Sunday, November 02, 2008

Crappy Tire strikes again!

Well, one thing you can say for Canadian Tire - at least their service is consistent. Consistently awful!

Today's misadventure started at the north Regina store, where I was in search of a transformer/controller for my Noma Moonrays outdoor lights. You know, the little black pagoda lights people place along walkways, paths, etc.

Well, the good folks at the north store didn't have any in stock. But a very helpful (must be a new employee) young man looked on his computer and found out that the south Regina store had four in stock.

To the south store I went, almost breathless with anticipation. I marched straight to customer service, and presented them with the product number. Sure enough, their computer also indicated they had four in stock.

Here's where it gets fun. Nobody on their top-notch staff could figure out where to find them! I had already looked in the minuscule section devoted to outdoor lighting, so I knew it wasn't there. After several minutes of searching, the store staff collectively shrugged their shoulders in the legendary Crappy Tire "oh well, what can you do?" style and said "Sorry, we don't know where they are".

And thus, the legacy of Crappy Tire continues...

13 comments:

BJ said...

That has to be one of the worst service stories I've heard -- and I've heard (and experienced) a lot lately.

I'm afraid I have to add Walmart to the list of service-challenged stores. Out of many such incidents, this one sticks out in my mind:

I went to the electronics section with a friend who was looking for a new game. She found one she wanted -- hiding, of course, behind the Great Wall of Glass, so we couldn't turn it around to see the price. We asked the person standing slackjawed at the till how much it cost. The witty answer: "I don't know." Then the person returned to her intent study of the shoe department wall.

I put the two DVDs I'd been going to buy on the counter and we left. It wasn't the first time I'd dropped something I'd been meaning to buy and left the store. Not even the first time in that section. It wasn't the last time, either. And, though I've been going there less and less often, I'm sure there will be more such times.

Sigh. I don't come here only to rant. Honest. Let's just say I feel your pain.

Bev

Anonymous said...

It's all over and not just in Big Box stores. Ask our 50 year old Admin Assistant to put information into an Excel spreadsheet, and you get "I don't do Excel".

Ask that same Admin Assistant to transfer a call to the other end of the building, and you get "I don't know how to transfer", so she gets up leaves her front desk and walks to the other end of the building to see if the person is there to take the phone call.

It's a great time for our economy, but it's also a great time for all the incompetant morons in the work force. I don't want to rant, but I've said this even back in during the early '90's recession. If you are unemployed, there has to be a significant reason.

Anonymous said...

It's all over and not just in Big Box stores. Ask our 50 year old Admin Assistant to put information into an Excel spreadsheet, and you get "I don't do Excel".

Ask that same Admin Assistant to transfer a call to the other end of the building, and you get "I don't know how to transfer", so she gets up leaves her front desk and walks to the other end of the building to see if the person is there to take the phone call.

It's a great time for our economy, but it's also a great time for all the incompetant morons in the work force. I don't want to rant, but I've said this even back in during the early '90's recession. If you are unemployed, there has to be a significant reason.

Anonymous said...

Of course there has to be a significant reason for someone to be unemployed. Here are a few of them:

1) let go because of economic conditions, otherwise known as 'downsizing' or 're-sizing'
2) end of contract
3) one parent staying home with the children
4) companies going under or moving out of province
5) illness

I could go on. That doesn't address the service problem. I'd have to say that most of the service-challenged employees I've come across are too young to have ever been on unemployment.

That said, I do have to commend one young man at the south Walmart. We went in looking for an inexpensive printer (okay, a practically free printer -- my friend's a student). We asked this young fellow if he had a certain printer in stock, he said no, but brought out an even cheaper printer that wasn't on the shelf. That time, we left happy. I think most Walmart employees could learn something from this guy.

Sorry, Pete. Not trying to take over your blog or anything...

Bev

Anonymous said...

One reason not listed is "coddling". When a company downsizes a la Viterra usually people in Unionized work environments have no clue how the real world works. They believe they have right to a job, as opposed to thinking of what value they can bring a company as they move forward. They also do not understant that people skills, and emotional intelligence is as important as technical and academic credentials. I was interviewing someone for a job, and he went ballistic about his inability to find work. He said he has a degree from Queens University. I replied, "what if the guy hiring went to SIAST". Unless they are a Tradesperson, they can't take their "intelectual tool box", and go to a small business where the majority of jobs are generated in the work force. So that fact leaves them out in the cold.

Regarding contract employment. If a person is in a government environment, they tend to get used to working as a typical government employee. Pete is the exception, but typically they tend to be lazy, unaccountable, work to rule, and protected. When the contract ends, and it is again time to enter the real world there is a tough adjustment to reality.

Regarding reasons the overall is basically a tendency to just be lazy and unmotivated. The thinking is "so what if the customer is upset, there are many billboards advertising jobs". If you have a pulse you can get a job. What level you put into your job is something entirely all together different.

Pac58 said...

This is turning into an excellent discussion! I particularly like the "Pete is the exception" part.

So, is it worth complaining to management when you encounter sub-par service? I've only started doing that the last couple of years. I don't enjoy it, but it seems to be the only way to get anyone's attention.

I'd also be interested in hearing people's (like Bev's) stories about above-average service. As rare as those stories may be.

Anonymous said...

Uh oh, Pete. You may have opened a can o' worms here...

Having worked both as a government employee and a contract worker in government-type situations (and in other situations), I do have to take exception to Mr. Anonymous's generalizations. Yes, there are some complacent folks in government service -- as there is in any business. However, in an industry where public (and not-so-public) opinions and agendas rule, the union is the only employment stability a government employee has. It's not fun listening to the budget speeches, sitting on the edge of one's chair, wondering if this is the year your department/branch/office is going to get cut, split up, or moved.

Now, beyond that, is it worthwhile to complain about sub-par service? I think it depends. I once had a really bad experience with ... umm... Crappy Tire, I guess we'll call it. Long story short (and it *is* a long story), they took $300 and called my car fixed -- but it wasn't. I took my car elsewhere, also paid $300, and they fixed it so it actually worked. The guy at CT refused to refund any money. I called Canadian Tire's customer complaint line, and within a day I had most of my money back.

Is it worth it to complain about smaller offences? I don't know. Me, I'm the type of person to complain by moving my business elsewhere. Or, in the case of the restaurant business, by decreasing tips. I've heard varying results for other people who attempted to complain about service.

I'll have to get my memory working here. It's been so long since I've had money to spend anywhere...

Bev

Anonymous said...

Regarding unions/non unions etc., we'll agree to disagree and move on. My opinion is I believe in the individual over a group speaking for me.

Regarding service I will give you the supreme example of how frustrated I have become in the past 2 months. I work out at the downtown YMCA. I do this because I work downtown, and when gas is $1.35/ltr I don't want to be firing up the truck to drive around work out then drive back etc. The YMCA is a pig sty to begin with. In the men's change room is a steam room. There is a sign that says no soap or razors on the door. I sat in there to have a steam, and a guy came in and began to "shave" his entire body. I mean his entire body. A man came in with his 9 year old son, witnessed this, and quickly got out of there. I complained to the Director, and he kicked the guy out. I went in the next day to work out, and there was another guy shaving his face. I asked him to stop, he told me where to go. I complained to management, and they gave him a warning. My point is we pay $43.00 a month, and I believe we should have premium service. So do I think the YMCA fixed my problem. No I do not because they do nothing about this. I would think they'd put more signage up or have staff monitor it every 1/2 hour until they root out this problem.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I forgot to add this to my last post. To answer your question does it pay to complain to management? The answer is yes it does. If we stop complaining about the little things then that means we accept this type of service and behavior.

I'm hopeful it will turn around some day. Do you remember the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High? They are at Bronco Burger and the guy eats 3/4 of his breakfast. The sign says "The best breakfast you'll ever have 100% guaranteed" He doesn't think it was, and wants his money back. He then calls the character Brad Hamilton, "Do you know what guaranteed means you moron". Brad Hamilton replies, "Mr if you don't shut up I'm going kick 100% of your ass". The manager then fires Brad Hamilton. I long for those days, but for now an instance like that will probably result in a verbal warning, and then cause the employee to go on an extended stress leave. Ahh the times they have a changed.

Pac58 said...

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Now that was a glimpse into teen angst in the 80's! Beat the hell out of "The Breakfast Club", anyway.

But I digress...

Anonymous said...

And Brad Hamilton wasn't your typical slacker employee. He was relied upon by the manager that fired him, and looked up to as a staff leader. That guy Arnold approaches him, and with Brad Hamilton's word he gets him on at Bronco Burger. The point is if Brad Hamilton could get fired for bad service then anyone can. However after taking a series of lower level jobs, and having an embarassing indescresion watching his sister's friend at the pool, he redeemed himself at the end of the movie. I think this gives everyone hope.....lol.

Anonymous said...

Hello,

I work in public relations at Canadian Tire and came across your notes. I'd like to start by apologizing for the experience you refer to and would love to chat offline so we can look into this further so it doesn't happen again.

But to join in the conversation about about whether people should complain to management about sub-par service, the answer is yes. Each of our stores is independently owned and operated so I suggest if you aren't happy with your experience that you connect with the owner of the store. If that doesn't work then we do have an award-winning Call Centre that can also provide assistance.

The way I see it is that it gives us an opportunity to investigate, provide a suitable explanation and/or make it right.

Pac58 said...

Hi,

and thanks for your response. I'd be glad to chat about my experience, but I'm a bit reluctant to give out personal contact information in this setting...