Wallmart and Target "Associates"

[BFG9000]

Is it just me or are the staff at both Wallmart and Target have the I.Q. of a chick pea?

The reason being is that when you ask them a question about a specific item, they get that deer in the headlights look and start to cry like it was the first day of kindergarten.

Example: I went and bought a CD of a band I like. A DVD of the band's video was supposed to be out with it, but when I asked about it, Wallmart and Target acted like I was a fuckin vampire!

Has this occured with anyone else? Why are these two retailers still in business if they don't know shit?

Comments welcome and stay with the topic please! Thanks!

[AYHJA]

When I'm out shopping for things, Wal-Mart is usually the last place I look regardless of price...I find most of appalling the fact that there are 100 registers up front, and no matter what, there is always a line...The CS is shit, nobody working at Wal-Mart seems to want to work at Wal-Mart...I really just try to avoid going to those places, period...

[raum]

I gotta say something real fast:

1. These places do not hire by interest or knowledge. You don't have to like music to work in the music dept. Most book stores and music stores by comparison assume certain amounts of product knowledge or interest.

This means, while they may be great places to get a deal,.. they are not necessarily good places to shop for product knowledge or reviews.

2. The employees are not given enough training to make informed decisions about HOW to provide customer service. Make sure you communicate what you want them to do, not what you want from them. For example "Do you know when #### comes out on DVD?" is a yes or no question. "Hi, ####, I want you to look for when #### comes out on DVD. Maybe you need to look in up in the computer." is a much better way to help them do their job.

3. These people usually have no valuation of their job because they are belittled or distracted. Get their attention. Make it their job to help you. Humanize them, and you would be surpised what you can do.

4. If you care what kind of service you get, fill out reviews; good or bad. YOU do affect who works there and how they feel about their job. You may not realize it, but if you continually give someone good reviews, it will affect their hours, their pay, and maybe even their position.

I helped get a young man in video games at Target to a higher position. He was seasonal, and went perm, then went dept. head. I continually commented on how I was an avid gamer, and he was able to help me find what I want, make excellent suggestions in console accessories and software, and still maintain his cashiering duties to help other customers. I also pointed out how he suggested values I didn't see, and it impacted my decision to make Target a place I come for the purposes of buying video games. I did so in houswares, electronics, and the groceries section (love the chips and sodas from Archer Farms) with other people. Holiday help REALLY appreciate this (consider the rush, though).

----

You may consider this too involved, but I think of it, really, as voting who helps me shop at Target. and so far, at Target, my vote counts. The ignorant dude (tried to keep people from buying 360 cause he said Halo 3 is going to look so much better on PS3) before who scratched himself while ringing people up is gone... that is what matters.