Wal-Mart Breaks Tradition by Changing Role of Its Greeters

[Pardus]

Wal-Mart is now getting rid of door greeters entirely. But now who will harass us, demanding to see the receipt for the 24-pack of toilet paper we just bought but was too big for the bag?

Article

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) will begin moving greeters into its stores from the lobbies, ending a long tradition of having customers see employees as soon as they enter the building.

The greeters will be moved near the cash registers to direct shoppers to products or shorter checkout lines, David Tovar, a spokesman for the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, said today in an interview.

Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, has used greeters since 1980, when founder Sam Walton decided they would make his low-price stores friendly and welcoming. The move shows that Wal-Mart is rethinking many longstanding practices as it tries to boost profit margins and same-store sales.

During the past six months, Wal-Mart reassigned greeters at its 3,000 U.S. supercenters from the third shift, which runs from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The company has been looking for ways to increase productivity and save money to protect margins and keep prices on its products low.

Greeters at different stores have been told for the past two days that they will be reassigned, said Janna Pea, a campaign specialist with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which assists a group of employees called Organization United for Respect at Walmart.

Inside the Store
Jerome Allen, a greeter at a Wal-Mart in Fort Worth, Texas, said he was told by store management about midday on Jan. 26 that he would be moved inside the store in February. He will be asked to direct customers around the store instead of greeting them up front.

“They said we won’t be people greeters anymore,” Allen said in a phone interview. “We will be in the store helping people.”

Allen, who is a member of Organization United for Respect at Walmart, said the company can cut costs by giving greeters more work inside the stores. At his location, Wal-Mart has been reducing hours of some associates. By sending greeters into the stores, they can do some work formerly done my other employees and save wages, he said.

“I’m going to be doing part of the associates’ work,” Allen said. “They have been cutting hours left and right.”

Tovar said Wal-Mart is making the move to improve customer service. The employees still will be able to greet customers. They also can help people find products and direct them to an open register or a shorter line, he said.

“It’s a better position inside the store,” Tovar said. “The greeters will be able to assist customers in more effective ways. Whether they are coming in the door or are 15 feet away, they will still be able to greet people.”

Allen said greeters may be doing less greeting. He said he was told he will be in high-traffic areas like electronics, which is located far from the main door.

 

[SonicIce]

i noticed this. really annoying. they are always looking at me like i stole something, and i don't want to talk to say hello and goodbye to them every time

 

[Dr. Zaus]

i noticed this. really annoying. they are always looking at me like i stole something, and i don't want to talk to say hello and goodbye to them every time

Stop looking like a thief if you don't want people to think you are a thief.

 

[edro]

i noticed this. really annoying. they are always looking at me like i stole something, and i don't want to talk to say hello and goodbye to them every time

Don't talk to them. I purposely ignore all aggressive retail associates (Best Buy, Wal-Mart greeters, HH Gregg commission sharks, etc).
I just act like I am deaf. 🙂

 

[Leymenaide]

Remember it is their rice bowl. Many are kind and try to be helpful. This is who they are. It is importent to them. I think the move could result in better customer service. Cannot be sure. I have not been in a W-mart in over five years.

 

[NFS4]

i noticed this. really annoying. they are always looking at me like i stole something, and i don't want to talk to say hello and goodbye to them every time

Maybe it's a southern thing, but I always say hello and goodbye to Walmart greeters when I enter/leave the store. Most of the time, it's an older person and they are usually very friendly.

I mean, hell, does it really pain you that much to say hello to someone?

 

[rh71]

But now who will harass us, demanding to see the receipt for the 24-pack of toilet paper we just bought but was too big for the bag?

Article

Greeters ask if you're returning stuff when you walk IN with an item. Then they give you a sticker for it.

The people who watch you leave don't even check my receipt, let alone look at me when I expect them to ask for it. They stand there and look pre... ugly.

Maybe it's a southern thing, but I always say hello and goodbye to Walmart greeters when I enter/leave the store. Most of the time, it's an older person and they are usually very friendly.

That's "southern hospitality". Being the rude people we are, there's a saying... we will tell you to your face what we think of you... southerners will just do it behind your back. 😉

 

[sportage]

The greeters are nice people. Just working for a paycheck. Not some hidden government conspiracy or direct descendant of the Walton family hunting out store undesirables.
They probably don't want to be there anymore than you want to be there, but a job is a job, a paycheck until they hit that BIG multi-million lottery.
Just say hi.
They are more like that likable next door neighbor than just some cold employee.
Our local Walmart greeters have no problem bitching about their job, telling you all about their love life (or lack of), and who is diddling who within the Walmart store community.
That greeter might be the highlight of your Walmart visit.
Where else can you pickup a bunch of bananas, a lightbulb, a greeting card, and an ear full of heated x-rated Walmart gossip? I know of no other place! 😀

 

[Jeffg010]

The greeters are nice people. Just working for a paycheck. Not some hidden government conspiracy or direct descendant of the Walton family hunting out store undesirables.
They probably don't want to be there anymore than you want to be there, but a job is a job, a paycheck until they hit that BIG multi-million lottery.
Just say hi.
They are more like that likable next door neighbor than just some cold employee.
Our local Walmart greeters have no problem bitching about their job, telling you all about their love life (or lack of), and who is diddling who within the Walmart store community.
That greeter might be the highlight of your Walmart visit.
Where else can you pickup a bunch of bananas, a lightbulb, a greeting card, and an ear full of heated x-rated Walmart gossip? I know of no other place! 😀

Interesting So I could have asked them who the hot slutty chick was in the store and gotten some good info. I had no Idea.

 

[waggy]

The greeter at the walmart in dekalb is 85. I have known her since i was 15 (i am 38). She knows me and my kids by name. whenever i go in i stop in and talk to her for a few minutes.

its one of the rare things in walmart that is great.

 

[Texashiker]

But now who will harass us, demanding to see the receipt for the 24-pack of toilet paper we just bought but was too big for the bag?

I keep on walking.

If they want to see my receipt, they can follow me home.

The last time I had the greeter ask to see my receipt, I told them no. The person said something like "I have to see your receipt", I said "No you dont", and kept on walking.

 

[steppinthrax]

I think this is a good idea, you can't ever find help in the store. I usually have to go down chasing someone. The greeters are good, but I don't see the "function".

 

[natto fire]

The greeters are nice people. Just working for a paycheck. Not some hidden government conspiracy or direct descendant of the Walton family hunting out store undesirables.
They probably don't want to be there anymore than you want to be there, but a job is a job, a paycheck until they hit that BIG multi-million lottery.
Just say hi.
They are more like that likable next door neighbor than just some cold employee.
Our local Walmart greeters have no problem bitching about their job, telling you all about their love life (or lack of), and who is diddling who within the Walmart store community.
That greeter might be the highlight of your Walmart visit.
Where else can you pickup a bunch of bananas, a lightbulb, a greeting card, and an ear full of heated x-rated Walmart gossip? I know of no other place! 😀

Yeah I only make jokes about being an anti-social nerd that posts on a tech forum, in real life I am actually very friendly, met lots of cool people in my travels. I read through some threads here and even some responses to this thread and it makes me wonder how awkward some people that post here are in real life.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

I keep on walking.

If they want to see my receipt, they can follow me home.

The last time I had the greeter ask to see my receipt, I told them no. The person said something like "I have to see your receipt", I said "No you dont", and kept on walking.

I get the feeling that you and I are the same kind of asshole.