O/T against my better judgement

when I walked into Sears last night I answered the question that the kid at the register asked me, which was "can I help you find what you are looking for today?" Usually I say no thanks because I don't enjoy idle chitchat with strangers but I didn't know where the item was so I made the mistake of telling him.

"Sure" i say, "I'm looking for a set of calipers" immediately he changes the look on his face and says to me "brake calipers"? like it is the first time I've ever been out of the house and I'm an idiot looking for auto parts in sears. "No" i say "calipers, like a measuring device" he responds "for measuring brakes?" and passes me off to another kid who knows less and says somethng under his breath that I know was a rude comment about my intelligence, I start walking and the "manager" says to me "are you looking for a micrometer?" Sure I say show what you have because this all has reaffirmed my theory about talking to strangers. I follow him and he shows me a micrometer on the wall, I immediately grab a set of calipers next to the micrometer and show it to him. I explain that this device which was clearly labeled "caliper" is what I was looking for and it actually isn't designed to stop a car and that maybe the employees of the tool section should actually walk it a few times a night so that they knew what was on the shelves instead of talking to customers like they were the idiot.

The calipers looked like they might last a week and had an accuracy of about 50%, I left......very frustrated

My guess is that you have never worked in a big store that handles a lot of product. I am puzzled that some people expect a clerk to know everything about all things. It is just not possible , regardless of how long they have been employed. Let up. Enjoy life.

while a clerk can not be expected to know every item
they should not jump to conculsions about what the customer wants
however Sears has been that way for years
first wife wanted to buy me a flex head 1/2 ratchet back in the 70's they would not sell her that instead insisted that she buy a breaker bar "because that was what I really wanted"
She tried and that was the last time she bought me tools
She told me to deal with the idiots myself as they wouldn't listen to her.
somethings never change

Ron

That's not true.I have walked into a big box store and those that give a rat's a$$ know almost everything that is on the shelves after being there for a year.They only have to know the section that there in.If they care they go to their computer and punch in what you are looking for and admit when they don't have a clue.I find girls that don't know but want to help are the best as they will get someone of knowledge alot quicker.BTDT.

It is not a matter of working in a big store. It is a matter of having some average intellegents about your job. Having not worked in a big store really has nothing to do with it. Bigness is not always best.
gitrib

(quoted from post at 07:55:01 09/10/10) My guess is that you have never worked in a big store that handles a lot of product. I am puzzled that some people expect a clerk to know everything about all things. It is just not possible , regardless of how long they have been employed. Let up. Enjoy life.

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The local Menards is a good example of a big store that handles a lot of product. Not only do the clerks know where everything is, they can also make a good recommendation as to the product that would be best for your needs. Many of the clerks are younger, maybe high school age and they still know their product.
I've been through the tool section at Sears, it's not huge! The clerks at Sears don't one day work in clothing and the next work in tools, those guys are tool dept. clerks! They should know what the heck they carry. Then to make the customer feel stupid for the clerks own inadequacies? That's just wrong.
The biggest problem is attitudes like yours that make poor service acceptable. I agree with the original poster, the clerk should have done a better job with product knowledge and customer service.

My son works at Lowes. They have manuals on the different lines to study in order to become familiar. I get the impression that basic knowledge is required and additional study and knowledge will bring raises and advancement. He has moved up to better positions four or five times due to learning and getting the attention of the store manager.

well, ya a spades a spade and thats all there is to it. a lot of them are just not interested in learning, waiting for coffee break or smokin happy hay. on the other hand theres a lot that try too. have seen both sides. it frustrates me too.

Local hardware stores DO KNOW THEIR MERCHANDISE>!!!!! and where it's located. Even their part timers . JMHO. LOU

There is an old time hardware store in Dallas. Walk in and tell them what you want. They will take you to it. They know there products.

Theres an even older-time store in Webster MA where you cannot even get the item your self...you walk to the counter, tell them what you want, and they go get it for you. Weird by today's standards.

(quoted from post at 11:08:48 09/10/10) Theres an even older-time store in Webster MA where you cannot even get the item your self...you walk to the counter, tell them what you want, and they go get it for you. Weird by today's standards.

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That probably eliminates a LOT of returns.

I feel your pain, but....It ain't just Sears. It's virtually EVERY business now days. The only thing neglected more than customer service is product quality.

Most employees at Sears are part time. Most employees at Menards are full time with benefits. Menards employees are moved to different departments about every 6 mo, so they learn the entire store. Menards employees also stock the store and work every other weekend. I think they also have profit sharing plan. Ask me, Menards knows how to run a business. Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot could take lessons from Menards.

I was in sears a couple of weeks ago for the last time ever, stripped 2 teeth off a long 1/2" ratchet. I cleaned the broken pieces out so it would turn enough to finish what I was doing. Took it to sears the next day, girl says works good now can't help ya. I do burn, another girl comes with the same story. Told the girls to give it back and it would be a lot less aggravation to just go across the street to farm & fleet and buy a new one which I did.

It's a mixed bag. Here in Michigan there are so many out-of-work machinists and construction workers that you have a better than fifty-fifty chance of finding a salesperson who knows something.

I was looking at air nailers at Home Depot and asked a nearby salesman what he recommended for nailing down roof sheathing. He just babbled back to me, pretty much repeating my questions as if he was answering them when in fact he was not. On the way home, I stopped at another HD and asked a salesman there the same question. Three minutes later I was out the door, nailer and nails in hand, because the second guy answered my questions.

You are lucky to find one person working in each department at my Lowes and most of the time I hear them say, "This isn't my department, the regular guy is sick or on vacation. I don't have any idea where that item is." At Menards there are usually 3 or more in each department. At Lowes you are lucky to have 2 checkout lines. At Menards, I drive into the yard and they load my truck or trailer for me. Which is a big help when you have 44 bundles of 35 year shingles to load. Can you tell I'm a Menards fan?

KYfarm,
I used to get frustrated as well with stuff like that. Then one day, I noticed the "kid" I asked for help in a store was very nervous about my request. He was trying hard to help but obviously didn't know the answer. I kind of put myself in his shoes and realized I was young once and didn't know everything either. Still don't. :lol:

Now, I always give them the opportunity to help but don't get all riled up if they can't. Many times, if the "kid" seemed interested, I've explained what the purpose of what I was looking for. Just recently, I saw a salesman in Sears trying to help a guy buy a torque wrench and the guy kept talking about in-lbs, confusing the sales guy who didn't have an "inch-pound" wrench that would go that high. I explained how to convert to ft-lbs, and they both thanked me.

When I was in my teens, I wouldn't have know what calipers were either. :lol: I find life much easier if I try to spread a little cheer and don't walk around with a chip on my shoulder, itching to get riled up at any little thing.