Good and Bad Buys at Lidl and Aldi stores (***Please don't expire***)

Rosa_Damascena

A._Badger said:

thriftytracey said:

Also, if you forget your phone checkout can input your mobile number so your shop is registered on the Lidl app.  Unlike Tesco - I forgot the double points coupon - I asked at the customer service counter if they could use my personal details to collect points but no chance!  I've never talked to such miserable staff at our local supersize Tesco, they must have awful terms and conditions to be so miserable and almost rude!

It's always seemed to me that Tesco's staff are the most miserable of all the supermarkets and this isn't a recent observation, so I suspect it's something in the corporate culture - their DNA if you like. My grandfather knew Jack Cohen, Tesco's founder, and disliked him, mostly on account of Cohen's meanness and pushiness. These things tend to get baked into companies, even after the founders have passed on. Aldi's staff. on the other hand, for all pressure they are under to be quick and efficient, usually seem to be cheerful.

Tesco has been around a lot longer than Aldi and their staff have known benefits that others could only dream of. These have been gradually eroded away over time, which is where discontent kicks in. Its hardly surprising if this attitude then rubs off onto incoming staff.

Although to be fair I haven't noticed anything in particular myself about Tesco store assistants, just the contrast between Aldi staff and those in other supermarkets.

Pollycat

I have very little interaction with Tesco staff as I only pop in to the Tesco metro in town to pick up a few bit when needed and I always use the self-service checkouts.
I've always found Aldi staff very pleasant and helpful but as I only do a basketful of shopping, I now use their self-service tills too.

YoungBlueEyes

A._Badger said:

thriftytracey said:

Also, if you forget your phone checkout can input your mobile number so your shop is registered on the Lidl app.  Unlike Tesco - I forgot the double points coupon - I asked at the customer service counter if they could use my personal details to collect points but no chance!  I've never talked to such miserable staff at our local supersize Tesco, they must have awful terms and conditions to be so miserable and almost rude!

It's always seemed to me that Tesco's staff are the most miserable of all the supermarkets and this isn't a recent observation, so I suspect it's something in the corporate culture - their DNA if you like. My grandfather knew Jack Cohen, Tesco's founder, and disliked him, mostly on account of Cohen's meanness and pushiness. These things tend to get baked into companies, even after the founders have passed on. Aldi's staff. on the other hand, for all pressure they are under to be quick and efficient, usually seem to be cheerful.

My bolding.  That was one of the first things we had to learn when I worked for tesco years ago - where the name came from. The 2 guys that founded the original company were called T E Stockwell and Jack Cohen. IIRC they were both guys that had market stalls waay back when and decided to team up to beat the competition. 

A._Badger

YoungBlueEyes said:

A._Badger said:

thriftytracey said:

Also, if you forget your phone checkout can input your mobile number so your shop is registered on the Lidl app.  Unlike Tesco - I forgot the double points coupon - I asked at the customer service counter if they could use my personal details to collect points but no chance!  I've never talked to such miserable staff at our local supersize Tesco, they must have awful terms and conditions to be so miserable and almost rude!

It's always seemed to me that Tesco's staff are the most miserable of all the supermarkets and this isn't a recent observation, so I suspect it's something in the corporate culture - their DNA if you like. My grandfather knew Jack Cohen, Tesco's founder, and disliked him, mostly on account of Cohen's meanness and pushiness. These things tend to get baked into companies, even after the founders have passed on. Aldi's staff. on the other hand, for all pressure they are under to be quick and efficient, usually seem to be cheerful.

My bolding.  That was one of the first things we had to learn when I worked for tesco years ago - where the name came from. The 2 guys that founded the original company were called T E Stockwell and Jack Cohen. IIRC they were both guys that had market stalls waay back when and decided to team up to beat the competition. 

Yes, it was in his market stall days that my grandfather knew him. Stockwell wasn't mentioned. Interestingly Wikipedia says the following which, even though it's Wikipedia, is probably accurate:

"Jack Cohen, the son of Jewish migrants from Poland, founded Tesco in 1919 when he began to sell war-surplus groceries from a stall at Well Street Market, Hackney, in the East End of London.[13] The Tesco brand first appeared in 1924. The name came about after Jack Cohen bought a shipment of tea from Thomas Edward Stockwell. He made new labels using the initials of the supplier's name (TES), and the first two letters of his surname (CO), forming the word TESCO."

Cornucopia

Where I live, the Aldi staff are noticeably nicer, chattier and generally more friendly and helpful than those at Lidl.    The only failing really is that not all staff are trained for the self-service tills, so they are inclined to shut them.   

We don't have a Tescos, and my only real experience of Tesco staff is to do with my phone.   All the Tesco Mobile staff I've dealt with have been excellent.

A lot of traditional UK retail outlets have similar origin stories to Tescos (certainly Marks & Spencer, Morrisons and Sainsburys).   Not, of course, Lidl and Aldi, who are both German family companies.

YoungBlueEyes

Aldi staff are nice here too, and I tell them so. I don't know if Lidl ask more of their staff or pay them worse or treat them badly or what, but they're often harrassed-looking. Like they need you out of their road so they can back to whatever they're meant to be doing. You do get the odd nice one, but few and far between. Lidl are always advertising for staff, too...

maman

I'd agree about the overall efficiency and friendliness of Aldi staff.

 Unfortunately though, some of the checkout staff at my store have been issued with headsets and microphones relatively recently. I'm sure they have them for a good reason but one person in particular seems to use them more for gossiping with the back room.

 I find it both discourteous and disconcerting when she's chatting away but not to me! 🤔

Rosa_Damascena

maman said:

I'd agree about the overall efficiency and friendliness of Aldi staff.

 Unfortunately though, some of the checkout staff at my store have been issued with headsets and microphones relatively recently. I'm sure they have them for a good reason but one person in particular seems to use them more for gossiping with the back room.

 I find it both discourteous and disconcerting when she's chatting away but not to me! 🤔

That would be the exception then. I do occasionally see the SA at the till muttering away and realise its to a colleague but its about stock and not gossip. The other thing I have noticed is that Aldi is willing to employ non-English speakers to work on the shop floor. They graft away and its only having asked where something is that I realise they struggle to respond - the clue is that they are not mic'd up. They are still noticeably more pleasant than the big 4 and Lidl.

Aldi is set to expand further in South Essex, if it provides decent employment to people who enjoy working in retail then I'm with it.

Truthfully, what has me going back to Lidl is its proximity (it can give me a good 5,000-8,000+ step walk depending on the route I take) and the hope that I might find their Victoria Sponge on the shelves, which now seems to be somewhat of a rarity. Carrot and chocolate cakes have prevailed lately.

PLRFD

Rosa_Damascena said:maman said:

I'd agree about the overall efficiency and friendliness of Aldi staff.

 Unfortunately though, some of the checkout staff at my store have been issued with headsets and microphones relatively recently. I'm sure they have them for a good reason but one person in particular seems to use them more for gossiping with the back room.

 I find it both discourteous and disconcerting when she's chatting away but not to me! 🤔

That would be the exception then. I do occasionally see the SA at the till muttering away and realise its to a colleague but its about stock and not gossip. The other thing I have noticed is that Aldi is willing to employ non-English speakers to work on the shop floor. They graft away and its only having asked where something is that I realise they struggle to respond - the clue is that they are not mic'd up. They are still noticeably more pleasant than the big 4 and Lidl.

Aldi is set to expand further in South Essex, if it provides decent employment to people who enjoy working in retail then I'm with it.

Truthfully, what has me going back to Lidl is its proximity (it can give me a good 5,000-8,000+ step walk depending on the route I take) and the hope that I might find their Victoria Sponge on the shelves, which now seems to be somewhat of a rarity. Carrot and chocolate cakes have prevailed lately.

Lidl did a lovely coffee and walnut cake but not seen any in ages.

maman

You're right Rosa_Damascena, she is the exception which proves the rule on Aldi staff. 👍