Is Customer Service a thing of the past?

[-=FLEX=-]

Yeah; another rant thread, but seriously WTF is going on in this world today?

When I was a kid cashiers at the grocery had to type in the price of everything and they were fast as hell and still bagged your groceries too.

Now all they do is scan your stuff and they do it like they have nothing else to do for the rest of the day and you have to bag your own stuff. Really? I just spent $250 on groceries and for that privilege I get to bag it myself while the cashier just throws everything at me then stands there looking annoyed while I finish because it's easier for her to scan than it is for me to bag?

And when I was a kid the guy at the full service gas station would clean your windows and check your oil while the tank was filling up. Now the dummy just stands there with his hands in his pockets while the tank fills and I have to get out and clean my own windows. What's the point of him even being there?

I don't even go out anymore because I got sick of male bartenders getting annoyed with me for interrupting their flirting with the waitresses because I wanted another beer.

The fabric of society seems to be unravelling on many levels...

[highiso]

My first job was cashier at a grocery store entering every price & coupon manually then bagging the **** myself. I could make change without having the damn machine telling me what I owed. I did it all with a ****ing smile too. ****s different brother.

Kids nowadays. Wait, I'm that grumpy old man my dad warned me about.

[cowboybiker]

You forgot to mention that back when you were growing up you had to walk to school and back barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways.

Bottled water. What the hell was that? We were lucky if there wasn't too much mud on the end of the hose

[-=FLEX=-]

My first job was cashier at a grocery store entering every price & coupon manually then bagging the **** myself. I could make change without having the damn machine telling me what I owed. I did it all with a ****ing smile too. ****s different brother.

Kids nowadays. Wait, I'm that grumpy old man my dad warned me about.

Oh lawd. Me too.

My first job was at a fast food place. We had a cashier/order-taker and she would just call the orders out and I had to remember everything. No screen showing me what to cook/pack next. Kids these days can have an LCD screen showing them details of every order and they still manage to screw it up. LMAO.

[cowboybiker]

[crupiea]

I shop on base, great prices for groceries but you have to tip the naggers to bag the stuff. Doesnt bother me, its usually a bunch of nice seniors so i always give them a $5.

Our gas stations dont have attendants so you just do it yourself.

You can still get good service at lots of places. If everyone started shopping at a different store, they would get the hint pretty fast.

The lousy service i usually get around here is from people my age, not the younger crowd.

[cowboybiker]

[cowboybiker]

[djflex]

In b4 that one dude....


I hear ya man, people hardly even try to pretend they care about your business anymore

[Bando]

I don't even go out anymore because I got sick of male bartenders getting annoyed with me for interrupting their flirting with the waitresses because I wanted another beer.

Male bartender LOL. must be a Canadian thing.

[Corbi]

The grocery stores here always bag everything up, hell even the ones I have been to in Ireland and Italy bagged it all as well. Maybe it's just a Canadian thing?

As far as full service stations, good luck with that unless you happen to live in Oregon where it's a state law that you can't pump your own gas. Freaked me out when we were just outside of Mt Hood and pulled in to get gas, attendant was right there and asked how much and what I wanted, cleaned my windows, etc.

[kimm4]

Yes, it's a thing of the past and it sucks.

One thing we never had was tip jars...seriously they're everywhere.

Here's a tip...do your fukin job!!

[cowboybiker]

[-=FLEX=-]

Here's a tip...do your fukin job!!

lol'd IRL

[-=FLEX=-]

The grocery stores here always bag everything up, hell even the ones I have been to in Ireland and Italy bagged it all as well. Maybe it's just a Canadian thing?

There is ONE chain of stores here that still bags for you, but they're expensive as hell and I only shop there if I need a handful of things.

In this province they passed a law that stores must charge for plastic bags, and it seems that was the turning point as most people bring their own bags/bins now. We have three plastic bins and I always put them on the conveyor belt first before my groceries and the cashier just moves them along leaving them stacked up and doesn't put the groceries in them.

Does it really take that much more effort to put the item in the bin after they scan it than to just put it on the counter?

[bodyhard]

Yeah; another rant thread, but seriously WTF is going on in this world today?

When I was a kid cashiers at the grocery had to type in the price of everything and they were fast as hell and still bagged your groceries too.

Now all they do is scan your stuff and they do it like they have nothing else to do for the rest of the day and you have to bag your own stuff. Really? I just spent $250 on groceries and for that privilege I get to bag it myself while the cashier just throws everything at me then stands there looking annoyed while I finish because it's easier for her to scan than it is for me to bag?

And when I was a kid the guy at the full service gas station would clean your windows and check your oil while the tank was filling up. Now the dummy just stands there with his hands in his pockets while the tank fills and I have to get out and clean my own windows. What's the point of him even being there?

I don't even go out anymore because I got sick of male bartenders getting annoyed with me for interrupting their flirting with the waitresses because I wanted another beer.

The fabric of society seems to be unravelling on many levels...

FLEX are you on roids man, you have been pissed off lately

[kimm4]

lol'd IRL

It drives me nuts. I went to DD for a coffee. There are 5 kids working behind the counter all texting, didn't even bother looking up at me. I finally yelled, "I'd like a coffee sometime today, which one of you clowns wants to get it for me?!" It got them moving. I wanted to take their phones and crush them into their skulls...makes me rage...

[-=FLEX=-]

FLEX are you on roids man, you have been pissed off lately

No; just generally angry man.

I'm getting sick and tired of a LOT of **** man.

Friday I am pulling into work and this truck pulls out in front of me so I honk and he stops, blocking me further.

I said "Move your truck, *******!" and he says "Shut you mouth before I come over there and shut it for you" Yeah, so maybe I look like a little pussy in my dress clothes for work and my glasses on but he dunno who he is dealing with so I said "I had the right of way; move your ****ing truck!!!" and he says "I don't care who has the right of way!" and I said " MOVE YOUR ****ING TRUCK *******!!!" and he did. LMAO.

Almost had to go bodyhard on him, but I didn't have any quarters.

[thepainter5]

There is ONE chain of stores here that still bags for you, but they're expensive as hell and I only shop there if I need a handful of things.

In this province they passed a law that stores must charge for plastic bags, and it seems that was the turning point as most people bring their own bags/bins now. We have three plastic bins and I always put them on the conveyor belt first before my groceries and the cashier just moves them along leaving them stacked up and doesn't put the groceries in them.

Does it really take that much more effort to put the item in the bin after they scan it than to just put it on the counter?

Seriously Jim????

You just answered your own rant, you pay more to have them do the bagging and you "CHOOSE" not to pay more so it's one way or the other. Same goes for the gas stations, you want Full Service go to the higher priced gas stations.

We have a local chain that doesn't bag and a local chain that does bag and when we choose to shop where they don't bag we know that going in so why BITCH???

And yes Kimm I agree about all of the tip jars, if I bring my stuff to a till or order at the till then no I'm not tipping them for simply standing there, even if they are good looking. Do the job they agreed to and that is that.

[geer_matt]

Some people still have excellent customer service which is why I shop with them almost exclusively. Like Amazon, I don't even care if its a cheaper on Ebay, cause I feel safe with Amazon, I know if there is a problem it gets fixed right away. BoA has always treated me the same way, problem with my account? Here is your money back we will investigate.

[Beerto]

mind=blown that you have to bag your own groceries... never heard of that

[thepainter5]

Some people still have excellent customer service which is why I shop with them almost exclusively. Like Amazon, I don't even care if its a cheaper on Ebay, cause I feel safe with Amazon, I know if there is a problem it gets fixed right away. BoA has always treated me the same way, problem with my account? Here is your money back we will investigate.

I totally agree with being a loyal customer of the business' that show me that they want me to spend my money in their establishments. I simply have to decide if what they offer in the first place is what I want and how I am willing to go about the transaction.

[-=FLEX=-]

Seriously Jim????

You just answered your own rant, you pay more to have them do the bagging and you "CHOOSE" not to pay more so it's one way or the other. Same goes for the gas stations, you want Full Service go to the higher priced gas stations.

I'm not stupid. I know what the low-price bag your own places are and I don't shop there. I don't shop the high end places either. I go to the mainstream grocery stores that are supposed to bag for you. They just choose not to.


No Frills, Price Chopper, Food Basics = Bag your own

Loblaws, Zehrs, Whole Foods, Fortinos, Longos = They bag for you.

Longos is the only place that still bags, AFAIK.

Frick, even Walmart bags your stuff.......but I don't shop there.

[kimm4]

Some people still have excellent customer service which is why I shop with them almost exclusively. Like Amazon, I don't even care if its a cheaper on Ebay, cause I feel safe with Amazon, I know if there is a problem it gets fixed right away. BoA has always treated me the same way, problem with my account? Here is your money back we will investigate.

I use both Amazon and Ebay when it comes to online shopping. They're both excellent when it comes to customer service, never had any problems.

[latebloomingmom]

mind=blown that you have to bag your own groceries... never heard of that

really? we have these automatic check out lines here..you scan your stuff, bag it and pay for it without talking to a cashier..its awesome

[thepainter5]

I'm not stupid. I know what the low-price bag your own places are and I don't shop there. I don't shop the high end places either. I go to the mainstream grocery stores that are supposed to bag for you. They just choose not to.

If bagging is included and they don't do it then that is totally different and I did not infer that from your post. I am suprised that you don't call for the manager and complain and if that did work ask him to exchange a $10. bill for a roll of quarters.

[pvsampson]

Wow.I have never seen a supermarket that does not bag groceries.Some charge extra for plastic bags,they are ALL biodegradable by law,and some dept. stores like Target charge 10 cents for a bag.Service stations that have someone pump your fuel are very few and far between here,and I think tip jars are about as rare as rocking horse s#it!

EDIT: There are some supermarkets that have self serve registers where you have to bag your own stuff,but I only use them for less than 5 or so items.Full grocery shop,all done by the cashier.

[LisaSkinnoble]

I find if I shop at local Mom and Pop stores, the service tends to be better.

I am astounded how service varies from location to location. There is a mall that is very chic and in a wealthy area of Toronto. Fabulous service! I go to the same stores at the Eaton Centre in downtown Toronto, and no service whatsoever. This makes no sense. The Eaton Centre is filled with tourists - don't merchants want to impress them? don't they want those tourist dollars? And, the Eaton Centre is in the Financial District of Toronto where tens of thousands of office workers shop on their lunch hours. One would think the retailers would want their return business as well.

[thepainter5]

really? we have these automatic check out lines here..you scan your stuff, bag it and pay for it without talking to a cashier..its awesome

I personally love those things as most of the time there is absolutely no line for them and they are quick and easy plus they spit money back if you ask.

[latebloomingmom]

It drives me nuts. I went to DD for a coffee. There are 5 kids working behind the counter all texting, didn't even bother looking up at me. I finally yelled, "I'd like a coffee sometime today, which one of you clowns wants to get it for me?!" It got them moving. I wanted to take their phones and crush them into their skulls...makes me rage...

holy crap...I'd have said f*k it and walked out the door