Kinda sinister.
It has and extra flange.
When I worked in computer systems for one of the big 3 wholesale grocers in the US, we suggested adding computer software to actually deal with this in a real manner. Taking advantage of the equipment & systems already in place.
When a customer told the checker that they couldn’t find some item (most often, it’s an advertised special that outsold expectations), the checker would punch that item into her register as ‘unable-to-locate’. The computer would check the real-time inventory maintained by the system to see.
If that indicated that there should be more in stock, the checker would ask the customer if they wanted a stockboy to bring one to the register (or would they prefer a rain-check for next time). And a message would be sent to the department to check the shelf to see if a restock was needed for that item.
If the inventory indicated that it really was out of stock, the checker would be prompted to apologize to the customer, and tell them that the computer was printing on their receipt a rain-check for that item, so next time they were shopping they could get it at the sale price (even if the sale was over). And the computer would send a message to the department that they were out-of-stock on that item (or even automatically reorder it, if the item was set for auto-reorder.
We thought that this would be a good customer service improvement, and pretty easy: only needed some programming work, and a bit of training for cashiers – no additional hardware costs or system changes involved.
But we couldn’t get anyone in management interested in the idea. Some actually said that this would 'only lead to more customers getting items at our sale price!’ – which was the idea, we thought. I still think it would be a good use of the existing store technology.
At most department stores the cashiers are the lowest paid and highest turnover out of all the positions at that store. They’re also chained to the register all shift, so their ability to do anything to help you is usually limited to calling their manager over and asking them to help you.
If you want to know if something not on the shelf is back in the stock room the best thing to do is find someone who works in that department and ask them. If you have a general complaint, find a manager (they usually wear ties or otherwise dress nicer) and talk to them.
That’s Publix for ya. Love them! Sometimes when my husband talks about moving to Alaska, I have to remind him that it’s too far from Publix.
I usually find things but if I didn’t I’ll say something. Most of the time they’ll send a stock boy to track it down for me, which they usually do (I hate grocery shopping. I’ll spend ten minutes to get most of my items but forty to find the last two).
I wouldn’t know, because they were out of them.
It serves a more manipulative purpose. People are far more likely to internalize a position they’ve stated, especially publicly.
The goal is to get you to say, essentially, that you’re leaving happy. That’s why some businesses are even more leading, using phrases like, “I hope we met or exceeded your expectations?” said as an interrogative. Most Americans will reflexively say, “yes,” or, “totally,” or something else polite.
My hardware store does this. I know it’s a script because ALL the clerks say it, and always with the same intonation. I never say, “Of course you met my expectations; the sign says ‘Hardware Store’ and I needed nails. Do you think I’m a moron who goes to the bakery for nails?”
As irritated as I think I get, it might work because I keep going back.
So gee, you mentioned that you couldn’t find something, and she actually went to try and help you? Wow, how dare she!!! :rolleyes: