OT gumpy old fart rant

Recently I pointed out that "customer service" is a good place for real,
breathing, humans.

Apparently I have too much effect on the local Home Depot.

My wife wanted me to do a few things before I leave in a week for my
Montahoming trip, so I went shopping. I found the needed materials and
headed to check out only to find that there was ONE register manned by a
human ( with a huge line ) and the rest contained talking machines ... "Self
check out"

Now I admit being, may even be a bit proud of being, a grumpy old man fed up
with many of the trappings of our 'culture' like everyone looking like they
are in the Borg collective Bluetooth stuck in ear, or 'reality' TV.
But, honestly, I find having a machine talking to me ( to take my money, for
god's sake ) effectively telling me to "bend over now, and insert your card"
is just too dehumanising.


Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling with the word "service" ( the
place you take returns ) on it I went over to find 5, yes FIVE, pimply 20
somethings laughing at each other's jokes, and not a customer in sight.
I piled my stuff on the counter and said, "I don't want any of this badly
enough to check myself out." And I left to go to the mom and pop
hardware store for my purchase.

So, if you're still listening out there .... when I suggested real humans at
"customer Service" I did NOT mean just under the sign that says "service"
.... if you want real, breathing human beings to part with their money and
want to come back ... treat them like real, breathing human beings, not just
bar codes

"Larry L" wrote in message
...
Recently I pointed out that "customer service" is a good place for real,
breathing, humans.

Apparently I have too much effect on the local Home Depot.

My wife wanted me to do a few things before I leave in a week for my
Montahoming trip, so I went shopping. I found the needed materials and
headed to check out only to find that there was ONE register manned by a
human ( with a huge line ) and the rest contained talking machines ...
"Self check out"

Now I admit being, may even be a bit proud of being, a grumpy old man fed
up with many of the trappings of our 'culture' like everyone looking like
they are in the Borg collective Bluetooth stuck in ear, or 'reality' TV.
But, honestly, I find having a machine talking to me ( to take my money,
for god's sake ) effectively telling me to "bend over now, and insert your
card" is just too dehumanising.


Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling with the word "service" ( the
place you take returns ) on it I went over to find 5, yes FIVE, pimply 20
somethings laughing at each other's jokes, and not a customer in sight. I
piled my stuff on the counter and said, "I don't want any of this badly
enough to check myself out." And I left to go to the mom and pop
hardware store for my purchase.

So, if you're still listening out there .... when I suggested real humans
at "customer Service" I did NOT mean just under the sign that says
"service" ... if you want real, breathing human beings to part with their
money and want to come back ... treat them like real, breathing human
beings, not just bar codes

Well.....there.....that should do it.

Wolfgang

Larry L typed:
Recently I pointed out that "customer service" is a good place for
real, breathing, humans.

Apparently I have too much effect on the local Home Depot.

My wife wanted me to do a few things before I leave in a week for my
Montahoming trip, so I went shopping. I found the needed
materials and headed to check out only to find that there was ONE
register manned by a human ( with a huge line ) and the rest
contained talking machines ... "Self check out"

Now I admit being, may even be a bit proud of being, a grumpy old man
fed up with many of the trappings of our 'culture' like everyone
looking like they are in the Borg collective Bluetooth stuck in ear,
or 'reality' TV. But, honestly, I find having a machine talking to me ( to
take my
money, for god's sake ) effectively telling me to "bend over now, and
insert your card" is just too dehumanising.

Hmmmm. . . I purposely look for this type of checkout. I find it much faster
because all of the grumpy old farts are in this really long line, for some
strange reason, writing these things called "checks" (whatever *those* are)
which they don't even pull out of their pocket and start writing until AFTER
the clerk gives them the total. . . and I don't recall the "bend over"
drill. Are you sure this was a Hom_E_ Depot?

Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling with the word "service"
( the place you take returns ) on it I went over to find 5, yes FIVE,
pimply 20 somethings laughing at each other's jokes, and not a
customer in sight. I piled my stuff on the counter and said, "I don't want
any of this
badly enough to check myself out." And I left to go to the mom
and pop hardware store for my purchase.

So, if you're still listening out there .... when I suggested real
humans at "customer Service" I did NOT mean just under the sign that
says "service" ... if you want real, breathing human beings to part
with their money and want to come back ... treat them like real,
breathing human beings, not just bar codes

When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take the
time to walk me to the spot I can find it. I think that's fairly decent
service, but that's just me.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

"Tim J." wrote


Hmmmm. . . I purposely look for this type of checkout. I find it much
faster


That's why I think this is a cultural deal ( generation ) .. my kid's
generation seems to PREFER cell phone chatting to face to face conversation
.... I'd guess ( based on noticing what groups don't seem to notice being
dehumanised but do seem to always be in a hurry ) you must be around 50 or
less if you think talking machines are 'cool' ?





When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take the
time to walk me to the spot I can find it.


I got decent/good service, at that "on the floor" level




FWIW ( nothing?) I moved from San Jose here in 1976 to open an Orchard
Supply Hardware ( first out of the Bay Area ) .... I was in middle
management. and at that time OSH was a family owned business that took great
pride in customer service and knowledgeable help ... it's been sold and
resold since then and is now owned by Sears ... it's not even close to the
same ..... but I'm sure that background working there affects my opinions on
service. For retail it was a great place to work ... they let me
maintain management pay level, work part time, and set my own schedule when
I was starting my own business, one of the VPs even sent me a dog to train
and became my hunting buddy ... as I said, it was a family biz, if you
worked for them you were family, if you shopped there you were too and
treated like it ( this wasn't a small biz ... just a family one ). Times
change, some things get better, some don't .....


Larry L ( who doesn't want to go back to Seal Dri waders )

"Larry L" wrote in message
news

"Tim J." wrote


Hmmmm. . . I purposely look for this type of checkout. I find it much
faster


That's why I think this is a cultural deal ( generation ) ..

Thinking is not your strong suit.

my kid's generation seems to PREFER cell phone chatting to face to face
conversation

The beauty of face to face conversation is that you can insult the neighbors
in their own home......MUCH more adorable, right?

... I'd guess ( based on noticing what groups don't seem to notice being
dehumanised but do seem to always be in a hurry ) you must be around 50 or
less if you think talking machines are 'cool' ?

And you can't understand how someone might think a machine that speeds the
process of getting out of an environment made even less pleasant than it
ordinarily is by the presence of miserable and unpredictable cranks whose
great joy in life is sharing misery is a good idea, regardless of whether or
not it talks?

When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take
the time to walk me to the spot I can find it.


I got decent/good service, at that "on the floor" level

Somehow, we feel you'll find a way to get over that.

FWIW ( nothing?)

Probably. Let's see, shall we?

I moved from San Jose here in 1976 to open an Orchard Supply Hardware (
first out of the Bay Area ) .... I was in middle management. and at that
time OSH was a family owned business that took great pride in customer
service and knowledgeable help ... it's been sold and resold since then
and is now owned by Sears ... it's not even close to the same ..... but
I'm sure that background working there affects my opinions on service.

We are certain that your opinions are grounded in a great deal more than
manufactured memories about your experiences in the good old days. But,
please, do go on.

For retail it was a great place to work ... they let me maintain
management pay level, work part time, and set my own schedule when I was
starting my own business, one of the VPs even sent me a dog to train and
became my hunting buddy ... as I said, it was a family biz, if you worked
for them you were family, if you shopped there you were too and treated
like it ( this wasn't a small biz ... just a family one ).

So, if everybody in this world treated you like your own deluded vision of a
beloved paterfamilias things would probably be more or less o.k., huh?

Times change, some things get better, some don't .....

Ain't it the truth.

Larry L ( who doesn't want to go back to Seal Dri waders )

Well then, how about where you came from?

Wolfgang
who has apparently not yet gotten used to whining petulant infants.

On Thu, 8 May 2008 12:24:09 -0400, "Tim J."
wrote:

Larry L typed:
Recently I pointed out that "customer service" is a good place for
real, breathing, humans.

Apparently I have too much effect on the local Home Depot.

My wife wanted me to do a few things before I leave in a week for my
Montahoming trip, so I went shopping. I found the needed
materials and headed to check out only to find that there was ONE
register manned by a human ( with a huge line ) and the rest
contained talking machines ... "Self check out"

Now I admit being, may even be a bit proud of being, a grumpy old man
fed up with many of the trappings of our 'culture' like everyone
looking like they are in the Borg collective Bluetooth stuck in ear,
or 'reality' TV. But, honestly, I find having a machine talking to me ( to
take my
money, for god's sake ) effectively telling me to "bend over now, and
insert your card" is just too dehumanising.

Hmmmm. . . I purposely look for this type of checkout. I find it much faster
because all of the grumpy old farts are in this really long line, for some
strange reason, writing these things called "checks" (whatever *those* are)
which they don't even pull out of their pocket and start writing until AFTER
the clerk gives them the total. . . and I don't recall the "bend over"
drill. Are you sure this was a Hom_E_ Depot?

Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling with the word "service"
( the place you take returns ) on it I went over to find 5, yes FIVE,
pimply 20 somethings laughing at each other's jokes, and not a
customer in sight. I piled my stuff on the counter and said, "I don't want
any of this
badly enough to check myself out." And I left to go to the mom
and pop hardware store for my purchase.

So, if you're still listening out there .... when I suggested real
humans at "customer Service" I did NOT mean just under the sign that
says "service" ... if you want real, breathing human beings to part
with their money and want to come back ... treat them like real,
breathing human beings, not just bar codes

When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take the
time to walk me to the spot I can find it. I think that's fairly decent
service, but that's just me.

Interesting. I've had this very conversation several times over the
last 3-4 years, including just recently. Weird thing about Home Depot
and Lowe's, at least as I've found it: rarely are they both good (or
bad) in a particular area. For example, on the MS/AL gulf coast, HD is
a mess, usually empty, and you'd wonder how they manage to stay afloat,
whereas Lowe's is always full of customers, helpful staff, wide product
selection, etc. However, in the DFW area, I've found it to be the
opposite - Lowe's is iffy and the management is terrible, whereas HD
seems to be the better store. In New Orleans, it's Lowe's over HD, but
in S. Florida, it's HD over Lowe's. I can't recall any area where both
have been either good or bad - it always seems like one is good, one
bad. I could understand such in a highly specialized market where there
would only be enough skilled staff to supply one vendor, but in this
case...

TC,
R

On May 8, 11:40*am, wrote:
On Thu, 8 May 2008 12:24:09 -0400, "Tim J."





wrote:
Larry L typed:
Recently I pointed out that "customer service" is a good place for
real, breathing, humans.

Apparently I have too much effect on the local Home Depot.

My wife wanted me to do a few things before I leave in a week for my
Montahoming trip, so I went shopping. * * I found the needed
materials and headed to check out only to find that there was ONE
register manned *by a human ( with a huge line ) and the rest
contained talking machines ... "Self check out"

Now I admit being, may even be a bit proud of being, a grumpy old man
fed up with many of the trappings of our 'culture' like everyone
looking like they are in the Borg collective Bluetooth stuck in ear,
or 'reality' TV. But, honestly, I find having a machine talking to me ( to
take my
money, for god's sake ) effectively telling me to "bend over now, and
insert your card" is just too dehumanising.

Hmmmm. . . I purposely look for this type of checkout. I find it much faster
because all of the grumpy old farts are in this really long line, for some
strange reason, writing these things called "checks" (whatever *those* are)
which they don't even pull out of their pocket and start writing until AFTER
the clerk gives them the total. . . and I don't recall the "bend over"
drill. Are you sure this was a Hom_E_ Depot?

Seeing a large sign hanging from the ceiling with the word "service"
( the place you take returns ) on it I went over to find 5, yes FIVE,
pimply 20 somethings laughing at each other's jokes, and not a
customer in sight. I piled my stuff on the counter and said, "I don't want
any of this
badly enough to check myself out." * * * *And I left to go to the mom
and pop hardware store for my purchase.

So, if you're still listening out there .... when I suggested real
humans at "customer Service" I did NOT mean just under the sign that
says "service" ... if you want real, breathing human beings to part
with their money and want to come back ... treat them like real,
breathing human beings, not just bar codes

When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take the
time to walk me to the spot I can find it. I think that's fairly decent
service, but that's just me.

Interesting. *I've had this very conversation several times over the
last 3-4 years, including just recently. *Weird thing about Home Depot
and Lowe's, at least as I've found it: rarely are they both good (or
bad) in a particular area. *For example, on the MS/AL gulf coast, HD is
a mess, usually empty, and you'd wonder how they manage to stay afloat,
whereas Lowe's is always full of customers, helpful staff, wide product
selection, etc. *However, in the DFW area, I've found it to be the
opposite - Lowe's is iffy and the management is terrible, whereas HD
seems to be the better store. *In New Orleans, it's Lowe's over HD, but
in S. Florida, it's HD over Lowe's. *I can't recall any area where both
have been either good or bad - it always seems like one is good, one
bad. *I could understand such in a highly specialized market where there
would only be enough skilled staff to supply one vendor, but in this
case...

TC,
R- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

That's pretty much what Ive found. With the added filup that the goods
seem better at my local Lowes and the folk seem to have better morale
at Lowes, but the advise of the MALE HD folk is better, but the fems
at HD goof off and know less that ****. As an ex consultant all above
are signs that selection and training of managers is a major problem
at both places.

One other observation. HD seems to have limited cape in tuning the
inventory to the locality. Examples include stocking plant and tree
varieties unsuitable to local climate, and selling JD equipment but
not the spec grease for same. Ditto for routine maint. supplies for
same. I blame it on dumbass MBAs.

Dave

On Mon, 12 May 2008 14:01:00 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

... selling JD equipment but
not the spec grease for same. Ditto for routine maint. supplies for
same. I blame it on dumbass MBAs.

FWIW, the JD stuff sold at HD and Lowe's are built for them - JD dealers
don't sell them. Some are good and some are bad, but none are "true"
JDs. And never buy a Jenn-Air grill from Lowe's - it's a Chinese POS
made outta the same ****ty stainless as the house brand "Perfect Flame"
(and "Perfect Flame" must be the phonetic "POS made from ****ty
stainless" from Mandarin or something...).

TC,
R

Dave

On May 12, 2:42*pm, wrote:
On Mon, 12 May 2008 14:01:00 -0700 (PDT), wrote:
... selling JD equipment but
not the spec grease for same. Ditto for routine maint. supplies for
same. I blame it on dumbass MBAs.

FWIW, the JD stuff sold at HD and Lowe's are built for them - JD dealers
don't sell them. *Some are good and some are bad, but none are "true"
JDs. *And never buy a Jenn-Air grill from Lowe's - it's a Chinese POS
made outta the same ****ty stainless as the house brand "Perfect Flame"
(and "Perfect Flame" must be the phonetic "POS made from ****ty
stainless" from Mandarin or something...).

TC,
R





Dave- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thats good to know. Is it the same for Jenn Aire stoves? I have a
rental and like to put in basic models of better brand appliances
because most people will take better care of them than other stuff.
However the GE stuff looks better and better for the money.

Dave

When I go into Home Depot, I'm normally stopped by two or three employees
who ask if I'm finding what I need, and, if I'm not, they usually take the
time to walk me to the spot I can find it. I think that's fairly decent
service, but that's just me.

Then again, there is "too much of a good thing." Last night, whilst
waiting for my daughter to get to her apartment so I could help her
pack it up (semester is over, she's coming home for the Summer), I
went to Red Robin for a burger. On three sucessive bites I was asked
how every thing was going. Once by the waitress, once by the
assistant manager and finally by the manager. At each query, I had
just taken a bite. When I was finally able to speak with an expectant
manager hovering over my table, I explained the situation and told her
that I would just like to eat and please could I be left in peace.
Frank Reid