Well, I shopped here for the first time this past weekend. I noticed their prices tend to be higher than Home Depot, although they had a very inexpensive low price leader, namely a $0.99 pair of nice gloves. A clever marketing tactic to draw in customers, some of which will purchase additional items at regular price. The store had several customers browsing throughout the aisles, including myself. A very small retail establishment by Home Depot standards, but with a surprisingly wide selection. In any event, this particular location was not so busy. In fact , by the time I reached the spacious pre- checkout area, I counted only 1 customer in spite of several open lanes with cashiers. As I paused to scan for facial clues as to which cashier might be the most amicable, the gentleman at the last cash register boisterously called out, "Next customer". Since he had just finished checking out the only other client in the front end of the whole store, he seemed to fit the bill quite well.
But as I approached closer to his lane, a heavy set lady stopped me with a firm voice of authority. She pointed behind me and barked, " The line is over there!" Bewildered and somewhat taken aback, I turned around, hesitantly, retracing my steps slowly, while visually scanning for a sign or indication of a queue. But there was nothing, not even another customer behind me, or anywhere in the large pre-checkout area for that matter. So I turned around again towards the registers to proceed to checkout with my single pair of gloves, wondering to myself why this lady is misdirecting me away from the cashier checkout lanes. And low and behold, as soon as I took a step or two towards the registers, she repeated the same command. At this point, I'm thinking and asking myself more questions: 1) Is this lady playing games? 2) Perhaps she is being sarcastic? 3)She clearly has made an error in judgement? 4) Maybe she is a new employee?
Finally, I just shrugged my shoulders and raised both palms to the ceiling in a show of disbelief. I then, now very curious and eager for answers, approached this puzzling lady. I made certain at this time, looking all around the front end of the store...and yes indeed, I was still the only customer anywhere near a register? Thank God I was taking my sweet time, in no hurry whatsoever. After all, my wife was shopping at the Ross in the same plaza, which meant I had loads of time on my hands. So at last, I greet the lady cashier, quizzing her in disgust at this point, already. I was shocked to discover that her nametag stated that she was the supervisor/manager on duty?!?! She politely explained that all the customers form at the beginning of a particular aisle, immediately before the pre-checkout area. To which I replied, "I'm a first time customer so how would I know?" Unlike the vast majority of stores I've shopped at, right alongside my wife usually, this store does not bother to utilize any kind of indication as to where the queue is supposed to form. I was already visibly upset, more than enough to distract me to select "Decline" instead of "Accept" as the credit card readout asked me to confirm the total bill. I was intending to take the lousy customer service matter up with the manager...that is until I discovered that SHE WAS THE MANAGER. Wow, what a disgrace. This is the kind of customer service example you set for your employees? What type of supervisor leads their customers away from the pont of sale? And how many cashiers does it take to checkout one customer with only one item? Well, shockingly, at this store, it takes several employees and a manager, albeit in an inefficient, slow process. And how difficult would it be for several idle employees to post a sign to indicate where the client queue begins? And if I may ask one last question, directed to Harbor Freight Tools Corporate Office. Does your company actually ever train your store managers on how to properly handle and treat customers? read more
