OT: Do you really expect quality service from the Borg?

[mel]

It simply amazes me when I see people act like they expect quality and knowledgeable service from a huge corporate profit center such as Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart or such. I mean... really? Do you really expect to pay the low prices, have the huge inventory selections and someone to wait on you who knows as much about all the products they carry as you may about the few items you've come shopping for?

We've created the need for these supercenters out of our desire for a convenient one-stop shopping location. Get out of our way, we know what we need and how to use it. Oh? You're not going to hire people who know as much as we do and pay them what they are worth and still keep these huge selections and low prices?? You mean out of the thousands or hundreds of thousands of items you carry you aren't going to guarantee that you will diligently make sure each and every one of them are properly marked and priced and located within easy reach? You mean you're not going to hire 150 professionally trained people and place an adequate number on each isle that knows exactly what each item is used for in his/her department and also know what each and every item is and where it's located in all the other departments? You mean I might actually have to wait in line and be waited on by someone who wasn't also trained and taught what each and every item is and how it's used? Well I never.... how dare those self centered, selfish,greedy corporate businesses act that way. That's exclusively OUR right as a consumer.......give it to me cheap, quick and accurate...

Come on....really? Think about this the next time you get frustrated at some young kid who may be trying to find his way in life, albeit poorly, or the next time some elderly person waits on you that doesn't have a clue but is just trying to make ends meet and keep a job that provides medical insurance, or that girl who is trying to keep this job because she keeps losing jobs from all the time she has to take off to take care of her baby ever since that dead beat husband of hers left and won't even stand up and be a man and pay his measly court ordered child support which doesn't even come close to the amount he spends on beer per week. Think about this the next time you feel that you've been mistreated.... The laws of probability are inevitable. Eventually we all make mistakes. Do you compensate everyone when it's you making the mistake?

[Dave Balderstone]

When they advertise their services as providing all the above, do we not have the right to hold them to that standard?

djb

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Well, have you listened to their advertising? HD says "you can do it, we can help". Is holding them to that standard too much to ask?

In truth, I don't expect or rely on them for serious help, but if they want to tout that they can, it should be backed up pretty well. They have poster in the store showing the employee and how much experience they have. Where are they when we need them?

No, I don't think HD can staff the store with professionals and still sell the volume at cheap prices. So, if you can't, don't advertise that you do. Ed [e-mail]

[mel]

believing in advertising is a whole nuther topic...lol

[mel]

that's like saying you expect the burgers to look like those on the commercials

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

I suggest the book "Affluenza" as required reading.

A good part of the book is about how WE are killing off mom and pop stores, and our own Main Streets, in search of a lower price or a bigger mall.

Barry

[James D Kountz]

Bottom line? Yes I expect them to offer all that and everything else they advertise or DON'T ADVERTISE IT. Its that simple. What if I went out tomorrow and started a huge advertising campaign promoting my ability to custom build any kitchen, complete in only 72 hours installed. I figure what the hell, I'll tell people that to get their attention. Then when folks started complaining I simply stand up and state "Oh come on now people you didn't really expect me to be able to come through on that did you?" This is ridiculous. And your sad tales of woe about the kid starting out in life and the elderly person working just for the medical insurance? You forgot to mention the poor ol broke cabinet maker who's losing his ass because he spends all his time at the damn store trying to educate the employees there so he can sleep well at night knowing he didn't take advantage of one of these poor individuals. Totally ridiculous.

Jim

[Swingman]

My bet is that it's going to hurt worse than that. Next time you're at a grocery store take a look at where the produce comes from... it wont' be long before we won't be able to feed ourselves, it that isn't the case already.

[Larry Laminger]

I believe they (the borgs) are the ones who created the need. Exclusive purchasing rights and other dealings that their money can buy make it impossible for the mom&pop's to exist. Cut off the enemy's supply line and he will die. Then there is no choice but to deal with the new regime on their terms.

At some point in time, I hope, folks will once again be responsible for their own actions. They'll no longer be able to blame their lot in life on somebody or something else. It's come to the point that every set-back or failure is not in the hands of the individual, it's somebody else's fault. I'm so fed up with the "Look at me...I'm a victim and need special treatment" craze that's sweeping the nation. What a slap in the face that is to every living creature that has worked their own way through their own crisis.

We all make mistakes. Most of us learn from them. There's more incentive to learn when you're held accountable. Excuses just pass the accountability on to someone else.

That said, I refuse to be a victim when forced to go to the borg. I don't expect the folks there to do much more than take my money and help me load the big stuff. Sometimes you gotta raise a little stink to make even that happen.

[mel]

I didn't realize that was your only choice for doing business.....but let's be realistic....honest advertising?? Seriously? Dude if that's the standard you expect you're in for some serious disappointment.

[ATP]

There are some pretty good people at Home Depot- not every employee, but they usually have a few retired/semi-retired types who are actually pretty decent.

[mel]

well I hope you aren't insinuating that compassion is special treatment. In my example the girl wasn't necessarily wearing a victim badge around her neck to justify her lack of education....and as far as unpaid child support goes....that lot in life is almost exclusively placed on the woman

[Dave Balderstone]

No, it's demanding that companies live up to their publicly advertised commitments.

djb

[todd]

[John]

They go out of there way to say they have these pro's and we all know there BS'ing us. My brother used to work for them. He is a carpenter and his back went out so he took the job there since he couldn't bang nails any more. They didn't care at all that he had skills. It's a big fat lie....

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

That's also in the book.

Barry

[B a r r y B u r k e J r .]

Believe it or not, you can provide good customer service at any age. We've got two EXCELLENT 20 year olds in the bike shop They're rare, but they do exist..

I think the atmosphere of a BORG eventually gets to all of their floor employees. How many do you see smiling? How many avoid you as you walk down the aisle towards them? More money isn't always the answer either. Check out the HD web site employment info. Managers work a minimum 55 hour week. I can't imagine spending 55 hours a week or more in one of those places.

Imagine dealing all day long with Johnny or Jane DIY'er, demanding to know why a Square-D breaker can't fit in a GE box? And they need to know it RIGHT NOW, because they've got stuff to do! This is, of course, while they carry they Dunk-a-chino in one hand and relay the info via Nextel to their spouse? I can barely stand the customers in BORGs, and I'm rarely there!

Barry

[Larry Bud]

But there's some common sense that needs to be thrown in as well. If I bought every golf aid out there claiming to add 5, 10, or 20 yards to my drive, I'd hit the ball 500 yards.

[Larry Bud]

All I ask is that there's a few people on the floor to help me FIND an item that I know what I want. I'm certainly not going to ask advice from them. Just tell me where it is. I don't think that's asking alot, since it was the same people that put the product on the shelves in the first place.

That's not asking much. This ain't brain surgery.

They should know where it is. They work among this stuff 8 hours a day. Even I know where to find most items at my local Borg, and in the year I've lived in my house, I've probably spent 30 hours in the store.

You're trying to justify bad behavoir with more bad behavoir. I don't accept that.

Are you a borg worker? Sounds like it.

[C]

In southern Wisconsin we have Menards and Farm/Fleet. I was looking for a Moen replacement cartridge the other day. The cartridge was $9-10 at Menards and Farm/Fleet and nearly twice the price at HD. When I questioned the price, the lackey at customer service stated it must be a different price. In any event I would have to prove that Menards and Farm/Fleet were selling for less and then HD would give me the same price.

I have not been impressed with HD from the day the first one went up in our area. Prices are not low. Quality is not always apparent. Customer care is lacking.

The local hometown store has very high prices. Quality is perhaps a tad better but most of what is for sale is also at HD. Customer care usually is superb.

Where does one go for good value these days? Seems as though everything is geared around profit and not customer satisfaction.