The decline in service quality in recent months

[EvilTofu]

Is it just me, or services are getting worse everywhere?

[Ciel21]

Pick your sales channel: retail stores, website, tv sales channels...

I consider myself fortunate if I find two sales staff at a checkout counter at the Bay and one of them is actively processing sales as other one is usually doing stock/fitting room tidying or some other task. Long wait if current customer is doing a long return process or has some issues with sales transactions. Hard to find staff on sales floor except in late afternoon or evening when it's relatively dead in areas outside of cosmetics (exception is upstairs kitchenwares area-one till usually hopping, the other till is over on other side in menswear-usually quiet).

I make a point to engage helpful cashiers or stock staff (grocery stores/pharmacies/Giant Tiger) on regular basis-say hello, ask if anything exciting or new happened on their shifts, did they try this product or know someone who did...because they matter to me. I've had some good exchanges (provided there's no one right behind me for 2-3min) of information with retail staff this way-they or I each learn something!

Retail staff that are like 20 yrs younger than me have to stop replying "No problem" when I thank them for help or some assistance. I feel like my presence is not welcome whenever I hear that line. The one person in Walmart (not usually a cashier) who said "my pleasure" got an enthusiastic response from me and I explained why he was a rare one!

If I'm in a store (ahem, Winners) and notice a bit of clothing in wrong rack zone and store's kind of quiet, I will rerack a few items if I know the zone is on a nearby rail. Or I will repeg a few things in kitchen linens to make sure all the licensed items are on side by side pegs and all holiday themed towels are together and such. Dislike having to go through 8 towel sets (mismatched) to get at the one licensed item at bag without plastic hook but cardboard tag with punched hole at top. Have to take the towels off to get at that one set! When I'm in a grocery aisle and say the Knorr soup or other dry grocery item in cardboard trays are sold out but trays are everywhere, I will stack cardboard on one shelf spot and maybe use one tray for the few items I'm getting to carry to the checkout. Depends on my pain level, busyness in the aisle and mood! The odd time, I luck out finding an abandoned cart or basket and load it with cardboard to tidy the shelves.

[Ciel21]

I have a personal quest to tackle plastic bags or abandoned pallet film left on the floors of grocery stores (Walmart, Food Basics)-my cane is good as a picker-upper then I look for the nearest trash can. The odd time, a store manager sees me doing this!

[walkonby]

@EvilTofu
It depends on the day, the issue I need help with and of course the business/store that I am in or on the phone with.
The most despised reply I have gotten many times when I've inquired where to find something is the half a*sed outstretched arm of the
worker ( Walmart ) pointing a finger to a random spot in the distance and saying " they're over there ". Then they dash away fast so I
cannot even say " where are you pointing to ? "

Yeah, that really helps me nail down the item I am looking for.

For phone solutions on parcel deliveries I was expecting I have had better service ( amazon.ca ) they at the very least
make it right ( refund or/or sending another ).
On trying to " find " a person in the grocery stores to help me, No Frills wins the Gold Star. very helpful, friendly and TALL workers
have all reached items for me off the top shelves.
FB I have found the rudest workers on the floor, but maybe that was just 2 unlucky visits. Cashiers were fine.

Giant Tiger ( Ajax location ) used to be the absolute best in keeping their cashier line moving, but I haven't been out there in a while.
No need to now as DD's work location no longer out that way.

[coupon girl]

walkonby-i agree asked for help around thanksgiving at no frills and i got the reply" sorry thats not my dept".I took it upon myself to look for an older customer and myself and found the said item .

Or i hate when i get the long arm of doom -over there-excuse me what happened to taking the customer to the actual item .

Not the same as it was yrs ago and i worked in it for many yrs ,i went above and beyond for customers .You just dont see that much anymore but when i do i tell a manager or a supervisor.

[walkonby]

ha ha !! @coupon girl I love your phrase better!! " the long arm of doom ! "

[Ciel21]

M&M Food Market staff are willing to collect items for customers if they are given the list or told which ones are wanted. Saves me some walking if I just need a few things while other customers are using carts and exploring store. I have never used their preorder online system to pick up later. Going to the store is part of the experience. IF staff are busy, I will look at items I don't usually buy to see if something is appealing.
Don't forget your MMrewards tag or card! I sometimes do forget as the membership card is not a steady presence in my wallet.
Can't praise the pre-cut parchment sheets enough! Great for sheet pan meals and baking!

[couponmummy]

For the past few weeks, Maxi has disabled their wifi so it is impossible to price match with f l i p p. We had to use DD's work phone with data a couple of times and very quickly.

We have now reverted back to the stone age where we are price matching with paper flyers.

[HermanH]

For the past few weeks, Maxi has disabled their wifi so it is impossible to price match with f l i p p. We had to use DD's work phone with data a couple of times and very quickly.

Are you able to take screenshots of the online flyers and use them? Some staff will allow it and some won't. I know a few PitA staff at RCSS who insist on seeing the flyer pulled up from the online site, while most allow me to show a screenshot of the flyer. I try to avoid those PitA staff whenever possible.

[SassyAshley]

I believe with Rebee you can open items in your list without a wifi connection. I used to use this before I had a smartphone using my iPod because most of our local stores do not have wifi.

For the past few weeks, Maxi has disabled their wifi so it is impossible to price match with f l i p p. We had to use DD's work phone with data a couple of times and very quickly.

We have now reverted back to the stone age where we are price matching with paper flyers.

[walkonby]

For the past few weeks, Maxi has disabled their wifi so it is impossible to price match with f l i p p. We had to use DD's work phone with data a couple of times and very quickly.

We have now reverted back to the stone age where we are price matching with paper flyers.

lol!! @couponmummy welcome to MY world. Have never owned any cell phone. Paper flyer delivery here is a hit and miss game so I often have to visit 2-3 stores.
Stone Age is an accurate name.

[couponmummy]

It's less hassle to use paper flyers. Some cashiers insists on grabbing our phones so they can zoom in. Like WTF?

I disabled the wifi at home and I cannot open Rebee.

Here in Montreal, they are starting a program where you have to opt in if you want to receive a Publisac. For sure I will opt in. The city even wants Canada Post to deliver them, haha, don't think so.

[johnb56789]

So coming from my side as a Retail and Service worker. I know for me personally, I ALWAYS try to bring my 100% every single day that I work (Even when it works out to be a 14+hr work day between both jobs).

I know I try my best to be polite to everyone that comes in, but it is a mutual respect thing. If I am trying my best despite the long hours to be polite to each and every person that walks in, I expect it back. If people are nasty and mean about things well out of my control (Such as staffing levels), I won't be able to give them that same respect back.

Now I will say for me personally, it normally works, I have had to deal with very few nasty people at my time at both jobs, but it still happens from time to time. So I try to put my best foot forward for everyone, regardless of who they are.

- RCSS Clerk (Multiple departments) and a Client Services Assistant at Community Care

[Ciel21]

So coming from my side as a Retail and Service worker. I know for me personally, I ALWAYS try to bring my 100% every single day that I work (Even when it works out to be a 14+hr work day between both jobs).

I know I try my best to be polite to everyone that comes in, but it is a mutual respect thing. If I am trying my best despite the long hours to be polite to each and every person that walks in, I expect it back. If people are nasty and mean about things well out of my control (Such as staffing levels), I won't be able to give them that same respect back.

Now I will say for me personally, it normally works, I have had to deal with very few nasty people at my time at both jobs, but it still happens from time to time. So I try to put my best foot forward for everyone, regardless of who they are.

- RCSS Clerk (Multiple departments) and a Client Services Assistant at Community Care

I sincerely hope you get a manager job at your store or another one of your choosing really soon! You put in the hours and the effort-surely there's a dept you are keen to "own" and not have to work a second job to get the $$$ you need. Find out what other benefits come with managerial roles...I could totally see you being the community outreach person for your store in regards to food banks and community kitchen programs!

[johnb56789]

I sincerely hope you get a manager job at your store or another one of your choosing really soon! You put in the hours and the effort-surely there's a dept you are keen to "own" and not have to work a second job to get the $$$ you need. Find out what other benefits come with managerial roles...I could totally see you being the community outreach person for your store in regards to food banks and community kitchen programs!

Sorry for the such late reply to your post. I was actually "offered" before I left overnights the job of Assistant Night Manager. But I didn't apply for it, cause the responsibilities with it was not worth the difference in pay ($22.60/hr for Full-Time Clerk work VS. $23.66/hr for Assistant Night Manager). But I do have my performance review here at Community Care in the next two weeks or so, and I am hopeful that I may be able to push my hourly closer to the $20.00/hr rate which would be nice, meaning I could cut back a little more at the Superstore...