The Early Shopper Gets the Worm and Poor Customer Service Wins Again

An early morning pit stop at an area grocery store turned into a full fledge service call. Or more like a call for better service. I made the early morning stop to pick up some snacks to help get me through the work day.

I chose this store with the belief it would be more affordable and quicker than most. After entering, I had a moment of indecision that would end up delaying my life 15 minutes.

Those few moments of rethinking my initial decision allowed an early shopping bird to get the worm.

In other words, the person with a 100 items beat me to the checkout.

After the initial, ugg how long will this take thought- I flashed back to my grocery days and how we always called for help in these situations. The office personnel, or stockman or even management member would come to our aid.

So I decided not to commit an act of shopper rage and slam my things down and exit the premises in psychotic manner, but instead wait for help to arrive.

Well after a few moments and no call for help had been made I knew this wasn't good. Then another in -a -hurry -got- to -get- to -work -customer appeared. We shared looks of disgust and disbelief as the 'early bird' and 'worm' discussed college football.

We decided to start up our own conversation.

She had chosen the establishment for the same reasons I had. Affordability and quickness. But now we were in agreement that the over-priced competitor across the street or the retail giant down the way might be our future choices

As we talked, the sound of coins being counted in the office filled the airwaves.

I still couldn't believe that counting coins or stocking shelves was more important than quality customer service.

I repeat in the old days, which was only 15-20 years ago, someone would stop what they were doing and check. They may have grumbled but they did it. Back then we realized that if we made the customers mad and they quit coming, we wouldn't have the coins to count or the shelves to stock.

Finally the 'early bird' and 'worm' parted ways and it was my turn. Still wondering if the clerk just didn't think of calling for help, I asked if she was really the only checker. She replied that she was.

Retailers listen up. Have a back up checker at all times. The coins will still be there. It may take a little longer to count them but they will wait. Customers may not.