Sparse employees in shops

[Sonikku]

This is something that I've eerily subconsciously become aware of over the past decade but never really thought to comment on until now. It seems like every shop I go to hardly has anyone working any more. I was at a Pizza Hut a couple weeks ago and they left the front desk unattended for several minutes, to the point where a long line formed behind me until someone finally came out. At that point I figured I'd just say forget this, I'll go somewhere else. But then I realized; It's like this basically everywhere now.

Every place I go, there are no longer dedicated front desk or aisle people there to help customers. They all seem expected to do 2-3 other jobs that keeps them away for much of the time and makes everything take so much longer. Stores seem so stretched thin now it's insane. I remember dropping a glass jar of pickles in Walmart last year. (I know, big mistake) I combed through the entire grocery section for an employee to let them know. Not a soul. I ventured all the way to customer service. No one there. I finally went all the way to electronics and waited in line to let the sole rep there to let him know. If not for the fact that it was broken glass shattered all over the floor, I probably would not have bothered.

Even going through checkout is a major ordeal. I used to think self check outs couldn't hurt as I regarded them as being "in addition to" people. But now it seems for every 4 new self checkouts installed, there are 4 fewer people doing checkout and the average wait time has never been longer, regardless of which route you take. But the real shame is that this is far from an isolated case. You want to tell yourself "screw these guys, I'll shop elsewhere". But that's the thing. It's chronic behavior. It's EVERYWHERE. Every shop I go to is like this now. Places big and small. (in small it's usually one person running the whole show from stocking shelves to cashing out customers)

Is this our future? Half the hamsters kicked off the treadmill with the remaining half told to pedal twice as fast as last year to pick up the slack? Even for those that remain, the quality of life seems to only be in a position to sour. Stagnant wages, rising costs of living, exploding productivity expectations. Even if we make it, it appears as though the majority of the population is doomed to a fate of ever increased stress and fatigue. It eerily feels like the American dream is getting squeezed more by the year and I'm beginning to fear for the future.

 

[Eug]

Wal-Mart sucks. Shop at better stores.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Go to better places than Pizza Hut and Wal-Mart. Employees cost money and stores selling cheap crap can't afford to have excess payroll.

 

[Sonikku]

Like I said... It isn't JUST them any more. Just an example of a much larger problem.

 

[manimal]

how is this a problem? retail is dying if you hadnt noticed. This is a symptom not the cause.

 

[Eug]

Walk into an Apple retail store, and you'll see a bazillion employees.

That said, it's often still quite annoying because there are 50 bazillion customers all packed in there like sardines.

 

[Engineer]

http://news.yahoo.com/why-walmarts-...lYwNzcgRwb3MDMwRjb2xvA2JmMQR2dGlkA1ZJUDQ1NF8x

America's biggest retailer is still growing — it opened 455 U.S. stores in the past five years — but its sales aren't, and its workforce is actually shrinking — by 20,000 employees, or 1.4 percent, over the last five years. The effect on product stocking, and customer satisfaction, has been predictably grim. "If it's not on the shelf, I can't buy it," says longtime Walmart shopper Margaret Hancock, of Newark, Delaware. "You hate to see a company self-destruct, but there are other places to go."

Boardrooms and CEO's want more and will cut anything and everything to get what they want. Then, they can sit around and complain to government for not helping out their customers more so that they can buy more stuff (without realizing that their cut employees 'WERE' their customers).

 

[kranky]

I wonder if fast food places are regularly short-staffed because people didn't show up for work of called off.

Here's a little gem I saw on Yahoo answers the yesterday:

My job only permits 3 call outs per 30 days or else the 4th is a verbal warning 5 is written 6 is final etc. Just because i have 5 +3 (excused doesn't count, fake doctor notes) within 30 days im on written warning status and i have to suffer a full 30 days without being late or calling out again.

Who comes up with this crap and why is it not considered borderline torture? I mean working is a drag and I rather just not work for the day or take half the day off that should be my right to do so. I thought there was worker rights in place to protect against stuff like this.

Large retailers do it to keep costs down. I've noticed that in Best Buy, there are usually people staffing the kiosks where you can sign up for cable or a cell phone - but those people are employed by the cable and cell phone companies, not BB. Where you find ready help in a store, chances are those people are on commission.

It's tough in retail these days. People want to touch and feel and get advice in person, then buy online. No retailer can afford to subsidize that.

 

[SandEagle]

because no one gives a crap about customer service anymore.
the customer is not always right.
f the customer.
also, entitled employees.
sucks.

 

[brianmanahan]

because no one gives a crap about customer service anymore.
the customer is not always right.
f the customer.
also, entitled employees.
sucks.

looks like someone woke up on the grumpy side of the bed

 

[OBLAMA2009]

maybe if they dont have anyone working they mean for you to have the pizza for free.

for me personally im never gonna wait in a line for more than 5 minutes. if the line is longer than that i just dont need it. i love those threes a crowd stores, man as soon as 3 peep is in line imma yell it out

 

[Hacp]

They use Dayforce and Kronos to optimize their operations.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

Wal-Mart sucks. Shop at better stores.

walmart is the worst. they will have lines that are half a block long. i always leave, they could make so much more if they just had cashiers

 

[PlanetJosh]

Walk into an Apple retail store, and you'll see a bazillion employees.

That said, it's often still quite annoying because there are 50 bazillion customers all packed in there like sardines.

That makes the credit card companies and loan officers happy.

 

[Wyndru]

Pizza hut was always like this. I worked at one over 15 years ago and during non meal times there were 1 or 2 employees working. And during busy times (lunch, dinner) there were more, but it didn't appear that way because the drivers were on the road.

If it's a delivery/carryout place, it doesn't require much to operate. Usually just 1 cook, 1 manager and sufficient drivers to keep up with the deliveries. And most of the time you are in the back prepping or doing dishes.

 

[Jeff7]

Are you a wealthy shareholder for that company?

If not, then you are an annoying expense that the company would prefer to do without.

 

[shortylickens]

they are having trouble finding enough illegals so they can pay less than minimum wage.

 

[Brian Stirling]

Retailers have always tried to run with minimum staff but WalMart set the new standard in this and there profit soared so everyone else is forced to copy that model or go out of business.

This is what it's like on the down escalator...


Brian

 

[shortylickens]

Also, I'm hoping Target will stick around long enough to make a comeback in the wake of Walmarts poor service and low quality goods.

 

[Engineer]

Retailers have always tried to run with minimum staff but WalMart set the new standard in this and there profit soared so everyone else is forced to copy that model or go out of business.

This is what it's like on the down escalator...


Brian

But now Walmart is losing sales as their customers, many who now have shitty or no jobs, run out of money. Now they're begging companies to bring back manufacturing so that their core base of customers can get better paying jobs and buy more. Reaping what you sow.

 

[Eug]

Pizza hut was always like this. I worked at one over 15 years ago and during non meal times there were 1 or 2 employees working. And during busy times (lunch, dinner) there were more, but it didn't appear that way because the drivers were on the road.

If it's a delivery/carryout place, it doesn't require much to operate. Usually just 1 cook, 1 manager and sufficient drivers to keep up with the deliveries. And most of the time you are in the back prepping or doing dishes.

I worked at a Pizza Hut a long time ago too and they always had lots of employees. However, that was a full sit down restaurant.

 

[alkemyst]

walmart is the worst. they will have lines that are half a block long. i always leave, they could make so much more if they just had cashiers

Usually those that end up in WalMart have no option to go elsewhere.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I had to double check the the post date. Op, you're just noticing this now? And, thanks goes out to the resident. "Literal" ATOT ninnies who thinks the op was about specific stores.

The reduction in service and quality is a direct result of throwing open the doors to cheap foreign imports. The ONLY way the U.S. will remain at the top of the food chain is to drastically cut back on those imports because, unless you're fine with letting China define global economic policy, the only other option is a variation on manifest destiny (war for the history challenged) .

 

[mmntech]

It creates a feedback loop. Store's business drops as online sales cannibalize retail. So they cut back payroll. Customers complain about longer lines and lack of help, so they take their shopping online. Store's business drops again, so they cut payroll. This a pretty common problem for most of the big box and department stores these days.

Short staffing is also caused by the enormously high turn over rate in retail. If someone quits or just doesn't show up, it's going to take at least a week to hire a replacement plus another week to train them up.

High turnover also results in a lot of really low grade employees who just don't give a crap. Especially when combined with the low rate of minimum wage and lack of benefits. You got better service in the old days because Bob of Bob's Electronics had a vested interest in keeping you happy. Customers are seen as a nuisance by the minimum wage jockeys. The fact that there are so many rude consumers today doesn't help things either. I can't count the number of times I was treated with contempt by the customers at the store. And I was one of the few there that actually did work my ass off and tried to always be polite. It's why I'm super nice to retail workers now.

I think you'll see a shift away from big box malls in the next decade in favour of online shopping. Been slowly happening for the last ten years already. You will see a return of boutique stores that offer more intimate customer service in a smaller environment. Especially as the baby boomers get older and become less mobile. Seniors already hate the giant stores with a passion, and chose smaller retailers.

The big downside of this is a lot of the jobs generated since the recession are service industry. Governments bet the whole farm on it. So if they go, it's going to really put the squeeze on low income workers.

 

[Sonikku]

Retailers have always tried to run with minimum staff but WalMart set the new standard in this and there profit soared so everyone else is forced to copy that model or go out of business.

This is what it's like on the down escalator...


Brian

I think this is it exactly. One store did it, and it seemed to be a windfall for short term gain/long term loss. But once that happened, everyone else saw the short term gain and all got on the same downward spiral bandwagon. It's amazing in a way how one retailer can almost single handedly have such a toxic and contagious effect on the whole, like one big domino. You can stop shopping at wal mart, though at this point that might just be closing the flood gates after all the water has poured out.