Grocery Store Clerk - WHEN EMPLOYEES BECOME CUSTOMERS

After work, last night, I took a few moments to pick up some items before leaving the store.  While I was checking out the spice rack, I heard someone call out to me.  Turning around, I found that it was a customer who was also shopping.   Seeing the red basket, that I was carrying, he said, "You shop here, too?"

So I got to thinking about this, and why it is that  I shop in the store in which I work.  Well, let's admit it, it is rather convenient.  I mean, I already have a parking spot and once I clock out all I have to do is go downstairs, get a cart and begin to shop.  I don't even have to go outside.  Now that is convenience.  But I soon realized that there is more to my shopping here, then just convenience.  For although I am an employee, I am treated like a customer and experience the same Customer Service as our patrons do.  Now granted my budget is a lot smaller then most of our customers but, with each dollar that I spend, I still receive  that great service that is passed on to those that spend a hundred or more. 

For instance, the Meat Manager is quick to let us know when he is running specials on something we might be interested in.  Before Thanksgiving, I was looking for a small turkey, maybe ten pounds or so, but was unable to find one.  Then one of the guys, working in the Meat Department, found one and came and asked me, if I would like for them to hold it for me.  Now that is service.   The Produce Manager, my boss, has thanked me for my purchases, especially since I shop in that department at least twice a week.  And when I check out, well it has not been uncommon for the Frontlines Manager to bag my groceries.  Not only do we get great service, but the Store Manager, himself, has thanked us for shopping in our store.   These people, that I have mentioned, are not only helpful and courteous but, they also know the value of an employee's patronage.  When you consider how many employees, that are on staff, and how much they spend per week, especially if they have families, then it adds up to quite a chunk of change.  Just do the math.

So heads up, to all of you other managers, once these employees clock out, they automatically become possible customers.  Their spending helps to provide your income, the staff's income and pay the bills. Not only that, but these people provide the best source of advertisement, and it is free.

My response to that customer, "Of course, I do." 

Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - ONE STOP SHOP

Since yesterday was my day off, my girlfriend and I decided to go out and eat and just kind of bum around.  So, since I had to pick up a few items, we made our way to a large retailer and browsed the store.  First of all, it was a mess.  Apparently, this company is in the process of enlarging their grocery department;  to include produce and meat, etc., along with their already selected grocery items.   They, like another large retailer, are creating that 'one-stop' shopping experience that we, the consumers, have become so inclined to  patronize.  In watching this type of retail growth, as a consumer, I feel like I am getting stuck in the middle of a retail war.  However will they outdo each other?

Many years ago, I tried that 'one-stop' shopping.  The community, in which I resided at the time, had a large retailer come in and build a 'super-center' store.  In it, I could get my groceries, add to my wardrobe, check out the latest in electronics, buy my favorite makeup, pick up a prescription and buy a frying pan.  I remember that frying pan; I still have it (17 years later).   This was so cool, and look at the amount of time I was saving by doing it all under one roof, to the tune of $157.00, yep, I even remember how much I spent.  And that was back in the 90's.

Although I was a little took back, as to how much I had spent, I was quick to assess that it was all of the extra things I had purchased that had added on to my weekly grocery expense.  Besides, those shoes I had bought were a knock out, and at such a cheap price.  Just for the record, the shoes didn't make it nearly as long as the frying pan.

So, I decided to shop at that store again, and told myself that I would watch my spending and stick to just buying groceries.  I did, somewhat, but there were sales that I could not avoid.  They were not items that were grocery, nor were they items that I needed.  These items just seemed to be a good deal and I could not pass them up .  But after two weeks, of these shopping excursions, I found myself having to return meat that I had purchased.  This is how I learned about pre-packaged meat.   When I would arrive to return the items, I would find myself having to stand in a long line and wait to get my refund.  Well, that took care of the time that I thought that I had saved by shopping at the store.  And since this happened on a regular basis, I decided that it was time to do some comparison shopping.

I went back to the grocery store and did my weekly shopping, then on to the drugstore to get whatever  items I needed and picked up a prescription.  When I got home and compared the expense, with the expense of the previous weeks of shopping, I noticed that I had saved substantially and did not have anything extra which I really did not need.    In the process of this comparison shopping, I felt like this large retailer was making a sucker out of me.  By offering me such good deals, or so I thought, they were playing on my weak side and knowing that I could not walk away from these 'great deals'.  And in the long run, had I continued shopping like this, I was sure to run into financial trouble.  Something, I am sure that they would not care about.

Over the years this retailer, that I had started patronizing, has become the largest and there are others trying to compete for this market.  Having had this experience, I am glad that I caught on and returned to my old shopping habits.  Little did I know, that it would turn out to be in my best interest.  In the following years I would find myself relocating, the professional job market would take a hit, I would not be able to earn the income I was accustomed to and a recession was about to follow.

As for what I saw last night, well, let's just say that anyone can handle groceries.  Put up some shelving and tables, install some coolers and presto, you have a grocery store.  But there is a lot more that goes into groceries, as compared to just handling them.  It takes a staff with knowledge and dedication, in order to maintain these perishable products for the customers to get the best. And in order for this to be accomplished, it takes a staff that is dedicated to their jobs. When you consider what these large retailers pay their hourly employees, dedication will be harder for theses employers to attain.

As compared to previous years, customers are now wanting more for their money.  They expect quality as well as good prices and this puts competition in a whole new light.  Although there are a lot of companies out there vying for the consumer dollars, it will be interesting as to which of these retailers will make the cut.


Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - CAN YOU DO OUR JOB/WOULD YOU?

Lately, I have been noticing a number of articles with regard to Customer Service and retail employees, being posted on the web.  Some articles pertain to opinions on the matter, while others discuss statistics.  But I have yet to read an article, giving any detail, as to the type of work that is performed by this workforce.  No one has described what lengths these employees must go to in order to maintain these jobs, at least not to my knowledge. 

I divide this type of job into three categories; physical, mental and legal. With all of the lifting, pulling, walking, stretching, bending and standing, the body slowly begins to break down.  Then you have to take into account all of the different procedures, programs, personalities, changes, currency, theft and whatever else may occur - that's the mental.  And if you work in a store that handles tobacco and alcohol, then you are held legally responsible for these sales. 

When purchasing alcohol, and a customer looks to be under 40 (this may vary), customers will be asked to provide their Drivers License and to remove it from their wallet, for  a better inspection of dates, photo, authenticity and state hologram,  If a customer does not have a Drivers License, then they are asked to provide a state issued ID.  If neither of these identifications can be provided, then the customer is denied the sale.  If either the Drivers License or ID are expired, again, the customer is denied the sale. If a group of young adults try to purchase alcohol, then each person will be required to provide the necessary identification.  If one of the parties cannot, or is not of legal age, then there is no sale.  Even if only one of the parties is doing the purchasing.  If the employee makes the sale without proper verification, and the customer turns out to be a minor, they can lose their job, be fined and/or jailed.  An employee never knows if they are being set up by an undercover agent.  And should a customer already be a little intoxicated, then again, the employee is held responsible and must deny the sale. Then of course there is the issue as to how the customer will react, to the employee, should an alcohol sale be denied.  It definitely can put one on their guard and sometimes become a rather stressful situation.

These people, that provide these services, wear many hats and only get paid for one job.  Their day is never really planned, because they have to take whatever comes their way, at any given moment. And although  these employees, at times, are talked down to, verbally abused and  criticized, they will clock back in the next day and try again.   This type of workforce provides much to society by performing services, that many would not want to do.  I am proud to say, that I am a part of this workforce.  But, then again, I work in an atmosphere that provides me with support, am surrounded by employees that are dedicated and serve many customers who treat me with respect.

So the next time you happen to read an article that discusses, or gives an opinion, on Customer Service and/or retail employees, please ask yourself just one question; "Would I be able to do, what these people do?" Better yet, "Would I want to do, what these people do?"

Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - THE MYSTERY SHOPPER

While at work, last night, I think that I saw a Mystery Shopper.  Sure did.  There she was, with her pen and paper, checking little boxes as she proceeded to go up and down the aisles.  How do I know this?   Well, I just happened to walk past her and when I saw what she was doing, I just had to take a moment to watch this lady.

I spotted this lady in the Produce Department as I was coming out of the back room, having clocked back in and on my way to the Front Lines, which was one of my jobs yesterday.With pen and paper in hand, she was pushing a cart, looking around and examining everything on the tables.  She would pick up a bag of potatoes, look at it, lay it down and proceed on to the next item.  Then she would take her pen, and make a mark on this paper that had the name of our store on the heading.  Under the heading, on this paper, was a list and with each listed item there were two little boxes posted.  To tell you the truth, I found this amusing.  With what she was doing, she gave the appearance of either being a Mystery Shopper or an inspector.

Since I saw what she was doing, and I witnessed what the employee in that department was doing, she had better have given that department high marks.  The Produce Clerk was busy stocking bananas, at the time, since they were only .39/lb., they were flying off of the display.  And, everything in the department looked, not only good, but well stocked, neat and orderly.  Looked like someone had been doing their job.

Later on, here she comes pushing her cart up to Front Lines to be checked out.  And whose line did she come through?   That's right, it was mine.  This lady had no personality, didn't wish to talk, and was quick with her answers when asked a question; "Yes.", "No.", "Thanks."  Not at all like our regular customers.

If a company wants to learn what customers think of their store, here's a thought;  and the great thing, is,that it is free.  As customers come into the store, ask them if they would fill out a questionnaire while they shop.   Ask them to give their opinions  on the appearance of the store, the selections that are offered, how are the sales and do they think that they were given good service.  By doing this, we will  know what our customers like, or dislike, about our store and it will give us an opportunity to amend the situations as needed.  And when they have responded to this questionnaire, ask them what they think about the Customer Service.  I think that the company would hear the same thing that we, the employees, hear all of the time.  "I like coming here to shop, you people are always so friendly and helpful."

Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

Yesterday, I was entering the store when I just happened to look up and notice the store's appearance.  To the left, of the front entrance, is the Produce Department  and all of the bright colors of the various fruits and vegetables just seemed to draw my attention like a magnet.  All of the oranges, apples, lemons, etc., are lined up neatly, row after row, and the tables are stacked in a way that gives a neat display.  All in all, this department is not only inviting but it can also work up ones appetite.  The colors, as they blend together, gives the department an appearance of that of a painting as it lights up the corner of the store.

When I first came to work at this store, I use to read a grocery magazine that I would find just lying around the office.  Since I had no knowledge of the grocery business, I was eager to learn.  One article, that I remember, referred to a store's appearance.  The article went on to say that a customer's first opinion of the store is whatever they see when they walk in the door which is why, some stores put their  Floral Departments up front.  Flowers represent freshness, provide beauty and give the customer an idea of what they can find throughout the store.  I guess you could call it, a 'calling card,' of sorts.

So, in passing, I complimented the Produce Manager on his department and, without missing a beat, he gave the credit to his guys.  Wow!  To me, this response showed respect and when a department has respect, amongst its workers, then you can see it in the employees' work - and that only promotes better Customer Service.

Way to go guys!

Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - INVITATION

Tonight I came home and checked my emails, as usual, when I stumbled across an email from a very good friend of mine.  In the email, my friend informed me about an article that she had read in her local paper.  The article is written by a community columnist in Knoxville, TN.. In the article, the columnist voiced their opinion about Customer Service in grocery stores.  The article goes on to describe the employees and their mannerisms towards the customers and further states as to why good Customer Service is so important.to sales. The bottom line is, that these companies are lacking good Customer Service - in this columnist's opinion.

I understand where this columnist is coming from and would like them to know that not all grocery stores have the approach that was described in this article.  So, I have invited the columnist to visit this Blog.

Talk At Ya Later!

Grocery Store Clerk - 'CRANKINESS IN THE WORK PLACE' & WHY

After I got home from work tonight I proceeded to start dinner, pour myself a Heineken and get out the Laptop.  This has become something of a ritual for me.  So, while dinner is cooking, I begin to browse my favorite sites and one of them is MSN Money.  I am just a sucker for journalism that gives me the latest scoops on various issues such as retirement (alright), the outlook on banks, stocks - well you get the picture.  Surprised?  Just because I work in a grocery store, does not mean that I am limited in my interests. 

As I was browsing, I came across a headline that grabbed my attention; 'Retail workers have cause to be cranky.' (you can find it under Smart Spending).  This article explains how the pay, work schedules and benefits, mostly of large corporate chains, affects the personal and financial lives of the workforce.  The definition used to describe pay, is 'lousy', and schedules is termed as being 'irregular'.  And the benefits?  Does anyone remember all of the attention paid to Wal-mart and health insurance?   These results stem from a study taken in a large city, where most employees worked for large company chains.   The article gives a lot of insight as to what the workforce endures in order to survive, or at least attempts to.  It is definitely worth reading, because how these companies maintain their workforce has an 'impact on the economy', and provides a burden on the tax payers.

Reading the article reminded me about one of the posts that I wrote a couple of months ago, in regard to a shopping trip at one of these chain stores.  In the post, I described the employees that I saw and how not even one had a grin on their face.  I guess now, we know why.
 
At our store I don't think we are 'cranky', we  do, however, get down once in awhile.   And although this article brought attention to very important problems being faced by so many, it also made me realize just how lucky I am.

Talk at ya later!