Microphone Please ...

I went to my local grocer chain today to get my usual lunch.  Turkey smoke stack if you’re interested.  In a trend of trying to compete, this store has changed their shelves and looks approx some 4-5 times in the last 10 years.  More recently then ever though they have been making employee changes and shelving changes.  Its like a rat in a maze now trying to find anything.  They are constantly trying to appeal to the crowd that managed to pay more by shopping at places like Central Market. 

Now here is what I have to say on this.  People that shop at central market, shop there because that is THE place they want to go and be seen as well as tell others they have been there.  Realistically, I don't care.  But what my store has to understand is this.  People that shop at Central Market shop there because it IS central market.  Places like Tom Thumb, Kroger or Albertsons are places I got to get my groceries.  Not a place that I choose to hang out and be “seen” but rather get my eggs, milk, bread etc and go. 

Now for the “go” part.  I’m sorry, I know this economy sucks but the only part of society that corporations have not figured how to outsource is the grocer cashiers/baggers/stockers etc.  Although I am damned sure that if you could put Haji ramakasunaram in front of a webcam in India and have his face greet you at the checkout they would.  I will absolutely refuse to shop there when they do.  The key reason why I go to the store that I choose is because of the people.  As of late though they have let go some of the key people that I really appreciated.  Now when I go into my local store I have one express checkout, which btw they always put the new guy on and don't ask me why, and the rest are 4 self checkout scanners and one person standing in front of a screen.  Ok, again… I REFUSE TO USE THE SELF CHECKOUT.  Sorry if it is my punishment, but what is the point of even opening the express checkout of its THE ONLY friggin checkout manned in the store.  GAH!  Lady in front of me today had a whole friggen vegetable and fruit garden and the guy at the checkout had to look each one up in a book.  

Why is it that stores are punishing the consumer?  See it used to be if you didn't like the store you told them “Fine I'm going someplace else”.  But now they have done two things.  The large stores destroyed the mom and pop biz with competing services and now that those stores are gone, they have succumbed to destroying what service they were giving us.  Don’t believe me.  Go into Wal-Mart sometime.  24 registers and 3 of them are manned.  1 at mine after 9pm.  11 at night I go in there and there is a line all the way back to women's clothes and nobody will come open another register.  GAH!

I can’t tell you how many times I have left the buggy sitting right in the middle of the store and walked out because of the stores incompetence.  I refuse to deal with it.  If I could get a majority of my groceries online and shipped to me, I would do it.   We had a group called pee-pod here that did it, I loved it.  It was another one of those good things that don't last.  Damn shame.  Stores today are seeing the industry die to the web markets of today/tomorrow.  Malls are drying up along with a variety of major chain stores.  Why ??  Its simple.  You keep putting management so far removed from there chains until the point that all they are seeing is a number… $$$$.  That's it.  Well eventually more people like me will be leaving the buggies in the isle and going someplace else.  You want my business, offer me services.  The people make the store chains work.  Especially the grocers.  Not the food or prices.  I can get my groceries anyplace but again I’ll got to the place that will offer me the best service and price combined not just price.