Friday, December 7, 2007

Wal-Mart (aka. The Devil)

Here is a letter I have sent to Wal-Mart. Better known as the devil.

Dear Wal-Mart,


I had never really shopped at Wal-Mart before a couple of years ago. The store near us was so large I decided I would try their photo center. It was the worst customer service experience I have ever had. I swore I would never go back. I called friends and family and told them what had happened. Well, a couple days ago I was talking about paint with my brother. He told me about the Kilz paint. You can get it at Wal-Mart he said. Now I had a dilemma. Good cheap paint and break my boycotting vow or expensive paint at a store I know cares about my business? I decided to give Wal-Mart another chance. I have to say, I have had exactly the same experience. I had to wait 30 minutes in the paint department to get a person. Do you know who I got? Dan from the pet department, Nicole from grocery and Trish from goodness knows where. Apparently, there was no one for the paint department and no manager that knew the area either. So, between the 3 they helped me out. I left the store 1 hour later with 1 quart of paint and nothing else on my list. I have trouble patronizing a store that treats the customers in such an off-handed fashion. Do you know I had sales associates tell me there should be someone in paint and walk away from me when I asked for help? I had other associates avoid eye contact when I tried to get their attention. Some went so far as to walk to the other side of the dividing isle when they had to pass me multiple times and didn't know how to help. I didn't scream or yell, cuss or throw a fit. I thanked Dan, Nicole and Trish for their willingness to help. But how can a store the size of a small town not care about those customers that helped it to grow so big. Here is an analogy for you.

A person walks into the store and the little glutton in all of us jumps for joy. There is food to eat and chairs to sit on while you are eating it. You can buy a TV to watch or any kind of stereo you need if you like movies or music with your food. While you are enjoying life's better indulgences you can have the tires on you truck fixed and by your new eye-glasses to help you see better on the way home. Lonely? You can buy a pet at your local Wal-Mart. Allergic to your new pet? Stop buy the pharmacy to pick-up some medication to clear you right up. Yes, Wal-Mart has every thing you could ever hope to need. Mecca for shoppers. Until you begin to feel sick and you drop to your knees in the middle of the isle. Then they just walk on by trying not to make eye contact as you lay gasping for breath on the cold floor. After all, there are shelves to fill for the living. As you take your last breath you realize that while Wal-Mart can give you a lot they are not really there when you need them. In fact, they tend not to notice you until you begin to stink. At which point Dan from pets, Nicole from grocery, and Trish from where ever come dutifully with shovels to scoop your rotted remains out the door. Thanks for nothing Wal-Mart. This corpse is going to Target.

Sincerely,
Heather Grayson

12 comments:

Melissa said...

I LOVE it! I have thought about boycotting Walmart myself for the same reason! They never have enough checkers, and the managers walk around like they have nothing to do while the lines get longer and longer. These people need to go to JAPAN to learn about customer service!

kristin said...

Soooooo agree with you! (although you worded so much better than I would have!)
I am a die hard Target shopper. Last time I went to WalMart was about a year ago, and I remembered once again why I don't like shopping there!

Megan said...

Okay...well...I've never had such the Walmart experience...I guess I expect that from several places...say Lowes or Home Depot...they are huge places with too few employees. I always feel I have to wander aimelessly until I find SOMEONE who can help me. You did have a nasty experience. I still am cheap though so I'll continue to patronize Walmart, if only for a very few items that I can't stand to pay the price for at Target! You are a very convincing writer, a talent I had no idea you possessed! You x-mas card was adorable! You look so great Heather!!! Sorry we couldn't chat for long enough the other day. My turn to call...SOON!!! Have a great day! Love ya, Megan

kith101 said...

If your buying paint why would you need help? Know what you want research it on the internet and then go buy it. Wal-Mart does not specialize in customer service, they offer low prices. Deal with it.

Grayson Family said...

I don't know this Kevin person - I don't think anyway. But just to clear a few things up. First, the blog was a vent. If you don't like it... don't read it. Second, the reason I need help with paint was because most paint places frown on you mixing your own paint. Second, and perhaps most important, I am willing to pay a little more for people that care about my business.

So, my unknown Kevin friend. Deal with that.

PS. Thanks for giving your opinion without using vulgar words. I appreciate an opinion more when the giver doesn't have to sink to the depths of an adolescent not getting their way, even if I don't necessarily agree.

Grayson Family said...

Another PS for Kevin. You have made me smile. Thanks. I think if I did know you, I would like you.

Deco said...

You called your friends and family to talk bad about wal-mart?

You obviously perfer cheaper prices with bad customer service by "i decided to give walmart another chance"

I dont go to walmart and run to every worker and see how they treat me. I know what i want i walk, buy the item and walk out.

Anonymous said...

This is why I want to quit walmart. lazy customers who come in and expect me to be able to answer all their questions when I have a huge line of other people to ring out and no time to check something they could have easily looked up online. im back in lawn and garden and since there is never anyone in toys guess what...they send me to go check. and i have no idea whether we have a lego deathstar. and since i work at the busiest walmart this side of the mississipi...7th busiest in the world...theres never a break in the lines...people calling on the phone ask if such and such battery will work in their mower...its madness. so come and try to do my job. see how well you can serve the customers.

Unknown said...

Kevin, if Walmart were self serve...all the better because they have no idea what customer service means. Unfortunately you need help to mix paint, scoop up fish and put them in bags, get items from the top shelf with a ladder, etc. So they either need to stop selling items that require customer service or care about their customers.

RePurposeFul said...

KUDOs to Grayson Family for articulating this pervasive problem. I am dumbfounded that this retail giant can even remain in business with the way they treat (or don't treat) their customers, AND their employees! Someone must have sold their soul to the Devil, because there is NO SOUL in that store. They should be ashamed.

Unknown said...

love it>the reason no one helps there is because this giant only pays 8 bucks an hour and is the biggest anti union company in the world>4 of the top 10 richest people in the world own walshit,it is crap!pay your people and they will perform.go target!

Carl Tutton said...

My brother just got a job at walmart. a little bit of me died at the same time. This company is the best model of sweep-and-clear economics. It comes into a town with three stores, one downtown, one in the suburbs and one just outside the town borders. they offer good deals on everything and hire a bunch of good people to run it. once they have bled the surrounding stores dry of customers, they close the two convenient ones and keep the one outside town open because the taxes are cheaper, then they fire all exess employes.
BAM! your town is dead.
you are forced to walmart for everything, including gas