Zellers Rant!
I try to avoid Zellers.
But occasionally against my better judgment I do shop there. Not every Zellers experience should be a bad one right? I shop like any red-blooded male…with a goal. I go in. I get. I leave. But once again I must ask for help. It’s actually become a trend. Ask, then ask again. This time, after an unwanted tour, I find the item. Unassisted.
This location boasts five checkouts. Only two are working. The lines are long. Price-checks have been called at both. Nothing is happening. No one is moving. But this is typical. This scenario plays out every time I visit. This is why I don’t go often. Today, I spot red-and-black-uniforms talking in a corner. Oblivious.
Note to Zellers: turn this around before it’s too late…Actually, I think it is too late.
I stare at the checkout girl in front of me. No smile. No greeting. Just a staccato strung together “do-you-have-an-HBC-Rewards-card-or-would-you-like-to-sign-up?”
Note to self: Don’t shop here again. Not for anything. Ever.
“No.”
“Well-here’s-the-reward-points-you-missed-today.” She circles the receipt in an angry red. It glares at me.
I’m leaving. The automatic door is broken. I help someone open it. Once outside I notice the faded red ZELLERS signage and the words “Uniquely Canadian” painted above the door. And I wonder at the irony.
by | 2 comments
Paul Provost
I am in general agreemeent with 1 exception. They are obviously in a retail war and have identified their market as low cost – low cost locations with some degree of traffic, low cost staff (low #s of them with low training and low pay).
Do you really think it prudent for them to fight Walmart? Superstore? Winners? Bay (sister company)? Anyone else. Do you get the impression that they are an oversized dollar store?
I do agree that a great deal of small, simple, relatively inexpensive changes can be made to improve their organization. I, as you, believe that without such improvements, they will go the way of the Dodo.
Caleb Chang
Zellers is doing a major revamp of many of their stores. Millions of dollars invested in cosmetic changes. Will that change shopping habits? Sure – for one or two times. Where’s the investment in staff training? Cool-looking advertising is not your brand. Every touchpoint is – from the advertising to the front-line cashier. It has to come from the top down. Zellers follows in the steps of many retailers. I find the same experience with Target in the U.S. – cool advertising, but you step into a store and the experience is on par with Zellers. Horrible. Thanks for the rant. I am starting to realize why more companies don’t get into social networking – they just plain don’t want to know. Your customers are speaking – can you hear them? Do you care?