Upset

Your letter, Lauren, reminds me of the old joke about a guy that goes
into a doctor's office and holds his arm straight up in the air and
says: "It hurts when I do this!"

The doctor's reply: "Then don't do that!"

You tired of being treated poorly by Wal-mart?

DON'T SHOP THERE!

Asking a question. Fine. Ask a cashier what type of amplifier fuse
you need, and will you get upset if he/she doesn't know? Associates
are trained only in their areas, so if you need to ask something, make
sure you are asking something of someone who might know. Associates
aren't trained extensively on their areas, but just given basic
knowledge. We aren't experts. We are there basically to stock the
shelves. Do you know the every in and out of your job? If I came to
your place of employment and asked you a question, would you have all
the answers?
We Associates are underpaid, overworked, and abused by customers and
management alike, and still we show up or work every day. We are
human, we have bad days like you, can we not be expected to be in a
bad mood sometimes? Also, have you thought that maybe you might be
too sensitive? I have had what I thought to be a happy look on my
face, or a pleasant tone to my voice, and still be accused of
"glaring" or whatever. We don't need to have management be stricter.
We need to be treated like human beings, from them and from YOU, the
customer. Just because you spend your money there does not give you
the right to treat us like trash when we are just there to do our
jobs.

I think this could have been written a little bit better but I agree
with you on some points.

I don't understand why people are coming down on you about this. When
I go into a store and need help I'll ask for it. If for some reason
they can't then I ask them to please ask someoneelse. I don't expect a
person to know everything. Nobody does.

And when I go to the register I want at the very least a hi and thank
you.

Customer service has gone down where these things are concerned. All
it is is courtesy. I do these things when I'm helping my customers.

Now, the things that I don't understand is you say that you get nasty
looks going in and leaving. Come on. Why on earth would they be doing
that? I have a hard time believeing that they would do that unless a
person does something to warrant it.

Anyway, good luck.

Is this another American/Canadian thing? I've never had problems in
Wal-Mart... but then again I think I've only asked one employee once
where something was.

I went to the kitchen appliance isle and asked the woman standing
(there with her mouth open and a vacant look on her face) if she
worked in this department. She said yes so I asked if they carry
tabletop water coolers (or any kind of water cooler). She smiled and
said I have no idea. This is my typical Wal-Mart experience. If I
can find someone, they have no idea. I try to avoid Wal-Mart like the
plague but I don't have any alternatives in my town.

You are way too paranoid.

But in my own experience, some of the employees are a little too
helpful. If I ask where I can find a specific item in the store,
they'll put down what they're doing and WALK me to the isle. I
actually kind of hate that, haha.

I live in springfield missouri, major wal-mart country. We have three
supercenters and a non supercenter and everyone who works there has
never failed to be less than sweet to me. If i ask where something
is, they walk there with me. Do you live in a huge city where people
just tend to be rude anyway? I would report them to management every
single time. I don't tolerate bad customer service and neither should
you or anyone else.

I'll admit, I could be wrong on this so don't blast me, but based on
your letter you go to Wal-Mart a lot.
I have been to Wal-Mart. How many questions could you possibly have?
They have like products grouped together with prices marked on them.
You probably are bothering them when you ask, "Where are the
televisions?" and they have to stop what they are doing to point you
to the Electronics section with the sign that says, "Electronics".
I cannot remember ever going to a store where I needed to ask a
question unless I was looking for a specific item that I was not
expecting them to carry. I am not surprised when often they say, "I'm
not sure, you can check in the XXX aisle", as I don't expect them to
know where all 140,000 items they carry are being displayed. I will
check XXX and if it is not there I go elsewhere instead of belittle
employees and ask them to check every place in the store for me.
If you do not understand how to use Wal-Mart without asking questions,
you need the training not the employees.

Walmart employees are usually having a bad day. The crappy pay?
maybe.

Ive read some posts here commenting on how customers should treat the
employees well, and take care of thier childre, put stuff back, all
because these poor folks dont get paid very well.

Just for fun-think about this. a security guard at walmart watches the
cameras on the cieling to make sure no one steals anything. If
customers had no questions-walmart wouldnt need employees to answer
questions. If customers picked up for themselves-there wouldnt be
employees to pick up these items. If walmart didnt need a friendly
smile at the door or register-they could just put in an automated door
and self checkout lanes.

These big retailers have stolen the jobs from small business
owners-but dont let them fire everyone and automate it. If you dont
like the pay at walmart-dont work there. If you are going to be rude
to customers-dont work there. If i go to a walmart to spend my
money-and no one treats me with some decency-then i think i should
rant and rave about it on PFB. I dont expect 4 start service at
walmart-but the folks are hired to answer my stupid questions like
"excuse me, where is the toilet paper?"

Just my opinion.

'I would like to see Wal-Mart be more strict on their employees.'

I would like to see Wal*Mart be more strict with their customers.
Maybe they could hold training sessions on how to treat their
employees in a more civil manner.

I've been a Wal*Mart shopper for years. I have yet to have an
unpleasant experience at any of their stores, whether the smaller
locations or the Super Centers. The closest I came to a 'problem'
was setting off the alarm as I was leaving and that was due to a CD I
purchased. One look into my bag, at my receipt, and everything was
resolved.

Of course, I don't go in with a chip on my shoulder.

And--I also get good service at the Dollar Tree stores.

BOYCOTT WALMART, THEY SUCK.

Funny story about asking Wal-Mart employees questions:

I was shopping in wal-mart one day while I was on volunteer rescue
duty. Blue pants, blue shirt, black shoes, radio, etc. A woman came
up to me in the pharmacy dept. and asked me where the aspirin was. I
just looked at her (not realizing she thinks I work there). Finally,
I told her, "I don't work here, but I think it's in aisle 7." It's a
good thing I came up with something to say, because she was getting
ready to be angry with me.

Once she realized her mistake, she blurted out a quick thank you.

Still makes me laugh. Will never forget the look on her face!

Don't go there. That's what I've done. I'd rather shop local stores or
even chain stores and pay a little more. Quality stuff at a higher
price gives you a longer service life and chances are you're treated
slightly better.

I had a bad experience (not even worth the effort to waste pixels
ranting over it)... after six tries at four different walmarts..I
simply took my business elsewhere. I'm not gung ho or vengeful about
it Walmart fill a certain demand or they wouldn't be in business,
frankly I don't care where my friends or anyone else chooses to shop.
If they like being treated like doormats, more power to them.

Sounds to me like you are being highly sensitive here.

Why do you suppose that almost every single time you go into the store
every single employee is rude and gives you nasty looks? Thats just
weird to me. I think the issue here isnt with Walmart or it's
employees.

And I will say it again..you get what you give. Amazingly I have never
had a bad cashier at Walmart or the Dollar Tree or anywhere else. Why?
Because I treat them with the same respect I expect to get from them.
I say please and thank you.

You know...most people arent rude and nasty. But you know the saying
"pay it forward"? Well, it works with attitudes as well. My guess is
that with the thousands of people who shop at any given Walmart on any
given day that the majority of them are rude and nasty. Dont you think
it starts to wear on those employees? Why dont YOU make the employee's
job more fun and be nice and kind and respectful to them first? Why do
you expect them to bow at your feet the second you walk in the door?
Just because you are there to spend your money?

So the simple solution is dont go back there. But my guess is that you
will find something to complain about anywhere you go.

Have respect for them and they will have respect for you. I am not
saying it will happen every time but it does work 99% of the time.

I am just curious though...why do you always have a bunch of questions
every time you go to Walmart?

I just dont get it. When I go into a store the only thing I expect is
for what I am looking for to be on the shelf. If it isnt I go
somewhere else. But I dont EXPECT the employees to be anything. I just
want to go in and get out. I dont have to have a FUN shopping
experience. I dont want to have conversations with anyone. Just want
to get my shopping done.

Maybe you should adopt that outlook. Then your high expectations would
be shattered so often.

...your full name and address so the employees of your local Wal-mart
can send you thank you cards for stopping by their store and crapping
on their day.

"I would like to see Wal-Mart be more strict on their employees. They
are not there to make customers feel terrible. They should make
shopping a fun experience. "

???? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Pistol-whip them senseless so you will get a
smile?

Shopping is what you make of it, and if you want to "have a fun
experience", try the amusement park.

Why do you suppose you get nasty looks? Do they single you out?
hmmmmm.....I've never had that problem and the Walmart employees are
always helpful and yes, they do smile and are courteous. As far as
thanking me, why should they? I don't recall if they do or not,
because that has nothing whatsoever to do with my shopping where they
are employed.

Low, low prices everyday = low, low customer service everyday.

Them's the breaks. You want BETTER customer relations, try shopping at
a BETTER store.

If you really want this letter to be taken seriously, you might want
to include details such as, oh... I don't know... store location,
specific incidents of "nasty looks", questions that went unanswered
and by whom. You know... informative stuff.

I find it hysterical that you would ban an entire corporation based on
supposed experiences at one store.

Additionally, why should the employees thank you - you're not doing
anything for them, now, are you, simply by parading your smug self up
and down the Wal-Mart aisles.

My problem with this letter is that the OP thinks that Walmart
employees should go out of there way to make customers happy.. yet,
99% of them are getting paid minimum wage and they work their butt
off. I work in retail and I get paid about 40 cents over minimum wage
only to deal with customers that are disrespectful, loud, and
destructive.

Until customers learn to put stuff in the correct place, control their
children, and pick up stuff off of the floor that they dropped, I'm
not going to bend over backwords to help you. I'm extremely nice to
customers who are respectful but the majority of them aren't. And even
the nicest people I work with get angry and frustrated even once a day
with customers.

And for the record, I do say "thank you" and try to make conversation
with customers when I get called up to cashier, I smile at every
customer that asks me a question (and sometimes even those that I just
pass by), I stop whatever I'm doing to help customers and won't leave
them until they're satisfied, yet apparently that's not enough. There
still are customers complaining to my managers that we're not fast
enough, not friendly enough, even not smart enough. There's still
plenty of those people out there who enjoy getting one of my coworkers
in trouble because her midriff was showing when she was stocking
something on the topshelf (god forbid). And no, my job description
doesn't include cleaning your children's throw up or feces or blood,
or having to lift heavy furniture by myself, or having to run across
the store in less than 60 seconds to help you (and then when I get
there, completely out of breath, all you wanted to know was where the
bathroom was..ugh), or having to run to the other side of the store to
get you two tubs of cat litter because your "back hurts" when I just
saw you walking around the store looking perfectly normal, or having
to clean up the mirror that your child broke because you were letting
him play with it because you obviously lack any good parenting skills
only to yell at ME for stocking the mirrors on the lowest peghook and
thus "making it possible for children to grab them and break them"..
but I do these things anyway without a sigh (in front of customers at
least).. only to have more people complain that I'm not doing a good
enough job. Whatever.

(This was not directed at the op. It's just a general rant.)

You are like that lady at pet smart that boycotted pet smart because
people did not bend over backwards for you. Are you related?