Corp Metro store employees - questions for ya!

[for2njr]

As the owner/operator of a retail business, when I have to choose who gets my attention -- an in-store customer or a ringing telephone, I will always devote my attention to the person who made an effort to visit my place of business, and I will let the phone continue to ring and go to voicemail (our voicemail announcements provide customer service's phone number, as well as Metro's web address). I expect my employees to do the same.

Still, I understand the importance of efficiency, so I once told the manager to set up a queue for customers to line up in order. However, while the queue did remove any doubt over who's turn it was, it also inhibited every customer's freedom to browse around the store, which naturally cut down on overall sales! Needless to say, I told the manager to remove the queue, but to train employees to better greet and monitor the flow of incoming customers.

Now, as an ordinary customer, like when I'm in Wal Mart, Home Depot, etc., whenever I need some quick assistance/information, I don't hesitate to "grab" the nearest store associate, regardless of whether they're already assisting another customer or whether they're obviously involved in another task...if they can help me without disrupting what they're doing, they will. But, if they say "I'll be with you in just a moment," then I'll know I must wait until they can give their undivided attention. Either way, it's okay.

[JWhipple]

As the owner/operator of a retail business, when I have to choose who gets my attention -- an in-store customer or a ringing telephone, I will always devote my attention to the person who made an effort to visit my place of business, and I will let the phone continue to ring and go to voicemail (our voicemail announcements provide customer service's phone number, as well as Metro's web address). I expect my employees to do the same.

Still, I understand the importance of efficiency, so I once told the manager to set up a queue for customers to line up in order. However, while the queue did remove any doubt over who's turn it was, it also inhibited every customer's freedom to browse around the store, which naturally cut down on overall sales! Needless to say, I told the manager to remove the queue, but to train employees to better greet and monitor the flow of incoming customers.

Now, as an ordinary customer, like when I'm in Wal Mart, Home Depot, etc., whenever I need some quick assistance/information, I don't hesitate to "grab" the nearest store associate, regardless of whether they're already assisting another customer or whether they're obviously involved in another task...if they can help me without disrupting what they're doing, they will. But, if they say "I'll be with you in just a moment," then I'll know I must wait until they can give their undivided attention. Either way, it's okay.

I swung by the Corporate store again today just to see how busy they were ... Again, 2 people sitting around with hands in pockets. So while standing there waiting for someone to even acknowledge my existance, I decided to call the toll-free number and try to patch to the store... Again, no answer.

By the way, I failed to mention, there was nobody in line.

So tell me, would you rather your people sit around getting paid to do nothing, or have them answering the phones?

[for2njr]

I swung by the Corporate store again today just to see how busy they were ... Again, 2 people sitting around with hands in pockets. So while standing there waiting for someone to even acknowledge my existance, I decided to call the toll-free number and try to patch to the store... Again, no answer.

By the way, I failed to mention, there was nobody in line.

So tell me, would you rather your people sit around getting paid to do nothing, or have them answering the phones?

I didn't think there could be such a thing as a Corporate store with nobody in line!

I'll tell you what, if any of my employees allowed customers to walk into my store without greeting them or at least acknowledging their presence, they would soon find themselves waiting in the unemployment line!