By crazycoupongirl
Here is what I wrote to headoffice tonight about what I went through last week!
I have never ever emailed Shopper’s prior to now. I am unhappy, sorry VERY dissatisfied with the customer service I received at your location last week. Your line-ups are way too long, so I decided to ask, not be offered, but ask your supervisor on duty if I could go to cosmetics to be assisted with my order there.
Your supervisor at the time, a young lady, was doing a return at a register that was closed, but I walked up to ask her since you only had one cashier working at the time and more than 6 of us in your line up. She said she would call over and ask the cosmetics department to take me since I had several coupons and didn’t want to hold your line-up any longer then it was being held up. I headed over there to approach Lisa, a rep in that area. She was speaking to another lady named Lisa who also was working that department. They were standing there chatting? ABOUT? Not sure but chatting while your front end store cashier was trying ring through everyone else while they could of been helping out? This was already making me wonder? Why would they offer even to help they can clearly see there is a huge line-up.
Well just as I started to explain to Lisa, the sales rep, that I asked her supervisor if I could check out there since I had two carts of stuff and coupons, she gave me a look and walked towards the phone. I said never mind that her calling to tell you, she said to the lady on the phone ” I guess” with this smug look on her face. I tried to make small talk with her, explained what items went with what coupons etc. My younger sister was with me in the store at the time I got there, she was in her area, so the reason I shopped at your store was soley because it was local to her. I have been at this location prior and always notice a longer then normal line up. But this time this lady Lisa’s rudeness was unreal. I mean ..I don’t understand why or how she could be so cold with your customers. Why not be happy to assit me?
I explained there was a lineup and I was trying to help your customers get out of your checkouts faster. In all I was in your store for over an hour at least to check out. I had to stop in between ringing in items to allow others to go ahead of me, but because this lady Lisa said to but because i was trying to be nice to others who had one or two items when i had two carts full, instead of just being nice or saying thank you for doing that she said very little, but continued to chat to Lisa the supervisor in that department, who was clearly able to help out front cash yet stood there to watch her ring in orders? Lisa then said to her at one point that she was tired and needed her break? I’m thinking I want to get out of this store and you are talking about a break in front of me. Why because of all the coupons?
She asked the other lady to finish the order so I said you know what forget it i’ll go back to the front.. and took about 8 items which were left to ring in to the front and told them both how I felt they were providing very bad customer service to their customers, even to others checking out they were very cold. Your supervisor Lisa was also sick and coughing continuousily .. she shouldn’t be even at work like that. I went back to the front and was shaken by this whole experience. I ended up checking out with a nice lady Karen who actually empathzied with me and the two of them in that department. I wasn’t too happy when I got home to realize 5 of my items scanned wrong! I had to go back to this store to fix it the next day and spoke to your front end manager about the issue from the day prior. She was very helpful and fixed the price scanning errors. I should of asked for it free since you practice the SCOP policy but i totally forgot. I even forgot to get a rain cheque which I wanted on your scotts paper towel. I was so overwhelmedd with how I was treated I just didn’t think the first day to check my bill or even get this when I left. I learned that these two ladies who work your cosmetics have been at your location for over 10 years?! I find this very hard to believe how can you keep employees who show very poor , or should I say ZERO class towards your customers? They should be written up, and this isn’t the first time I heard there have been complaints about them either.
How are they allowed to continue to treat people this way? I want to be contacted about this situation. I am extremely unhappy with the way I was treated.
jona says...
I’m sorry but your explanation of your experience at Shoppers is very confusing. From what I have been able to decipher, it seems that you did not want to wait in line and tried to skip the line by going to the cosmetic counter for them to ring in your purchases. After you didn’t get the fast and friendly service you wanted you took your items and went back to the front checkouts. So if I understand this right, your impatience wasted your time and the time of cosmetic staff.
You state that “lisa” was rude to you but never really explain how she was rude? You also state that you were trying to “help their customers out of the checkout faster” and then complain that you didn’t get great service at a cosmetic counter that isn’t really set up to check out large quantities of items… If you had stayed in line at the front checkout it would have been the best solution for everyone. The cashiers are trained to handle volume, cosmetic personnel are not.
So unfortunately, I think that you are the one that created this situation by being impatient and not waiting your turn in line. Next time just have a little patience, and remember that at this time of year most stores are understaffed and more people are out holiday shopping.
secretsmartcanuck says...
Crazycoupongirl, I totally sympathize with your bad experience at Shoppers Drug Mart BUT if I was the Shoppers Drug executive reading your complaint letter, I would get a massive migraine. I got the gist of what you were saying but you need to express this situation more clearly, in better words and grammar. Your paragraph below (as an example) makes zero sense to me. Did you stop ringing in items because “this lady Lisa” told you to? Or she didn’t, you were trying to be nice and that’s why you did? You should have just stayed in that cosmetic line up, and THEN complain about how rude those two cashiers were.
“I had to stop in between ringing in items to allow others to go ahead of me, but because this lady Lisa said to but because i was trying to be nice to others who had one or two items when i had two carts full, instead of just being nice or saying thank you for doing that she said very little, but continued to chat to Lisa the supervisor in that department, who was clearly able to help out front cash yet stood there to watch her ring in orders?”
Complaints are received and addressed better when it’s comprehensible.
But yes, I’m sure they will get the gist of it and resolve the situation for you.
Joe says...
I agree with Jona.
I have worked at Shoppers and Beauty Advisors have a tough job. They have to know a lot about a ton of different brands and they are tested by secret shoppers to make sure they are greeting and selling the cosmetics to customers. If she is busy ringing in groceries or diapers and cannot help a secret shopper who comes in the store, it is noted on her scorecard that is kept on file.BA’s are paid from a different budget than the rest of the store, so their pay depends on cosmetics purchases.
Sorry, but long lineups at stores like Shoppers are to be expected.
B.Mcphee says...
i agree.it is the holidays and cosmetics isn’t supposed to be responsible for ringing in large orders such as what you had. i have before been turned away from a pharmacy checkout in walmart for having more than 6 items.this is their policy.fine.i know it is busy in the holidays and i know to do my coupon redeeming on a not so busy time of day .i usually make a note of,if i have alot of coupons,redeeming them in the morning hours or on a laggish day.from what i can understand it sounds as if you created more hardships for yourself by just simply not staying in line.i don’t see how the one woman ringing you through was rude,but i do see a problem with the other one just standing there and not opening a till.better luck next time but allow time for yourself and others.it is the holiday season afterall
Doodmom67 says...
Your letter to Shoppers is far too long and confusing to properly explain what occurred. As for ringing through 2 carts of stuff with lot’s of coupons…..I always go during off-peak times to do that. If it produces a line-up, I break up the sale and allow others to go ahead if there is only one cashier. Yes - sometimes getting the good deals means having to wait a little longer. But I would rather do that than annoy all of the other customers who are paying full price.
Anon says...
I am not sure if it is just the “Shoppers” that I go to buy things from or in general of all SDMs but there are always people waiting in checkouts. Usually, there is only one or two cash open but maybe 5 or 6 people waiting. I wondering if SDMs are so understaffed that there don’t have the manpower to open up more checkouts. A note to management: people are waiting in line to pay (give the store money)… Why are you not eager to get the money!! Why are you making them wait. Open some registers!! Believe me, people’s money could be taken elsewhere. I mean, there are always better deals around.
anita cupello says...
First of all if you had a business you could understand the awful murphy’s law and how it applies. You are always understaffed when it’s busy and overstaffed when it’s not. As for bad service a shdmart, quite the opposite. The locations I frequent, have always satistified my visits. I recently had more than a cartful, coupons in hand and simply used a little ‘patience’ logic and let a lady thru with a few items, so my attendant could concentrate on me and my coupons. It is also Christmas time, have some courtesy and patience, there will be lineups..inevitable. Plus I don’t always feel peppy and talkful myself when i am overworked..small talk is all that one may be able to offer at that moment, Maybe your adrenaline and savings frenzy gave you more energy…it certainly fuels my desires.
Theresa says...
I feel for you.
Anon says...
It is not the matter of understanding business principles. It is a fact that some periods of the day are busier than other times. I am talking about the times when it is not so busy but there are still people waiting in line. Some employees are idle or doing other things that could be done when there is no one waiting. What is happening to customer service?
Gillian says...
The Kennedy and Sheppard Shopper’s Drugmart is by far the worst store because there is a mean cashier named “Linda” with short hair and slim that never says hello or bye to any their customers. She will not take coupons and says the owner is already rich so she does not need the headache to send them to head office for credit. They do not give you the 1st product for free if it scans in wrong either. Linda explained that she makes her own rules as a cashier because she has senority as a cashier with many years. She will say no manager is around to adjust the price and make you wait for a long time and most of us will leave. What do you make of this store???
Ciel says...
A local Shoppers sometimes has a Beauty Advisor approach the next customer in the long lineup at the only cash (out of three; since min. wage went up in March, it has been rare for two cash lanes to be open at any time-usually it is one lane plus cosmetics cash) open to offer to ring their purchases through. It is a nice offer that I have taken on occasion unless my items were too heavy for the high counter.
I did not know that Beauty Advisors were paid out of a separate budget but it makes sense considering how much space and merchandise is allocated for Cosmetics. Good to know that point. The secret shopper evaluations are the bane of retail staff but since retail managers know that their head office will comment on unfavourable evaluations, staff are drilled about being consistent with customer acknowledgements, offers to help, etc. I noticed last week that a second Beauty Advisor was on duty at 4:30pm just before the impulse buy lane where customers pass Cosmetics to get to the postal counter. See the BAs try to drum up beauty sales…
Lynne says...
Customer service!!! Businesses today have forgotten what it means. They believe they can charge over inflated prices,abuse the customers by sujecting them to long waits and disrespectful staff. They have forgotten that they are being paid very good money to provide a service. They are not doing the customer a favor! On the note of respect, it goes both ways. Customers have no right to be abusive to the service staff. Common sense and common courtesy goes a long way. If you have two shopping buggies full of merchadise and coupons be patient, as you are expecting the staff to be patient with you.
A comment I know I’m tired of hearing is “we are under staffed”. That statement is used to absolve the employee from several responsibilities and it is used so often it has little impact on the sympathy scale. If the business is truly under staffed it is the responsibility of the owner to rectify the problem. Whinning to the customers reflects very poorly on the company. Remember, without the customers there would be no business.
Angel says...
I shop at the Millwoods Town Centre SDM in Edmonton and there is an absolutely miserable and mean sales associate working there. I don’t know her name but I think she may even be a Supervisor. She’s mid-age, short, slim and has dark, curly hair. She never smiles and often looks like she’s sneering at customers. Most of the other customer associates/cashiers are friendly. I often find her following me around the store for no reason and makes me feel extremely uncomfortable. I try avoiding the store when I see her working.
Jade says...
I agree Anon. There are times when I want to purchase a couple of things and get frustrated waiting more than seven minutes in line so I dump my stuff in a basket nearby and head down the street to a different store. They just lost money right there. Plus they created more work for someone to reshelf the items. Poor business strategy.
Scarlett says...
“Your supervisor Lisa was also sick and coughing continuousily .. she shouldn’t be even at work like that”. Everyone gets colds, and I’m sorry but how many customers do you see waiting in line that are sick. Of course someone who works with the public is going to get sick, if shes feels she is well enough to work then she has every right to be there.
Ron Simmons says...
@ Jade
LOL, so you wasted more time going to a different store! smart
Patricia says...
Its a cold cruel world we live in when as a response to a customer service issue we resort to criticizing spelling and grammar. Often, when we are passionate and motivated enough to write about something, errors are overlooked in an effort to capture the negative experience. I understood the situation as someone trying to make use of staff members who appeared to be on duty but not involved with a customer. We, the general public, have no idea that there are different categories of staff who are able to process payment. An able body standing by a cash register should be able. I often shop at SDM but I have to admit that the Bloor West location is my least favourite. But I live in the neighbourhood so I just put up with it. Given the choice, I hop in the car and drive to another location. Just treat people the way you would like to be treated. We don’t need to befriend every person we encounter but just be civilized. Kindness goes a long way - it doesn’t matter which side you’re on. I don’t enjoy the lineup at SDM on Bloor but I have never had an issue with the check out process but I don’t shop in bulk either.
jenni says...
shoppers drug mart is a laughing stock. there is no way i will ever eneter one again because of the horrible service, its simply pathetic…IN EVERY LOCATION!! if you phone any of them, i guarantee you that your phone call will not go through, they definetly will worst buisness award
Dani says...
Allow me to start off by saying that I’m sorry you had a negative experience at Shoppers. I would like to attempt to explain the store’s side of this situation.
Primarily, it is Shoppers Drug Mart’s “policy” (so-to-speak)to open an additional till once more than three customers are in line. If there were six of you and only one cashier, chances are that they were understaffed and the cashier was most likely 10x more flustered than you were at this point (considering she/he was doing a return as well as trying to deal with the impatient customers in line). I can almost guarantee you that this was the case.
Also, don’t be upset that the cosmetic ladies weren’t helping out at front cash. That is not their job. In fact, they are generally not allowed to leave the cosmetic section without calling someone over to cover for them. This is especially important if the section is a Beauty Boutique instead of an Open-Sell. Sure, it was unprofessional for them to be chatting while not working, but I’m sure we’re all guilty of that from time-to-time. She was probably “unhappy to assist you” because it is not her job to assist you, and can be inconvenient to ring through customers with large purchases in cosmetics because they are not set up like front cash, making it very awkward to bag your items due to limited space and set up. Customers are ALWAYS trying to skip the line because they are unwilling to wait for the five customers before them (which is not a very long line, by the way… If you were in such a rush to do your groceries then do them another time or you’re more likely to make rash decisions and spend more money anyway).
You are complaining about long line ups in this store, and yet you are the customer with coupons gallore and not one, but TWO shopping carts filled to the brim who chooses to ring through in the most inconvenient place possible. If the front till was sending customers over to me in cosmetics, I would take the people with only a few items before the scary woman yeilding coupons and throwing two carts worth of groceries at me too.
But the part that REALLY baffles me is… why would you go back to front cash? Did you really think that would help? I literally can not think of any logical reason that you would do this.
And, just so you know, the system is incapable of scanning items incorrectly. If anything came up at a “wrong price” it is because of one of three reasons: 1) you failed to read the “valid until” date on a sales sticker had expired, 2) it was misplaced by a fellow customer who decided they didn’t want it anymore (and/or the sign was moved) or 3) you thought a bunch of lipsticks were on clearout even though only one colour was (even though the colour is clearly written on the sales sticker). Even though any of these reasons are not the store’s fault, they will generally give you the item at the so called “advertised” price in order to satisfy customers. Sure, you could have asked for the Scanning Code of Practice to come into place but it is not the store’s responsibility to remind you of this, seeing as it more than likely wasn’t their fault any way.
Perhaps the ladies in cosmetics were a bit stand-offish, but it’s nothing to be written up for. It can sometimes be hard to find that balance between a normal person mood, and a peppy, happy attitude that often gets mocked by customers. You’re too happy, you annoy people, you’re not happy enough, and customers like you say that you should be “written up”. I’ve worked in retail cosmetics, and customers have said that my attitude makes them feel uncomfortable, that my happiness is too loud, that my job as a ‘greeter’ must be pretty easy. Some people have actually asked me if I just get paid to stand there and look pretty. I can’t even tell you how many implications I’ve got of being “all look and no brains” as they say.
Look, I’m really sorry that your experience at this store wasn’t all you’d hoped it would be. The employees could have been nicer, sure, and the lines could have been shorter, yes, but overall I don’t really think they did much wrong; this was more than likely the result of your own actions.
Lynn says...
Having worked for Shopper’s Drug Mart I will say this: there are two reasons for lineups. One reason is that Shoppers only puts let say two cashiers on at a time (because they don’t want to have to “pay” more than two cashiers at a time) and one of them is a supervisor and gets called to various departments all the time, leaving the one cashier to deal with all of the lineups. The second reason is that customers don’t have their optimum cards or money ready when they get up to the cash, or they make unreasonable demands on the cashier instead of solving them with a merchandiser before they cash out.
Lucky says...
Hi westwood mall (shoppers drugmart) costmatic Custmor service is so poor and if they have to approach you they r so Rudd and behaves as if these bitches r doing favour to us . The store is in bad conditions all the lipsticks nail paints everythg is hear and there u just don’t knw which is tester the manager for costmatics is so rude at shoppers I had terrible experience at shoppers two times I just went up shoppers and tried a lipstick sitting in tester section and I tried it and the manager comes to me with lots of fuc…k attitude that u just tried it so u have to buy it I said m sorry it was in tester section so I tried it she said wll we don’t knw who kept it but u have to buy it and rather than approaching in nice way she was giving me orders as if she owns the store than I told her its k I wll buy it and than rather than saying k fine she said oh ya I remember u thus is second time I told her first time ur lady at Custmor service Dnt help me that was different issue anyways I told the manger lets not argue just cash me out Di u can leave she was so bitchey she still continue with her nonsense . I think shoppers need to give more training to people they hire they have to learn how to give respect to customers who gve them business . With my experience with Westwood mall shoppers I wll never go there shopers at Westwood mall Mississauga suckss and the costmatic manager just fire tht bitch…. She deserves tht