Tales from the other side (or, ask the guy who works at Evil Corp.)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Hello, how are you today?

Just to clarify, Evil Corp. is, in fact, Wal-Mart. Yeah, I know, I’m a horrible person because I work there, but you know what? I needed a second part-time job, and not only were they the first place to call me back, they were the only place to do so.

Anyways, I just wanted to take a moment to explain to some of you out there why Wal-Mart and it’s people do some of the things they do. I know a lot of complaining goes on, Hell, I did a lot myself, and now, seeing it from the other side, I have a new perspective on it.

For instance:

Some of you may be upset that you have to go to a certain register, when there are plenty of ones not in use and many blue-vested persons just standing around. Well, most associates (that’s what we’re called) are not trained to run a register, and even if they wanted to, could not, because they have no ID number and password. So please, don’t blame them, blame the store for not giving register training to all associates.

Others may be upset that at the electronics department, where there is usually two registers, you have to walk to the one that happens to be further from you because that’s where the assiciate is, and he refuses to simply turn around. You complain that it’s a long walk (maybe a whole six feet!) and can’t he just use the register you’re at? No, he cannot. Why? Because when you sign into a register you have to stay signed into that one, if you sign out of that and go into a new one, it causes problems, especially when they have to blame somone when register doesn’t have all the money it is suppossed to. Everyone who signed into said register get blamed, so it’s best to keep your sign in’s to a minimum. On a related note, you can see the ‘lane closed’ sign from a good distance away, yet you still walk up to it, how stupid are you?

For those of you angry about the staff not knowing the store well enough to point you to the exact item you need, think about this: Associates work in DEPARTMENTS! If you ask me where something not in my department is, the best I can do is tell you what department it is in, and where that department is. No, I can’t take you to it, I don’t know where it is. I have a hard enough time trying to memorize every friggin’ item in my own department, let alone someone else’s. So just go to where I point and find someone there to help you, they will know. And if they don’t know everything in there perfectly, give them a break. It’s not easy trying to know everything you stock, especially when those things can change every so often. If, however, they are completly incompetant (which can happen) then you can get mad.

And while we’re on the topic, after we show you where an item, or type of item is, don’t ask us if there are more of it someplace else, because unless the item is batteries or candy, there ain’t. Why would it be someplace else as well? What sense would it make to stock headphones in more than one aisle? Think for a moment before you ask stupid questions.

On the topic of stupid questions, when we show you the price, don’t ask us if we can give you a discount. Why would we? That’s the price! We no longer live in an age of haggling! There isn’t some super-secret policy in place that only gives the best prices to customers who ask, everyone pays the same thing, and that is the price on the shelf! (This statement really only goes to that one guy who asked me to show him about five TV’s, a bunch of DVD players, and a home entertainment system and for some reason really did ask if there was a discount on every item I showed him, after clearly showing him the price tag and telling him we don’t give discounts unless the item is a display model, which is clearly was not, what with being IN the box and all.)

So, if you have complaints or queries, shoot 'em my way, and I will do the best to explain the actions of said Wal-Mart associate so that you can understand how we live and what we have to deal with.

Thank you, and have a nice day!

2

Oh, I see, no replies. I get it, I’m being shunned by all of you. Well, go ahead and shun me, but now you’ll never be privy to the innermost dark secrets of Wal-Mart that I alone can reveal…

3

OK, so you don’t feel shunned - Are associates responsible for picking up the merchandise in their area that customers/kids/poltergeists leave all over the floor? Or does this wait until after hours?

For the record, if I knock something over, I’ll pick it up, but there are days I could spend hours tidying up after other customers if I felt so inclined. I never do.

4

Yes, we are suppossed to pick up stuff lying around in our area, as well as tidy up the place, and make sure all stock is at the front of the shelf, so it’s easy to see and inticing to buy. It’s called Zoning, BTW. If we find something that does not go in our department, we put it in a cart that we have in our area, and sooner or later the managers will come around and put all the stuff in the carts back to where they go. That’s really all the managers do, they don’t seem to manage stuff.

Of course, just because we are suppossed to zone, doesn’t mean all of them do. Hell, sometimes, if I find something that I know goesin my department, but I don’t know where, I sometimes pretend I don’t see it or put it in the wrong spot anyways hoping someone who does know will put it back. But I have an excuse, I’ve only been there two weeks.

5

Does WalMart know how incredibly freakin’ annoying it is when they pile tons of boxes full of crap in the aisles? They do, don’t they? They just don’t care that we get sick and tired of only being able to squeeze single file through most of the store. They make money off what they sell directly from the boxes, without even having to stock the merchandise, so whoo hoo for them.

Problem is, when I get tired of shuffling along at a snail’s pace, getting smacked in the rear by other people, listening to tired kids crying, and unwinding whatever crap got stuck in the wheels of my cart, I say to hell with whatever it is I still need from my list. I just leave, and that has to cost WalMart something. Yup, my rebellion must be costing WalMart dozens of dollars, and that’ll teach 'em.

Oh, and they should hire more of you sales people because it’s not nice to see you all looking so overburdened.

6

Well, BadBaby, the reason is as follows:
The people who do the overnight stocking don’t always have enough time to stock everything. They can’t put the box back in the stockroom because a new truck will come that morning and fill it to the brim, so the only option is to leave it in the aisles. And, as long as it’s there, you might as well made a half-assed display out of it so you can sell it, otherwise people will have no idea what’s in the ox, and the problem will compund nightly until the whole store is nothing but boxes.

And while many of us do seem to be doing nothing, that’s more the customers fault for not taking advantage of us and asking us where things are instead of wandering around aimlessly, as many do before asking me a question.

7

No no bouv, that last bit wasn’t meant sarcastically at all! I really do mean that you all look like you’re stretched too thin. It’s not fun seeing someone run forty directions at once just because hiring enough folks to do the job properly would eat into profit.

8

The Wal-Mart in my area NEVER keeps enough registers open. I don’t ever blame the employees, though, because I know it isn’t their fault. I would guess the blame really lies with corporate, who most likely punishes the store manager for having too high of a labor cost if she/he keeps too many people in the store. The problem is very, very bad, though (lines of 10-20 customers and that’s on a non-holiday), and I see Wal-Mart going the way of the K-Mart if they don’t shape up.

9

I’m not a Wal-Mart shopper, but I do drive by one several times a week at various hours of the day and night and the parking lot is almost always filled to capacity. It’s my contention that our Wal-Mart could be open 24/7 and it would still be busy. Is your Wal-Mart’s parking lot packed day and night too, bouv?

10

I think I was in a Wal-Mart, once.

11

Yeah, the parking lot is usually pretty full, except early in the morning when the store opens. And if you don’t like long lines, here’s a helpful hint: you can ALWAYS check out at either the customer service desk or the electronics desk if you have ten items or les (you could probably get away with around fifteen, actually.) I know that a lot of people here the announcement over the PA, but on’t gom thinking everyone else will, but NO ONE does, well, no one ever really comes to the electronics register, that is.

12

I’m assuming you’re still somewhere near Troy with this question. Which Wal-Mart are you in?

I have some very specific complaints about one of the local stores.

13

I’m working in the Latham Farms Wal-Mart. I choose that one, because everyone I know in Troy goes to the one in Brunswick, and I want to avoid them seeing me work, because I know the kinds of things they would do to me, such as ascting dumb and asking questions about stupid things.

14

How many pieces of flair are you required to wear on your blue vest?

15

Hmm, I feel I need to speak on a few things. Damn this opened a can of worms for me (I may need to open a pit thread) The Wal-Mart next to me, and by next to me, I mean that I can throw a small dog and hit it from my house, is expanding. But is it expanding its current year old store? No. It is not. Walmart corporate, with Old Scratch himself as chairman of the board decided that it would be better to plow one of the last few acres of green land in this city. Now I blame this equally on my asshat of a mayor, who screwed my employer over (note I wasnt happy about my employer going in, but its gotten ridiculous since it did.) Thats right not only are the four large vacant buildings, strip malls, etc… not good enough to raize and turn into aSuper Center, but the [Pit Term here] at walmart actually have a petition going to have it put in AFTER the citizens protested enough to get the offer withdrawn by the city. Thats right the slobering morons of my town who happen to be able to sign their names are signing a petition without realizing whats going on, because after all they are only doing what that kind old guy in the blue vest told them to.

16

Many Wal-Mart stores allow RVs to park overnight so their occupants can get some sleep; that probably accounts for some of the late-night/early-morning capacity.

17

Oh, and one more thing, Wal-Mart is alone in some of the practices of wich you complain about. Other stores i.e. Target stock things in different paces throughout the store. And every other store on the planet will make deals on the prices of things. If its over $300 or so, the price is negotiable. Ive done it at several stores. If they want to make the sale, a deal will be made, even if it means throwing a gift card in mind.
How can a customer know that these are Wal-Mart’s policies? Im sorry I may have asked one of your brothers in a blue vest a stupid question, I wasnt aware of the policy, now that I am enlightened, I will go and sulk over my idiocy. I am sorry.

18

That’s odd, as that’s the way I prefer to shop. I would rather take the time to find something first and only when I’m at a loss do I ask, rather than walk in and bug a store worker to show me where an item is without searching first. My husband usually says, “Why don’t you ask?” and I just don’t feel like looking like the stupid customer who ends up finding an employee right next to the display of what is being looked for, without realizing it.

19

Fair enough.

My very specific questions concern the one in East Greenbush, so I guess you’re off the hook.:slight_smile:

I figure they’re doomed once the Target opens, anyway.

What’s “flair,” Scylla?

20

Isn’t the minimum 15?

But then again, what do you think of a person who only does the bare minimum?