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Do you ever feel sorry for them?

February 05, 2009 06:36PM
I had a shop a couple days ago and I really felt sorry for the poor kid that got stuck with me. I had a half dozen managers walk past me and didnt even acknowledge I was there. I finally got one to stop so I could ask for help and he grabbed the closest employee and sent them with me. The employee told the manager "I dont know anything about that department". I felt sorry for the poor kid. I was totally objective in my report and spelled it out just as it happened but i know when the store gets the report that employee is gonna be the one to get spanked.

I've had several were i knew the employee was doomed from the start but had to tell it like it happened. I guess they should have called in sick that day.

So have you ever had a shop that you just wanted to give them a "do over"?
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February 05, 2009 10:34PM
Hopefully the blame will fall where it belongs - to management. They're responsible for training employees. Maybe management will get the 40 lashes.
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February 06, 2009 03:04AM
I had a very nice young man in a gas station (lets call him J,) but there was no gas, only the grocery. I felt cheated out of my $5 worth of gas, and I had to buy 50 cents worth of candy to get a receipt.

A few weeks later I met the former owner at his other station, same gas co. He told me J was a recent African immigrant, rather young, and had tried to please by selling cigarettes without asking for proof age, not realizing the consequences. I guess the customer was a mystery shopper. The owner had lost his cigarette license and the station went broke and had to be closed. He said cigarettes account for most of his income. I felt sorry for J, having caused so much heartache. The former owner manged to give J another job, so all was not lost. I was glad I hadn't been the shopper. Was also surprised to see gas stations make most of their profit from cigarettes.
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February 07, 2009 02:06AM
I did a shop once at an Office Supply Store. They were supposed to have some signage up for a promotion. I needed to get a few things while I was there anyway so I was happy to go. I was at the store shopping basket in hand, and while I was looking at some paper I actually heard the manager say to the employee "I need you to get into the stock room and get those signs up because the mystery shoppers are going to start coming in this week".

I nearly dropped my basket and started laughing. I did feel bad and took my time and luckily they had the signs up by the time I was done shopping AND mystery shopping so I was able to say YES the signage was there. They had no idea how lucky they were!
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February 07, 2009 02:39AM
While it is funny, there is definitely an advantage to corporate to have locations get done what they are supposed to do even if it is just to satisfy the mystery shoppers.
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February 07, 2009 04:33AM
She must have been at Office Depot or Office Max. Staples couldn't care less, at least not here. As I stated a few months back,except at the copy counter, the employees are totally hidden or chatting together. I stay my assigned time and leave.

After I stopped shopping Harmon Drugs, because they had moved to a cheapo MSP, I did an unscientific study. I still shop there for myself, and I tried all 3 local branches. The staff is just as friendly and helpful without my "large unwieldy object" in my hands.
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February 07, 2009 02:27PM
It was one of the two, I can't remember which now. Definitely not Staples!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2009 02:28PM by SusanMB.
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