I was a normal to Dodge's store in Clarksville, Arkansas; until recently. I work near the store and have had friends stop going there before me. Why you ask?
From Dodge's own core values, "We Believe..."
"Our people can and want to provide Superior Guest Satisfaction"
Clarksville's Dodge store has failed to do this for months now. Here is what happened this morning. I arrived a 8:00AM sharp to grab a cup of coffee and a biscuit. There was a tall slender guy with pony tail power washing by the front door; with a gasoline power washer. LOUD! Like a generator, LOUD! Water misting everywhere! I walked through cigarette butts, paint chips, and trash to get to the front door.
Fast forward to me getting my biscuit. They never offer a sack or napkins. You must ask & self serve napkins. My friend, who avoids the store, called corporate to inquire. The sack thing was supposed to be fixed. But, she was told it is policy for employees to make you get your own napkin. Why? Because, Dodge's believes employees should not touch other people's napkins. My answer to that is: bull balogne. Look at fast food chains! That is an excuse and POOR MANAGEMENT.
Oh, I am just getting heated up here. There seems to be "thing" between the pony tail guy and the store manager. See, most mornings they are huddled up right next to the front door smoking cigarettes. Yep, almost every time I visit, except this morning where he was rudely power washing at rush hour. So, most who visit the store get a nice inhalation of 2nd hand smoke every visit at around 8AM.
Then there is the guy who has worked there for many years. Older guy who wears glasses and must refill the bagged ice dispenser at 8AM sharp! He pushes a metal buggy into the rush hour foot traffic, through the store to retrieve ice, then back through outside to deposit it in the freezers. No, doing this job at 8:30 or 7:30 would be a total waste of rush hour's time. Kind of like pressure washing in a non-rush hour time slot would negatively affect business.
Thought I was done? Nope. I make it back to work and bite into my biscuit. Oh no. See, once upon a time, Dodge had someone who could cook. The wonderful store manager replaced them with someone who does not know food must be thoroughly cooked before serving guests. My biscuit did have fully cooked sausage, and egg, with undercooked biscuit. You know, the wonderful raw dough flavor that occurs when trying to fast-cook biscuits. Well, I threw the dough ball in the trash.
Now, to go back a last time to my friend's issues and combine them with mine above: She was upset because she bought a biscuit, cigarettes, a coke, and some chewing gum and clerks would not sack her items. She had to ask. This was a new policy enacted after new management back then. She has not returned to the store since her call changed nothing.
Here I am with a decision. Should I stop spending my 4 to 5 dollars each morning and frequent one of ELEVEN (11) other options on my way to work? See, when the food is cooked properly, and the people, "...can and want to provide Superior Guest Satisfaction," I might re-visit Dodge's Clarksville. But when poor management gets in the way and stomps on customers as I have seen, I probably will not. Call this a divorce letter America. Dodge, I will. read more