Kroger Jackasses

[CathyInBlue]

Why would they fire anyone or even punish them for that matter? We keep coming back no matter how we are treated.

Funny. I'm going on a grocery run later today, and my route takes me from Wal-Mart to Sam's to Aldi's. Both Sam's and Aldi's are within sight of the Kroger's, but my route doesn't take me to Kroger's. I don't go to Kroger's as a matter of course, because all of my grocery needs are met by the other vendors for a lower price. I only go to Kroger's if that is not the case, if there's a product I want, but can't find at my other vendors, or if the price on a given commodity is rising at my regular vendors, I'll investigate what its price is at Kroger's.

Seems I recall a story about Russia dealing with the fall of Communism. The retail establishments (and their employees) had to start dealing with up-start Capitalistic competitors and their patronage fell. When they finally tried to understand the hows and whys, they discovered that the competitors trained their employees to be courteous and helpful, while the established stores' employees were still mired in the mentality of the old Communist order, which was essentially employment for life, no matter what, very much like a western labour union. The people suddenly had the option of going to the establishment stores with the same, stale, surly attitudes from employees, or to the newly minted Capitalist outlets where employees were nicer, and they voted with their feet. It was hard to retrain the employees in the establishment outlets, but the ones that didn't, without the mandate of the State to prop them up anymore, failed.

 

[KittySlayer]

Must be lucky, the employees, at my Kroger, in Peru, are very helpful, and friendly.

On Saturday, I had to run into town to get some supplies for making beef stock from beef bones. I grabbed 5 items, they had two lanes open, I would have been 2nd in each lane, which is no big deal, but a guy ran over, and opened another lane just for me, he said no since in waiting, I paid, and was out in a snap.

I am regularly impressed with the employees at my Kroger here in FW. The location I go to has a lot of neighborhood customers on Food Stamps (EBT?). This requires an extra effort and patience on the part of the cashiers for qualifying and non-qualifying items. The cashiers are patient, helpful and usually smile. I have experienced the same open an lane instantly too.

Sometimes people just look for a reason to bi... and moan. While I do not work at your Krogers I can offer some help. To find shaving cream in most Krogers I have been too you just turn right as soon as you walk in the door and it is shelved near the pharmacy. If that doesn't work then turn left and look in the other corner of the store.

The recent batch of youth seems to have stepped it up in the last couple of years. There was a period when I had lost hope but there is a new batch of kids that seem to get it and are willing to help this old man. I find lots of stars working minimum wage jobs that will be moving on to higher pay in the future.

 

[littletommy]

We usually drive past Kroger on the way to Meijer, just a much better group of people to deal with. Our local Kroger has gone down hill in the last few years, and it seems they want to attract the foodstamp and wic crowd. Going to Kroger is like being in an episode of walking dead, almost as harrowing as going in Walmart.

We go to Tennessee several times a year for a week or so, and we go to a Food City grocery store while there, it is night and day between that place and Kroger, nice people, friendly employees, and if anyone see's that you may be having trouble finding something, they immediately offer to help. I rarely ever have to walk the cart to the cart corral as there is usually an employee working in the lot who will cheerfully come and get the cart when you are done unloading it.

 

[jkaetz]

Employees of most stores are not serving the customers. They are serving the store. The store likely doesn't offer much incentive for exceptional customer service. As in Office Space, that will only make people work hard enough not to get fired. The art of making people work for you by offering positive re-enforcement has been lost by most. Combine that with people's inflated self worth and you get the level of customer service in most stores. The workers that do put in the extra effort don't stay in those type of jobs for long, the rest don't realize they can do better.

 

[Snapdragon]

Had a cashier get a bit freaked when we rolled into her lane with 2 carts full of goods. Said she was not wanting to work that hard.

I had this happen at the bank once. Had a couple of garage sales and then went to the bank with about $800 in singles (before they had the bill-counting machines). The teller rolled her eyes and gave a big sigh. I said, "You stand here and count money all day; what's the difference if it's mine or somebody else's?" Another sigh.

 

[KittySlayer]

I had this happen at the bank once. Had a couple of garage sales and then went to the bank with about $800 in singles (before they had the bill-counting machines). The teller rolled her eyes and gave a big sigh. I said, "You stand here and count money all day; what's the difference if it's mine or somebody else's?" Another sigh.

The second sigh may have had her counting out my money as I withdrawal everything in my account and close the account.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

if i ever get super-rich, i'm going to buy kroger and make every store sponsor a softball team with the stipulation they be named the kroger jackasses.

no krogers around here, i am on the southern end of strack and van til territory.

 

[bocefus78]

The last couple of times I went to my local Kroger I never even saw an employee. I went in, picked up my junk, went to the U-Scan, paid, and left without seeing another human being.

This is exactly what they want you to do! Then they can hire even less competent workers with less people skills.

It comes down to they (In their eyes/heads) are not getting paid enough to care.

18 years ago, I cut meat for marsh. The meat cutters were the highest paid employees of the store, and probably made near or even to what the assistant manager was making. For a 18 or 19 year old kid, I was making good $. We took pride in what we did...my store was the #1 or 2 meat selling store in the chain (Castleton-before the new Marsh on 82nd Street was thought of).

I bet that wage has dropped since then, and cost of living has increased 4 fold at the minimum.

 

[mom45]

The Kroger store in Plymouth has had many of the same employees for as long as I can remember. I have yet to encounter one who was not helpful or friendly. They have a great bunch working there. They still take your groceries out to the car for you and are always bringing the carts in, etc. I'm glad we have one of the good ones by us as that is my favorite place for groceries.

 

[femurphy77]

Exactly.


AND... There's a drawer in the NOW that the handle keeps falling off, near the sink in the doctor area. I borrowed a screwdriver from your colleague and it lasted for a day. Any chance you can stroll through there? I think it needs a longer screw, or some epoxy

Put in a work order, no favors here!!!!!


I'll get someone over there to FIX it!!

 

[Jomibe]

Kroger in Brownsburg is the same. Rude, lazy employees. The place is always dirty.

We've been hitting up the new Meijer in Plainfield here recently.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

Although your specific experience was with Kroger I think it's a little unfair to single them out. **** Poor customer service is just a symptom of our society on the whole breaking down and becoming less civil every day. As we have moved farther away from a civilization that accepts personal responsibility and move more towards a society of "victims" this mentality permeates civilization at every level. If we keep it up just think how bad it will be in another 50 years. Total meltdown?

I'm a little different than your average INGO member when it comes to Kroger. I despise those people, and I'll explain why. Kroger hires my company to provide their stores with a few different services, so I am in multiple locations on a regular basis. Without exception, every manager I encounter is an A-HOLE. They basically act like you're there to steal from them and that your presence is an affront to God himself. After thinking it over today, I had my company's logo on my golf shirt, so I wonder if this lady saw that and thought I was there to work. I'm beginning to wonder if Kroger creates a culture that encourages managers to almost abuse their vendors, or if in fact their customer service just sucks that bad.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

It could have been worse.

She could have licked your pliers.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/break-room/363847-cashier-lowes-hates-me.html

Believe it or not, I'm actually a pretty simple dude. Treat me with a little bit of dignity and keep your spittle to yourself. Everybody happy, happy, happy.

 

[femurphy77]

Sorry to hear that Doc! There's no call to treat anyone, even/especially vendors or contractors that way. Sounds like there's definitely a cultural problem with them, I rarely go into Kroger so don't have any personal experience with them.

 

[Snapdragon]

On the other hand, sometimes you can't give good customer service even if you try. I am a secretary in a busy ER. I often get people calling in who are sick, hurt, worried, or grieving. I try to offer kind words and help them as much as I can, even though I am not allowed to give medical advice. Sometimes they just need to vent or validate what they already know.

I have been told by my supervisor that I'm "too nice" to people on the phone. I was told to just answer their question and hang up, and quit trying to make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

On the other hand, sometimes you can't give good customer service even if you try. I am a secretary in a busy ER. I often get people calling in who are sick, hurt, worried, or grieving. I try to offer kind words and help them as much as I can, even though I am not allowed to give medical advice. Sometimes they just need to vent or validate what they already know.

I have been told by my supervisor that I'm "too nice" to people on the phone. I was told to just answer their question and hang up, and quit trying to make everyone feel all warm and fuzzy.

It sounds like you try to go the extra mile, and I would certainly appreciate that. All I want is to be shown a minimal amount of respect. This lady's tone and attitude was off the charts as far as rudeness goes.

 

[Snapdragon]

It sounds like you try to go the extra mile, and I would certainly appreciate that. All I want is to be shown a minimal amount of respect. This lady's tone and attitude was off the charts as far as rudeness goes.

Agreed. I am continually baffled by how rude people can be. I simply don't get why people would act that way instead of being nice.

 

[littletommy]

I'm a little different than your average INGO member when it comes to Kroger. I despise those people, and I'll explain why. Kroger hires my company to provide their stores with a few different services, so I am in multiple locations on a regular basis. Without exception, every manager I encounter is an A-HOLE. They basically act like you're there to steal from them and that your presence is an affront to God himself. After thinking it over today, I had my company's logo on my golf shirt, so I wonder if this lady saw that and thought I was there to work. I'm beginning to wonder if Kroger creates a culture that encourages managers to almost abuse their vendors, or if in fact their customer service just sucks that bad.

I've had a few relatives who worked at the local Kroger when they were in high school, they all said the manager (same lady, still there to this day) was a complete and utter *****. I guess that's why the employees never smile.

 

[halfmileharry]

I've got a friend that bags at Krogers in Indy. He's been doing the same job at the same store for as long as I've been back in Indiana. 12-13 years now I guess.
He never spoke or acknowledged anyone I could remember. I thought he might have been mentally challenged or at least slow.
I ran into him at O'reilly auto parts about a year ago and the difference in personalities was astonishing.
We began talking and I found him to be a very pleasurable, educated, and outgoing person.
We're friends now and I asked him why he had that work personality at Krogers. His answer was simple. "It doesn't matter what you say or what you do in that job. It's wrong. No need to try to explain what happened. I just shut up and don't interact with anyone now"
I guess some jobs are just that way. Rules and Regs prohibit some from going the extra mile. "No good deed goes unpunished"

 

[JTScribe]

I'm a little different than your average INGO member when it comes to Kroger. I despise those people, and I'll explain why. Kroger hires my company to provide their stores with a few different services, so I am in multiple locations on a regular basis. Without exception, every manager I encounter is an A-HOLE. They basically act like you're there to steal from them and that your presence is an affront to God himself. After thinking it over today, I had my company's logo on my golf shirt, so I wonder if this lady saw that and thought I was there to work. I'm beginning to wonder if Kroger creates a culture that encourages managers to almost abuse their vendors, or if in fact their customer service just sucks that bad.

I've had similar experience as a vendor to them as well. They certainly don't invest any money into their technology infrastructure, then they like to hammer their vendors when equipment starts breaking.