Reader Shawn submits this photo that he took at Home Depot. The sign begs you not to leave the store if you’ve experienced bad customer service…
Shawn says:
I thought my fellow Consumerist readers would enjoy this bit. A photograph (from my cell phone) placed on the entrance of the Las Cruces, NM Home Depot. One would expect such customer service as a matter of routine business. Instead, it takes a world-wide economic collapse for people to actually do their jobs.
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I just read this to my wife, who used to work there for a few months. She laughed and said that for every key she’s ever needed since that job, she’s just walked up to the machine and made the thing herself after tiring of waiting for some lackey.
I appreciate a sign like that. It lets you know how to get a manager’s attention to clear a problem “right now,” and at least gives the feeling that thy actually do want to do something about it.
I’d like to see similar signs at more retail locations…
I’m glad to see an effort. If there was a phone at the exit in many stores I go to that had the same offer (pick this phone up to talk to the manager, who is committed to improving your experience!) then I’d be a lot happier with most of my shopping. Not that I’m demanding, I just have that meek look about me that screams to employees “ignore this guy! he won’t make a fuss!”.
That said, I always felt there were 3 types of employees at my local HD:
1) The Gazelles. These were by far the most common employee. You would only catch a glimpse of them off in the distance as they would lock eyes with you, freeze for a half-second, then sprint off into the Savannah.
2) The Squeaky-Voiced Teen (name stolen from the Simpsons). This is the kid who when you ask him where they keep the, oh say, copper pipe cutters and he looks baffled for a few seconds, then stammers “uh… uh… well… uh… we have some… hammers… over like… there?”.
3) The Oddly Overexperienced Former Contractor. Why does he work there? No one knows. Some say he went nuts one day on a job with the nail gun. Others say it was sniffing carpenters glue. Whatever it is, he knows a lot. Too much. And he takes pleasure in demonstrating it. “Hi, where can I find some MDF quarter round?” you ask him, and he leans back a little, looks you up and down, puts his thumbs in his suspenders, and asks you back “Well, what grommet diameter are you installing it on? Cuz if you have spacer trimans across the grommet brackets and you don’t shore them up with tailor trusses, then you’ll get cracks through your support joists and you’ll lose the whole wall, I reckon.”
I think they should probably post this at the ENTRANCE rather than the exit, when people are already all pissed off and ready to high tail it out of there.
In Winnipeg, there are now greeters who ask you if they help you find something the second you walk in the door. Total opposite of the past at HD.
My recent Home Depot experience:
Attempted to purchase a box of 1000 staples for my staple gun. Box is $3.95. Get to checkout, box rings up $39.50. I point out the error, and cashier says ‘Sorry, can’t help, it is what it is’.
I asked her if it made sense that a single box of staples would cost $39.50. Cashier says ‘Sorry, I’m not responsible for the prices.’
I ask for the manager. 30 minutes later, manager arrives. She asks ‘What my problem is’. I explain, and she sighs and asks me why i didn’t just go get a different box of staples if I didn’t like the price.
I walk her to the shelf with the staples, and point out that the SKU on the box and the SKU on the shelf match…the shelf says $3.95.
We return to the customer service desk, and after she plays around with the computer, she discovers that when they ‘scanned the inventory in’ they scanned the single packs in under the bulk pack pricing. It’s corrected, I give her a $5 bill and leave.
I didn’t get an apology, a thank you for pointing the error out or anything…just an attitude and some grunts.
I would also like to point out that they have the Wal-Mart syndrome…10 checkouts, but never more than one open at any given time. Lines are typically well into the shopping aisles.
I figured the problems were just because I live in Memphis, but evidently this is a nationwide phenomena.
How about their $0.50 per piece “cut fee”? My truck was in the shop, 10′ poplar would not fit in my car. Could not find a person to cut it for me (had them call several times!), it looked like it was a common occurance since there were several NEW hand saws in the isle that others had used. *I* Spent 1 minute cutting it in half, when they rang it up, they charged me $0.50 per piece as a cut fee! That was 50 cent for EACH PIECE of the same board that had only 1 CUT!!!!
I asked the the cashier about it, they charge that fee for the service. I explained that I cut it and that it was only ONE cut. Doesn’t matter, if I found the scrap on the shelf, they would have charged me that price for the cut fee as well. As for me cutting it, I was not allowed to do that! I wish I could have charged them the CUT FEE, especially since I used a hand saw, or a inconvenience fee since no one would cut it for me!
I use poplar all the time, they lost a lot of sales, now I just order it and wait.
@metaled: Many moons ago when I worked for Home Depot, we only charged the cut fee if someone requested a ridiculous number of cuts. The policy was that we cut lumber so that it will fit in your car, and that’s free. But if you show up with a long list of measurements and expect us to do your project for you, you get to pay for all the cuts.
The cut fee was written up on the slip with the SKU, not decided upon by the cashier.
There was very little about HD that was reasonable when I was there, but that policy made sense.
@nsv: Northridge Calif. Store. It was the only thing I went in for that day and it was added by the computer, store policy. The poplar was sold by the foot, no slip or SKU’s or anything…. that was the topper on a long list of problems I’ve had at 4 HD stores. I hate them with a passion now. (besides Poplar costing 2x the going retail rate, I won’t even mention Maple!)
I have every conceivable saw at home (several in my truck), I wouldn’t even trust them cutting butter!
Now that there’s a new Lowes within driving distance of the Home Depot near me I’ve shopped at Home Depot for the last time. I wrote to H-D corporate and they couldn’t be bothered to contact me, so I can’t be bothered to spend my money there.
Fair trade?
I just wish they would stop asking “can I help you” and just be around when I have a question, I’m in that place at least once a day and there have been MAJOR changes over the last few months, some for the good others, not so much. There is a fine line between good customer service and annoying your customers.
There was a time when Home Depot was a place for contrators,builders and tradesmen to be able to get nearly all the materials they needed.Now,those people have to go elsewhere in order to fulfill their orders.HD is more of a grocery store for the “weekend warrior” carpenters.Their materials are warped,twisted or bent due to their practice of storing them in extreme heat,drying most of the woods to abnormal conditions.I go in to my local HD and the staff usually doesn`t know shit about what I want but will always call the manager.Give me the lumber yards they put out of business but couldn`t replace
I don’t go to HD because it’s clear on the other side of town. But the Lowes on my side is hit or miss; some days I find a helpful person, some days not.
Whenever I go into the Tools section, however, the male employees won’t help me (I’m female). One time I was looking for drill bits and a CUSTOMER had to help me find them.
I can’t win with them. The best thing is to just wait til Saturday and go to the Ace hardware downtown. They almost always have what I need and are VERY friendly and helpful. I’d rather give them my money even if it means I have to put off my project for a couple of days.
I don’t understand the criticism. I haven’t had a single bad experience with Home Depot to date. But their customer service has gotten better. I recently purchased alot of heavy items and the cashier asked if I needed help with them and I said yes. In no less than 1 minute someone was helping me.
It seems that Home Depot at least is making an effort. Regardless of reason, it is something that is good to see. Many companies seem to have forgotten that good customer service is tied to profits and isn’t just some additional expense.
It’s amazing that the CEO decided downgrading their employees to save money was a good idea. That place is huge, most people go there needing advice on a project, let alone where to find something. Also self serve checkout lanes without offering something like a 5 percent discount was a horrible idea. One piece of that gutter downspout or PVC pipe doesn’t have a bar code on it and they guy behind you trying to buy a ball peen hammer or a machete starts looking pretty miffed at you.
It’s good they’re trying to change things though, got to give them credit for that. The big challenge they have is finding people who know how to tile, paint, or have experience in construction but will work for the wages they offer. It might actually be easier for them to hire people in those trades because nobody is building or selling houses these days.
I just got let go for tardiness. Six years and an excellent service reputation in the community. I was the shark on the floor and have over 10 years of experience. If you want to deal with not much more then a bunch of snot nosed kids or associates that are threatened on a daily bases. The last I heard there is an initiative that if they see poor service you could be dismissed.
Again threaten the associate with the doom and gloom.
Next time your there ask the associate how they are treated and do they like working there.
I saw an associate in Target walk back up and down the aisles looking for a customer to correct his mistaken directions. I thought that was really nice of him!
When he found her, and led her to the correct spot, she seemed very happy!
I visit the Home Depot in New Rochelle New York on 3/18/09 and it was a damm shame, service was very poor, lines were long, and there was very few sales people working.Whats the matter hire some people. Lots of folks are looking for work. I Had to put the stuff down and leave,It was taking up too much of my time.store are dirty, and shelf are not stock properly.I can just imagine what goes on the weekends.
I love the cynicism here, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I have always had a great experience when going to HD. Got great advice on how to fix the door frames my cat clawed to pieces and everything I needed so the job turned out perfectly. I was clueless and the associate took his time and explained everything. Last time I was in I was looking for plating advice on a Norfolk Pine I got that was in rough shape. The guy recommended the plater size plus all the other stuff and now thetree is thriving. I think that instead of going into big boxes with a massive chip on our shoulder, we can go in and let ourselves be surprised…
NinjaMarion : A good observation on knowing or predicting how an employee will actually do on the job .
The reliance on a computer to prescreen your applicants takes away too much . I would venture to say a lot of babies get thrown out with the bath water with computers as do a lot of devils get through the process . If you know what to put on the application or what to answer on the tests you get hired . But is that the best way to find employees ?
I think that’s why everyone seems or acts the same in a store – because of computerized hiring .
I work at The Home Depot and wanted to join this discussion. As a company we are focused on improving customer service, and it’s great to see our Las Cruces store get creative like this. Improving customer service is a main focus for us. We hear from customers every day who are seeing these changes; and feedback from customers on this site and others is an important part of our efforts to identify where more resources are needed.
What I particularly like about this sign is that it is clearly an effort designed by someone within the aisles of that store – not a packaged corporate message from offices far away from this community. I enjoy hearing about specific, unique ways our stores are getting back to our customer-focused culture. That means our Las Cruces store is moving in the right direction and has the culture in place to focus on our customers.
Sarah, Home Depot Communications
Atlanta, Ga.
At least at Home Depot, I haven’t had to show a clerk that a “1/4-20 x 3″ bolt actually existed! At Lowe’s, I sent my sister to get four of them to secure her son’s bed, and the “Hardware Assistant” informed her in no uncertain terms that there was “no such thing”…
Sarah/HomeDepotInfo, that’s great, but I think it would be better if all companies went back to the old, gold standard of excellent customer service (and paying their employees a living wage!) that used to be the NORM. Now when we hear about good customer service, or an effort to reinstate it, it seems as if it’s the exception. Which is why sites like this one exist.
That is the stupidest sign I have ever seen. What a pathetic sign of the times (no pun intended).
Instead of having sign makers on the staff, why don’t they hire people who understand what “customer service” means.
at 6.40 PM on Sat. 21st of March 2009 I went to 980 3rd Ave. NYC 10022 Home Depot location to repeat my prev. purchase of Epoxi paint. I encountered a very united gang of 3 at the paint desk.a woman and two men.I was attacked and lynched and traumatized with rude treatment .I finally paged the manager but Fitmi was absent ,instead a nasty man name Steve Jandovitz came along and went into a coference behind the desk only to come out and say we don’t have epoxi paint any more.And for my complaint I could not have any of these 3′s names but only his and since THIS IS MY STORE(he declared!)I want you not to buy from us any more.He and the rest of the criminals surrounded me and threatened me and not only I did not get to place my re-order but I felt like I was going to be physically harmed by this monster.Please break up this nast alliance against costomers and uproot this infected liability in that store.I have shoped there for 2 years and had never been this badly abused.
While I have had no problems getting help when looking for something, Home Depot’s return/exchange process SUCKS!
Up until a couple of years ago, an exchange could be processed at any register in the store. So if I needed to swap something out, I’d go find the correct item, go to a register, and they’d do the rest.
Now, you are FORCED to go to the returns register, which inevitably never has anyone there to process returns because they are doing double or triple duty working the customer service/special order desk. Or there are 3-4 people in line, most missing receipts but wanting a credit back to their card or cash refunds. Instead of voiding the current transaction, they just stand their idly while the bozos yak on their cell phones trying to get someone to find the receipt. All that just to try to exchange a $3 item!!
@barty: I’ve been in line waiting to checkout several times when a cashier waived me over to what I thought was full service checkout ( not lit as self checkout ) . Here it was self check-out which I loathe . So rather than watch me fumble through the transaction the cashier did it for me . There have been other times where I think I’m to going to a full serve checkout and again it’s self checkout and at least one time the cashier stood ,filed her nails and tried instructing me without moving her feet .
If I use self check out I want a discount . I refuse to use voluntarily use them . The prices are high enough to justify an actual cashier .
Home Depot puts a sign on the door asking if there’s anything they can do for the customer and yet trying to get an actual cashier half time is a wait .
The manger’s just trying to do the best job he can, even if the employees do not.
He’s just doing a better job.
Good for him.
Ha! I wish that had been in my HD last night. It was a Tuesday night and not a soul was in site. There were about 20 or so customers wandering around and 2 check out stands open. No employees to be found helping customers. We walked around in the lumber department for 15 mins unable to find help and then we gave up and left. What a joke! I wish small scale hardware/lumber stores still existed…at least in So. Maryland!
Home Depot has one particular problem, no matter if the associate is part time or full time, the manager is the oppurtunity. He or she is the reason for the failure of that particular store. The company does not put leaders in the managers position, they put incompitent, egotistical, pulse salary failures. Look at it’s last CEO.
Their customer service still sucks in Santa Clara. After getting help from a Saleswoman for a bathroom vanity, she walks away to help a couple for a kitchen while in the middle of helping me then says she’ll get someone to help me but no one ever appears. I was livid after waiting 30 minutes more then walking out and calling the manager.