customer & management ... perfect together

[solarhead]

Once upon a time I was Customer Service Supervisor (but still not a "manager") for a Home Depot location in the Philadelphia, PA suburbs.

Company policy regarding shoplifting was to prevent it by "superior customer service" ... you know the routine ... look every customer in the eye, greet them, and ask if they require any assistance. So far, even though such standards are increasingly difficult to meet thanks to shrinking staff, the policy is not unreasonable The was even a management position titled Loss Prevention, but I've never been sure if that particular tiger ever really had any teeth. Anyway, here we go ..

The Customer Service ("Special Services" then) desk was located in such a way that any associate at the desk could monitor the most shop-lifting prone aisle in the store, the Light Bulb aisle. A fairly common practice among the members of the Frequent Shoplifters Club was to enter the store, wander down the Light Bulb aisle and locate the high-pressure sodium security bulbs ... a $75 ticket item. Then they wander around the store for a while, then bring the same bulb to the Returns Desk with a story like "My mother got me this for my birthday, and it doesn't fit/won't work, so I want to return it. I don't have a receipt."

This happened with amusing frequency. Amusing that is, until raises started being cut back due to "decreasing profits". After that, it wasn't so "amusing" anymore, especially when the practiced policy of the management was, at the time, to simply have the customer fill out a Returns Slip (with no request for ID) and hand them the cash value + sales tax for the item. In numerous instances, I had personally observed the removal of the item from the shelf, followed the individual through the store, repeatedly offering "superior customer service", and watched as the same customer approached the Returns Desk and got their money. I even went so far as to report this to District. Region, and Corporate and always got the same response: "Report the incident to your Loss Prevention Manager and let him/her handle it".

So, after that, does it come as a surprise that so many of the Big Retail companies tank so quickly?

[ringo]

I have noticed both our lowes and home depot have their return registers at the entrance. You can't get into the store with out going though it. It is separated from the store. So it limits you to get something from the shelf and try to return it.

[solarhead]

it seems they may have learned something, albeit a bit belatedly

I have noticed that, but it's a fairly recent correction. When I was employed by Home Depot, the Special Services Desk was at the other end of the store from the checkouts.

More recently, I worked for Lowe's, and parallel problems exist even now. Fancy atempts at merchandising manage to bury some of the more costly things among some pretty bizarre product mixes. Customers who want to BUY are often dumbfounded as they look for advertised specials, while creating opportunities for the less-than-honest. The losses go on, the prices go up, the customers complain about rising prices and deteriorating quality of service that can, at least in part, be traced to additional demands being put on already taxed associates.

It's not really "anybody's fault", it's more the result of the way we choose to do things and the expectations we have as the result of advertising.

[marasbaras]

I have noticed both our lowes and home depot have their return registers at the entrance. You can't get into the store with out going though it. It is separated from the store. So it limits you to get something from the shelf and try to return it.

Same thing with my local Lowe's and Home Depots. Smart move on their part, I think.

[mattm04]

Same thing with my local Lowe's and Home Depots. Smart move on their part, I think.

My local HD is in the process of a remodel in the front. I would assume they are making that change.