I never know what Trendsource wants for the answer regarding general attentiveness of associates. Do they want a subjective comment or something more objective (i.e., approximately half of all associates made a verbal acknowledgement)?

I use both, "It was delightful that over half blah bla"

The associates were busy with tasks and not attentive.

Each associate I encountered spoke to me or gave me a visual acknowledgement.

Etc

Associates today were friendly and willing to assist...blah blah blah.....

The primary focus in the Produce Department was on stocking rather than customer service!!!!!!!

When the associate didn't know what a blueberry was..I had to re-think the question.....

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

When the associate didn't know what a blueberry was..I had to re-think the question.....

Had similar interactions... I always get a laugh out of some of the answers. You would not believe what I got when the question was on cooking artichokes. Most couldn't identify one much less suggest cooking it. But a blueberry?!?

One of my most recent answers (in the meat department) was "you're better off looking online!" Seriously!

@foodluvr wrote:

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

When the associate didn't know what a blueberry was..I had to re-think the question.....

Had similar interactions... I always get a laugh out of some of the answers. You would not believe what I got when the question was on cooking artichokes. Most couldn't identify one much less suggest cooking it. But a blueberry?!?

Sorry, that was my sense of humor, didn't really happen.....

For a different MSC, when I asked the Seafood associate what spices were good on blue fish, he said, "I don't eat fish." He called his friend from the meant department over who heard my question and said, "I dunno. Have you tried Googling it?"

They're like $11.50 an hour. I don't think they buy a whole lot of blue fish. The Cashier, who is over 55 and said she'd been working there 20 years was complaining because the bus made her late again. I sometimes feel like a hunk of crap that I'm helping to uphold such high standards; high for the circumstances anyway.

@Traveliz wrote:

The associates were busy with tasks and not attentive.

Each associate I encountered spoke to me or gave me a visual acknowledgement.

Etc

^I usually write similar statements to these, or sometimes I'll mention them by department, i.e. "The meat and deli employees acknowledged me by smiling, but the produce associate did not greet or acknowledge me," etc.

Funny thing, my closest store has workers that actually KNOW the answers to my questions....and anxious to assist.....

My advise would be to turn the negative into a positive or don't mention the negative by a "turn". I mean, we all know there are many times when Associates don't acknowledge customers; they have too many tasks, they only want to do their stocking and not deal with customers, they had a bad interaction a moment ago, etc., whatever. I don't spell out everyone who did or did not acknowledge me because that's what the bubbles are for; they tell the story. When these reports are read I'm sure they're read in a cumulative and statistical way. 75% of Associates are acknowledging, etc. So, I only call out what is exceptional and I only do that in the friendliness comment section at the end and I only call out that I would shop at this location because the Deli Associate practiced excellent customer service or whoever did. If the Cashier/whoever was rude or negative I would say, again only in the friendliness comment box at the end, that I would shop there again but would avoid that Department. In the first comment box, after you fill out the attentiveness bubbles, when they say one or two sentences, they mean it. So, Overall, this location was/was not attentive. Most of the Assoc were already helping customers.....

Maybe that's why it takes about ten minutes to complete these reports for me, because I'm following the guidelines. It took me longer to write this than it would have to complete one of these reports.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2017 03:58PM by spicy1.

You're lucky Irene_LA., most of mine are rather blase' about customer service. Every now and then I get a great Meat/Seatood or Deli Associate and I actually learn something or I have fun. Sometimes, when the Cashier/Bagger team hits all of their marks and I see how easy the flow was I get all excited and write a great report in the friendliness part; I would absolutely go out of my way to shop here........

I went to the market just now that I shop, but this was not a shop. The Butcher runs out from behind the counter and says, "Hi, how are you today", you look great...? Totally flirting, we talk for about 5 minute, what are you having for dinner, bla bla, and he showed me a great deal they had 5pds. of ground turkey marked down to 2.99.
i was told to cook it today or freeze it, so, my turkey is now turning into a meatloaf, thank you butcher, it's fun to go shopping. My advice to people that dislike these shops, try and be nicer to the associates, you just may learn something, it's all in the way you ask. I agree I am lucky, after reading some of these posts, can't believe the lack of intelligence about the products they sell. my employees are so friendly, I almost think i know them and realize they are human and appreciate being treated as such!

This is a typical comment on Attentiveness for me.

There were few associates to count, half of which either greeted me attentively or were engaged helping customers. The remainder were involved in production tasks in their respective areas.

On one shop, I asked the produce clerk for a head of cabbage, and he handed me a head of lettuce.

I always thought even a child should know the difference between cabbage and lettuce.....

Today's Associate recommended I choose ripe bananas, less ripe bananas and absolutely green bananas to make them last longer!

Oh, and another thought it would be just nifty to cook shrimp kabobs for twenty minutes on each side. I said to the discombobulated guy "Oh, that's what I did wrong!"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/10/2017 05:05AM by spicy1.