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Friday, May 24, 2013

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - ONE MORE TIME

As if we, the employees, had not been jolted enough this week - hold on, the second shoe dropped today.  And trust me, we have been left feeling quite dismayed.

Our store manager announced, that he is being transferred to another store.

Store managers come and go, this is common knowledge, but this manager has a history with this store and this is what makes the difference.

Three years ago, the employees of this store had been under management that had left them broken.  And then, to top it all off, another company came in to take over and we all ended up going through the transitional phase.  It was a difficult time to say the least.  But when things seemed at their bleakest, and the future unknown, we found out that an old, familiar manager was returning.

You would have thought these employees had won the lotto! 

This is the store where this manager did his training to be a store manager, so he was coming into familiar surroundings.  He knew us and we, him.  Good enough.

In the following months we all eagerly jumped in and made changes, cleaned up the store and burst forward in eager anticipation.  He brought us up and we have been that way ever since.

The one thing that you have to understand about us, is that we are just not your ordinary grocery store employees.  We are a group of people who are dedicated to our jobs, our store and know Customer Service better then those that preach it and write about it.  

Good management is always the deciding factor as to how a store will operate. If management respects it's employees, and visa versa, then you will have a winning team. We are a winning team.

So we thank him, for being the type of person that he is; for supporting us, showing us respect, giving us back our store, letting us be ourselves and being a pretty cool guy.

To say we will miss him, goes without saying.  I think that he knows how we feel.

But, I have to say that we will have the last word; 

Thanks Dave!
 
FROM THE MOST AWESOME GROUP OF EMPLOYEES YOU WILL EVER HAVE

Talk at ya later!

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - SHOPPING TREND

Since I was getting off of work, earlier than usual, I decided to pick up a few things and make my semi-annual shopping trip to Target.  After all, it's right on my way to the house.

With list in hand I entered the store, picked up a basket and started making my way to the necessary aisles to complete my list.

First off, the jewelry department.  Having found what I wanted I began to look around for a clerk since the item was in a locked case.  Instead of a clerk I found a red box with a button on it; push the button if you need assistance.  Pushing the button, I hear a voice informing me that someone will be assisting me in 60 seconds.  Sure enough, a clerk appeared.

Okay, next on the list was a DVD Player.  Yep, I guess that seven years is the extent of service for these technical gadgets and I must replace mine.  So, I hunt and am unable to find where these gadgets are and in looking around I find that I don't see a clerk anywhere.  But on the counter sits another red box with a button.  Pushing the button, I hear the same recording as I did in the jewelry department.  But sure enough, within 60 seconds - I think - here comes a clerk.

Now this clerk was polite, but unfortunately did not know that department so we searched together.

The next thing on my list are shoes.  In order to get to the shoe aisles one has to step over shoes that are scattered everywhere.  And when I finally made my way down the aisle, I was disappointed because all that were out, were sandals.  What a mess.

The last things on my list are vitamins and a supplement, which I forgot to pick up at the store.  And, that too was a disappointment.  Although the store handled my brands, their selection was so limited that I could not find what I was needing.

So between the messy aisles, lack of staff and the limited selection, I am not so sure that this is how I want to shop.

And what really gets me, is that I have heard customers complain about lack of staff and limited selection at our store.  My questions is, WHY?

Our store is not messy and is small enough to where you can locate assistance and as for selection, I found things that we have that other stores don't have.

Making my way out to the parking lot, I realize that I don't like this new trend of shopping and made myself a promise that I do not think that I will be back anytime soon.  I want to see the faces of clerks in the departments I am shopping in, not pushing a little button and having to wait for someone who has had to run an aisle or two. 

And when I am talking to a clerk, I prefer that I get to ask a complete question not have to wait while a clerk has to listen and respond to the two-way radio they must carry.

And please, clean up the messy aisles so a shopper can look at the merchandise instead of trip over it.

Apparently, consumers don't mind this type of shopping; maybe it's because they think that they are saving money.  Because if consumers did mind, it's a guarantee that companies would be making some changes.

Once in my vehicle, and key in ignition, I look out the windshield and have the answer of where to shop - Sears.

Now why didn't I think of that earlier?

Talk at ya later!


 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - TOUGH WEEK!!

As the title to this post implies it has been, and will continue to be, a tough week for the employees at the store.

We watch as a part of the store is closing and witness the changes taking place.  Where once there was a sign that said, Pharmacy there is now a banner  informing customers of the  details.

The company has been busy assisting these employees with the offering of alternative positions within the stores or interviews with another company.   Making sure that everyone has assistance with this change.

That is the business end.

But what we, as employees, experience is the personal end of the matter.  Customers with their questions, which we are not capable of answering, the heart felt concerns and the sadness that lags behind.

Throughout these years, we have always been assisted with whatever has ailed us.  From cancer to diabetes, the employees were never without assistance or left with questions.  And if your blood pressure was a little too high, or something else seemed to be out of the norm, they were quick to direct you even without being asked.   It was a place where everyone knew the names of the various customers; customer and pharmacist were on a first name basis.  

Bottom line, we were known and well cared for.

Last night, a customer said to me,

"You know what I hate?"
"It's not personable anymore." 
"No one will know me by name"
"When I go to pick up my prescription it won't be, 'Here you go Dick.', 'How you been feeling?' "
 "Now, I will just be one of thousands."

Talk at ya later!

.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE VALUED EMPLOYEES

Grocery shopping has changed a lot over the last ten years.  And most of the changes have occurred due to the stores themselves; business decisions.

With all of the competition, changes in shopping habits, brought on by the economy, consumers have become more like nomads instead of loyal customers.  And with these changes comes uncertainty for the employees who work in this line of employment.  An uncertainty that lies within each one of us.

Employees, who work in this field, work hard and take on much; both physically and psychologically.  And for their efforts they work irregular hours, less hours, are cross-trained and are told to smile more.

Everything aimed toward customer satisfaction - Customer Service.

But when all of this fails, what happens next? 

We have, in our store, some employees who probably had the most important job of all.  These people are set apart from the rest of us, due to their responsibility.  Their knowledge, expertise and service far exceeded what we, as clerks, have to provide.  And through the years customers, and employees alike, have relied on these special employees to help them get through their health issues.  For many, they became a trusted friend.  These valued employees provided the ultimate in Customer Service.

And now, we are losing this group of employees.

As some of  the employees put it, "We've been on this roller-coaster ride for so long."  "Though nothing surprises me, this has really hit me hard."  "What will we do without them?"

Although we are not given reasons as to why business decisions are made, and to make a comment on such decisions would only show ignorance, we can, however, predict as to how this will affect the customers and the future.

And as to how we feel?  Well, I think that has already been established. 

One employee said it the best, "To tell them how bad I feel about this, doesn't seem to make any sense."

"There are no words to express this."

Talk at ya later!