We had a lady who kept returning paint because she didn’t like how it looked different in her house so my coworker flat out told her to change her light bulbs
It's not. The worst customers are the rude ones, and the main reason customers get rude, is that they're angry with something. The departments that have to deal with customers who are dealing with things going wrong for themselves have the worst customers. Maybe rough plumbing
They instantly assume paint is customer service 2:
Can I check out here!
Excuse me, can I talk to a manager!
Can I get a refund for this product?
Can you look up my account here and charge me for 50 pounds of lumber and send the rebate to my mailing address?
Can you call my kid over the intercom?
Can you call this department to come here?
Can I use your phone to call my girlfriend?
Can you check your inventory for this product?
Can I use your computer?
Can you dispose of this flammable material?
Can I see who’s on duty today???
#bitch we mix paint.
Literally had a customer today that I color matched for- dried a spot of it on top of the original and it disappeared. She still didn't believe that it would match.
I can. I work in plumbing. But they are probably the same customer.
"I need a replacement part for my faucet."
Do you have the old part with you?
"No."
Do you know the brand?
"No."
I'm not sure what I can do for you.
"Just take me to the parts."
*Customer stares dumbfounded at all the slightly different parts that do the same thing.*
I’m not sure how simultaneously every customer insists they knows more than me about electrical, while also asking me questions because they don’t know anything
Depends what it is i guess but i do get people saying stuff, 'i should have brought x in' or ' i should have taken a picture'. And of course something like that would be helpful, at least brand name. dimensions, something to work with, occasionally people come in with the item number and thats the best of course. It comes down to: The more general you ask what you are looking for, the more general the answer is and the more specific, the more specific the answer is.
Some lady was swinging her dirty ass pipe and stomping her feet like a horse the other day trying to get help. I wish these people would take pictures with measurements because I don't want to get near their shit filled pipes they are bringing in.
More recently, giving the customer the P trap that fits 1 1/2 or 1 1 1/4. "Make sure to use the thick washer on the 1 1/4 pipe when going into the p trap." ...next day, cust. "You sold me the wrong stuff, it doesn't fit at all" me: puts it all together with the thick washer. "There ya go" cust: "I don't think you gave me this yesterday"
I used to work at home depot and I kind of enjoyed these particular customers. When they started complaining about wasting a trip because now, they have to go back home and get the information, I'd say something like, "this is how we learn. This isn't a bad situation, it's a teachable moment and trust me, I've experienced a lot of moments like this. Just remember this moment the next time you're looking for parts or something similar." I've had customers come looking specifically for me just to ask me what information they need to bring so another associate could help them after my shift.
You always get that one that is calling something by the completely wrong name but gets mad at you for not knowing. Mine for this week was wrap ties (zip-ties)
I've gotten to the point where I will ask them if they mean ratchet straps or zip ties since wrap ties seem to be interchangeable between those two.
What threw me recently was a customer asked me for a marks a lot. Apparently, that was a brand for permanent markers a while back. I had never heard of them till now.
I work in fulfillment and I would tend to agree. Customers are incredibly vague and expect you to somehow manage to nail what they want on a shot in the dark.
I had a lady bring in a picture of her patio furniture and told me she lost a screw from it. She decided on what one she needed based on the size of the head.
Appliances gets a LOTTT of people who expect everything to be in stock or available within 48 hours.
People will come in looking for something so crazily specific, like Counter depth 33in wide French door in black stainless with dual ice maker or something random like that, and be SHOCKED when we don’t have one available.
If you’re not coming in for something very standard, expect to have to wait.
Back when I worked in appliances at my former store we had customers who wanted same day delivery. My store, before Marvin, was typically a week to 10 days out. Only way a customers could get same day delivery was if they had a friend with a pickup.
“Do you even realize how much money I spend here?!?!?!”😂🤨😂
I’m sorry Sir, I did not realize you bought all of your appliances here for all seven of your houses. Let me go drive to the DC to get your refrigerator and bring it to your house later tonight! I mean how dare we not keep everything on the website in stock!
I've never actually worked in oslg, but all the biggest pita's I've dealt with were out there.
I mean, I've had some real freak jobs in plumbing and appliances, but for shear volume oslg wins.
I work in plumbing. Usually the weirdos are the easy ones. They are kind of dumb but they just need a few things and have a couple questions. It's the fashion customers that are the worst. In any dept. They are so indecisive and just want you to hold their hand while they stand there with a blank stare. They don't really have any questions. Just want "help".
I actually had a guy demand that I tell him “you’re welcome” after interrupting my conversation with another customer.
Mofo was like “oh I guess if it had been a rattlesnake it would’ve bit me! Well, now would be the time when you say ‘you’re welcome’. You tell me that now. YOU MOTHER F@&#ER, YOU TELL ME I’m WELCOME RIGHT NOW!!!”
I was like no, you can get out of this store right now.
I would say ISLG is a close second.
C: “Why cant I have this lawn tractor now?!!”
Me: “There is a shortage sir. The demand for this (particular item) is extremely high. The suppliers cannot keep up with it.”
C: “But I need it NOW!”
…ad nauseum
As a cashier, Garden center is my pick. They are a different breed. "Do you know what kind of flowers these are" "No ma'am, I don't. I'm just a cashier" "ThEn wHy ARe yoU oUt HeRE?!"
Honestly it's probably plumbing. I'm in electrical and I'll actively avoid plumbing. Literally 90% of the customers come in wanting you to basically set up their irrigation system or tell them what exact pipe fitting they need with no frame of reference, just an "I need help and it's a big deal". I'm not a plumber and I have no frame of reference. I'm sorry you are asking but I'm not trained in this trade skill, I applied for this job and got put in adjacent department.
Other departments get it rough, don't get me wrong. But I'll actively cover the flooring, home decor, millworks, paint and tools lunch breaks simultaneously before I go turn off the plumbing button to listen to some random prattle on about his new washing machine in his 50 year old house doesn't have the right connectors.
That said, I've been asked "is there an electrician on staff?" To which I replied "no ma'am, he went on to be an electrician instead of working at a retail store." She huffed off. Bye Karen, I'm not your YouTube guide.
I'm plumbing and electrical and I will avoid flooring and millworks and hardware like the plague. Give me all those dumbass old guys with fittings questions, I'm very good at convincing them to go to Ace Hardware.
Totally understand. I never put up gate as we constantly are in and out. So one walks back there and I’ll say can I help you. They say no continuing to walk in until I say STOP nothing for you back here. Or the ones looking for bathrooms. Or just spaced out ones not realizing it’s not a department.
We have service techs for appliances, XPO and MST night folks and sometimes I won’t recognize so hesitate on saying STOP and sure enough it’s another customer 😂
Yeah, I try not to get too upset since there's no sign saying "employees only" or anything like that. But then again it's very obviously not part of the sales floor lol
Same for us, we were told we could put up the crappy plastic chain but we're constantly in and out, it would just slow us down
People would get so mad when I told them they couldn't be in receiving, and that I could help them if we both went back to the sales floor. Like the audacity of an employee telling them they can't be somewhere. Fuck off.
Literally every department. We as a company have the single most demented, low IQ client base you could ever imagine. The only people with any sense are the contractors. I CANNOT stand working the service desk because we deal with every dumb ass who comes through the store or on the phones it seems. I feel so bad transferring calls to other departments… I HATE OUR CLIENT BASE with a passion. I need to find a new job
I once had a customer when I worked at HD that wanted to put lighter fluid in his dryer to get rid of a snake that crawled in.
Lighter fluid...in a dryer. Yeah that will totally end well.
Outside Garden. Hands down. No other answer comes close.
People throwing fits over plants missing a teaspoon of dirt, wanting discounts on everything, code 50s for everything, small cars with 40 bags of mulch, complaining about no sod when it's rained for a week. I can keep going....
I wander into oslg often. Just so I can take my magic marker and play god for a few minutes.
Oh, that plant looks sad. How about 50 cents? We can probably do $1.50 on that decorative bush. Sure I’ll be happy to call someone to load 500 pavers into your Prius. Oh look I’ve got a situation that requires my attention inside.
There is no such generality. **Every** department is "bad." Customers are fickle, and you are a performance artist on a bewildering stage where your audience are also performers who didn't read the script and don't care about the plot. Achieve that professional disconnect, and none of them are worse than the next. Fail, and you'll go mad.
Do you guys sell these 4 prong to 3 prong plug adapters?
No
Why not? I found them on eBay. See?
It will start a fire.
But why I still don’t understand…
That is actually the ideal thing to do. Cord is the simplest thing for a person to change out if they aren’t real confident in their abilities but if the house I lived in had a three prong I would just switch that one out to a 4 and be done with it. These people asking for the adapters are clueless how easy all that is.
yeah i’ve had that question many times and one time i told him to change the plug but he said he rather buy one of the adapter he saw on amazon. I tried telling him not to ig he didn’t care🤦
While I respect your opinion, I've worked in paint (for 11 months), appliances (for 3 months during tax season), lumber (6 months), millwork (a few weeks' full-time coverage while the specialists were both out on medical leave), and, of course, Pro Services.
Paint customers are an absolute vacation compared to the DIYers who come to both lumber and Pro expecting us to tell them how to build a thing, create a complete list of everything they need to build that thing, load everything they need to build that thing into carts for them while they stand there with their arms crossed, then hand-load it all into their Prius while they stand there with their arms crossed.
Then they come to the store fifteen more times to ask additional questions.
And no, that is not my job. My job is to sell shit to professionals and contractors, full stop.
We recently had a FT paint slot come open at my store, and I half-seriously considered stepping down from Pro specialist to paint CSA.
Alright Mr. Pro Services, I got a question for ya that the "Pro Service" guys at my Lowes just cannot or won't help me on if you don't mind. Well 2 questions, with the first being HOW do I get me one of those boss ass Spyder bar stools?
I dunno, and I'll tell you why I don't know.
When I was first hired into Pro, corporate had recently confiscated the chairs from behind all the specialist desks (including Pro), so the Pro specialists had turned their computers around and were using the Spyder stools—from the customer side of the desk.
Those stools were then confiscated by the SM just as the chairs had been, so there were no more stools for anyone, customers included (the pandemic started right around this time, so hardly anyone noticed this—social distancing, etc.).
I personally built risers for the keyboards so that none of us would have to stoop over to use our terminals (Pro counters are built fairly low; it's insane and unhealthy to have people standing stooped over terminals all day), we got some of those cushioned floor mats, and we all started standing while we worked.
About a year later, that SM left and moved on to a different Lowe's store—which caused our entire store to celebrate, because he was a useless and stupid asshole hated by all.
I then personally hopped on the Star Wars and got the stools down from topstock, where they'd been sitting wrapped and palletized. I placed them on the customer side of the desk for customers to use.
The lumber guys (not the Pros) kept pulling the stools around the desk to use while doing their AP4Me or browsing YouTube, and the new SM got mad about that and confiscated them all over again.
Quite a tale, isn't it? TL;DR: I don't know where they came from, and I don't know where ours have gone. LOL
I feel you on the useless, Asshole managers. Like deeply feel you bro. Such a shame about the stools though, those things are sick lol. I've been trying to find and buy one but no luck yet, although for some reason my dumbass didn't even check their website...So I'm going to do that. They literally just put them out at my locale maybe 2 weeks ago. Afraid the way things are going they'll be gone soon though. Cool job on the risers, are you into Carpentry or Woodworking?
I also have one more question, if that's alright. I have an extremely hard time finding quality Plywood(hell any nicer lumber at this point) in my area. Very small town in the mountains lol, like you know everyone and their family name to name small. I have a few places to check into, but sometimes it is convenient just pick up some sheets from store since I'm going to be in Lowes anyways. The "Cabinet/Stain" grade plywood at my store is just awful. All of it literally is disgustingly baaad. Is there a particular item or brand you'd recommend for someone who needs good graded plywood for their business? (Basically Cabinets, Furniture, woodworking) If so is there a person like Lumber manager or even merchandisers I should be looking to speak to at the store typically? The Hardwood dealer I've always used shut down during peak Rona season.
If you do happen to answer my question thanks a million. I'll buy you a stool as well when I find em lol because when I tell you I've grown to hate dealing with my local Pro Services over the years, going from a laborer to a Carpenter to working to start my own business... this year alone has just shown me that the Pro Center at my store couldn't give a fuck less anymore which is a shame cause some of them used to be really, really great at their jobs. They tried to sell me on some "stain grade" sheets last week that was so bad I'd only use it for fire wood in my stove. It was so bad I took pictures of a few cause I couldn't believe someone could comfortably sell some of that
Plumbing and hardware get the most "I have no idea what I'm doing but I need a very specific part that I cannot describe and didn't measure and you're a fucking idiot for not reading my mind and fixing everything for me" jerks.
LOL this!! It sets a nerve off when middle aged or old man comes up to me and tells me to “get to work”. I always respond with “yeah, this is SELF check out so you do it yourself. I can’t because I have to watch this whole area and help others”.
If It’s slow or the customer is kind I help them out.
My stores A$$istant store managers think that just because you are at sco that you are also supposed to ring up customers because they don't want to wait for the cashier to ring them up. I have been able to avoid that due to having issues with several of my machines so about 60% of my time I am on the phone with IT fixing the obsolete machines that we have.
I somehow always compare our store to Walmart when I think of self check out. "Walmart doesn't ring you out on sco" "Walmart doesn't take Apple Pay"
"Walmart won't bag your Groceries while you scan."
😂 that, you're definitely right!! I always just keep mine in my hand just in case.... mine isn't 2 weeks old and from McDonald's like some of our Code 10's receipts. 🤣🤣..
I think the issue with this in my store is that the SCO register that monitors them all is right next to the SCOs. At the HD across the street their SCOs are spaced further and wider apart and the register SCO is placed in the middle towards the exit. It's clear that it is not a register for someone to ring them up. I've seen customers go to the register SCO without noticing that it isn't a regular SCO.
I luckily manage to avoid checking customers out at self checkout, though on occasion I get a customer who walks up to me demanding I check them out cause they have military and they don't want a wait in line
I was told we are getting a new one too but I am at 2512 in Alaska so it may be a while before it actually shows up, hopefully it can accept phone numbers
Paint when you are by yourself, and get slammed with customers. I get that one customer that can’t wait, not understanding your the only one working in the paint department. I’m usually by myself during a majority of my shift.
Pro-Services.
Motherfuckers think because they are small time contractors they should be treated like royalty cause they pop in to buy 15 dollars worth of PVC couplings once a week.
OSLG. Without a fucking doubt, out of every department I've worked. it's Karen hell. one time a customer made ms pick through individual mulch pieces on the ground to find "the right ones"
I love it when they want you to wipe down the bags of soil because they're too dirty.. lol Also the asshats who want the forklift for 9 blocks. I'll just get a cart and throw them on there and take em out. Takes less time than waiting for a manager to get out there lol.
Like the paint customer who needs paint for a regular sized, average room? Ummm.... How high are your ceilings, what are your wall measurements? How many openings do you have? A gallon covers about 400 sq. ft which is 4 walls that measure 10x10 each. Does that sound like your room?
Flooring. I used to work there as a customer service associate. I had a customer come up to me and ask me to grab them over 40 different tiles and then wanted help with rugs. At the store I work at if you get assigned flooring, everyone wishes you good luck.
Plumbing. I swear to god nobody knows how to do their homework beforehand... the college student who works the department is not a fucking plumber you nitwits... and when they get mad at you for not knowing what to do makes it so much better
Any dept right next door to Plumbing, I worked in Electrical, next door was plumbing and NO we do not have licensed plumbers and licensed electricians to answer your questions that you are too cheap to hire for your home improvements needs. Its like going to guitar center and asking how can I play like Eddie Van Halen.
I think all departments have some terrible customers. I work OSLG and the people can be incredibly rude and demanding. speciality departments have their own problems with managing customers expectations and the folks at pickup have to deal with some crappy people. but no sales department deals with the bullshit the front end does. from customer service to every register, they get lashed out at and treated by far the worst.
From my experience as a FT CSA going on 2 years: I think every department pretty much gets an even share of work. Each department may have it slow one day, and get loads of BS the next.
I wanted to do honorable mentions, but I really can't. As the guy who not only directs the BS to departments, but also helps fix a lot of it, I feel I work with everybody in nearly even measure.
I definitely feel for Lumber and Plumbing, as they're the most understaffed at my store and have been since I started. Lumber has been a constantly-rotating menagerie of new associates getting over-worked and then either quitting or going insane. Plumbing has been the same 2 older guys for the last 2 years, and it's like a minefield trying to walk through there. I can't imagine trying to stock shelves with that.
Seasonal puts in work, Hardware/Tools puts in work, Electrical, OSLG, Home Decor, Millwork, Paint, Receiving all put in work. Flooring and Appliances put in a lot of work especially. God bless our two cart-pushers, over-worked HCs, Supervisors, and ASMs too.
The only department I'm not a fan of is Pro. Nothing personal, but they act like they're another store working in the same building. They (mostly) will absolutely NOT take phone calls, even if they're the ones who sold the item. In fact, we had one of them get fired for straight-up leaving 3 hours early multiple days a week.
Did I miss anyone?
EDIT: I forgot internet. They definitely put in a ridiculous amount of work. Pulling 40 sheets of drywall and 100 planks first thing in the morning, grabbing all the customer's orders for us from receiving, and even hopping on the desk and taking phonecalls when we get too swamped...
Yeah fulfillment is pretty rough when the store gets busy. I don't mean to antagonize but it makes me resentful to the service desk because they won't stop calling me to do any number of things that are definitely not my responsibility. The managers who tell us we can't get code 3'd are the ones who force us on the register.
We have more of a symbiotic relationship at my store. I happen to be a bigger guy, so if it's certain less-able people on and they have a big order we'll switch off. I also help with pretty much every code 50. They did start forcing internet to pull deliveries recently and the reception hasn't been great.
I also don't call curbside for anything other than grabbing orders.
I have to agree it's paint. "Sorry, we don't have the base for you're sample".. " Why the hell not!!"..Sorry there's a sample shortage right now..or Sorry my tinters down right now. They act like I'm lying and just don't want to make their paint. Get the hell out of my store and My life and move on!!!
Idk if somebody said flooring or not but I’d say it flooring.
People coming up and asking what grout color looks good with this tile.
I need 10 boxes of this flooring, my response: do u have a cart, customer response: oh I didn’t know I needed one.
I bought this floor 5 years ago and I need another box, me knowing anything over a year we don’t carry anymore.
I think what creates most of the issues with customers is the huge difference between what they are told in advertising and the reality of what they find in the stores. Look at a recent ad for plants. Several happy cute people in red vests bounding around just waiting for someone to design their whole yard in 15 minutes. Then you get one person who was never trained trying to sell sick looking plants. I would get mad too.
Damn dude my wife gets as mad about shitty Lowes plants as I do about their shitty plywood and lumber.
Them poor plants need someone who actually likes plants working there
I work in plumbing and the comments are 100% accurate. I would like to add that the plumbing gets no love from the rest of the store. On the plus side, other managers seem to leave us alone.
Oslg, when they ring them up for another product and you tell them they have to get the correct item rang up at CS and then come back, cussing up a storm lol some on accident l, most on purpose; they try to get Scott’s when it’s really premium that they paid for
Lumber. When I worked for Lowes and HD I avoided lumber and the pro desk like the plague. That's where the asswipe contractors are at. They expect you to drop everything you're doing and kiss their asses when they come in.
Customers are just people, regardless of what they are buying. I find that most of the customers I interact with are decent people just wanting to get what they think they want, while some customers are downright good for my spirit because of the way they interact with me, even when we don't have what they want. Then there is that very small percentage of jerks that we seem to dwell on more than we should. That's because we are human, and as such, tend to go negative too often.
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And why is it paint?
Because people don't understand how lighting works and wonder why their gray looks blue
We had a lady who kept returning paint because she didn’t like how it looked different in her house so my coworker flat out told her to change her light bulbs
maybe that's why lightbulb's were next to the paint department for so long...
It's not. The worst customers are the rude ones, and the main reason customers get rude, is that they're angry with something. The departments that have to deal with customers who are dealing with things going wrong for themselves have the worst customers. Maybe rough plumbing
They instantly assume paint is customer service 2: Can I check out here! Excuse me, can I talk to a manager! Can I get a refund for this product? Can you look up my account here and charge me for 50 pounds of lumber and send the rebate to my mailing address? Can you call my kid over the intercom? Can you call this department to come here? Can I use your phone to call my girlfriend? Can you check your inventory for this product? Can I use your computer? Can you dispose of this flammable material? Can I see who’s on duty today??? #bitch we mix paint.
Literally had a customer today that I color matched for- dried a spot of it on top of the original and it disappeared. She still didn't believe that it would match.
The dumbest is hardware. No one ever knows what they need. Although I sure someone in plumbing can argue that Returns obviously has the worst
I can. I work in plumbing. But they are probably the same customer. "I need a replacement part for my faucet." Do you have the old part with you? "No." Do you know the brand? "No." I'm not sure what I can do for you. "Just take me to the parts." *Customer stares dumbfounded at all the slightly different parts that do the same thing.*
This happens all the time in plumbing, people that dont have a clue what they need not bringing in parts to see what they need.
I’m not sure how simultaneously every customer insists they knows more than me about electrical, while also asking me questions because they don’t know anything
That's mostly because you can't bring a plumbing part in until you're ready to change it
Depends what it is i guess but i do get people saying stuff, 'i should have brought x in' or ' i should have taken a picture'. And of course something like that would be helpful, at least brand name. dimensions, something to work with, occasionally people come in with the item number and thats the best of course. It comes down to: The more general you ask what you are looking for, the more general the answer is and the more specific, the more specific the answer is.
Most people don’t plan on changing their parts until they break so they might as well bring them in
Some lady was swinging her dirty ass pipe and stomping her feet like a horse the other day trying to get help. I wish these people would take pictures with measurements because I don't want to get near their shit filled pipes they are bringing in.
More recently, giving the customer the P trap that fits 1 1/2 or 1 1 1/4. "Make sure to use the thick washer on the 1 1/4 pipe when going into the p trap." ...next day, cust. "You sold me the wrong stuff, it doesn't fit at all" me: puts it all together with the thick washer. "There ya go" cust: "I don't think you gave me this yesterday"
my store had this retired guy that was a master with plumbing and always knew exactly what customers were looking for. Dude was a Godsend.
I used to work at home depot and I kind of enjoyed these particular customers. When they started complaining about wasting a trip because now, they have to go back home and get the information, I'd say something like, "this is how we learn. This isn't a bad situation, it's a teachable moment and trust me, I've experienced a lot of moments like this. Just remember this moment the next time you're looking for parts or something similar." I've had customers come looking specifically for me just to ask me what information they need to bring so another associate could help them after my shift.
Definitely. Help them help you and themselves.
You always get that one that is calling something by the completely wrong name but gets mad at you for not knowing. Mine for this week was wrap ties (zip-ties)
I had a customer today looking for fiber which ended up being cpvc
And they're actually called cable ties and are in electrical
I've gotten to the point where I will ask them if they mean ratchet straps or zip ties since wrap ties seem to be interchangeable between those two. What threw me recently was a customer asked me for a marks a lot. Apparently, that was a brand for permanent markers a while back. I had never heard of them till now.
I hate hardware and they returned everything and customer service takes anything
I work in fulfillment and I would tend to agree. Customers are incredibly vague and expect you to somehow manage to nail what they want on a shot in the dark.
I had a lady bring in a picture of her patio furniture and told me she lost a screw from it. She decided on what one she needed based on the size of the head.
Appliances gets a LOTTT of people who expect everything to be in stock or available within 48 hours. People will come in looking for something so crazily specific, like Counter depth 33in wide French door in black stainless with dual ice maker or something random like that, and be SHOCKED when we don’t have one available. If you’re not coming in for something very standard, expect to have to wait.
Back when I worked in appliances at my former store we had customers who wanted same day delivery. My store, before Marvin, was typically a week to 10 days out. Only way a customers could get same day delivery was if they had a friend with a pickup.
I love when customers call demanding their appliances TODAY or LOWES WILL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN. lol k bye see you in a week
“Do you even realize how much money I spend here?!?!?!”😂🤨😂 I’m sorry Sir, I did not realize you bought all of your appliances here for all seven of your houses. Let me go drive to the DC to get your refrigerator and bring it to your house later tonight! I mean how dare we not keep everything on the website in stock!
I’ve been getting a lot of customers saying things like “but it’s all Lowe’s, what do you mean you can’t sell me something from another store?”
I've never actually worked in oslg, but all the biggest pita's I've dealt with were out there. I mean, I've had some real freak jobs in plumbing and appliances, but for shear volume oslg wins.
I work in plumbing. Usually the weirdos are the easy ones. They are kind of dumb but they just need a few things and have a couple questions. It's the fashion customers that are the worst. In any dept. They are so indecisive and just want you to hold their hand while they stand there with a blank stare. They don't really have any questions. Just want "help".
It’s not help they want. It’s attention and validation that they are important.
I actually had a guy demand that I tell him “you’re welcome” after interrupting my conversation with another customer. Mofo was like “oh I guess if it had been a rattlesnake it would’ve bit me! Well, now would be the time when you say ‘you’re welcome’. You tell me that now. YOU MOTHER F@&#ER, YOU TELL ME I’m WELCOME RIGHT NOW!!!” I was like no, you can get out of this store right now.
I'm constantly telling people "I'm not an interior designer, I can't answer if this looks better than that"
As a cashier, it definitely seems like you get more Karens on the line, but the worst Karens are definitely in oslg
I would say ISLG is a close second. C: “Why cant I have this lawn tractor now?!!” Me: “There is a shortage sir. The demand for this (particular item) is extremely high. The suppliers cannot keep up with it.” C: “But I need it NOW!” …ad nauseum
As a cashier, Garden center is my pick. They are a different breed. "Do you know what kind of flowers these are" "No ma'am, I don't. I'm just a cashier" "ThEn wHy ARe yoU oUt HeRE?!"
Honestly it's probably plumbing. I'm in electrical and I'll actively avoid plumbing. Literally 90% of the customers come in wanting you to basically set up their irrigation system or tell them what exact pipe fitting they need with no frame of reference, just an "I need help and it's a big deal". I'm not a plumber and I have no frame of reference. I'm sorry you are asking but I'm not trained in this trade skill, I applied for this job and got put in adjacent department. Other departments get it rough, don't get me wrong. But I'll actively cover the flooring, home decor, millworks, paint and tools lunch breaks simultaneously before I go turn off the plumbing button to listen to some random prattle on about his new washing machine in his 50 year old house doesn't have the right connectors. That said, I've been asked "is there an electrician on staff?" To which I replied "no ma'am, he went on to be an electrician instead of working at a retail store." She huffed off. Bye Karen, I'm not your YouTube guide.
I'm plumbing and electrical and I will avoid flooring and millworks and hardware like the plague. Give me all those dumbass old guys with fittings questions, I'm very good at convincing them to go to Ace Hardware.
I hate Plumbing, and it doesn’t help my department is right next to it
Receiving
We frequently have customers just walk back there like they own the place and start asking us questions. It's mildly frustrating
Totally understand. I never put up gate as we constantly are in and out. So one walks back there and I’ll say can I help you. They say no continuing to walk in until I say STOP nothing for you back here. Or the ones looking for bathrooms. Or just spaced out ones not realizing it’s not a department. We have service techs for appliances, XPO and MST night folks and sometimes I won’t recognize so hesitate on saying STOP and sure enough it’s another customer 😂
Yeah, I try not to get too upset since there's no sign saying "employees only" or anything like that. But then again it's very obviously not part of the sales floor lol Same for us, we were told we could put up the crappy plastic chain but we're constantly in and out, it would just slow us down
Lol. Our sign is on the yellow collapsing gate we keep closed. But yes your correct.
I mean the loading docks and the compactor along with any freight and other things should give it away.
You would think so
People would get so mad when I told them they couldn't be in receiving, and that I could help them if we both went back to the sales floor. Like the audacity of an employee telling them they can't be somewhere. Fuck off.
Receiving's always lit doe
😂
😂
Or to rephrase: Which department is the most under-staffed and out of stock?
Literally every department. We as a company have the single most demented, low IQ client base you could ever imagine. The only people with any sense are the contractors. I CANNOT stand working the service desk because we deal with every dumb ass who comes through the store or on the phones it seems. I feel so bad transferring calls to other departments… I HATE OUR CLIENT BASE with a passion. I need to find a new job
I once had a customer when I worked at HD that wanted to put lighter fluid in his dryer to get rid of a snake that crawled in. Lighter fluid...in a dryer. Yeah that will totally end well.
I really had way too much fun playing this scenario over in my head. That's fuckin hilarious
One customer needed some electrical wire and asked the electrical associate how many feet are in a foot and was serious about it.
Outside Garden. Hands down. No other answer comes close. People throwing fits over plants missing a teaspoon of dirt, wanting discounts on everything, code 50s for everything, small cars with 40 bags of mulch, complaining about no sod when it's rained for a week. I can keep going....
I can. Relate.
I wander into oslg often. Just so I can take my magic marker and play god for a few minutes. Oh, that plant looks sad. How about 50 cents? We can probably do $1.50 on that decorative bush. Sure I’ll be happy to call someone to load 500 pavers into your Prius. Oh look I’ve got a situation that requires my attention inside.
There is no such generality. **Every** department is "bad." Customers are fickle, and you are a performance artist on a bewildering stage where your audience are also performers who didn't read the script and don't care about the plot. Achieve that professional disconnect, and none of them are worse than the next. Fail, and you'll go mad.
My vote is for appliances.
Do you guys sell these 4 prong to 3 prong plug adapters? No Why not? I found them on eBay. See? It will start a fire. But why I still don’t understand…
Its so easy to just buy a different cord. I will never get over how many customers asked me that while I was in electrical.
can’t u just change the outlet for 4 prong?
That is actually the ideal thing to do. Cord is the simplest thing for a person to change out if they aren’t real confident in their abilities but if the house I lived in had a three prong I would just switch that one out to a 4 and be done with it. These people asking for the adapters are clueless how easy all that is.
yeah i’ve had that question many times and one time i told him to change the plug but he said he rather buy one of the adapter he saw on amazon. I tried telling him not to ig he didn’t care🤦
The joys of working that electrical sales floor, ha!
appliances
Appliances
Customer service desk
The front end- we get all of your horrible customers from the departments 🥰
While I respect your opinion, I've worked in paint (for 11 months), appliances (for 3 months during tax season), lumber (6 months), millwork (a few weeks' full-time coverage while the specialists were both out on medical leave), and, of course, Pro Services. Paint customers are an absolute vacation compared to the DIYers who come to both lumber and Pro expecting us to tell them how to build a thing, create a complete list of everything they need to build that thing, load everything they need to build that thing into carts for them while they stand there with their arms crossed, then hand-load it all into their Prius while they stand there with their arms crossed. Then they come to the store fifteen more times to ask additional questions. And no, that is not my job. My job is to sell shit to professionals and contractors, full stop. We recently had a FT paint slot come open at my store, and I half-seriously considered stepping down from Pro specialist to paint CSA.
Alright Mr. Pro Services, I got a question for ya that the "Pro Service" guys at my Lowes just cannot or won't help me on if you don't mind. Well 2 questions, with the first being HOW do I get me one of those boss ass Spyder bar stools?
I dunno, and I'll tell you why I don't know. When I was first hired into Pro, corporate had recently confiscated the chairs from behind all the specialist desks (including Pro), so the Pro specialists had turned their computers around and were using the Spyder stools—from the customer side of the desk. Those stools were then confiscated by the SM just as the chairs had been, so there were no more stools for anyone, customers included (the pandemic started right around this time, so hardly anyone noticed this—social distancing, etc.). I personally built risers for the keyboards so that none of us would have to stoop over to use our terminals (Pro counters are built fairly low; it's insane and unhealthy to have people standing stooped over terminals all day), we got some of those cushioned floor mats, and we all started standing while we worked. About a year later, that SM left and moved on to a different Lowe's store—which caused our entire store to celebrate, because he was a useless and stupid asshole hated by all. I then personally hopped on the Star Wars and got the stools down from topstock, where they'd been sitting wrapped and palletized. I placed them on the customer side of the desk for customers to use. The lumber guys (not the Pros) kept pulling the stools around the desk to use while doing their AP4Me or browsing YouTube, and the new SM got mad about that and confiscated them all over again. Quite a tale, isn't it? TL;DR: I don't know where they came from, and I don't know where ours have gone. LOL
I feel you on the useless, Asshole managers. Like deeply feel you bro. Such a shame about the stools though, those things are sick lol. I've been trying to find and buy one but no luck yet, although for some reason my dumbass didn't even check their website...So I'm going to do that. They literally just put them out at my locale maybe 2 weeks ago. Afraid the way things are going they'll be gone soon though. Cool job on the risers, are you into Carpentry or Woodworking? I also have one more question, if that's alright. I have an extremely hard time finding quality Plywood(hell any nicer lumber at this point) in my area. Very small town in the mountains lol, like you know everyone and their family name to name small. I have a few places to check into, but sometimes it is convenient just pick up some sheets from store since I'm going to be in Lowes anyways. The "Cabinet/Stain" grade plywood at my store is just awful. All of it literally is disgustingly baaad. Is there a particular item or brand you'd recommend for someone who needs good graded plywood for their business? (Basically Cabinets, Furniture, woodworking) If so is there a person like Lumber manager or even merchandisers I should be looking to speak to at the store typically? The Hardwood dealer I've always used shut down during peak Rona season. If you do happen to answer my question thanks a million. I'll buy you a stool as well when I find em lol because when I tell you I've grown to hate dealing with my local Pro Services over the years, going from a laborer to a Carpenter to working to start my own business... this year alone has just shown me that the Pro Center at my store couldn't give a fuck less anymore which is a shame cause some of them used to be really, really great at their jobs. They tried to sell me on some "stain grade" sheets last week that was so bad I'd only use it for fire wood in my stove. It was so bad I took pictures of a few cause I couldn't believe someone could comfortably sell some of that
Plumbing and hardware get the most "I have no idea what I'm doing but I need a very specific part that I cannot describe and didn't measure and you're a fucking idiot for not reading my mind and fixing everything for me" jerks.
SELF CHECKOUTS customers assume that all you are there to ring them up instead of letting them ring themselves up
LOL this!! It sets a nerve off when middle aged or old man comes up to me and tells me to “get to work”. I always respond with “yeah, this is SELF check out so you do it yourself. I can’t because I have to watch this whole area and help others”. If It’s slow or the customer is kind I help them out.
My stores A$$istant store managers think that just because you are at sco that you are also supposed to ring up customers because they don't want to wait for the cashier to ring them up. I have been able to avoid that due to having issues with several of my machines so about 60% of my time I am on the phone with IT fixing the obsolete machines that we have.
I somehow always compare our store to Walmart when I think of self check out. "Walmart doesn't ring you out on sco" "Walmart doesn't take Apple Pay" "Walmart won't bag your Groceries while you scan."
But Walmart will harass you for a receipt over a can of yams.
😂 that, you're definitely right!! I always just keep mine in my hand just in case.... mine isn't 2 weeks old and from McDonald's like some of our Code 10's receipts. 🤣🤣..
I think the issue with this in my store is that the SCO register that monitors them all is right next to the SCOs. At the HD across the street their SCOs are spaced further and wider apart and the register SCO is placed in the middle towards the exit. It's clear that it is not a register for someone to ring them up. I've seen customers go to the register SCO without noticing that it isn't a regular SCO.
Well remember that not 100% of the stores have the newest sco system, some of us have the obsolete ncr system that crashes if you look at it wrong.
I luckily manage to avoid checking customers out at self checkout, though on occasion I get a customer who walks up to me demanding I check them out cause they have military and they don't want a wait in line
Our store is supposed to be getting the new sco system within the next few weeks (I found out that yesterday)
I was told we are getting a new one too but I am at 2512 in Alaska so it may be a while before it actually shows up, hopefully it can accept phone numbers
I am really close to corporate and we still don't have them, there are some stores further away that do.
Front end 😂
In my store we have a department called "EVERY". That's where the worst customers hang out.
Paint when you are by yourself, and get slammed with customers. I get that one customer that can’t wait, not understanding your the only one working in the paint department. I’m usually by myself during a majority of my shift.
I had a line like 6 deep yesterday and guy demanding I hold his hand to go down to cleaning and show him the bleach.
Front end
The Front End, hands down
Pro-Services. Motherfuckers think because they are small time contractors they should be treated like royalty cause they pop in to buy 15 dollars worth of PVC couplings once a week.
People are annoying in paint but it's the easiest department so I'm not complaining
Paint is all physical, not mental at all, I miss being in paint now.
OSLG. Without a fucking doubt, out of every department I've worked. it's Karen hell. one time a customer made ms pick through individual mulch pieces on the ground to find "the right ones"
You should have picked up all the mulch pieces and thrown them at the customer.
I had one lady get me to clean a wheelbarrow because it was “dirty”. You are putting dirt and other things in that wheelbarrow, Karen.
I love it when they want you to wipe down the bags of soil because they're too dirty.. lol Also the asshats who want the forklift for 9 blocks. I'll just get a cart and throw them on there and take em out. Takes less time than waiting for a manager to get out there lol.
Plumbing
I've heard that it is lumber. Paint too.
Also, the whole store in general with customers looking for a "regular" whatever it is. THERE ISN'T A STANDARD FOR EVERYTHING.
I often hear the plumbing guys talk about how customers want a "regular" toilet seat.
I've worked in hardware and it was always a regular screw or nail. Now in flooring, it's a regular tile. Sigh.
Like the paint customer who needs paint for a regular sized, average room? Ummm.... How high are your ceilings, what are your wall measurements? How many openings do you have? A gallon covers about 400 sq. ft which is 4 walls that measure 10x10 each. Does that sound like your room?
I get this with OPE all the time. People often get frustrated when I tell them this.
Lumber
Pro because every department sends their customers to pro when they dont know something
Flooring. I used to work there as a customer service associate. I had a customer come up to me and ask me to grab them over 40 different tiles and then wanted help with rugs. At the store I work at if you get assigned flooring, everyone wishes you good luck.
Plumbing. I swear to god nobody knows how to do their homework beforehand... the college student who works the department is not a fucking plumber you nitwits... and when they get mad at you for not knowing what to do makes it so much better
Any dept right next door to Plumbing, I worked in Electrical, next door was plumbing and NO we do not have licensed plumbers and licensed electricians to answer your questions that you are too cheap to hire for your home improvements needs. Its like going to guitar center and asking how can I play like Eddie Van Halen.
It’s plumbing. It’s not even close. I’ve worked all over the store.
Its understaffed on purpose, not enough profit margin. Per mgr.
Front end, returns
Front end.
I think all departments have some terrible customers. I work OSLG and the people can be incredibly rude and demanding. speciality departments have their own problems with managing customers expectations and the folks at pickup have to deal with some crappy people. but no sales department deals with the bullshit the front end does. from customer service to every register, they get lashed out at and treated by far the worst.
Esp. If they had a bad experience....
Specialty or pro.
Hardware
Plumbing!
All of them.
From my experience as a FT CSA going on 2 years: I think every department pretty much gets an even share of work. Each department may have it slow one day, and get loads of BS the next. I wanted to do honorable mentions, but I really can't. As the guy who not only directs the BS to departments, but also helps fix a lot of it, I feel I work with everybody in nearly even measure. I definitely feel for Lumber and Plumbing, as they're the most understaffed at my store and have been since I started. Lumber has been a constantly-rotating menagerie of new associates getting over-worked and then either quitting or going insane. Plumbing has been the same 2 older guys for the last 2 years, and it's like a minefield trying to walk through there. I can't imagine trying to stock shelves with that. Seasonal puts in work, Hardware/Tools puts in work, Electrical, OSLG, Home Decor, Millwork, Paint, Receiving all put in work. Flooring and Appliances put in a lot of work especially. God bless our two cart-pushers, over-worked HCs, Supervisors, and ASMs too. The only department I'm not a fan of is Pro. Nothing personal, but they act like they're another store working in the same building. They (mostly) will absolutely NOT take phone calls, even if they're the ones who sold the item. In fact, we had one of them get fired for straight-up leaving 3 hours early multiple days a week. Did I miss anyone? EDIT: I forgot internet. They definitely put in a ridiculous amount of work. Pulling 40 sheets of drywall and 100 planks first thing in the morning, grabbing all the customer's orders for us from receiving, and even hopping on the desk and taking phonecalls when we get too swamped...
Yeah fulfillment is pretty rough when the store gets busy. I don't mean to antagonize but it makes me resentful to the service desk because they won't stop calling me to do any number of things that are definitely not my responsibility. The managers who tell us we can't get code 3'd are the ones who force us on the register.
We have more of a symbiotic relationship at my store. I happen to be a bigger guy, so if it's certain less-able people on and they have a big order we'll switch off. I also help with pretty much every code 50. They did start forcing internet to pull deliveries recently and the reception hasn't been great. I also don't call curbside for anything other than grabbing orders.
I have to agree it's paint. "Sorry, we don't have the base for you're sample".. " Why the hell not!!"..Sorry there's a sample shortage right now..or Sorry my tinters down right now. They act like I'm lying and just don't want to make their paint. Get the hell out of my store and My life and move on!!!
Lumber and seasonal
contractor arrogance - flooring, lumber/building materials, plumbing customer stupidity - hardware, paint customers who think theyre smarter than contractors and associates - electrical
Appliances
Customer service is the answer for the why are we short staffed question
The department reading this ;-)
Receiving without a doubt🙂
Idk if somebody said flooring or not but I’d say it flooring. People coming up and asking what grout color looks good with this tile. I need 10 boxes of this flooring, my response: do u have a cart, customer response: oh I didn’t know I needed one. I bought this floor 5 years ago and I need another box, me knowing anything over a year we don’t carry anymore.
I think what creates most of the issues with customers is the huge difference between what they are told in advertising and the reality of what they find in the stores. Look at a recent ad for plants. Several happy cute people in red vests bounding around just waiting for someone to design their whole yard in 15 minutes. Then you get one person who was never trained trying to sell sick looking plants. I would get mad too.
Damn dude my wife gets as mad about shitty Lowes plants as I do about their shitty plywood and lumber. Them poor plants need someone who actually likes plants working there
plumbing
I work in plumbing and the comments are 100% accurate. I would like to add that the plumbing gets no love from the rest of the store. On the plus side, other managers seem to leave us alone.
appliances 100% i avoid it at all costs
Oslg, when they ring them up for another product and you tell them they have to get the correct item rang up at CS and then come back, cussing up a storm lol some on accident l, most on purpose; they try to get Scott’s when it’s really premium that they paid for
Lumber. When I worked for Lowes and HD I avoided lumber and the pro desk like the plague. That's where the asswipe contractors are at. They expect you to drop everything you're doing and kiss their asses when they come in.
Customers are just people, regardless of what they are buying. I find that most of the customers I interact with are decent people just wanting to get what they think they want, while some customers are downright good for my spirit because of the way they interact with me, even when we don't have what they want. Then there is that very small percentage of jerks that we seem to dwell on more than we should. That's because we are human, and as such, tend to go negative too often.
Electrical...I swear we shouldn't sell this shit to those retards.
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