I'm really ticked!
We have been shopping at the same Jewel Food store for about fifteen years. The employees there have been incredibly kind to my mother, so we return that kindness by shopping there.
Albertson's, the owner of the Jewel chain, is making it's presence known, and there has been a recent shift in the management of this store. There's a new employee who is absolutely grating on us. This person's job is to oversee the checkers. She keeps track of who should be on break, who is collecting carts, who is checking, and who is bagging.
Yesterday, when we were ready to check out, there was just one lane open. Unfortunately there were about fifteen people in line, and the line grew as we stood there. The manager was standing at the service desk, in full view of the horde of people waiting for a checker, and she continued whatever project she was working on. I know that Jewel wants to encourage people to use the new self serve lanes, but almost everyone in line was over 65, and in my experience, that generation doesn't care to do self service.
When the crowd became restless, she looked up and then called extra checkers. She took her place bagging, and as she bagged she chewed out the man who was bagging for us. I find her management techniques offensive. If you have a problem with your employees, you don't dress them down in front of the customers. Furthermore, she needs to understand the flow of her store and be prepared with enough employees to handle the demand.
As we waited for our groceries to be bagged, I looked around, and all the employees had their heads down and they were working silently. Not one of them wanted to risk being the next person to be criticized.
I'm seriously thinking about writing a letter of complaint, although that's not my style. I'd much rather praise someone for good work than criticize them, but this situation is really upsetting us. If this employee doesn't improve her management technique, we will find somewhere else to shop. We've really enjoyed the employees at this store. I'd hate to just abandon them to this dragon, so I think it's worth the time it takes to let our opinions be known.
Comments (8)
Too frequently when one company buys another the results are not viewed with favor by the employees, and often not by the customers. The new owners are often heavy-handed in their dealings so that the employees know who is boss, now. As an over-65 person (who doesn't often shop for groceries, since Hunky Husband handles that chore), I will not use a self-checkout because I believe that by doing so I am taking some checker's job away from her/him. That I don't want to do. Besides, life is complicated enough with our having to know how to do a miriad of things that used to be done by "specialists". I liked having my windshield washed and tires checked by a "trained professional" when I had my car gasoline tank filled. Yes, I am perfectly capable of doing those chores myself (although my first self-service fill-up was a bit daunting since it was so different from the use of a truck PTO to run a pump to fill the wing tanks in an airplane, to which I was accustomed), but why should I? I say: Let someone else earn a living by doing those chores.
Posted by Cop Car | March 23, 2004 10:06 PM
Posted on March 23, 2004 22:06
Cop Car, I have to agree with you. I don't care to do self serve in the grocery store. I tried it once when I had a very small order and discovered that there are a lot of exceptions to how things are rung up. I'd much rather have a cashier do it for me.
I hadn't considered that the self check lanes meant a loss of jobs until one of the checkers said something about it. You can bet that I won't be doing self serve now.
Send Hunky Husband this way, won't you? I could use some relief from the grocery shopping!
Posted by Buffy | March 23, 2004 11:02 PM
Posted on March 23, 2004 23:02
The only place I use self check-out is when we go to Home Depot - and then if we have only 1 or 2 items and the lines at other check-out counters are long. I figure I am paying the same price whether I do all the work or someone else does it, so I might as well let them do it.
Posted by bogie | March 24, 2004 7:37 AM
Posted on March 24, 2004 07:37
No, Buffy, I shall not send HH your way. I fear that you would take advantage of his sweet, gentle nature and wear him out running errands for you. LOL It is still entertaining after 13 years of listening to his tales of daring do at the grocery store. HH swears there's a gene that makes males incompatible with shopping.
BTW: Bogie, did you recognize the description of your male parent?
Posted by Cop Car | March 26, 2004 3:27 AM
Posted on March 26, 2004 03:27
I'm the type to complain but I'm also the type to let them know how happy I am when things DO go right or people go out of their way to help even when it is beyond their capabilities. In my experience, letting management know about the issue is really the only way to handle it once it's gotten to the point that the employees feel the way they do. That manager needs to be redirected, retrained, or let go. I admire your ability to hold your tongue. Mine would have been hot and flying off the handle!
Posted by Kristi | March 27, 2004 2:05 AM
Posted on March 27, 2004 02:05
Kristi, I kept my peace because I realized that until I could talk or write to management, she would make the checker's and bagger's lives hell. I WANTED to put her in her place, very badly, but it was the wrong way to go about trying to improve the situation.
I hope that management takes the time to give her the guidance she needs. They'd get one heck of a manager that way, and everyone would benefit.
Posted by Buffy | March 27, 2004 5:04 PM
Posted on March 27, 2004 17:04
Cop Car.....that's really too bad of you not to share the Hunky one! lol However, I have my own personal hunk who will occasionally shop, so I guess that's fair.
Tell HH that I don't believe that line about the anti-shopping gene. Let Dear Husband loose in a marine shop or at Farm and Fleet and he can outshop me!
Posted by Buffy | March 27, 2004 5:10 PM
Posted on March 27, 2004 17:10
Any manager who reprimands their staff in front of customers is a poor manager. She needs to be put in her place herself!
Posted by Dr. D. | March 28, 2004 9:53 PM
Posted on March 28, 2004 21:53