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Waitrose - Rude and unhelpful

Jnelhams
Jnelhams Posts: 1,363 Forumite
edited 12 November 2011 at 9:51PM in Praise, vent & warnings
Have to be said I think my local branch (Harrow Weald)of Waitrose has to be the rudest and most poorly run in the country, bread has always either run out (10am) or out of date and reduced by a few pennies. Today went to the store long queues and plenty of closed checkouts, walked round to Flower & Customer Service? desk, just some assistant filing her nails, asked if I could pay for just one item - said "no use another till, they'll open more"

I have complained about previous standards at this store, but you just get the brush off from head office. If there was another supermarket in the same high street (we have a small Iceland) I would not go anywhere near.
My Mind wanders, if found please return.
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Comments

  • Whats the problem? Couldn't be bothered getting in the queue like everyone else?
  • vyle
    vyle Posts: 2,379 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    So bread has either run out, OR they have surplus bread which has been reduced by pennies (as opposed to pounds...must be some pricey bread).

    I can understand why customer services didn't want to use the till for a standard transaction, though, because then other people would spot it and soon they'd have a snaking queue and just be a checkout rather than a customer services desk, then youd get people complaining that someone was getting special treatment OR complaining that they tried to use the CS desk only to have to wait in a huge queue of people just paying for stuff.
  • Jnelhams wrote: »
    Today went to the store long queues and plenty of closed checkouts

    Waitrose, Tescos, Sainsburys, Asda are perfectly happy to employ loads of staff so that all the checkouts can be staffed all the time however the following will have to happen to pay for it

    -A Loaf of Bread will now be £7.50
    -A pint of Milk will be £3.75
    -A tin of beans will be £5.45

    Too many people seem to want their cake and eat it. They want the supermarkets to have loads of staff but still keep their prices down.
    Iva started Dec 2018.
  • If the cashier had agreed to let the OP purchase his item, we might have had another thread by a disgruntled customer complaining he had to wait in the queue for his refund because "some guy just won't wait at the correct till, insisting it was his right to use CS desk to pay as he had only one item". I might be in the minority here but sometimes I let people with 1-2 items go before me if I have a full basket/trolley. It makes me feel good :) and they're usually quite grateful.
  • Jnelhams
    Jnelhams Posts: 1,363 Forumite
    I would like to point, it is not a question of being bothered to queue as some of you seem to claim, merely that it is custom and practice that they serve customers from the flower & service desk when they so choose. As for bread, prices, Waitrose reduce bread prices literally by 5 or 6p and seem unable to plan their orders. I don't think having fresh bread and opening tills instead of fililing ones finger nails is too much to ask, unless of course you all work for Waitrose!
    My Mind wanders, if found please return.
  • Jnelhams wrote: »
    I would like to point, it is not a question of being bothered to queue as some of you seem to claim, merely that it is custom and practice that they serve customers from the flower & service desk when they so choose. As for bread, prices, Waitrose reduce bread prices literally by 5 or 6p and seem unable to plan their orders. I don't think having fresh bread and opening tills instead of fililing ones finger nails is too much to ask, unless of course you all work for Waitrose!

    What a surprise - someone doesn't get the answers they want so accuses everyone of working for the retailer in question! :rotfl:
  • vyle
    vyle Posts: 2,379 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    And since when has anyone been loyal to their employer?
  • Jnelhams wrote: »
    I would like to point, it is not a question of being bothered to queue as some of you seem to claim, merely that it is custom and practice that they serve customers from the flower & service desk when they so choose.
    and on this occasion they didn't 'so choose'.

    simple really.
    Come on, it's not rocket surgery is it?
  • Jnelhams wrote: »
    unless of course you all work for Waitrose!
    damn! we've all been found out!
    Come on, it's not rocket surgery is it?
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,644 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 13 November 2011 at 9:45PM
    Th filing of ones nails shouldnt even happen imo, re the reducing of bread well its the stores option to reduce it by a few pennies, bread being oos by 10am as you put it is odd(did you ask if it was just out the back).

    All you can do is let them know your experience but you should have brought it to the managers attention at the time, im sure he doesn't want disgruntled customers who complain to HO then they have a go at him for the stores partner filing her nails.

    No i dont work for them but i do work for a competitor.
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