Customer Service

[TheVisorGuy]

I disagree, young whippersnapper.

if you go into it that the customer's happiness is the most important thing in the world, you provide better service. They dont have to "be right" but you can treat them like they are. It goes a long way.

I preach a lot to my staff that they have to have pride in the final product. The lowe's employees that BB ran into have absolutely no pride in working for Lowe's. They dont care what the public perceives of the store. They dont care about the products offered or service provided. Until they do, nothing will change.

Its sad.

No argument about people sucking or having no pride regarding the way they represent the company they work for or the service they are paid to provide. But the customer still isn't always right

[2thDoc]

but you need to act like they are or i'll come up there and judy chop you in the ears.

especially little old ladies.

[TheVisorGuy]

Trust me. I go out of my way to leave people happy with what I do. But I have literally stood on a roof and had customers argue with me about wood being replaced. I'm talking wood so rotten you can stick your finger through it. I'm trying to do my job right and leave you with something that will last. I'm trying to do them a favor. They are trying to save $30. No that particular customer isn't right. Shit like that really wears on you after years and years of doing it.

[Pcole]

Admittedly didn't show the grace I should've, Glenn, but I struggle between extending grace and making what I believe to be valid points in such situations. Honest struggle for me.

Same struggle for me. I genuinely believe that half the world's problems are caused by lack of communication, and I still (foolishly) think it can be fixed. If I'm leaving a store and someone asks me if I found everything I needed, I tell them yes or no. If they need an explanation I give it to them. If I got great help by a knowledgeable employee, ill go out of my way to let the manager know. If I'm in a restaurant and the server does a good job, my complements and tip will reflect it, and I'll also go out of my way to inform the manager. I don't believe in short changing anybody, because I genuinely don't know what they may be going through, but they can definitely write their own check with me. If you show up for work, do your best. A positive attitude is ALWAYS contagious, and don't ask me a question if you don't want an answer. And yes, the commercials about how to not become your parents were made about me, but I think the world was a better place when my parents were my age.
As far as "what would you have done," Lowes wouldn't have gotten my money that day. I'd have moved my stuff out of the other customers' way and walked out the door. If someone asked me why, I'd have told them. If we could make it right, I would. If we can't, and they don't need my money, I won't burden them with it.

[Highstrung]

Everything is a circle, it's how you treat your employees, and also how you stress to them that the customer pays for all of them, including me. You have to cut out bad apples.. or give it a try to correct them. Another thing, these days it's not easy to just go out and hire anyone.. A customer will certainly walk out and never return, most of the time without saying anything if they feel like they've been mistreated. Myself, being myself, and owning retail businesses, I always try to give the benefit of the doubt.

I promise, if you walk into my main store, you'll be waited on. I almost always have an extra person, a couple reasons.. One being some of the stores in our town, one a grocery store a block away that for some reason never opens enough registers. That place gives me nightmares, and I refuse to force people to wait like them. It's not their it's employees fault, it's their corporate structure. It's just too damn bad I own mine, and would rather make less money and have enough people.

All of that, and I'm not void of rude customers from all walks of life. I will not tolerate it. My employees know that I will handle it, it's not in their job description.

[Black Bart]

Forgot to mention, after the young, poorly-reared child said her piece, she then proceeded to mimmick all of my movements for the next few minutes. She straight-up flexed on me. For what it's worth.

[TheVisorGuy]

Forgot to mention, after the young, poorly-reared child said her piece, she then proceeded to mimmick all of my movements for the next few minutes. She straight-up flexed on me. For what it's worth.

Basic white girl

[charlie horse]

Just dealing with sorry employees is light, usually at lowes its... bums in the parking lot asking for money, methheads at the free coffee asking for work, methheads/bums that wanna help you load up, complete confusion about the stock of anything, the smell of weed on everybody, nearly being attacked by a "service dog", giant shit in every toilet, credit card machine down, 3 employees acting like theyre landing a jet on an aircraft carrier to move 5 boards with a forklift, random dude riding a floor cleaner... and so on...

[TheVisorGuy]

Just dealing with sorry employees is light, usually at lowes its... bums in the parking lot asking for money, methheads at the free coffee asking for work, methheads/bums that wanna help you load up, complete confusion about the stock of anything, the smell of weed on everybody, nearly being attacked by a "service dog", giant shit in every toilet, credit card machine down, 3 employees acting like theyre landing a jet on an aircraft carrier to move 5 boards with a forklift, random dude riding a floor cleaner... and so on...

Any of them methheads look like they could pick up a bundle of shingles ?

[b-stick]

I get extremely aggravated when I look around and see no registers open except self check out. Always make it a point to ask for the person pointing at the register for employee discount and when they say no, tell them you aren't getting paid to check yourself out.

They are quick to get an attitude with you.

[SwampDecoy]

It’s why they’re working at Lowe’s but at least they’re working.

Correction, at least they are getting a Paycheck from an Employer and not on the dole from the Gov't! Obviously from the OP they were not working.

[Mars Bluff]

Sorry times. If I do get a good one to help me, I always try & tip them. Also try & remember their name in case someone is looking for a good employee. Had a lady at the DMV the other day that made my experience pleasant which is RARE! Tried to tip her but she could not accept. Gotta go back this week so I'll drop off some goodies.

[scatter shot]

Just dealing with sorry employees is light, usually at lowes its... bums in the parking lot asking for money, methheads at the free coffee asking for work, methheads/bums that wanna help you load up, complete confusion about the stock of anything, the smell of weed on everybody, nearly being attacked by a "service dog", giant shit in every toilet, credit card machine down, 3 employees acting like theyre landing a jet on an aircraft carrier to move 5 boards with a forklift, random dude riding a floor cleaner... and so on...

That would be me.
In an earlier life I worked construction until switched I over to being a insurance agent in 1989. We had a Lowes up the street a few blocks from the office and throughout the years I'd load up a cooler of ice water, a box of carpenter pencils and other swag and post up outside of Lowes early in the morning and help guys load their trucks and hand out swag.
I wrote several General Liability and commercial auto policies plus a good number of personal lines auto and home policies from the effort. Never smoked crack with them though.
I grew a very successful insurance agency and the bulk of it was from very loyal customers that appreciated good customer service but back to the idea that the customer is always right. I never believed that as a business owner but I was good enough at my job that I could turn unhappy customers into happy customers by politely "setting them straight".
In fact, some of my best, long time clients were the rude Yankees that came into the office with their bad attitudes. I'd take the time to firmly but professionally show them the error of their thinking and they seemed to appreciate the fact that we didn't put up with their crap.

[Glenn]

Why be so vocal when you're called out then? How about be proactive on the front end and then you don't have to be reactive and defensive on the back.

It's the rare person who chooses not to honor Newton's laws of physics by providing you with an equal and opposite reaction. You chose aggression, passive though it was, and were met with an equal and opposite reaction.

I agree with toofer. Mark the date. While the customer is not always right we extend grace first. Myself and my employees do not argue with clients. If they want to fight they can go somewhere else. However we do listen and if their concerns are valid we show humility and admit our mistakes. If they are not right we explain gracefully why and understand everyone is going through something and their issue may not be with us even if their aggression is focused on us. We're just a target in that case.

To be forgiven you must forgive. To be first you must be last. If you want grace, then grace must be given.

And if you do all those things first and it is not reciprocated according to your expectations then that's okay too. Outcomes are not our problem. But we must do what He tells us regardless. I can only control me.

[scatter shot]

^^ Yup. Glenn gets it.

And still gets hammered on Yelp from the cat lady.

Can't please everyone I reckon.

[Pcole]

I get extremely aggravated when I look around and see no registers open except self check out. Always make it a point to ask for the person pointing at the register for employee discount and when they say no, tell them you aren't getting paid to check yourself out.

They are quick to get an attitude with you.

The bad thing is, they're letting themselves get worked out of a job and they're tickled to death about it!

[rp]

You went to the Walmart of hardware stores and are complaining about the service?

It used to be, when Lowe's employees were in the stock ownership programs, they would climb over counters to help a customer.

[CUduckreeper]

Forgot to mention, after the young, poorly-reared child said her piece, she then proceeded to mimmick all of my movements for the next few minutes. She straight-up flexed on me. For what it's worth.

I believe after she said her piece, I would have asked to speak to the manager. If it turned out that the manager was one of the ones standing there, hopefully not, I would then ask how I could contact the district manager for that store.

[centurian]

My observation of the original problem does not just include Lowes but most retail stores these days. There are few if more than one open registers. at the end there are self checkout station where more and more customer seem to be going. The self checkout at lowes has an attendant as they usually lock up for some reason or other. I hate self checkout so i rarely use them.

Good customer service is so rare these days that when you actually see it in practice it is breathtaking. There are some still out there so don't lump them all together. I called an optic company yesterday and was in awe at the service provided and how nice they were.

[Glenn]

I believe after she said her piece, I would have asked to speak to the manager. If it turned out that the manager was one of the ones standing there, hopefully not, I would then ask how I could contact the district manager for that store.

To what end? It will cost you time, won't get you checked out any faster and you become another number in the long line of people who complain all the time regardless of how right you are or how wrong they are. Thank them for their time, leave and never go back without saying a word.

The hardware solution in Spartanburg lies on South Blackstock at Bullis Hardware anyway. Lowe's and Home Depot are ports of last resort but I'm thankful they are there when I need them and never enter one expecting their employees to act like business owners.