So, I've been going to the Somerdale Walmart for a while. Sometimes it's good. Other times, horrendous. Between screaming kids or clueless staff, I've learned just to pick my poison and accept it. Because, well, it's Walmart. What do you expect?
When the Walmart+ membership first became available, I thought, okay, this might alleviate some of those stresses. And it did...at first. Then the benefits of having a Walmart+ membership changed. And so did the app. Now, it's back to being the nonsense that is, well, Walmart.
Here's one example of how ineptitude at this particular location works alongside a poor user experience within the app (Walmart developers take note)...
I decided to do a pickup order through the Walmart website. Great. No problems there. Then I receive an email saying it was a curbside order. Huh? I don't recall choosing "curbside" as my pickup option on the site. I thought I selected pickup in-store, but okay, whatever. In the email, a button instructs me to click the "check-in" button when I'm on my way to the store to speed up the pickup process. Okay. I click it. This takes me to the homepage of the Walmart app with no further instructions. Being a more intuitive user, I realize I have to locate my order and click the "check-in" button from there. Yes! No. As it's now met with a "Sorry. We're having technical issues..." pop-up window.
So, I drive to the Somerdale Walmart and try the "check-in" option while connected to their store wi-fi instead. Perhaps it's a proximity issue. Same pop-up alert appears--"Sorry. We're having technical issues..." Fine. I'll go inside the Walmart and right to the service counter since I have no idea what to do next. And obviously, the app is now useless.
At the service desk, I greet the woman at the counter with a "hello, how are you?" She makes direct eye contact but ignores me and walks away as if I'm a ghost. (Who knows, maybe I am?) So, I head to the other two female associates nearby who are packing up pickup or delivery orders. I ask them how I can pick up my order since the app doesn't work correctly.
The associate tells me to go to the curbside location and call the number. "Where is the curbside location?? What number??" My confusion is met with, "Sorry, we can't help you. Go to the curbside location." Fine. I just want my order.
I go back outside the building to search for the curbside location on foot since the congested parking lot presents other issues I'm in no mood to deal with. (TIP: The curbside location is not easily visible nor near the main entrances. It's around the corner, tucked away from view.) And I see that each spot at curbside has a phone number on each numbered sign. Fair enough.
I call the number. Nobody picks up. Instead, I'm greeted with an answering service telling me to leave a message and my number. I hang up and call again. Same thing. I call a third time. Same thing. I'm not leaving a message, as this is just getting ridiculous. The fourth time I call back, someone picks up and HANGS UP on me. The fifth time someone finally answers and stays on the line. I am asked for what space I'm in. "I'm in Spot #16." Followed by radio silence. "Hello?" I ask. "One minute," is the reply. Then silence for two. Then I'm instructed to go to "Spot #1."
After several minutes of standing outside in Spot #1, someone finally comes outside and hands me my pickup order in a Walmart reusable bag. They add that they are giving me the free bag. Too bad it wasn't packaged with better customer service.
Side note: I get an email from Walmart asking me to rate this experience. I give them a poor review and click the submit button. It returns with a prompt that reads, "Sorry. We're having technical issues..." read more