Went into the large Kirkcaldy B&Q today for paint which was to be paid for by a prise voucher.

It was absolutely disgusting to note that only one till was open---on a Friday Afternoon!!!!!

There was another girl watching over this new Pay machines area.

The girl on the only open till was having trouble getting the bar code reader to accept the numbers on a chest of plastic drawers which created a large queue.

Her calls for help went largely unheard.

When it was my turn she could not get bar code reader to accept two tins of paint---ok for one but not two.

Again, she asked for help, but this request brought no resolution to the problem.

After making a scene I eventually demanded to see the store manager.

When she arrived she managed to sort the problem out.

The girl on the till was obviously insufficiently trained on how to operate it in all it's functions.

By this time I told them I was leaving the store with the paint and they could call the police if they wanted---

-great publicity in local papers.!!!!

So, that's how to make money----open a huge store and don't staff it properly.

Buy hey, it's only the customers valuable time that is paying for their massive profits.

After I cooled down I felt really sorry for retail staff that have to work under those conditions, considering their remuneration.

 

After making a scene...

 

After I cooled down I felt really sorry for retail staff that have to work under those conditions, considering their remuneration.

Me too... It's paint, furniture and largely overpriced tools; nothing worth getting stressed or stressing others about it.

Not to mention as well that B&Q openly exploit the Governments mandatory work activity with staffing levels

I beg to differ. It's my valuable time that was being wasted, and I had other calls to make.

B&Q make large profits and employ managers, so why are there systems in place that clearly don't work? and staff that are not properly trained at various levels????

"Evil will thrive when good men do nothing"

Did you not say that the automated checkouts were new? Does someone not need to be exposed to something in order to learn how to use it? Might the manager/trainer have had to attend to something urgently and leave someone for a while? Do systems not need to be trialled to see whether or not they do actually work in their current form or require further development? There's no doubt that everyone's time is valuable to some extent but it's still only a tin of paint...

Might a good man have been supportive of the member of staff who was clearly in a bit of distress and not raise their blood pressure further still by having a hissy fit?

But, if you think it's reasonable to create a 'scene' over someone struggling with a new automated checkout then nothing I type is going to matter really, good luck

Do you know, I get thoroughly fed up with people who comment on the internet without firstly reading threads properly. Where did I say that I was at an automated check out?????

Second line states quite clearly that I was at an ordinary till.

So your opinion, for what little it's worth, is completely invalidated.

It's happening in all major retailers.

One or two staffed tills opened with massive queues and even larger queues at self service checkout with people swearing and punching screens.

Yes, and it will continue as long as the public allow it. Some on here think it's deplorable to create a scene in such circumstances, but if enough of the public did likewise and demanded to speak to a manager, then something might get done. Also complain to HQ in the strongest possible terms.

IMHO, if people accept this level of service, then they must have too much time on their hands. EE phones are worse.

Morrisons have a 10 items or less till. Even when the tills are queued out the operator of the 10 till will not allow customers to use it even if she is sitting doing nothing.

Would've been well funny if you did storm out in a temper, then you could have used some of your valuable (retired!) time creating a new thread in the RLP section.

H

I feel really sorry for shop staff in these situations. It astounds me that someone who's time is so valuable breaks off from presumably important work to go and buy mundane items. I mean, if you're so important you can't wait a couple of minutes you must at the very least be on the verge of a cure for disease, brokering world peace or solving the housing crisis and yet instead here you are making life difficult for some poor shop assistant trying their best.

and that's why i shoot straight through the automated tills , Unfortunately that is the future of retail a couple of staff tills the rest automated . Must admit my niece and nephew love going shopping with us always have a argument between those two as to who does the scanning

I feel really sorry for shop staff in these situations. It astounds me that someone who's time is so valuable breaks off from presumably important work to go and buy mundane items. I mean, if you're so important you can't wait a couple of minutes you must at the very least be on the verge of a cure for disease, brokering world peace or solving the housing crisis and yet instead here you are making life difficult for some poor shop assistant trying their best.

Yeah, it's a shame. A member of the Hamster household used to work for a well know supermarket, oft abused on here. The abuse and lack of respect customers show to shop workers is appalling. It's as if they consider themselves 'above' the people providing a service. A few years back we had a prominent poster on here admit to tipping a trolley load of shopping on the shop floor in a temper.

Sadly it's not just supermarkets and DIY stores, applies to the Motor Trade as well.

H

like the staff member so called serving me whilst on the mobile, then messed up complete transactions on debit card/credit card machine hence card blocked, stating at the time oh! dear I pressed wrong button, then going on to say she had done nothing, so I had to point out that I did not even get near the machine to do the transaction, other staff just looked on in amazement,

= Oh! and no apology, even the card company when reported circumnavigated the issue - OK! so was there a problem = well yes I was 8,000 miles away, lucky I had my debit card to use in an ATM which I would point out cost me local charge also Visa charges on top to use in ATM, = near as dammit £5.00 extra + exchange rates.

This type incident in stores etc whilst serving customers goes on even conversation goes on and the order is then entered incorrectly, sorry but works both ways, more cost now and less service - years ago unthinkable!

Just a thought

Supermarket A and Supermarket B are right next to each other and are identical in all but a few things.

Supermarket A has self service checkouts

Supermarket B Has NO self service checkouts

Supermarket B's Costs are higher so the prices are a little bit higher

Both Supermarkets have to have the same profit line.

SO as a member of the public, are you going to go to supermarket A or supermarket B?

You got it. People want Fortnum & Mason staffing at Aldi prices.

You got it. People want Fortnum & Mason staffing at Aldi prices.

Are you saying that one human is inferior to the other? some people love themselves!

I'm saying people shop to a price and if they want low prices then costs have to be kept down somehow. If you want old fashioned service you have to go to an old fashioned shop and pay their prices. You don't expect the same service in a fast food outlet as you'd get in a high end restaurant.