Can't Grocery Stores Teach Common Sense To Their Younger Employees?

[bertha katzenengel]

With my groceries, I bought a 20-lb bag of cat food and a 25-lb box of litter. Arm & Hammer litter - in a box with a handle - the box has very sharp corners.

Maybe it's my fault. I was putting stuff in the car quickly, wanting to get home. Didn't notice that the bag boy, practically young enough to be my grandchild (I'm 43), had crammed the cat food bag into the back of the bottom of the cart. It was standing on one end, and folded almost 90 degrees. He folded it partially over the box of litter.

What do you think happened when I pulled the box of litter out of the bottom of the cart?

I spent a few minutes on my knees in a grocery store parking lot, scooping up about five pounds of cat food.

Bless the kid's heart. He's got a job, he's working. That's great.

Now he'll get a few years behind him, and get some common sense.

Meantime, if you shop at any Safeways in Charles Co., MD, look out.

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Common sense can not be taught.

Here's hoping the boy learns with time. I can see a young teen making that mistake.

Almost old enough to be his grandma, eh? Wanna bet he thought you were too?
:rofl:

[bertha katzenengel]

2. Ooh, you're gonna pay for that . . .

;)

Loretta Lynn was a mother at 13 (I think), and a grandmother at 29. Okay, so if I'd had a grandchild at 29, he wouldn't be old enough to work. Oh, all right. Rain on my parade. :pout:

[Gormy Cuss]

5. I can tease you on this.

By Loretta Lynn rules I should have a passel of grandbabies around. ;)

[HuckleB]

3. Heck, they can't teach their older employees common sense...

how're they gonna impart it to the less experienced?

[Blue Diadem]

4. Around here we have no bag boys/girls anymore,

and it's the cashiers who do that kind of stuff. Well..not putting it into your cart since you have to do that yourself but they do stupid stuff like taking a box of frosted donuts and flipping them sideways in the bag or attempting to put a cake from the deli into a bag that's too small. I've gotten to the point I have to say no bag please and take it from them.

I wonder what ever happened to the proper training they used to give them.

[Pithlet]

11. I remember

back in high school speech class a classmate who worked at the local grocery did a how-to presentation on properly bagging groceries. I think they actually used to get training back then. My only real grocery pet peeve is when they put packaged meat in with other stuff rather than wrapping it separately. I always request they do so because it doesn't always occur to them to do it that way.

[madinmaryland]

12. When I worked in a grocery store in the late 70's

I was a bagger and there was a definate art to it. It you didn't pack it right, they would let you know. Of course every thing went in paper bags in those days.

[BarenakedLady]

13. When I ask for paper bags

They usually look at me funny. :shrug: There was a time when they would ask "paper or plastic" before bagging. They don't even do that anymore and just automatically start putting them in the plastic bags. I always forget to bring those stupid things back to recycle so they are taking over my house! I use the paper bags to recycle newspapers and such when the garbage man comes. Plus paper bags fit so much more.

[skygazer]

14. They don't give it to them any more

That went out the window in the frenzy of cost-cutting that has taken over the grocery industry.

Grocery worker here. Started 8 years ago as the oldest bagger on the planet (I was 38) and now run the liquor department. When I started, baggers were sent to a 3 day course that taught company policy, bagging technique, customer service tips, etc. It was a pretty decent course and needed because most baggers are kids in their first ever job and who have never shopped for groceries before.

Back then, we were mandated plenty of hours for staffing the store and we always had good coverage in all the departments, in the checkstands and with baggers. Over the past 8 years, it has changed dramatically. Hours have been cut to the bone - the produce department where I used to work, used to have 3 more people than it does now yet they're expected to do the same amount of work. More, actually, because they serve as backup checkers and are often called because we run with a minimum of help in the front.

We now work under a new contract, one with a two tier system. New hires will never make as much as those hired under the old contract and their raises will come at a far greater interval. So the quality of help has declined as well - you just aren't going to get people to work their ass off for 8 dollars an hour with no shot at a raise for 3 years.

Our benefits have been cut drastically, we haven't gotten a raise in 3 years but we pay more for our health care than we ever did before. We are expected to do more for less. Kids are hired off the street to bag and put immediately to work with no more training than someone telling them, "stand here and bag." Apparently they think the overworked checkers are going to be able to train them and they try but have no time or motivation to do so.

But our CEO has not had to give up his private plane, thank goodness, or his several homes or his multi-million dollar salary. Bitter? Me? Nahhh.....

I don't blame anyone with being fed up with the service they receive at grocery stores. All I ask is that you please put the blame where it belongs - on the company, the industry and the political climate that allows big business to shit on the people who toil for their profits.

Thank you.

[Blue Diadem]

15. Sounds like they're using the idea that one worker can do the work of 3,

Years ago, when I worked for a nationwide retailer, I ran across the actual documents stating their future plans to increase worker productivity. According to their studies (blah blah), they claimed that people didn't work hard enough and had all this free on the clock time. There was no longer a need (according to them) to have as many employees. I watched that particular retailer implement the program from management on down, their customer service plunged almost immediately and their retail ranking drop like a hot potato.

Now it seems that program goes across the board..too much expected from one person.

I understand what you're experiencing. I worked as a part-time cashier about 12 yrs ago..for less than a year. I still had kids at home and I got tired of working until midnight or 1:00am only to turn around and report for work at 6:00am. I worked next to cashiers making $12-$13.00 per hour while I was hired in at minimum wage. The Union employees had already agreed to a contract that included a tiered capped wage scale..the most I could ever make would be $9.00hr which would take years and years.

You're right..the blame lands squarely on the shoulders at the top.

[bleedingheart]

6. the elderly men that bag groceries at my local shopping place are no better

the will shove eggs into bags with cans...and put bread on the bottom of a bag and then load it with the heavy produce...

[unsavedtrash]

7. Sometimes I think they just want warm bodies to gather the buggies at the end of the night.

I finally had to tell the guys thank you but no thanks.
Sorry you got stuck with the spillage.

[lies and propaganda]

8. Cant parents....

I had to ;)

[KitchenWitch]

9. I just consider myself lucky that they have baggers here

Most of the grocery stores in Minnesota have you bagging it yourself.

[northzax]

10. there's your safeway problem

turnover, turnover. I think Giant is still mostly unionized...

[Phillycat]

16. You cannot teach common sense.

I have been a boss of almost every variety for the past 16 years and I can tell you that for sure. It is one of the most frustrating lessons in life.

[NewWaveChick1981]

17. Common sense is innate, not learned.

It's not common, either. Grocery stores can teach techniques, but they can't teach people not to be stupid. :(

My mother calls people like that "dumb as stumps." I guess if the shoe fits... :yoiks: