Satisfying rant about Giant cashiers

[Anonymous]

2 words for you: Harris Teeter

[Anonymous]

Maybe there will be less rude customer service people with all the new competition for low wage jobs created by the economy.

[Anonymous]

The first time I used the scanner at the Westbard Giant I had to get my teen-ager to show me how to do it. If they want people to use these, they need to have better directions or human assistance available -- and that human assistance needs to be delivered in a civil manner, unlike what you encountered, OP. Giant has terrible customer service compared to Whole Foods. Why? I don't know how pay/benefits compare, but I can see that Whole Foods has a lot more cashiers and baggers on duty. They're less stressed and can actually help the customers. So, customers are nicer to them and they're nicer to customers. (Can you feel the love?) Of course, those labor costs are reflected in the prices at Whole Foods. But every time I get in line at Giant (esp. Westbard) my blood pressure goes up. What a rotten place to shop or work.

[Anonymous]

I think it's a trickle down effect from management to the cashiers. I think the magagement at Giant treats their employees like crap, comes down hard on them for the little stuff, so the cashiers end up really not giving a crap. It eeks out to their attitudes.

Why don't they leave? I think they are unionized, have put in their time and are waiting to retire to collect their retirement.

I saw it happen at a Giant in Arlington (on Wash Blvd) about a month ago. All the registers froze, so noone could check out. It was lunchtime and I had at least $40 worth of groceries. After 5 minutes, the manager pulled out those adding machines and some manual scanners and told us we could only pay cash or by check. Well, half of the adding machines didn't have batteries and the situation continued to stall. Those of us in line, standing next to a display of batteries were saying 'duh, use these'. The cashiers, knowing this was the right thing to do, or lose all this business, were paralyzed. One muttered that she couldn't do anything til her manager told her. She wouldn't even ask to open a pack of batteries. Anyway, by the way the cashiers reacted to the situation, they seemed almost afraid to do anything. I felt sorry for them because it was obvious that this was a crappy work situation. It took about 15 minutes before the managers agreed to ppen the batteries, and we finally got on our way.

I stayed all that time, btw, because I am an addict to giant's seltzer and only go about once very couple of months to giant to get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The first time I used the scanner at the Westbard Giant I had to get my teen-ager to show me how to do it. If they want people to use these, they need to have better directions or human assistance available -- and that human assistance needs to be delivered in a civil manner, unlike what you encountered, OP. Giant has terrible customer service compared to Whole Foods. Why? I don't know how pay/benefits compare, but I can see that Whole Foods has a lot more cashiers and baggers on duty. They're less stressed and can actually help the customers. So, customers are nicer to them and they're nicer to customers. (Can you feel the love?) Of course, those labor costs are reflected in the prices at Whole Foods. But every time I get in line at Giant (esp. Westbard) my blood pressure goes up. What a rotten place to shop or work.

I go to the Giant on Washington Blvd in Arlington and have used the scanners 3-4 times. They have specific people working by the scanners and they have been really helpful. While I like using the scanners, they do take some getting used to so I am glad there are people there to help. One thing I don't like is having to bag my own groceries - I am not very good at it and I feel like it takes a lot of time. So, not all Giants are bad.

[Anonymous]

OP - I feel your pain.

I cannot stand Giant. We're in NoVA, and every single one I have been to is just horrible. There is one in McLean that is tolerable, but definitely still lacking in customer service when compared to Harris Teeter. I'll even take Safeway over Giant.

Have any of you ever been to the Giant on Route 7 in Alexandria, in the Bradlee Center? Good god. There have got to be some health violations there.

[Anonymous]

I'll never shop that Giant again after seeing mice scurry through the aisles. probably common in many supermarkets, but I just can't stomach the thought of seeing them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: They're less stressed and can actually help the customers.

I don't think the Giant employees are stressed. To be stressed, you have to care about your job. No, the lounging and leaning, the non-stop gossip, the x-treme mosey maneuver (executed when a checker has to go to the office for something), and the bovine facial expressions are all marks of complacency to the nth degree. That's what a union will do for you.

[Anonymous]

Quite honestly, have you contacted Giant before ranting about it here? They'd love your feedback, at least on the corporate level: https://www.giantfood.com/customer_service/contact/consumer_affairs.htm?opco=GNTL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Quite honestly, have you contacted Giant before ranting about it here? They'd love your feedback, at least on the corporate level: https://www.giantfood.com/customer_service/contact/consumer_affairs.htm?opco=GNTL

See, really, I don't think the people at corporate level really care. Look at the difference between a Wegman's / Harris Teeter and Giant. You can tell that the corporate level at those stores cares.

If corporate Giant cared, then their stores would be cleaner, their produce would be better and they would have their cashiers help me bag when I get to the self-checkout aisle.

Giant sucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Quite honestly, have you contacted Giant before ranting about it here? They'd love your feedback, at least on the corporate level: https://www.giantfood.com/customer_service/contact/consumer_affairs.htm?opco=GNTL

See, really, I don't think the people at corporate level really care. Look at the difference between a Wegman's / Harris Teeter and Giant. You can tell that the corporate level at those stores cares.

If corporate Giant cared, then their stores would be cleaner, their produce would be better and they would have their cashiers help me bag when I get to the self-checkout aisle.

Giant sucks.

If you don't complain, they won't know.

[Anonymous]

They won't know?? They don't have someone making regular rounds of the stores? They don't employ mystery shoppers?? Wow. Giant really does suck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They won't know?? They don't have someone making regular rounds of the stores? They don't employ mystery shoppers?? Wow. Giant really does suck.

I have no idea. They won't know YOU, a customer, are upset. My husband works retail and can spot a mystery shopper a mile away.

I don't understand why the suggestion to complain to Giant is controversial and upsets you. That's pretty odd. I also don't understand why, if you are so upset about service you've received, that you wouldn't complain to the company. Ranting on DCUM is going to change anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They won't know?? They don't have someone making regular rounds of the stores? They don't employ mystery shoppers?? Wow. Giant really does suck.

I have no idea. They won't know YOU, a customer, are upset. My husband works retail and can spot a mystery shopper a mile away.

I don't understand why the suggestion to complain to Giant is controversial and upsets you. That's pretty odd. I also don't understand why, if you are so upset about service you've received, that you wouldn't complain to the company. Ranting on DCUM is going to change anything.

It's not that it upsets me, I just think it's totally naive. I bet we all went through a letter writing phase in our idealistic youth. After 90% of our complaints going unaddressed, and the other 10% getting a form letter that didn't actually address the problem (your business is important to us!), "contacting corporate" starts to feel like more of a waste of time than anything else.

Actually, ranting on DCUM and elsewhere seems much more likely to ameliorate the situation. If I'm pissed (and I'm not the OP) and I get you pissed, and we all stop shopping at Giant, then they'll see their bottom line suffer and will have to make improvements in order to woo their customers back. A complaint to HQ is a sign that you care. If you care enough to complain, then HQ knows they have you right where they want you-- no alternatives but to try to fix your only grocery store. If you CAN shop elsewhere, then you should, because that's the only thing that will get through to the corporate fat cats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They won't know?? They don't have someone making regular rounds of the stores? They don't employ mystery shoppers?? Wow. Giant really does suck.

I have no idea. They won't know YOU, a customer, are upset. My husband works retail and can spot a mystery shopper a mile away.

I don't understand why the suggestion to complain to Giant is controversial and upsets you. That's pretty odd. I also don't understand why, if you are so upset about service you've received, that you wouldn't complain to the company. Ranting on DCUM is going to change anything.

11:33 -- are you the one who called Hasbro for me? Why don't you contact Giant for the OP, not enough time on your hands today?

OP, I totally agree with you but unfortunately the corporate suits who run Giant are a world away and XXXX manning the cash register really doesn't care about our business. I would be happier shopping at Giant if they hired employees from ARC. At least then we would all be contributing to some greater good while Giant cuts corners.