Got show # 5 up for AOMM. This one is about the "fun" of going out on 'Black Friday!"
http://www.atticofmymind.com/podcasts/Attic_of_my_Mind_5_Customer_Service.mp3 (http://www.atticofmymind.com/podcasts/Attic_of_my_Mind_5_Customer_Service.mp3)
Good topic...
I'm with you on the poor service and high priced items at radio shack.
How can an overpriced electronics chain store survive in a world of techno savvy geeks, Are there that many gullible "marks" left to keep their doors open.
In the old days I went to my local Radio shack for tech advice as much as their unique products. Back then I knew the guy behind the counter shurely only worked there because he or she was "at one" with the resistors and diodes, mics and science kits that where their inventory. A true Uber Geek!
Last time I was in, they tried to sell me a $110.00 HDMI cable and the guy had to read the box before he knew what it was. :o Yikes!
If I knew you where looking for a IEEE 1394 6 to 4 pin interface cable or "computer to cam 'firewire'", I would gladly have given you one of mine - I don't know how they accumulate.
Sadly, I almost got gyped on a firewire cable for my external hard drive. It cost me $31 to get it. I didn't get it.... It was also from Staples.
Great podcast.
King Linksr
FYI, its because Radioshack is losing business that they are inflating prices. To make up for losses.
King Linksr
Last comment. I loved your ending song. I agree that lately customer service seems to be 2nd on the priority list. Fred Meyer actually has it in their rules that you are to help out customers ONLY if you want to. So obviously you don't get much help. Walmart is the same way. Only local businesses really give a care about their customers. I know there are chains and such that will be nice and etc but the majority of the time....no.
King Linksr
Glad you guys liked this one. Yeah, it's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Stores loose business, raise prices and lay off workers and the customers continue to suffer for it - so they loose more business. Like I said on the cast, I try to buy online when I can.
King - yeah that ending song is a favorite of mine. Make sure to check the podcast notes over at www.atticofmymind.com for the details of all the songs I use on the show. That song was used in the very cool movie "Donnie Darko."
Actually, the understaffing issue's are as much an effort by stores to keep overhead down as it is the current low level of unemployment. Service jobs are often hard to fill as people have more employment choices.
As far as "Mad World", I perfer the original Tears for Fears version. :)
"Low level of unemployment?" Bryan what country do you live in? At least in my state it's pretty bad. Many people with no jobs, losing their homes, etc. Think they would be happy to work - anywhere.
Quote from: Rico on November 29, 2007, 06:32:22 AM
"Low level of unemployment?" Bryan what country do you live in? At least in my state it's pretty bad. Many people with no jobs, losing their homes, etc. Think they would be happy to work - anywhere.
Easy there, chemical boy, now you are in my pond! ;)
That would be the Dept. of Labor latest US National Unemployement rate for October which is 4.7%. To put that into context here are the recent yearly averages for the US:
2002 5.8
2003 6.0
2004 5.5
2005 5.1
2006 4.6
So you can see that nationally unemployement is at a relatively low historic level. Regional levels will vary, certainly with the issues the automobile manufacturers have faced the last few years will mean a city like Detroit will have higher averages, but we all don't live in Detroit...thankfully. ;)
I am not in your pond. But I do know about the area I'm in. I live and shop here - in Michigan. Below you will see what it is like here. If you think people are not dying for work here and in much of the midwest you haven't been following the national news.
Yes, as I said the automotive industry, which you should know is the primary employer in Detroit, have been slashing worforces for the past 2 years, thus the rise in unemployment. Nationwide, the trend is different. My comment was just to contribute to your thread, not to argue with you.
I'm very well aware of the situation here. And it is bad. My podcast is based on what I see, local to me of course. Obviously for others it could be different. I'm happy if you have better luck in stores than I do.
Oh no, I find the same thing here as far as customer service and have walked out of a few resturants due to lack of service. I'm not shy about that either and we have a pool of inexpensive labor from south of the border doing a lot of manual labor jobs. All I am saying is that from a macro-economic standpoint, the understaffing of business is often attributable to a relatively low unemployment rate where these type of low paying jobs go wanting for bodies to fill them. Individual results and observations will vary . :boxing
Studies show that Americans are willing to pay more if the customer services is better. Netflix treats their customers really well and they are kicking the crap out of blockbuster, who really messes us around.
I think Wal-Mart could end up being the next AOL. As in the giant that fell flat when they didn't take care of the customers. Ah AOL, how the mighty have fallen.
Wal-Mart is abandoning they philosophies that made them the giant. They act is if they don't care if you shop there or not. I really think that people will get tired of them and shop elsewhere, pay more for people to take care of them than getting ignored by people who don't give a hoot. Sam Walton taught his employees not to meet the expectations of the customer, but to exceed them. More and more I leave Wal-Mart a very disopointed customer and ex-employee. I personally dumped my stock because I worry that it will stop growing and start a decline.
I agree Space-Invader. I avoid Wal Mart at all times if possible. I'll only go there if its an emergency. (food or something) But even that is rare. Its sad how chains give up on their customers. Online nowadays is better. Heck, Ebay is better than shopping at Walmart or Fred Meyer.
Its sad....
King Linksr
Walmart will eventually implode on itself creating a second sun for our solar system! :) No business can continue to treat both it's employees and customers like crap and continue to survive.
Wal-Mart in Seminole Oklahoma used to be the place people would "get" to shop and they moved into a supercenter, leaving good customer service and common sence with it, is now the place people "have" to shop unless they want to travel.
That's why Target is taking market share from WalMart. By providing better service and a slightly higher end product, they get people to step up and spend a little more, making WalMarts volume price advantage no longer a consideration for consumers.
My mom has worked for Wal-Mart for 12 years. Started as a cashier and worked her way up to management. Over that time she has noticed a major change in how they treat their employees. Watch the documentary on Wal-Mart... I hear it's eye opening.
I have found my experiences where I live in Canada to be similar to Bryans experiences. They cannot keep staff for service type jobs. My wife likes to go to the Olive Garden, but I refuse to go, as everytime we go, we end up having to wait an hour, and when we get seated, the restaurant is half full, because they do not have enough employees to staff the full restaurant. I thought I would go off hours, and maybe it would be better, one day my wife and I went at 4:00 pm, and we still had to wait as we arrived at the time when shifts were changing over. We also have a big problem with the fast food industry, as they cannot staff those, and I have seen some Burger Kings in our area shutdown due to lack of people to work in them. Some of the other places have either the restaurant open and the drive thru closed or vice versa. There staff is really young as well, some look to be 11 or 12 in some cases. I actually pray when I go, that I get one of those kids, as they do a far better job then someone in their late teens or early 20's. I went through a McDonalds drive thru a few weeks back, and the person working it had a foul mouth. I was thinking of complaining, but if I did that, they would let the worker go, and then have to shut the drive thru down due to no one to work it LOL. When I was out on Holiday earlier in the year on Vancouver Island, I was surprised how much different thing were, I went to breakfast with my parents, and they had a well staffed restarant, and plenty of servers, completely different from where I live, it actually felt strange to be served.
I agree with the comments on Walmart, I usually go elsewhere and willing to pay a bit more so that I do not have to stand in long lines. I do like that Places like walmart/home depot have self serve checkouts, as it saves me a lot of time. I am kind of a person that as long as they have the stock, and a fair price these days, I dont really need a salesperson, as I can research on what I need at home.
Case in point. Canada has a strong economy and low national unemployment rates. For October, they posted the lowest unemployment in 33 years at 5.8%. Now how do the US unemployment numbers I posted look in comparison? :boxing
Rico, if you enjoy wings I would suggest Hooters. I don’t think anyone is disappointed with their customer service. In fact, their customer service is the main selling point of the restaurant. They pay a lot of attention to the customer. And their wings are delicious.
Wing Stop is always good too... but I they might just be a Texas chain. ummmmm.... wings.
Quote from: space_invader64 on November 30, 2007, 02:58:44 PM
Rico, if you enjoy wings I would suggest Hooters. I don't think anyone is disappointed with their customer service. In fact, their customer service is the main selling point of the restaurant. They pay a lot of attention to the customer. And their wings are delicious.
It's funny you should suggest that. There is a Hooters right by the Buffalo Wild Wings. I mean they are literally 10 yards apart. I'm going to try there next time.
P.S. I've not seen a Wing Stop up here Jen.
Quote from: space_invader64 on November 30, 2007, 02:58:44 PM
Rico, if you enjoy wings I would suggest Hooters. I don't think anyone is disappointed with their customer service. In fact, their customer service is the main selling point of the restaurant. They pay a lot of attention to the customer. And their wings are delicious.
They serve food there?
;)
You bet they do! Pretty darn good wings at that! In fact, I know girls who like to go just for the wings! I also recommend the chicken sandwitches.
Yeah, there are cute girls waiting tables wearing shorts and tight T-shirts. But there isn't anything lewd or anything inappropriate that I have seen going on when I'm there. They play beach music and show sports on TV. I've even seen people take their kids their for their birthday.
I went to a Hornets game in OKC with my dad and a 4th grade cheerleading squad ate there. They had a hoolahoop contest with the waitresses. My dad was supprised because he always assumed that it was a sleazy establishment. He didn't expect to see families at all.
Dave took me there on one of our first dates! We were on the River Walk in San Antonio and Texas Tech was playing at the Alamo Dome... all the restaurants were too busy because the fans were swarming the area. So we went to Hooters. Not a good first date... I was looking forward to the nice romantic setting on the river and I got a big chested bimbo in short shorts serving me a sloppy hamburger. :smilie_nono:
We joke about that date a lot. ;)
Ah, but Jen it worked! You got married to the guy that took you to Hooters. ;)
Seriously, I used to go to a Hooters in Florida when I traveled there for work fairly often. Good fresh shrimp there. Scenery was ok too.
We have a Hooters in our Mall up here, but I have never been, and I always walk by wishing I could go, but my wife would not appreciate it. My 2008 early resolution is to go to Hooters at least once :D
Quote from: Rico on December 03, 2007, 09:31:39 AM
Ah, but Jen it worked! You got married to the guy that took you to Hooters. ;)
Seriously, I used to go to a Hooters in Florida when I traveled there for work fairly often. Good fresh shrimp there. Scenery was ok too.
Yeah, lucky for him I'm not the average girl. I'm not high maintenance and I'm fairly forgiving. :D
Quote from: Jen on December 03, 2007, 09:54:55 AM
Quote from: Rico on December 03, 2007, 09:31:39 AM
Ah, but Jen it worked! You got married to the guy that took you to Hooters. ;)
Seriously, I used to go to a Hooters in Florida when I traveled there for work fairly often. Good fresh shrimp there. Scenery was ok too.
Yeah, lucky for him I'm not the average girl. I'm not high maintenance and I'm fairly forgiving. :D
That is too funny. :laugh: I've never actually been in Hooters. I know my brother has been with a friend. Said they were good. Obviously that all he commented about. ;)
King Linksr
I went last night with a friend and his wife, wings were incredible.
A big thing for me is I really don't like them sending our customer service calls to India. I would much rather pay more for something if I knew I could get a hold of someone more close to home should I need to call tech support or customer service.
Like our local ISP choices are AT&T and Cox cable. I did tech support at what used to be SBC, now AT&T in Ada, Oklahoma. (Well a small chain of call centers named sykes where we contracted with AT&T) The layed us all off when they opened a brand new call center in the Philippines. Cox Cable has a local call center in Oklahoma City and I don't mind paying a extra for high speed internet if I'm supporting a company that hires people locally.
I also don't like the idea of banks transfering a call over seas so someone in a far off call center asks you your credit card number and your social. I as politly as I can try to navigate to a call center in North America. Sometimes I can do this just by asking for a supervisor.
I used to work at Radio shack in canada about 10 years ago, most of us then who worked in the stores had a college and university degree, now that it has changed to circuit city here, the customer service literally sucks, to the point that staff are totally unmotivated and could not care less about the customer.
Part of the problem I am sure is that the chain pays painfully low wages, so does not keep their good staff as they leave as soon as they can. I went back to a store I used to work for and most of the staff did not evan know what a resistor was, I still new the product code.
Unfortunately one of the reasons I left was the chain was so obsessed with daily weekly, and monthly qoutas that it became a pain to work for them. Customer service certainly is not what it used to be and probably never will be as companies these days are too concerned with how much money they can make and often at the expense of an unhappy employee.
Who do you think has better customer service? AT&T or the mafia?
Mafia. Because they give you straight answers, take care of the job and are always there. Even if it includes bullets.
King Linksr
:laugh: lololololololol
too funny
They are awful. I hate having to deal with them. It's worth a lot of money not to have to.
The mafia also has more ethical buisness practices.
Yep. At least you know they have ethics unlike AT&T which seem to have none.
King Linksr