Customer experience in Wal-Mart

So I should research and note the phone number of a big box store before I visit it in person? Right, that makes for a great customer experience.

I have very little patience for poor retail shopping experiences, and I won't hesitate to walk out the door if I have one. I'm not going to get out of my way (and pay for phone calls) to get what the store should already be providing.

It's funny; I had an incredibly similar experience (involving electric razors, no less) that I mentioned in my blog a couple weeks ago. You can see it at http://www.voxinc.com/blog/too-much-customer-service/

I enjoy your C.E. insights. Thanks.

I avoid these kinds of things by just not shopping at wal-mart. It's not worth .05-2 bucks when Target, Best Buy, and Gamestop get you what you want, help you out when you ask, and most importantly, actually care about keeping the store clean, looking good, and organized.

Maybe, instead of taking the store phone number with you, should take your business to a store who cares enough to serve you. Otherwise, you continue to economically support a way of doing business that stresses poor employee-customer interaction because it makes the end products cheaper. Continue to support that type of store, and pretty soon you won't have the option to go elsewhere. Maybe this has already occurred in your area, and that's why you were there. If that is the case, I would rather use Amazon.com that Wal-Mart.

Personally, I value the experience of human interaction in stores, so I vote with my wallet and support those types of stores that value me.

In all the Walmarts I've ever been in, the pharmacy has plenty of benches because it's often full of the elderly descending on the place for their prescriptions at the same time. Why weren't there any benches there?

I would expect this trouble if you went in the middle of changing the night shift, something A.M., but then I don't recall ours locking up the razors.

this is quite a silly story, and in truth not very useful. many large stores have an answer service at another location, often in another state. if one really wants to max the technology, then call before to inform them that you are coming, a sort of one way appointment for the locked cabinet. but in the end, it makes more sense to buy it online. i recently needed a new printer. went to 3 or 4 sites to read the reviews. found a few models that would be great for my need and in my budget. then i went to amazon, order the best printer, and the next morning it was at my doorstep. i did not have to carry it, except from the front door to my office. plus their no hassle return policy is great. i am not trying to sell amazon, they are but one example of many that for me, make shopping easier.

It seems the real problem in this situation (or at least the one thing that could be reasonably easy to fix) was with the razors being locked up (this is assuming the store wouldn't be able to quickly fix it's poor customer service). In these larger retail stores, sadly I've come to expect poor customer service and poor knowledge from staff (it's amazing how the smallest of things can enhance your experience when you set the expectation bar really low. LOL.). So, this means knowing what you want or need before going in is paramount... as well as (in this case) being able to just pick it off a shelf and pay and get out... The quickest "fix" of this experience could be the store putting the razors in an unlocked display. It seems the store could do an equal job of protecting the security of these razors without actually locking them behind glass (magnetic devices placed inside the box, etc.)... then you can help yourself like you do with 98% of the other products in the store, and rave about the great customer experience you just had (because, of course, you set your expectation bar really really low).

It's sad but true. One time I tried to find a stores number by using the internet on my phone. We stood back and watched two hot girls get helped as soon as they walked in the door. So after 50 mins of waiting in a store that wasn't that big, ( never could find their number) we walked out the door and went to game stop, game stop had two hot girls working there who asked us what we wanted as soon as we walked in. No, I don't work for game stop, I"m just saying it was a nice turn around.

In my area, we have a normal sized walmart and for a while it was the place to go for good prices if you could handle the shopping on your own and the wait in the checkout line.
Then a new Target opened up about the same distance away. The difference in my shopping experience was so much better that I find it really hard to go back to walmart. The employees are helpful and nice, and once I'm done, there are always plenty of checkout counters and short or no lines to get me out of there fast.
Now that I have this stark comparison, my patience with walmart has reduced significantly.

I totally agree that this story proves that shopping at Wal-mart is to be avoided, not that keeping store phone numbers in your cell phone is a solution. However, if you ever do need a business phone number, I highly recommend Goog411 (http://labs.google.com/goog411/).

I put it in my cell phone right after the service was announced, but didn't use it until a couple weeks ago when I thought I left my debit card at a restaurant. I called Goog411, talked to a computer with no trouble, and was hooked up to Green Mill in under a minute. Very usable!

Calling the store is an okay option, but be prepared to puzzle through multi leveled phone prompts. SUCCESS here is measured on your own personal ability to gain the attention of those employees who are passing you by. The fastest way to motivate a Big-Box store employee is to communicate that the longer you are in the store, the bigger the mess they personally will have to clean up will be. And sticking with the basics, always begin by clearly using the employees name. This will more times than not help establish a human connection to your problem. They are going to try to run and its your job as a customer not to let them get away or at least let them know they will have a harder time hiding their envolvement in your poor service experience.

To GM's comment, it's NOT a 'silly story' - it's about horrible customer experience. She explained that the item wasn't for her, she was helping out her in-laws who have difficulty with transportation. If they have troubles with that, I doubt they're as web-savvy as you & I are. It wasn't an option.

In similar cases, like some others have mentioned, I've walked out. I understand the hassle when you are aiding someone else shop - and perhaps their budget excludes other stores but... I'd be tempted to bring them to another store. If they are elderly and infirm that can be a problem and I sympathize.

I hope you emailed/phoned the company's complaint line or, at the very least, filled out a customer dissatisfaction card.

No matter the bargain, you were lied to by four (4!) staff members. I would NEVER shop there again (for myself).

Seems to me that the real issue here ends up being one of employee commitment, possibly somewhat clustered in with employee salary and/or ability to (easily) find employment.

Look up the mobile customer service satisfaction surveys that have been done recently. It is going to take a lot of people bringing attention to the issue before things change; the C-level desk jockey doesn't care if the 18 year-old ignores you, especially as long as you keep working to make the purchase.

Our family doesn't shop at Wal-mart anymore, and we manage to do just fine. One thing the whole megamart phenomenon has got me doing is actually paying *more* for things to buy them locally and support the local economy. It's true, like a commenter said above, that we vote with our wallets. I make a good living, so I can afford to pay an extra $20 to buy a pair of running shoes at the store on Main St. rather than some big box. We get fruit and vegetables from the Farmer's Market in season, and pay a lot more than at the supermarket, but the taste is incredible. We've been sheltered from the true cost of things and taught that items should cost less than they actually do. What happens is that we get lead-painted toys because the factory owners and the 8-year-olds in China who make the toys have no investment in the quality of their products.

It would be interesting to quantify the lost revenue from frustrated customers that walk away from the locked cabinet without even asking for an employee. And, aligning that figure with the annual shrinkage figures to determine the true value of locking the product away.

We reinforce bad service practices by supporting chains that put volume and low prices ahead of the customer. If you want service, and you can pay a few cents or bucks extra, go to the local stores.

It's not unfair to hope for a good experience at a big box store, but it is unreasonable to expect it. When you tell a company you value low prices and volume above all else, they will cut corners, usually on customer service. While we should encourage companies to provide better experiences, the best way to do so is by voting with our dollars. Spend a little more at a local store or chain that truly values, and needs, your business.

I work for a company that provides technology to retail stores and have personal interaction with retail management from store level up to executive. I have found that each and every person in retail management cares about service and the customer. What they struggle with is getting the average employee to care in the same way. I think that your approach was brilliant -- and I would guess that you'll find prompt and helpful service from anyone in retail management -- should you be able to find them. (PS - I never travel without the customer service for my airline in my cell phone -- beats waiting in line at an airport should trouble arise.)

Those who were unsympathetic to the plight of Pat from Charlotte apparently failed to READ her letter. It was no mean feat to get Pop to the store, so walking out was not an option. I am assuming that price was a factor in choosing a big-box store.

I'm not quite as nice as Pat, however. After getting Pop seated, I would have torn through the store to find assistance and all but physically dragged a clerk to the display case.

Then I would have followed up by calling Corporate with my complaint and demanding a refund in the amount of the razor.

that is what i love about shopping online. i purposely avoid stores like walmart. i have no expectation of ANY quality or service from places like that. i'd rather pay the extra money to avoid the terrible experience of being in walmart.

Walmart sucks and is killing small shops.

You may find the documentary "Walmart Nation", which recently was previewed at the Montreal Film Festival, of interest. It's not focussed on customer experience, but you get a good idea how the lowest price mantra drives everything else, to the detriment of a variety of other things, CE included.

http://walmartnation.com/

-k-

I had (almost) the same experience recently at Wal-Mart, but my experience involved the one hour photo department. I stood in line at the customer service counter while talking to a customer service rep at 1-800-WALMART because nobody would help me in the store. I vowed never to go to WalMart again.

A week later I got an apology call from the site manager, which was a nice gesture after that frustrating experience.

I never shop at the place so I never have the experience--elementary, I suppose.

Well, you feed the beast while the smaller stores with better customer service and pay die out because of your actions. They suck out thousands of $ from out taxes because they do not pay their employees enough and they end up going on medicaid. You sleep in the bed you made, cheap bastard.