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Discussion » Questions » Business » Don't you hate it when you go to a store and ask an employee where a certain product is and they say...
ProblemCh1ld

Don't you hate it when you go to a store and ask an employee where a certain product is and they say...

"IF we have it, it should be on aisle 12".

UGH

Don't you expect employees to be familiar with the products in their own store? And even if they're not sure, don't you feel they should at least ask another employee or management so they can provide good customer service?

Posted - January 22, 2018
Tags : None

Responses


  • "I stopped expecting service many moons ago."  That way, when it happens it's a treat ... you know, once a year like Halloween.
    (Getting rid of service stations was an early clue)
      January 23, 2018 12:43 AM MST
    4

  • 1713
    I do that because my territory is the front end so I'm not very familiar with the rest of the store, but I would at least ask another employee who may be more familiar with other areas.
    And I can't just leave my spot to show them either, I can get in trouble if I stray from my area unlike other employees because they don't have to watch out for shoplifters. It's always awkward when I catch someone trying to steal overflowing carts and have to listen to their silly excuses while I wait for the manager to show up. This post was edited by Patchouli at December 13, 2021 9:01 PM MST
      January 23, 2018 6:25 AM MST
    4

  • 44614
    I agree 100%. That is why I stopped shopping at Lowe's.
      January 23, 2018 6:52 AM MST
    2

  • 10639
    In large stores, 99.9% of employees cannot remember where every single item is located - and I doubt you could either.  HOWEVER, the correct response from the employee should have been "I'm not sure, but let's go look" or "let me take you to that item".  Even though some customers hate to be taken to an item, an employee should still do so - whether the employee is a clerk or the president of the company.  There is NO excuse for poor customer service! 
      January 23, 2018 9:49 AM MST
    2

  • 2465
    I used to work in retail and when I first started, I was instructed to walk the aisles and become familiar with the merchandise. When a customer asked about a product, it was my job to show them where it was. I never encountered a customer who didn't want me to accompany them. 

    You're absolutely right, there's no excuse for poor customer service. 
      January 25, 2018 10:08 PM MST
    1

  • 10639
    When I first started in retail, all the new employees were required do "go-backs" (stuff people left lying around during the day) to help familiarize them with the store.  

    I often encountered many people who refused to be taken to an item.. sometimes vehemently.  However, unless they physically tried to stop you (and some did) we were to  - (1) Stop what we were doing!  (2) Acknowledge them with a smile and our full attention.  (3) walk them to the product (not just say "its over on asle X"; not just take them to the end of the aisle and say "it's down there").  (4) Make sure the customer got the exact product they wanted (not simply point to the product and walk away).  (5) Ask them if there was anything else we could help them with. (6) GIve them a parting closure (have a nice day, or thanks for shopping (store name).  If possible, we were to get to know our customers and call them by name when we encountered them (in the store).

    I was told by every company I worked for (and stressed to my employees when I became a manager) - "Customer service is your #1 priority!  The customer pays your wages.  The customer chooses where they want to shop.  Treat them in a manner so that they want to shop here".  
    To help accomplish this, we authorized EVERY employee to spend up to $1,000 to make each customer happy by the time they left the store.  (meaning don't worry about shrink or the cost to the store).   If that meant giving away free merchandise, or substituting higher priced merchandise for lower priced merchandise because we were out of stock, or going to a competitor and buying a product for a customer because we were out of stock - then we were to do just that!  
      January 26, 2018 10:50 AM MST
    2

  • 2327
    You can expect an employee to know where an item should be located, but you can't expect them to know if every item is sold out or not - that's just not possible. You may not like their response, but it is a realistic one. 
      January 23, 2018 12:22 PM MST
    3

  • 2465
    The one thing I like about shopping at Target is when you ask about a specific product, they have a hand-held device that tells them the aisle it's on.  
      January 27, 2018 11:58 AM MST
    2

  • 34272
    A worker should never tell you where it is supposed to be at and should never point to it. They should always go with you to find it.
      January 23, 2018 5:59 PM MST
    3

  • 14795
    No I'm nearly an adult and telling me which isle is good enough for me.....Im English and a big girl now plus my parent never moly coddled any of us kids....
      January 27, 2018 3:30 PM MST
    3

  • 23577
    No, I don't hate it at all. I find it helpful. I don't expect employees to have absolutely everything in a store memorized.
    Though I see everyone's various points, I'm more with righty1 and Nice Jugs on this one.
    :)
      December 13, 2021 7:22 PM MST
    2

  • 53509

     

      I don’t hate that at all, it makes perfect sense to me, and were I that employee, it mirrors the response I would give in the same situation. An item could be sold out, moved, discontinued, etc. Additionally, the larger the store’s inventory, the less likely it is that each employee knows exactly where each item is located. I’d much rather be told “if” than to go to a shelf and find out it’s not there (that has happened more than once).

      I try to imagine myself in the employee’s shoes. Some customers can be quite annoying, so I prefer to tread lightly and be respectful of the other person’s position.
    ~

      December 13, 2021 9:00 PM MST
    2