Consumerist
Home Depot's CEO, Frank Blake, responded to Matt's complaint about being unlawfully detained by the Washington D.C. Metropolitan police after refusing to show his receipt to a Home Depot employee.
Here's his response:
Frank Blake, CEO of Home Depot, writes:
Mr [redacted]: I apologize for the bad service you've received from us (and for the detention)! But I thank you for taking the time to send this note. We are working hard to try to re-direct our company and deliver the customer service you should expect. - Frank blake
Matt responded:
Mr. Blake,Mr. Blake responded:Thank you for the prompt reply to my e-mail. I wish that my e-mail to you had been more concise and brief, but I was pretty frustrated at the time.
I received a voicemail around lunchtime from Bryan Dennison, the manager of the Washington, DC store. He apologized and invited me to call him back and to come and meet him to discuss the issues.
I did just that; he thanked me for bringing my case to his attention, and told me that he agreed with a lot of the issues I raised. Bryan took over managing the store a few months ago, and has apparently worked to tackle the many problems that have plagued this store for years. I met the various store managers on duty, who all apologized for the store's poor performance. Apparently, Bryan has brought in several new managers to improve the store.
Since I was planning to go to Lowe's this evening to look at replacement windows Bryan asked me to give his staff a shot to try and win me back. In the end, I was impressed with the service I received tonight, and wished that all the employees I'd met previously were as friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful as Wayne in the windows/millwork department. By far, Wayne was the most helpful person I've ever met at Home Depot. He completely understood what it means to do a project yourself, and related to this being my first time installing replacement windows. After speaking with me and understanding that I'm pretty handy and comfortable with home repairs, he answered all of my questions and explained to me what I needed to do step-by-step. With Wayne, I felt like I was back home in southern Virginia, where people are friendly and the folks at the hardware store are happy to take time to help.
As thanks for me giving his staff another chance, Bryan said that the one window I was going to purchase tonight was on him (I was going to purchase only one tonight, as this is my first time installing windows, and wanted to attempt one first, then buy others if I am successful). Hopefully, I'll install it with few problems, and can come back for the other 2 that I need at a later time, and eventually for windows for the rest of my house.
As I was leaving, I did ask about the policy of checking for receipts, and Bryan said that it's an issued he's raised with his superiors at Home Depot. I told him that I hate being treated like a criminal after buying merchandise, and he seemed to understand. I ask that you seriously consider this policy, as I know personally several people who no longer shop at Home Depot as a result of the receipt checking. In addition, I hope that the staff, security guards, and any Home Depot-paid police officers will be trained to understand that customers cannot be detained for simply not showing a receipt (there must be some suspicion that they have shoplifted), and the checking of receipts is voluntary.
Thank you very much for your time, and I sincerely appreciate your taking these issue into consideration.
Thanks,
Matt
Thank you for your note and for giving us another chance...also thanks for calling attention to Wayne. I'll make sure he gets recognized appropriately. To be honest, I didn't know about the checking of receipts until I received your note. So your note will have a broader impact as I look into our policy and the associated training.- Frank BlakeWe are genuinely impressed with this response. Way to go, Home Depot.Sent from my BlackBerry
(Photo:IHP)
Comments
sounds like they ,home depot, handled the situation fairly...i've never been asked for my receipt at home depot or lowes....just at sam's club where they check your basket at the door.....wally's world (wal-mary) will check you if the bell goes off at the door.......
That's great. But what really concerns me is that DC police officers are enforcing receipt checking. In general, I'm of the just-show-them-the-damn-receipt philosophy. But if people want to be stubborn and refuse, that's their right and the police need to respect it.
I'm a native Washingtonian and love this city to death. Fenty, give our cops some training on this!
@HOP: My WalMart has grouchy grannies checking everyone's receipts; I've been permanently banned from the store for refusing to allow them to do so.
i can be fairly verbose myself, but jesus can't this guy write a succinct note? I'm actually feeling sorry for the CEO for having to read through these multiple epic saga emails from this guy.
Nobody seems to compain about Costco checking recipts at the door? Is it because everything else they tend to perform exemplary customer service outside of this, or is it because they promote it and explain how often they catch people trying to leave the store without a large item or two. They frequently catch mistakes and give people goods they paid for, but were missed, like stuff on the bottom of the cart.
--
Kevin
[velcroman98.googlepages.com]
@Kevin Cotter: It is because Costco is a membership club where they get to enforce such rules through their membership agreements.
@Kevin Cotter: It's the same as Sam's Club. You have to sign a membership agreement to shop there, and a part of the membership agreement is that they are allowed to check your receipt as you leave the store.
Is it annoying? I think so, but you don't really have a choice. If you don't like the terms of the membership (receipt checks being one of those), don't shop there. It's a little different than a Best Buy or Wal-Mart checking your receipt at the door.
@Kevin Cotter:
Neither. It's because when you sign up for membership with them, receipt checking is one of the terms and conditions you agree to.
Went to Walmart in Carroll county Maryland last week and decided even before I entered the store that I wasn't going to be treated like a criminal.
I bought cat litter, 12 rolls of toilet paper and a universal remote. Paid the cashier, got my receipt and crumbled it into my pocket.
As I was leaving the employee at the door said "I need to see your receipt". I told her in a firm voice "You don't need to see anything" and continued out the door. I get about 15 feet from my car and some Walmart employee comes running out the door after me. Now I am neither big nor intimidating, but I turned and looked directly at him. He stopped about halfway to me, turned around and walked back into the store without saying a word.
I was really hoping he would have confronted me, I was looking to make a point!
For the record, I am not a thief; I always count my change and if the amount is not correct, I will give back or request the correct change; Heck, I even won 4 tickets to a local event last week worth about $100, I went to CraigsList and found a guy looking to buy tickets, got in contact and gave him the tickets for free. I believe in doing the right thing and I will not tolerate Walmart's profiling!
I know, I know; someone is going to say that they need to check for things that aren't in bags. If your stuff is all bagged, they don't bother you at all. BULL$HIT!
Do they really think thieves won't put things in bags? Somehow I don't see a thief saying "I really need to get past these hacks at the door, too bad I can't put this thing in a bag"
Ok, so who was the commenter in the original story that said, "it's not like this guy is going to change HD's policy"?
Well, he may not have yet, but it's now being talked about.
To all you 'just roll over and give up your rights' people, see what a combined effort from consumers can do?
@Murph1908:
That would be this comment from @loquaciousmusic: He should've just shown the receipt and been on his way. Does he really think that this is going to change Home Depot's policies?
@MDSasquatch: Isn't it interesting that it's the WalMarts in places that likely don't need to watch so much for shrink are the ones who treat everyone like a criminal?
Even if I am shopping at one in PG County, I'd still not show them my receipt.
This is going to sound completely paranoid, so put on your tinfoil hats...
How long before companies like Home Depot et al start staging such events, or even fabricating them whole cloth just to get good PR?
Not to cast aspersions on the original poster, or anything of course. The short, generic response from the CEO, followed by customer service many have only dreamt of (the kind that should be standard), could look a little fishy in some peoples' eyes. Of course if the CEO had addressed every point of the guy's complaint, then detailed step by step the policy changes they were working on to make sure it wouldn't happen again would just make me suspect them that much more.
@HOP: wal-mart will also check anything that isn't bagged, when I bought a tv there, they wanted to hold me because it wasn't bagged. How do you bag a 20" tv? The reciept checker let me go after about a minute of arguing.
"Sent from my BlackBerry" makes the boss man sound like a jerk. The first thing I did with my iPod was change the signature.
~for indoor or outdoor use only.
This story proves how out of touch corporate management is with their customers! How could Frank Blake NOT know how fucked up his stores are? I guess the thousands of complaints received by headquarters are simply ignored (as i suspect with most corporations. Obviously, nobody from Home Depot reads blogs, or has visited [www.homedepotsucks.org]
I smell bullshit!
I've got to admit: I'm getting exceedingly tired of getting searched at the door in more and more stores. I understand that it's as much to prevent employee fraud as shoplifting, but I still feel like I'm being suspected for no reason.
Certainly, if someone actually physically detained me, there would be a lawsuit. But I really suspect most of the people doing the searches know about that issue.
Receipt checking is the norm at any big box store I go to with the exception of Target here in Philadelphia. I'm not saying it's right - it's absolutely not - but Lowes, Home Depot, and Wal-Mart all do it here.
The worst part is they barely glance at it before dashing it with a highlighter - I doubt they'd even know if you had stolen something.
Gosh, don't get me wrong, I LOVE shopping Costco. I just wanted to know what folks thought of their recipt checking.
The one placed that recipt checked that I really hates was Fry's Electronics, and they'd frequently be the only place with stuff in stock. Fry's will only allow you to return merchandise if you recipt has been tagged.
--
Kevin
[velcroman98.googlepages.com]
@MisterE: Just because he doesn't admit it doesn't mean he doesn't know about it.
So they are not taking it seriously?
Last trip to home depot I added a pack of batteries to my purchase and those set off the alarm. Who steals a >$10 pack of batteries, why waste the time putting the security tag in them and cause a false alarm?
@enine: Uncle Leo and Morty Seinfeld.
@Youthier: Old people can get away with anything these days.
sounds like a win/win.
@Kevin Cotter: Really? I never get my receipt checked at Fry's, and I've never had a problem returning things afterwards.
@Kevin Cotter: pwned!
I've been stopped by security and had my bags checked against my receipt at Target. They didn't ask, just said "I need to look in your bags" and proceeded to do so.
The security goon was eye-balling me all the way through the check-out line.
I have noticed that customer service is once again improving at Home Depot. Twice the other night I was asked if I needed help. My jaw almost hit the floor. Besides Costco, I have never been in a store that looked at receipts. Is that because I live in high income counties and we don't steal as much? Not in Walmart, Circuit City, Target, Home Depot, or whatever.
is anyone else just not satisfied with this? The problem is with the policy in the first place. I dont have to show my reciept if I dont want to & shouldnt be detained unless someone actually witnessed me doing something illegal. Hell! I shouldnt even be banned from the store if i dont show my reciept.
If its a store I frequent, then i will show my reciept because I dont want to be banned from a store that I need to shop at. But if it is a store I rarely go to.... then I wont show anyone my reciept..... ban me.
IMO an apology from the CEO & a free window just is NOT enough to erase the humiliation, stress & bullshit gone thru by some overzealous security guard/employee & a cop who overstepped his authority. It just is NOT enough.... at least not for me. Something MUST be done about the reciept-checking policy before I'd be satisfied.
@enine: "Who steals a >$10 pack of batteries?"
First off, I'll assume that's a "<$10" pack of batteries you meant. And the answer is -- lots of people. Batteries are one of the highest theft items out there -- they're very small, relatively expensive, and easy to resell. Lots and lots of petty theft involving batteries out there, although I don't know how much from Home Depot; it's certainly an issue for CVS and other drugstores.
The ONLY store I'll show a receipt at is Costco because it's part of my membership (at least I'm pretty sure it is.) Any other store I just walk right past the door people with "no thank you" if they ask. I've never been stopped on my way out so far. Once I've paid for something it's mine and they don't have any right to stop me.
I have more of a problem with a police officer attempting to enforce company rules then the store doing it (as it's their perceived job, regardless if it's wrong or not, I can see the reasoning). When a police officer gets involved on the store side, I get vibes of OCP from Robocop. Police should be completely neutral and more importantly, actually enforce the law and not store policy.
I also hate the humiliation from those damn antitheft door alarms that go off when some employee forgets to demagnetize the tags (or just misses one of those hidden tags in merchandise). I freeze like a deer in the headlights when one of those damn things go off & every customer waiting in line looks at you like you are a thief. I think EVERY time one of those things accidentally goes off.... I should get a 5 dollar credit on a future purchase.
@LorneReams:
I think there is a conflict of interest when it comes to cops moonlighting as security guards at stores. IMO a cop acting as a security guard should be held to only what a security guard is allowed to do. With serious exceptions... like say a robbery. I dont like cops acting as actual cops when working off-duty for a store.
@forgottenpassword: If it makes you feel any better, I'm usually staring but I'm not thinking "damn thief", I'm thinking "stupid employees not disabling the anti-theft tag." Most thieves don't STOP when the alarm goes off. ;-)
@myotheralt: It's not that easy to change the signature for Blackberry's so I don't think he has that signature on purpose. :-) To remove the "Sent from my Blackberry", one must log into the Blackberry site and change it.
He might not even know that all his emails have that signature.
If checking the receipts is so important, they should either issue the receipts at the exit, or have an exit right at the end of the check out counter if you don't want your receipt checked.
@pfeng: It's not only thieves that ignore the alarms; mostly everybody just walks through them now.
call me nuts...but i love the fact that the "sent from my blackberry" thing was included in the post
How many stores have checkouts ONLY at the exit door?
WallyWorld, BB, CC et al have checkouts throughout the store. You could "checkout" in automotive and walk 50, 100, 200+ feet to the final exit door. The time that it took you to traverse the store could be a few seconds to several hours.
Bottom line, there are people that may fill their WallyWorld bag with stolen goods before they exit the store.
Some sort of security at the exit door does make sense. And remember, while you are in their store you must follow their rules.
WallyWorld, BB, CC et al have checkouts throughout the store.
@StevieD: Well, if they're trying to prevent loss maybe they shouldn't. It's not like checking out in automotive frees you from having to walk back to the front of the store if that's where the exit is.
Furthermore, I don't understand stores that actually have merchandise between the register and the door. How does that even make sense?
And remember, while you are in their store you must follow their rules.
If their rules are clearly posted and the store obeys the law there will be no problem.
Home Depot isn't all that bad. They have a great free Kids Workshop once a month and actually build something useful.
@StevieD:
"And remember, while you are in their store you must follow their rules."
Not if they require me to give up my rights.
@StevieD: where the checkouts are does not make a difference. just because you checked me out at the electronics section, doesn't mean i'm a theif because i had to walk past more merchandise on the way out the store. most theives don't load up a bag. they conceal items far more better than that, or don't buy anything at all.
@enine:
Idiot, alleged actress, Bai Ling was arrested last week for stealing batteries.
But I don't get that the HD CEO didn't know receipts are checked.
That means that this fool never shops at the joint he runs.
And that's why Home Depot is so fucked up!
Ooooh "broader impact": the CEO is evidently taking it very seriously.