Although I usually avoid chain stores, I had the misfortune of visiting Total Mall at Madiwala in Bangalore today. Aside from the fact the layout was completely non-intuitive, fruits and vegetables were not too fresh, grocery shelves were partially and messily stocked, and fresh food counters weren't staffed, what was *most terrible* was the checkout experience.
Today, being Ugadi in Bangalore -- the store was reasonably crowded. You'd think that a "big" retailer would have projections about expected footfalls and customers and would have enough check-out counters open at 11.45 am. Wrong. There were *less than half* (about 4) of the check-out counters open, with serpentine queues haphazardly leading upto them.
After waiting at the same point for 15 minutes, the supervisor was approached to open extra checkouts. He responded by saying that it would take about 15 minutes and said something about staff not showing up. Twenty minutes later someone sauntered in to open *one* additional counter, but then couldn't get it working because it was locked. At that point, I told a checkout associate that I wanted to speak to the manager. She gave me a sullen look and refused to say anything. When I asked her if she was the store owner, she nodded. Only when I said that I would then give HER feedback did she point me to the supervisor, who again said things like people haven't come in, etc. I asked to speak to the manager and he immediately called the manager (Shankar) *who did not show up to speak to me at all*.
Instead a Mr. Mathew smilingly came along and asked what the problem was. At that point, I had already waited for *45 minutes* at checkout.
I gave a him a piece of my mind and he continued to make excuses and say how it was a holiday and people had worked till midnight the previous evening, etc. When I pointed out that we were practically packing our own groceries, he finally grasped how out-of-control the situation was and then began making phone calls to open tills and get additional help.
The total time I took to checkout -- 1 hour. That's right -- 60 minutes!
Which brings me to my point.
How is it that Total Mall fails to plan additional staff hands on a day that is a holiday and additional customers are likely to come in? How is it that the "Customer Care Associate" (Matthew) can say things like -- people worked till midnight that's why we don't have enough staff at 12.30 pm the next day? Whatever happened to hiring additional hands when needed? How is it that people working the tills aren't trained enough to even know how to unlock them to get started?
To summarize -- how is it that Total Mall really doesn't care about customer experience? Unless the management is arrogant enough to believe that an hour to checkout on a holiday is just dandy?
Time is the most precious resource in my life, and a business that has no respect for my time will not get my business. I'm never going back. Goodbye Total and Good Riddance.
(Just in case you are wondering where I do shop -- the answer is here.)
Today, being Ugadi in Bangalore -- the store was reasonably crowded. You'd think that a "big" retailer would have projections about expected footfalls and customers and would have enough check-out counters open at 11.45 am. Wrong. There were *less than half* (about 4) of the check-out counters open, with serpentine queues haphazardly leading upto them.
After waiting at the same point for 15 minutes, the supervisor was approached to open extra checkouts. He responded by saying that it would take about 15 minutes and said something about staff not showing up. Twenty minutes later someone sauntered in to open *one* additional counter, but then couldn't get it working because it was locked. At that point, I told a checkout associate that I wanted to speak to the manager. She gave me a sullen look and refused to say anything. When I asked her if she was the store owner, she nodded. Only when I said that I would then give HER feedback did she point me to the supervisor, who again said things like people haven't come in, etc. I asked to speak to the manager and he immediately called the manager (Shankar) *who did not show up to speak to me at all*.
Instead a Mr. Mathew smilingly came along and asked what the problem was. At that point, I had already waited for *45 minutes* at checkout.
I gave a him a piece of my mind and he continued to make excuses and say how it was a holiday and people had worked till midnight the previous evening, etc. When I pointed out that we were practically packing our own groceries, he finally grasped how out-of-control the situation was and then began making phone calls to open tills and get additional help.
The total time I took to checkout -- 1 hour. That's right -- 60 minutes!
Which brings me to my point.
How is it that Total Mall fails to plan additional staff hands on a day that is a holiday and additional customers are likely to come in? How is it that the "Customer Care Associate" (Matthew) can say things like -- people worked till midnight that's why we don't have enough staff at 12.30 pm the next day? Whatever happened to hiring additional hands when needed? How is it that people working the tills aren't trained enough to even know how to unlock them to get started?
To summarize -- how is it that Total Mall really doesn't care about customer experience? Unless the management is arrogant enough to believe that an hour to checkout on a holiday is just dandy?
Time is the most precious resource in my life, and a business that has no respect for my time will not get my business. I'm never going back. Goodbye Total and Good Riddance.
(Just in case you are wondering where I do shop -- the answer is here.)
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