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Yes I agree it may not be in their skill set but then DO NOT take a job that involves dealing with 100's of people one on one daily. You know if you are a person that can deal with people or not. And if you don't know that then you find that on day one of the job and leave it when you find out you are a horrible worker towards your customers.
I also agree Whole Foods must not value manners, politeness, making their customers happy, like Trader Joes does. Which is sad. I wish I could stop giving them business but that will only hurt me. I try to buy the majority of what I can at Trader Joes (due to their excellent customer service) but I need some products I can only find at Whole Foods.
I agree and I think that’s the issue. WF doesn’t care to hire people with good customer interaction skills nor do they bother to train them in such skills. As for the rude employees, why shouldn’t they take the job if WF is willing to hire them? It’s quite possible that they couldn’t get other cashier jobs at other more customer friendly establishments.
Personally, I’ve never found WF employees to be overly rude. They are there to do the job and that’s that. It’s not like any of them has thrown change in my face or spat on my receipt.
I agree and I think that’s the issue. WF doesn’t care to hire people with good customer interaction skills nor do they bother to train them in such skills. As for the rude employees, why shouldn’t they take the job if WF is willing to hire them? It’s quite possible that they couldn’t get other cashier jobs at other more customer friendly establishments.
Personally, I’ve never found WF employees to be overly rude. They are there to do the job and that’s that. It’s not like any of them has thrown change in my face or spat on my receipt.
I agree with what you are saying in your first paragraph. However, assault, as indicated in your second sentence, is beyond the state of rude. If someone makes no eye contact with you whatsoever when dealing with you at the checkout, they are already at rude level #1 in many cultures, including mainstream US. Being an apologist for rude behavior is no different from being a doormat. The differentiated customer service at other establishments mentioned here clearly show that.
No this is not at all what I’m referencing. Some of our (brilliant) data analysts are not allowed to speak directly with clients becase they don’t know how to address people in a civil manner. This is especially true in tense situations if clients broach sensitive questions about our product and the analyst says something too bluntly or worse yet, snaps at the client or loses patience becase they are asking “dumb” questions.
People skills and knowing how to communicate with people and respond appropriately in various situations are a soft skill that not everyone possesses. It is not schmoozing with clients. It’s knowing how to interact with people in specific manner- Knowing how to say things not just what to say is the difference. When a resume says “good communication skills” it means one knows how to say things in a given situation, how to address different types of people, etc.
LOL I know what you're getting at now, and I agree, they shouldn't be interacting with clients or if they are in a limited capacity. That said, I think there's some truth to the importance of good communication skills. I'm in management, and effectively communicating with both clients and with people that work for me comes naturally. Sometimes I think that I'm too used to "bossing" people around, but it is what it is. That said, having manners is something that I think is natural.
For example I went to the Dollar Tree today. I said "Hello" to the cashier, she smiled and rang my order, told me my total, I gave her the money and she gave me my bag and said thank you. I then said have a good evening. You know a basic interaction, but a pleasant one. If someone can do this at the Dollar store and can't at Whole Foods, then something is seriously wrong. I spent $7, at Whole Foods my totals can be near $50.
For example I went to the Dollar Tree today. I said "Hello" to the cashier, she smiled and rang my order, told me my total, I gave her the money and she gave me my bag and said thank you. I then said have a good evening. You know a basic interaction, but a pleasant one. If someone can do this at the Dollar store and can't at Whole Foods, then something is seriously wrong. I spent $7, at Whole Foods my totals can be near $50.
Well, Whole Foods really pushes the natural and organic schtick. Having to do menial job requiring you to stand in place for hours for a pretty moderate paychick while some asshat saunters in to buy a eight dollar chocolate and then not being very chipper about the whole thing is pretty much as natural and organic as it gets.
Well, Whole Foods really pushes the natural and organic schtick. Having to do menial job requiring you to stand in place for hours for a pretty moderate paychick while some asshat saunters in to buy a eight dollar chocolate and then not being very chipper about the whole thing is pretty much as natural and organic as it gets.
Maybe they should do the right thing then, and go work at a 99 cent store or some craphole C Town in the outer boroughs, where customers and cashiers can be miserable together.
Well, Whole Foods really pushes the natural and organic schtick. Having to do menial job requiring you to stand in place for hours for a pretty moderate paychick while some asshat saunters in to buy a eight dollar chocolate and then not being very chipper about the whole thing is pretty much as natural and organic as it gets.
This is azzbackwards. They have a job precisely because there are people who can afford and desire Whole Foods products. Most service jobs involve servicing people who have some amount of money.
Also this is NYC. No one expects Whole Foods employees to be chipper as that's more of a bonus, but it seems like asking them to do the most routine task and interact with very basic manners is too much. Basic things like: say hi or acknowledge the customer, don't make loud and inappropriate jokes in front of the customers, say the total cost $$ at the end, and follow requests for double bags or separate bags
I've only had great interactions with Whole Foods cashiers and employees in general (when in NYC, the only Whole Foods I shop at is the Brooklyn location off of 3rd Ave). The same with TJ. Now, Safeway cashiers are a completely different story.
I don't know what some of you are getting all hot about; we're talking about minimum wage jobs here, not luxury goods sales at Bergdorf Goodman or Barney's.
Basically all retail for certain segments draws hires from same demographic hiring pool. That is mainly but not exclusively minorities (AA and Latinx) for most part.
Some people are great at their jobs, cheerful and so forth; others treat it like "it is what it is" and "I'm here for my check, being nice to you ain't in my job description"....
Can or should WF, Morton Williams, Starbucks or whoever sit someone down and or let them go if their attitude does not change? Well yes, they could do that but then there is *NO* guarantee replacement (if they can find one) will be any better or otherwise last.
Nearly every supermarket, RiteAid, Duane Reade or whatever similar store I pass or go into has a help wanted signs in window. This is for cashiers, stock, assistant and even manager positions.
If someone makes no eye contact with you whatsoever when dealing with you at the checkout, they are already at rude level #1 in many cultures, including mainstream US.
Sounds like excellent customer service in many Asian countries.
Perhaps WF is training cashiers to adapt to our new Chinese money overlords.
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