Zellers Unbrag! First of the Worst!

[redhdlois]

I just had to watch Marketplace on CBC tonight when I found out the show was on 'Canada's Worst Customer Service - Store Edition"

The top three were Canadian Tire, Walmart and Zellers......and guess who won first place!?!? None other than Zellers!!

http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2012/c...stomerservice/

ps....Zellers...hello?!?...I still have not had a response to my email regarding the coupon fiasco that I sent to you on December 29th!??!!?

[couponlovingcanuck]

Haha I watched too! Zellers and Canadian Tire are pretty bad! What I found hilarious is that Walmart was voted the best and worst LOL

[Brynhilde]

I had a good laugh with hubby about that episode last night

[jthompso]

We watched the episode too - not surprised that Zellers was voted the worst. I wish they would have pushed harder when trying to return the coffee pot that was sold to them already used from Zellers. Some mention of couponing at the worst stores would have been nice too. Overall it was good watching.

[sarah_cio]

That was funny that Walmart is the best and the worst...people either love it or hate it!

[osita]

they should mentioned Shoppers drug mart because the time that I go and I asked to any of the employee for help they always rude, some time last week I went to buy a medicine for my son and I ask for it she is like if is not there don't ask for it that was rude I fight her that not the way to treat the costumers and my husband asked me what happen and I told him and he went to told her if you don't know how to speak to the costumers you should't work here

[couponmummy]

I don't think Marketplace was being fair.

If I'm looking for an item and can't find it and there is a clerk around and the clerk ignores you and continues with his/her job and you don't ask for help and waiting for him/her to ask you if you need help, who's fault is that?

If I go to a store looking for a coffee machine, I don't do my homework on best price, performance, etc, and rely on them to tell me which machine to buy, then I'm an idiot.

[couponlovingcanuck]

I don't think Marketplace was being fair.

If I'm looking for an item and can't find it and there is a clerk around and the clerk ignores you and continues with his/her job and you don't ask for help and waiting for him/her to ask you if you need help, who's fault is that?

If I go to a store looking for a coffee machine, I don't do my homework on best price, performance, etc, and rely on them to tell me which machine to buy, then I'm an idiot.

I completely agree with you! If I was going to buy a coffee machine I should do my own research not rely on a clerk. What makes them all experts in coffee machines? And yeah its not like the clerk is going nothing...they are still doing their job, I think you should just ask!

Was it just me or did anyone feel like Marketplace was promoting complaining? Yes there are times where complaining is appropriate but not for little things.

[1cheapb*tch]

LMAO!!! To funny, I was waiting to see if there would be an update to the infamous coupon catastrophy. LOL They got it right IMOA

[marste]

I don't think Marketplace was being fair.

If I'm looking for an item and can't find it and there is a clerk around and the clerk ignores you and continues with his/her job and you don't ask for help and waiting for him/her to ask you if you need help, who's fault is that?

If I go to a store looking for a coffee machine, I don't do my homework on best price, performance, etc, and rely on them to tell me which machine to buy, then I'm an idiot.

I agree, how difficult is it for a customer to ask the clerk who stocking shelves to help you find something. I don't wander around the store waiting for someone to ask me if I need help finding an item, I ask the clerk.

I do my homework too, before I buy items. For one thing I when I am ready to buy I always open the box and have a look. If I bought a coffeemaker that had been used, I wouldn't have waited til past the 30 day return policy to return it, I would have taken it back pronto.

[Babydaisy]

I don't think Marketplace was being fair.

If I'm looking for an item and can't find it and there is a clerk around and the clerk ignores you and continues with his/her job and you don't ask for help and waiting for him/her to ask you if you need help, who's fault is that?

If I go to a store looking for a coffee machine, I don't do my homework on best price, performance, etc, and rely on them to tell me which machine to buy, then I'm an idiot.

Thank you! My sister and I watched this too, and if you're going to Zellers or Walmart looking for an opinion about a coffee pot from a 16 year old making mim wage....you have issues. I would never think of going into a department store as such and rely on a clerk to assist in my purchase. Lower price, lower customer servise in my mind. If I wanted a professional opinion, I'd have to pay the price as somewhere. Most high end stores with exceptional customer service have been wiped out by Walmart.

However, people in retail should have common sense regarding how to treat a customer and how not to. Agree that most don't, becasue they just dont get paid enough to care.

[couponmummy]

I was telling DH about the coffee machine. He said that if you are hired by a company and working in a specific department, then you should know something about items you are selling. I don't agree. How is this person suppose to know everything? Every coffee machine, blender, crock pot, mixer, etc? The most I expect from them that if I can't find it, is there any more in the back.

DH used to work at Astral selling cameras and accessories so that's where he's coming from. He has to know what he's selling. This is a completely different situation.

[TINMACK]

I don't think Marketplace was being fair.

If I'm looking for an item and can't find it and there is a clerk around and the clerk ignores you and continues with his/her job and you don't ask for help and waiting for him/her to ask you if you need help, who's fault is that?

If I go to a store looking for a coffee machine, I don't do my homework on best price, performance, etc, and rely on them to tell me which machine to buy, then I'm an idiot.

I couldn't agree more.

I find Marketplace has ridiculously biased stories that run on way too long with no point. The "experts" they talked to were no such thing.

As well, the three disgruntled customers got more consideration than they deserved. Who orders a photobook from Walmart? Why not order it online from a place that specializes in photobooks? That's probably where Walmart ordered it from, so why not cut out the middle man?

Lawn mower guy should realize that once you put gas in something, it is not a simple thing to return. And the chick with the used coffee maker should have returned it within the 30 days as stated on the return slip.

Last time I heard, Walmart gave coupon overage and was fairly hassle-free in their acceptance of coupons, which is probably why they were liked by a majority of people.

But, come on, if you're expecting to go to a department store and have someone explain the benefits/differences between coffee makers and be "sold", you're in the wrong place. It's a terrible example that doesn't fly in today's environment.

There's a reason the FutureShop guys actually "sell" you and get paid commission - it's their job and they are paid for their efforts.

You can't get a stock person to stock AND sell for an hourly wage - ain't gonna happen. Just like Rogers, Bell,, and the rest are incorrect thinking that their telephone people can process address changes AND sell you something as well. Doesn't happen that way.

There's a reason salespeople get paid to SELL and customer service people get paid to SERVICE(i.e. non-sales related tasks).

You can't have it both ways. Go buy a mower from the independent mower guy down the street that actually services what he sells. He'll actually spend some time with you, go over models, find out what you need. He(should)give you knowledgable service, and a better product, but you'll pay more. Or you can go to Crappy Tire and buy the wrong item and have to take it back with hassle or not be able to at all. What's your time worth?

If Marketplace was truly doing an informative piece, they could have done an independent-to-giant retailer comparison. Instead, they opted for their modus operandi of busting in on businesses and expecting them to drop everything and comment on their "poll". Has about as much weight as the "reporter" who gets comments from 4 people on the street and uses 3 of them. Not much of a sample.

Bottom line, there's a wealth of information out there - have your shopping prepared BEFORE you go. Or, if you're buying a big ticket item, you shouldn't be at any of the three places mentioned to begin with.

And again, you can't have rock-bottom pricing AND fabulous service at the same time. Never gonna happen. Not even when Target shows up.

[coupondiva]

I totally agree with what the above posters said--obviously you trade off "customer service" aka product knowledge for low prices.

When I worked in the Housewares dept at The Bay years ago, we were semi-experts in a lot of the merchandise we sold. We could borrow a gigantic booklet and study it (on our own time) that described all sorts of things from what to look for in a good duvet (thread count, construction, fill materials & weight) to all sorts of small applicance information. We even had reps from Henkles knives come in and do a training session.

If you're going to Wal-Mart or Zellers they are simply not going to spend the time & money to train people on all of that. And in today's digital age consumers really do have the means to do their own research.

Also, most minimum wage earners in these places are over-worked. That guy in the Canadian Tire aisle may have been ordered to put out a full pallet of stock that day & would hear it from the boss if he "wasted his time" helping customers. And the guy that left on his lunch, rude, yes & he should have made sure someone helped the customer, but he may have been scheduled for lunch at a certain time and then would have been working his break for nothing if he did help--been there too!

I'm one of the customers who generally does not want any help from the staff on the sales floor--leave me alone to bargain hunt-lol!

And I can totally see how Wal-Mart was rated both BEST & WORST in customer service. On the sales floor Customer Service is non-existent, and the cashiers are usually not that knowledgeable with coupons and stuff. But they have tons of locations, brightly lit, well-organized and well-stocked stores and the easiest return process of any store I've ever encountered!

denise

[3kids2jobs1mom]

I'm disappointed. They could have done this episode better... it does not reflect a typical shopping day and typical customers do ask for help!!
I don't expect workers to be 'experts' at all - just show me where it is, how much it costs, and if it's priced exactly as advertised in the flyer, what's the warranty, and return policy should be on the receipt.

All stores have their weaknesses...Zellers is definitely the worst in-store and at corporate level.

From my experience:

Zellers: messy and disorganized store with old stock and expired foods, dim depressing atmosphere, difficulties with couponing/etc, usually rude employees with attitudes, cashiers sometimes make up their own rules, managers don't know their own policies, they make it difficult to return things, slow unprofessional corporate response.

Canadian Tire: employees that walk around and do nothing, employees don't know where things are, huge disorganized departments, should clearance things more, terrible prices IMO - fewest sales and promotions.

Wal-Mart: check-out line is usually very long, customer service/return line is also long, sale products are out-of-stock too quickly , PM/couponing can be a hassle with cashiers.