Change Is Hard

Have I complained here about our local grocery store’s lack of customer service? I know I’ve complained about it plenty on Facebook.

When we first moved to this little rural town back in 1992 we had to drive over 6 miles to a grocery store. I know that doesn’t seem like much, but one of the routes took you over the same railroad tracks 3 times, and back then there were no crossing gates which made me nervous.

I used to think about whether I really needed whatever I was out of before I’d make the trip.

Then a few years after we moved here a big brand new grocery store was built only 2 miles away. And I didn’t have to cross the railroad! I was thrilled! The new employees seemed thrilled! 

Life was good.

But over the years the employees have become unhappy, complaining bitterly about their hours, their breaks, who’s working where, who got what shift, when they get to leave, who’s on break…it’s never ending. I really don’t want to hear it while I’m getting my groceries scanned and bagged. 

And since Covid there’s no employees to bag the groceries, so I end up doing that myself. I’m a really bad bagger.

And most of the time there’s no cashiers either, the store forcing everybody to go through the self scanners, even with full carts. They even installed a couple of the self scanners with long chutes down to the bags so you have room to do big orders. Of course that doesn’t work well because after you scan it all you still have to go down there to bag and by the time you do that the next person is sending their groceries down the chute. 

Routinely only one set of self scanners is open, they don’t have enough employees to man both sets. So that means there are a total of 3 self scanners, plus two with long shoots for big orders and most of the time no human cashier. 

It’s a big store, lots of people shop there. I have no idea why.

The lines are long to use the self checking stations, often half way down the aisles. If there’s a checkout person working the lines there are even longer. I’ve tried different times of the day, tried evening shopping, tried middle of the day, middle of the week. It doesn’t matter. There’s never adequate staffing at this store, and those that are there are the most unhappy people I’ve ever met.

The last time I stood in a line with more than 10 people ahead of me, just to self scan a few items, I decided enough was enough. When I got home I logged into their silly survey and told them I’d no longer be shopping there, and don’t bother calling me to explain the shortage of people.

Then I moved my business to the grocery store in town. Same company, worse parking lot, longer drive, more traffic, but the employees are nice! They’re friendly, they’re happy, and they always have at least two cashiers working, and all 12 self scan stations open too. I haven’t been in a line there yet.

And they always thank me for shopping there.

The store is set up differently and it takes me longer to do the shopping, but I’m slowly figuring out where stuff is. Today when I emerged from the aisles a cashier was waiting in front of her empty station. She caught my eye, asked me if I was ready, and when I nodded yes she said “Good! I’ve been waiting for you!” 

We chatted as she rang up my groceries. There still wasn’t a bagger available, so I did that while we talked and she scanned. She asked what I used dried cranberries for, and said the salmon looked good. 

We laughed about something.

I told her I was driving out of my way to come to her store because the people were so friendly and happy. In fact, I said, look at the back of the shirt on the cashier in the next lane! It said “Fresh, Fun, Friendly!” ”Oh she said, that’s our motto!”

Well, that’s the reason I drive all the way here, I told her. She stopped bagging my groceries and looked me in the eye. ”Did you used to shop at the Davisburg Kroger?” 

She nailed it. 

“Yep,” I said. She nodded and said “We get a lot of their customers here.”

Give that woman a raise. Customer service is not dead, and I have hope.

I will drive further, park in a small cramped lot, endure wicked traffic, and smile while bagging my own groceries if someone smiles at me while ringing up my order.

Lesson for Kroger: It doesn’t take a lot to increase your bottom line. All you have to do is keep your employees happy. Management matters.

No doubt about it.