's not Home
Depot's fault you don't have a vehicle big enough for your purchases.
If you purchase something bigger than your car, you need a plan for
how to get it home. That's not anyone's problem but yours.

John S.,
Like the others said there are insurance issues involved in this with
considerable exposure to HD and cutsomers alike.
Infact if you remmember when HD first came on the scene they were
innundated with injury claims due to the their haste in working around
customers as well as due to their methodology in storage. These days
they have worked hard to make HD a safer enviroment for associate and
customers alike.
That being said, they are gun shy and have to draw the line someplace
and thus the Rules.
If it were me I'd try the store one more time and ask to meet with the
Store Manager to share your input on the staff issue.
I would not write the entire company off based on this one exchange
though from articles I have read many customer have voted with thier
feet and now shop
Lowes and local hardware stores.
Good luck and drop back here and tell us how that conversation goes.
Bill R

Perhaps the older gentleman who told you not to score the backerboard
in the isle wasn't as professional and friendly as he could have been,
but that's a separate issue from your actions.

Let's back up - - when you purchased drywall, a Home Depot employee
cut it for you and by virtue of his kind actions, you assumed that
other employees would do the same or you could simply hunker down in
the isle and do it yourself - - before paying, I might add.

Did it ever occur to you that there most likely are insurance issues
to consider? What if you had cut yourself while scoring backerboard
with tools simply pulled off the shelf? If Home Depot doesn't want
you using their ladder lifts to get items off high shelves, what makes
you think that it's OK to score backerboard in the middle of the isle
- - without permission - - only your assumption that it's OK?

Stopping by the "main desk to let them know how I felt" isn't good
enough if you are going to write this type of letter to corporate.
And what I find interesting is that you only described your encounter
with Mr. Personality and it does sound like you asked for
clarification on whether or not it's OK to cut product in the isles
with Home Depot tools before paying for it.

I'm torn between thinking you have a valid complaint and thinking that
you took the action of one employee just a little too far. If this
same thing had happened to me, I would have asked that employee to get
the store manager for me and asked him/her to explain the policy.

By the way, I do understand the policy. I can see several thing
happening if they allow this, one is the person cutting it getting
hurt and another that people who make a mistake cutting it simply
taking another piece and not paying for their mistake. I'm not saying
you would do that but there are people who would.

John - I just bought a new house (well, new to me any ways) and it
needs some changes. I don't have the background you do, so it's been
a steep learning curve. When I find a store that offers me good
prices, good quality and (generally) fine service, I tend to stick
with them. Home Depot does that for me. It would be a shame to write
off an entire chain for the actions of one employee. Think about it -
would you or your employer respond positively if someone said that to
you? I am unclear on your complaint as to whether you spoke to a
member of management. That would probably have been the best way to
ensure your complaint was heard.

I agree you have a valid complaint, but you lost me with the scroogey
old men comment. I hate to say this, but I think it cheapens your
complaint. Not that you don't have a right to be angry - you just
shouldn't write complaint letters when you are angry. Besides, what's
going to happen if the recipient of your complaint is one of those
"scroogey" old men and he reads that you just suggested he should be
put out of his misery? Where is your complaint going? Probably in
the trash.

Good luck, John. As I said, I think your complaint is valid, but you
should rewrite it when you're less angry. Or perhaps you should just
call the store and speak to the manager.

He did explain a policy. You are not allowed to cut things in the
store. That's the policy. You, therefore, were in the wrong.
Further, had you already PAID for the material you were cutting before
you actually cut it?

The fact that an employee at one time went above and beyond for you
does not mean they all have to. I think you're in the wrong here and
that you shouldn't have just assumed you could cut tile in the middle
of the store.

Further, it is ludicrous for one negative experience to cause you not
to shop somewhere that has previously been giving you good
assistance.

"And get rid of these scroogey old men who need to be put out of their
misery. My own father who is 60 said to me "If I every get crotchey
and miserable like that, John, shoot me"

That line is 100% wrong and has no business being in a letter.