My complaint letter (rant) to Wal-Mart Canada - non coupon related

[ruggerbugger]

So I have been getting really annoyed at my local Wal-Mart in Kingston so I sent a long letter to the CEO, Director of corporate affairs and customer service.

Thought I would share with you all. Its quite the rant lol, I must be PMS'ing and I'm a guy

Here it is;

RE: Issues at store number 3043

Dear Wal-Mart Canada,
I am writing you to explain my frustration with your store located at, 1130 Midland Avenue, Kingston, On, K7P 2X9. Store number 3043.
There have been numerous occasions while shopping at your store since I moved to Kingston a month ago, which have disgusted and frustrated me in a level never reached by any store before. The final occurrence of unsatisfactory customer service happening tonight, which lead to this letter. I don’t feel like I can actually step back in your store, knowing how poor the quality of service is. I feel that since my move to Kingston that I am not accustomed to this poor service at Wal-Mart and will be forced to take my business elsewhere.
Following is a detailed account of situations that I have found unsatisfactory at this location. Please think to yourself while reading this, if you would like to shop at this Wal-Mart or switch to a competitor with better customer service, customer satisfaction and levels of hygiene.
1. The very first occasion I visited your store (July 4th 2011), I had just moved to Kingston from northern Ontario. I brought my girlfriend and in-laws to pick up some necessities for my new house. We proceeded to the “Bed and Bath” area for a shower curtain. The first thing we saw was that everything was thorn open and scattered everywhere. While looking through what was left on the shelves. I had only two to choose from as everything else was damaged. After finding one not damaged I tried to find some hooks to hang the curtain with. I only found one pack with one hook missing.
I tried to get an employee to help me. She stated that she did not work in the department and therefore I had to twist her arm to get her to help me, she didn’t even look busy doing anything else.
She tried to help me find the missing hook and looked under the disastrous shelving unit. She pulled out a large clear bag of trash with food and Tim Horton’s cups in it. I have never ever seen this at any store in my life. My in-laws were just as shocked as I was. I asked the lady if this filth was common here and she said yes, her words exactly were “oh yea, it’s always like this”. The lady took off leaving the bag of trash in the middle of the aisle.
I eventually found the hook and had enough of the place and left. Never mind the ten minute wait in the express lane. We all had a discussion in the car on the way home about how this location was the worst Wal-Mart any of us had ever seen.
2. Another time while shopping at your store one Friday night, I was looking for Aspirin. There were none left in the spot they are usually located at. I asked one of the guys who was preparing items to be stocked on shelves that night to see if he could scan the barcode and let me know if there are any in stock. He told me that there were lots and they should be on the shelf the following morning.
So early that Saturday morning, I went to the store to get some of the Aspirin. The shelf was still empty. There were some managers in the aisle discussing details about the store, dressed in pants and shirts, not like the other employees. They had a scanner and I asked them to check the inventory for me. The manager scanned the item, then told me that none were in stock at all and that the generic brand was the same thing. First of all, please do not lie to me, as I went straight to customer service with the code written down and they told me in fact there were 12 on hand. Secondly, you are not a pharmacist, do not try pass off a generic brand that I do not want. He persisted to tell me they were the exact same thing. Sorry but I have a preference for “Bayer” manufactured products, name branded, I am also a shareholder of the pharmaceutical company. In my opinion it was very unprofessional how he lied to me and then wouldn’t drop the fact that I did not want the generic brand.
I spoke to one of the other managers with him later, in a different aisle about my first trip to this Wal-Mart and how dirty I found it. She shook it off and said we are trying. Well please hire more or better staff to take care of the store front. Nothing has changed since I spoke to her. It is still a filthy mess.
3. Today I was at your store a few times to pick up electronics a few pieces of furniture and cleaning supplies.
· While standing a checkout in the electronics department, a customer called the store to ask if a certain product was on the shelves. The employee said she would check and put the person on hold. She finished cashing out the customer before me in line. As I put the products I was purchasing on the counter, the employee picked up phone and told the customer, that there were none in stock. She hung up the phone and then thought it would be funny to tell me how she “hates people who shop over the phone”, She never checked. Can you believe this level of customer service? This is ridiculous! I would love to know what product this customer was looking for, as I would have no problem sending that company an email about this. I would be livid as a customer or a business knowing this had happened. How does Wal-Mart feel about losing this customers business today and how your suppliers would feel about this? What if this customer was disabled and had to call first?
· On returning to your store after dinner and returning a product that was broken, (No big deal it happens), I had a question about a product I was over charged on. The customer service lady tried to page someone in the bed and bath department to give her assistance. She was working alone as the CSM talked with a friend off to the side about their schedules and children. When she asked for help nobody came to assist her, in fact she got rude looks and remarks in return. I offered to go the shelf and get the sticker for her. I walked over and an employee (*****, more about him later) was standing over in the area doing nothing. Pager on his vest and all may I add. I couldn’t find the exact sticker as all the products were again all over the place, thrown everywhere. ***** gave no assistance when asked. I went back to the customer service desk and told the lady it was a mess over there and I couldn’t find the exact product code and just to forget about it as both of us were getting zero help. What happened to you SCOP (scanning code of practice)? Was I ignored because it was too much hassle to dig through the mess or because they didn’t feel like giving me a refund?
· I then went to the pharmacy to see if the Aspirin was on the shelf. Still none. No help from the lady working in the section, in fact it was a big deal to ask her about it. She said she couldn’t help me before I even asked her my question.
· Then to the furniture section, I tried to get an office chair that has being displayed for two weeks now with none available on the shelf. The last time an employee scanned the barcode to see if there was any boxed in stock he found four. However due to the stocking people working in the back pulling boxes out into the aisles for later restocking. I was told to come back the next day as the manager would not sell the floor model with four in the warehouse.
After being so busy for the last week I tried again tonight. However nobody was around to help me. I eventually found the employee ***** again doing nothing. I asked him for his help and he shrugged and said well I work in toys. He started to walk away from me and I said well can you please find somebody to help me. He acted like it was a huge deal and said he would page someone. I already knew from the earlier experience at the customer service, nobody was answering their pagers. So I said can you please make sure someone shows up over there. He said not really and laughed and took off.
I went back to the office chair and nobody showed up at all. I finally found a restocking guy and he went to see if anywhere in stock. He said there were four in the back still, but couldn’t get at them again. So still none have made it to the store front? I explained to him my frustrations and he too said he hates working there and most the employees are very rude and unhelpful. I feel his pain. He said he can’t wait to find something else.
So I decided I am not getting anywhere so I will just leave with a few kitchen items. I head back to the checkouts and I see ***** again standing at the front doing nothing at all. I call him over and ask him why he said he worked in toys and couldn’t help me, only to find out that he is hanging around doing nothing and that the restocking guy said he should have helped me regardless of department he was in. I told him his help would have been great and would have lead to a purchase of a $150 chair not a $15 toy. He laughed again and I told him I would talk to his manager soon.
This location is not all bad by any means, they have great policies in place that corporate has set in place. Also they have some amazing CSM’s and cashiers, however as you can see the rest has left a bitter taste in my mouth. The terrible staff and training in some cases are seriously lacking, they ruin the experience at the end of the day. The staff shortage and cutbacks are very evident and the store is suffering in respect to this.
My general perception of this store is of poor customer service, satisfaction and hygiene. Three major foundations important to any business. I feel you need some huge changes and I would like assurance I will never feel like this again if you want me to ever continue to be a customer of yours. I am not the only person this month that has serious issues similar to mine with this location and we cannot wait for another location to open as long as it is run better than this. I just moved here and people always talk negatively about this location.
Please review all my comments. I have plenty more and would like to discuss them if you feel necessary, some include serious safety issues and accessibility problems. You can contact me on ********** or email me back at ************
I am looking forward to your response to these issues.
Yours sincerely
RUGGERBUGGER



The shareholder part is true btw, it wasn't about the current coupons.

[kanda]

Ka-POW!! Watch out Walmart, Ruggerbugger is after you!
Lol, seriously though, good job!

[Natalka]

Wowsers, that's quite the tome!

I don't see why you keep going back? Time to shop elsewhere for good!

[ashokia]

Good for you! I was at Walmart the other day at the CS counter, there were five people in line before me and only one person working on the cash while two "Managers" sat back and chatted, ignoring the entire line! Nice to know that Walmart sucks the same amount everywhere, and not just where I have to shop! LOL.

[bargain_hunter_lola]

I totally agree. I'm beginning to hate Kingston's WM also.

I can't believe the girl didn't even look for the item, clearly she doesn't understand what it's like to haul 2 kids under 3 in from the country (30 mins drive) just to get to the store and they dont have what is advertised. I hate that! Now, I call if I'm only going in for 1 or 2 things. I got sick of wasting my time and gas.

Shape up WM, Target is coming!

[Sally888]

Ugh, I wouldnt shop there at all then.

[nadiabreckon]

Very nice letter and you went into great detail about some of your horrible situations...they better get back to you on that!

[ssbean]

What a great letter. I hope you get a quick reply.

[tinkb]

Great letter! I can't wait to see what they say back to you!

[grannyg]

Would love to hear how they reply to your letter...

[ruggerbugger]

Thanks for all the comments everyone. I woke up this morning with one of those feelings, did I really do last night. lol I sent that letter after having a couple scotch. That mixed with my frustration led to quite the letter. Oh well, I got it off my chest.

I don't have a reply as of yet. So I sent it again a few minutes ago, to all five email address I sent it to last night.

I will probably get some generic message they send to everyone. I will let you know either way what their response is.

[Nancybot]

Seriously folks...

How to write a complaint letter
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002121.html

How to complain
http://www.howtocomplain.com/info/cl-template.shtml

Shocked people think that was a "good'" letter. There is a reason so many here report not getting a response...if you come across as nuts/customer they don't want they aren't going to bother. If its a wall of text no one let alone anyone important are going o read it.

[Nancybot]

If its too much to go to the link and read

"
General Tips
Try to make sure your letter is sent to the right person or department
Try and keep your letter short
Be polite as sarcasm or rudeness will not help your cause!
Say what you want for your complaint to be resolved
"

[ruggerbugger]

1st post?? Troll
I'll oblige

I actually didn't sit down with any intent of making the best letter ever. It didn't have to be structured correctly IMO, I didn't even feel like reading it over. I was just happy to have a drink and get that crap off my chest. Sent it to some people at Wal-Mart and I guess we will see if I do in fact get a reply.
I would confidently say I spend much more than the average customer at Wal-Mart, so they might think I'm nuts or don't want me as a customer, their problem not mine. If I owned a business like that I would be shocked at the poor customer service and would do a lot to make sure that it didn't happen to anyone else.

Thanks for your insight though. I will make a structured plan for my next one, if there is ever another one

Seriously folks...

How to write a complaint letter
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002121.html

How to complain
http://www.howtocomplain.com/info/cl-template.shtml

Shocked people think that was a "good'" letter. There is a reason so many here report not getting a response...if you come across as nuts/customer they don't want they aren't going to bother. If its a wall of text no one let alone anyone important are going o read it.

[MillieH]

Your letter was just fine, it wasn't filled with some of the angry sarcasm I've seen others do. You had valid points and addressed your concerns in a respectful manner.

1st post?? Troll
I'll oblige

I actually didn't sit down with any intent of making the best letter ever. It didn't have to be structured correctly IMO, I didn't even feel like reading it over. I was just happy to have a drink and get that crap off my chest. Sent it to some people at Wal-Mart and I guess we will see if I do in fact get a reply.
I would confidently say I spend much more than the average customer at Wal-Mart, so they might think I'm nuts or don't want me as a customer, their problem not mine. If I owned a business like that I would be shocked at the poor customer service and would do a lot to make sure that it didn't happen to anyone else.

Thanks for your insight though. I will make a structured plan for my next one, if there is ever another one