I also hate grocery shopping, but that is because of Safeway! I went tonight at 8PM for "just a few things". Forty five minutes later I was finally getting out of there. I did find a few other things I needed, but most of my wait was in line listening to the clerk flirt with the woman who was in front of me, the clerk next to him, the courtesy clerk............
Beside the fact that I was standing in line, and the lady who ended up in front of me was just looking at magazines. The cashier came up to his area, turned on the light and said to her, I can take you here miss. He didn't even ask who is next (ME!) or probably didn't give a hoot anyway. But it pissed me off, so I stood there and brooded over it. I was tired, getting hungry and had bought my dinner there, so the longer I waited the worse my mood got. Then the courtesy clerk asked the lady in front of me if she wanted help out. Now this was a lady in her late twenties, early thirties. She didn't need help out. Cripes. Instead of looking at the situation; two clerks in regular registers and two clerks in express, and at least five people in EACH line: she took the help out. Now there are two courtesy clerks to bag up all those groceries and this lady takes out one of them! I understand that situation is not the stores fault, but anyway...
So when it came my turn, I usually buck it up smile and pretend I love being there. This time I couldn't. The clerk asked me how I was doing. I said, I realize that not all of this is your fault, but this place sucks. He started giving me excuses. I told him stop, I work in customer service, I used to manage customer service and I was quite successful at it, so I know what is really going on. All I wanted to do was get out of that flippin' store. When he got finished ringing me up, the courtesy clerk was back and asked if I wanted help out to my car. I said no thanks, hon, stay inside and help bag up all these groceries, every one else wants to go home too. I got $10 in change and went to McDonald's. There is no way I would have made it home and cooked something before I passed out.
Safeway and Von's grocery store chains have really messed with their employee compensations. They used to be the dream job. Good pay, great benefits, wonderful atmosphere. They have bought out all the older employee contracts and brought in part-timers who don't give a crap, because they are not being properly compensated for what they do. They went around the state, country, I don't know, but they renovated all their stores to have this romantic ambiance(sp?)
They spent a fortune on that, but can they take care of their employees? NO. Now they have raised prices so that I thinkI am shopping in Nordstrom or Macy, Neiman Marcus...All I want is groceries and there shouldn't be any romantic atmosphere around to get them!
I'll step down off my soap box now.
3 comments:
I think I LIKE you on your soap box!
Hallie :)
I, too, like you on your soapbox! Or wherever you want to be. I'll like you there, too! But especially on the grocery store thing, because I'm right there with ya. I have been known to mutter "c'mon, c'mon, c'mon" possibly just a tad too loud in grocery store lines. I mean, please--how complicated is it. Put your stuff on the belt, scan, pay...NEXT? My first job ever was as a cashier at our smaller-town grocery store. Without computerized cash registers. And it just did not take that long! Even figuring in flirting-with-the-bag-boys-time, it just did not take that long! Oh-oh, Claudia, I think I'm close to kicking you off your own soapbox!!!! I'm sorry...I promise I will go get my own...HAHA!
I hope you're having a good day and that you have enough groceries so you don't have to go back to that wretched place for a while! Seriously, it's enough to make a person go out to eat all the time, and risk bankruptcy paying for it! :)
(((BIG, CALMING, SOOTHING HUG)))
LUVYAEVERSOMUCH-er!!!
You've had a wild couple of days haven't you. I hope things quiet down a bit and go a little smoother for you. I totally relate to the grocery store. I hate shopping. Somehow it never fails I end up in the line that takes forever for whatever reason. Then I feel bad if I get grumpy, as I know how little the people there make. It's a no win situation all the way around. There is a smaller store near me. The prices are a little higher, but the people seem to be happier and it has a nicer feel than the larger one, so I try to go there when I can. As to the soapbox, no problem there. Venting is a great way to destress, so get on your soapbox all you want. :)
Sue
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