Originally Posted by Pairadocs (Post 2346144)

Trying to purchase a new refrigerator, no hurry so visiting all options. Went to Lowe's a second time as I'd made a decision. It was after dinner, about 6, and they were very busy in the appliances. Only 2 employees so we all needed patience. Not long after I arrived, one of the 2 employees closed up their desk area for the night and left. The one employee left was, in my mind, doing a great job, helping her customer, running to computer to print off the information on various items the couple wanted, and thanking the considerable line of us who were waiting to make a purchase. She glanced over at me and pointed to a seat in a kitchen display, told me one more and I'd be next. I replied "you can only do so much so fast, I'm fine" as I walked over to the the seat she indicated. I watched as she finished with the last person before me. As she gave them all their receipts and went over the delivery details, she glanced over at me and again apologized, held up a finger, and said "I will be RIGHT BACK". I assumed she had to go to the restroom or up to the front. I sat patiently and realized it was only 12 min.until closing and I might as well go home as there would not be time to write up the purchase and make the delivery arrangements, etc. As I stood up and was right at the edge of the appliance area, a woman came up and asked if I needed help as they were about to close. She had a heavy accent but I understood her to say she is the assistant manager. I told her "thank you, but I am waiting for _____, I've been working with her twice now and she ask me to have a seat and she'd be right back".
The woman kind of stared at me, saying in her thick accent, noooooo, noooo, ______ went HOME, she is not coming back, she was OVER her hours ! ????? She then insisted on helping me with my purchase (4 min. to close) and I declined and thanked her one more time.... and left. All the way home I kept wondering...this kind of thing seems all too common these days. Is it just that it's so difficult to find people to work in any kind of business, that there seems to be so many rude people, some places they seem angry, some just seem to have no "people/customer awareness at all. Didn't leave angry, but certainly perplexed and frustrated ! ! Today I went to HD to see if I could buy the one I had chosen at Lowe's. Not a great experience there either. Many customers, many questions, many people trying to make multiple purchases for new homes and trying to coordinate all.... I had a 1 p.m. appointment so had to leave. I had arrived at 11:20. Maybe I'll try the "Covid way"....LOL... order refrigerator on the internet... LOL !

Originally Posted by Kelevision (Post 2346193)

Ordering appliances online is the easiest thing ever and you can save money. The delivery options are all right there for you during check out and it’s much easier to compare different products online than in the store. If you think those employees actually have more knowledge about the products than what’s listed for everyone to read, I’m afraid you’re mistaken, unfortunately, their employees are just people working a job. They don’t need to have extra knowledge of the products to get hired. Only the store policies, if that. I once went to Best Buy, found the tv I wanted and went home, found it online for 600 less, ordered, free shipping. Easy peasy. I’ve ordered refrigerators, washer/dryers and a dishwasher and have never had any issue whatsoever. The only reason I went to see the tv in person is to see the picture quality. Otherwise, measuring is all you need.

Originally Posted by CarlR33 (Post 2346149)

It’s not the difficulty in finding people but more stuff is going to online, etc. If you knew what you wanted and if they wanted your business the rest could have been done over the phone so I would have just had her call you when she had time rather than go in. I think we all forget we are on the back nine of life so this maybe our last fridge so pick one and move on, IMO, LOL

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC (Post 2346357)

There are good handymen and lawn service companies here but takes awhile to find them. Ask your neighbors

Originally Posted by CoachKandSportsguy (Post 2346212)

isn't just appliances. I went to lowes to buy some wire off the locked up rolls. Lots of employees walking by, no one stops.
Went to the help desk to have someone paged. . THREE TIMES . . . in NEW ENGLAND

When the guy got there, i showed him where the lock password was on the wall. He unlocked the cage and cut my wire. .

maybe an hour if not longer. . . for 2 pieces of custom cut wire.
and no i can't order it online because I needed to see the wire as there were several types and I am a see/feel guy with certain items.

Most stores were built prior to the success of on line mail order. now, the stores turnover has fallen and the store hours versus shopper volume is very skewed towards weekends. . . store profitability is lower, so employee quality is down.

On that particular trip, the woman ahead of me tried to purchase an item heavily discounted on a cardboard pop up display case near the check out counter. When scanning the product in, the scanner said "Discontinued Item / not for sale"

The scanner clerk called the manager, and he said you can't buy it. The woman started the logical argument "Don't have an item on sale next to the check out counter which you can't buy!" The manager argued back that "Its perfectly fine to do that!"

The economics of the past is having a hard time, and very few understand this point:
technology is deflationary, technology replaces humans, when trying to be profitable competing against technology, the logical place to cut is humans. The effects are starting to be obvious now, as the pandemic increased the speed of transition. . . where business constantly tries to stay profitable.

The downstream effect in government services, which is in a set it and forget it labor service market, postal deliveries are sourced to the cheapest, etc, and the quality also has declined on quality. .

Businesses complain about available employees, and as a business professor researched and proved: they can't find the employees at the wages they want to pay. The wages they want to pay is competing against technology in other sales channel. .

and you wonder why Social Security is running out?? its not about the payout, its about the source payments falling fast due to fewer high paying jobs after being replaced by technology.

be careful what you ask for!