What is up with Kmart?

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Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
My wife loves to buy stuff at Kmart. Today she asked me to return an item for her. No problem, she has arthritis and cannot stand long. Went to Kmart and the line for returns was 12 deep and one person on duty. The sales rep appeared to be working as slooowly as possible and had that " do not want to be here " look. Got the item returned and bought some stuff my wife wanted. The register people worked with glacial slowness and had the same " do not care" look. Did Kmart do something to abuse the employees? I have never seen such angry, uncaring mopes.

Going to Walmart for some Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30 :-)


work christmas holiday retail and lets see how chipper you are.



No doubt. Soul crushing work.
 
Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
If I shop at Walmart its at 8 AM during the week, I'm in and out within 10 minutes.

Even at the local supermarket, the deli clerks are sooooo slow. If anyone complains, the deli clerks point to the presliced packaged cheese, ham, turkey, etc...


Ha ha ha....really? They just point to the prepackaged items?

I would tell the manager and ask if this is the type of people they hire.
 
Originally Posted By: morepwr
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
My wife loves to buy stuff at Kmart. Today she asked me to return an item for her. No problem, she has arthritis and cannot stand long. Went to Kmart and the line for returns was 12 deep and one person on duty. The sales rep appeared to be working as slooowly as possible and had that " do not want to be here " look. Got the item returned and bought some stuff my wife wanted. The register people worked with glacial slowness and had the same " do not care" look. Did Kmart do something to abuse the employees? I have never seen such angry, uncaring mopes.

Going to Walmart for some Mobil 1 Extended Performance 5w30 :-)


work christmas holiday retail and lets see how chipper you are.



No doubt. Soul crushing work.


Retail is a tough job. Working the holidays is a nightmare....but then everybody with half a brain knows that.
My point is it is still a job. No shame in any work....and if your boss is a tool, find a new job. If the customers are tools....either deal with it or find a new job.
I am always kind to those at stores and do my best to be understanding. But when they are lazy...have a crummy attitude....or treat me like I don't matter, I go to the manager and tell them or I get online when I get home and file a complaint.
You would be surprised how the online thing can actually change attitudes. Yelp and similar websites DO make a difference when many folks are looking to do business. Poor service generally means less business because choices today are everywhere.
 
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Retail is very tough even back when I was working at 15 years old in a supermarket. Lots of people dread their job, but with little education.... what else could the do?

I asked people if the supermarket closed, what would they do???
Their response, look for work at Walmart, HomeDepot, CVS,Walgreens, etc...
 
Luckily it's been 28yrs since I worked a retail job. It was actually a lot of fun back then as a kid making minimum wage. A pleasant environment and their weren't nearly as many A - holes back then.
 
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This is like every retail store experience, it doesn't matter where you go. The biggest issue is they don't staff enough people, so you're waiting in line for half an hour. The poor clerk is standing on her feet 8 hours a day and listening to everyone that had to stand in line complain.

I buy it on Amazon, it shows up at my door same day or next. If I decide I don't want it, I print off a UPS label and drop it off at the UPS store down the street at my leisure. I walk in, lay it on the desk and wave to the clerk. As soon as they scan it, I have a credit on my credit card. Nice and easy!
 
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.
 
Originally Posted By: Oldtom
Did Kmart do something to abuse the employees? I have never seen such angry, uncaring mopes.


Apparently they only hire Zombies or fired Walmart employees.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.


Well it says something when a business structures itself so it doesn't promote from within or otherwise boost the rock-stars within.

It's almost always a morale killer when a new manager comes in "from away" and current staff weren't even given a shot at the job.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.


Well it says something when a business structures itself so it doesn't promote from within or otherwise boost the rock-stars within.

It's almost always a morale killer when a new manager comes in "from away" and current staff weren't even given a shot at the job.


I realize the morale part...and feeling discouraged and ticked at your employer. I've often felt that way.
But to do a poor job...to neglect your duties....and to treat customers poorly? I am solid in my opinion that no excuse exists for that. It's a matter of self pride and ethics.
Kind of lost on most people today.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.



Actually it isn't, it is SMART. You know that many major corporations have certain "expectations" that count on and this is the primary measuring stick they use. Live up to those expectations and you will do fairly well and the work environment won't be too hard to stomach. The problem is if you exceed those expectations it will cause you grief, and frustration, and the company will get more than they pay for from the employee.
 
Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.



Actually it isn't, it is SMART. You know that many major corporations have certain "expectations" that count on and this is the primary measuring stick they use. Live up to those expectations and you will do fairly well and the work environment won't be too hard to stomach. The problem is if you exceed those expectations it will cause you grief, and frustration, and the company will get more than they pay for from the employee.


I don'y believe it's a matter of being smart or not. It's about ethical integrity and personal character.
Sounds more like collectivist nonsense and class envy to me. It doesn't matter if you work for Walmart or a mom and pop grocery store...you do your job the best you can or don't bother to show up for work.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg


I don'y believe it's a matter of being smart or not. It's about ethical integrity and personal character.
Sounds more like collectivist nonsense and class envy to me. It doesn't matter if you work for Walmart or a mom and pop grocery store...you do your job the best you can or don't bother to show up for work.


I agree with you, however these businesses don't care about those things you mention, not with any seriousness. Therefore you live up to the management expectations and don't exceed them. That is NOT to say you don't do a good job and satisfy the customer and provide good service. But if exceed those expectations and expect more from that employer you will likely be VERY disappointed.
 
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K-mart has been in decline since roughly late 2010, when they saved off death in a merge with Sears.

It's a store of a bygone era, much like Radio Shack. I still go there.. maybe a half dozen times a year. For one thing.

Originally Posted By: andrewg
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp
Originally Posted By: 05LGTLtd
I knew a person who was a Walmart cashier for a while. She had the highest number of scanned items per hour in her store, and was courteous.

An opening came up for the cashier manager, and she applied. During the interview, they told her that she was too good a cashier to be promoted. They didn't want to lose her efficiency at the check out, and wouldn't be considered for the position.

Easy to see how people in these positions can be less than enthusiastic.


Never do your job too well working for a corporation. They always see things this way.


That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.


I would counter, it is how the game is played.. If not tgen, then now.

Over qualification is a real fear, brought on by a number of things.
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg

That's a sad way of seeing yourself as an employee of any business.
Very sad.


That's why I'm not an employee of any business.
grin2.gif


I get your perspective on this matter. It's hard to consciously decide to deliver less than the best.

Personally, when I did find myself in situations where the best employees were not given the best opportunities, I walked. After I did that so many times, I stopped looking for a good company to work for and opened my own.

There are, however, many companies out there where it is strategy, politics, popularity, and other intangibles that result in promotions rather than performance. I blame nobody for playing the game to get ahead.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleWasp

Personally, when I did find myself in situations where the best employees were not given the best opportunities, I walked. After I did that so many times, I stopped looking for a good company to work for and opened my own.


Many folks should consider their own biz. I started mine on a shoestring with three kids. It can be done with a ton of commitment and a plan...
 
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