You are a waste of $8 an hour

[Moosenogger]

Went to the Wall of Mart at around 9:00 pm yesterday looking for some new headphones. I got a few groceries to save myself a later trip, then made my way over to electronics. I didn't see what I wanted on the shelves, so I went to the registers to ask if someone could possibly check in the stock room to see if they had any left.

There were two employees within immediate view - one on the phone and one waiting on other customers. I waited patiently for one of them to finish so I could ask them to check for my headphones. While waiting, I noticed another man walking around the register area who appeared to also be an employee (he was wearing the blue shirt and light khaki's that the Mart's employees have to wear). However, unlike the other two employees, he wasn't doing anything remotely related to his job. In fact, he was yammering on his personal cell phone and wandering in circles around the electronics department. He would occasionally stop and question his co-worker who was on the phone (it sounded like they were talking about another employee or manager), then return to his own phone call.

One of the two helpful employees was finally freed, so I asked him to check in the back for my headphones. He went off to check, and the other (useful) employee was asked for help by another customer and also left the register area. Shortly after, the phone for the department starting to ring. It rang and rang, and eventually the useless employee wandered back over to the register area. I thought he might actually do his job, but he walked right past the ringing phone and stood at the end of a display, staring at his phone.

If that guy was indeed an employee (I'm pretty sure he was, since he was talking to the employees and wearing the Mart's uniform), then he's not worth the $8 per hour they're paying him.

Edit: Also wanted to add that I didn't see his name tag, but he didn't appear to be on break, either (not looking at items/picking them up - just sort of wandering around aimlessly). So I'm not really sure. If he was on break and shopping around, then it makes sense that he wasn't approaching customers.

[Food Lady]

I think he may have been on break, if he wasn't wearing his nametag.

[Moosenogger]

Yeah, now I'm thinking he might have been. I honestly couldn't tell.

[Kristev]

Yes. When I worked for that company, I saw co-workers behave that way - on their lunch hour. Talking on a cell phone is a big no-no for the hourly workers. But your lunch break is an hour of unpaid time that you can use in any way you want.

[Moosenogger]

If he was on break then I understand his behavior.

I think I've gotten a bit sensitive to being ignored when it comes to the Wal. I tend to go at night when people are in more of a relaxed mood, and sometimes it seems like no one is doing their job. I've also been brushed off by a group of managers at this particular Mart of Wal before, and that really lowered my opinion of the store in general.

[Mytical]

I do not know if he was or not, but lately at Wally World, I've noticed a trend.

<BG> I try not to interrupt people having a conversation, try not to be rude/etc </BG>

Last four times, in a row, that I went to Wally World (I help my father shop there, because I am afraid he will start a riot if left alone there) the same scene happens.

I go to customer service or electronics..needing help (finding something, information, etc). There will be three employees or more just standing talking to each other. They see me approach..and nothing. They talk for a time, and finally one will get with me. Now I try to wait a little, in case it is important..never know..but I will even ask them for help..and it still takes time for them to respond. So

[Ironclad Alibi]

Yes. When I worked for that company, I saw co-workers behave that way - on their lunch hour. Talking on a cell phone is a big no-no for the hourly workers. But your lunch break is an hour of unpaid time that you can use in any way you want.

I once worked in a job where we punched in and out on a time clock. We had a half hour for lunch. Most of the workers ate their lunch at a desk other than their own. During the half hour allotted for lunch, the phone never got answered.

[Moosenogger]

Talking on a cell phone is a big no-no for the hourly workers. But your lunch break is an hour of unpaid time that you can use in any way you want.

Maybe I'm too used to my own store (Not a Mart of Wal). We're actually not allowed to talk on our cellphones while we're in the store, even if we're on break. We have to physically leave the store to have a personal conversation.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I'm wondering what this guy was even doing on the floor if he was on break. Couldn't he just sit in the breakroom or something?

Because it doesn't matter if you take off your nametag. If you can be identified as an employee--and in my case I can, my work shirt has the company name on the sleeve--and you're on the floor, there's a good chance a customer will ask you for help.

[blas]

Unfortunately, I'm there too often for my own good.

If it wasn't for the nice daytime people, I wouldn't shop at Walmart.

Their evening and night people are the reason there are bad stereotypes. I say this as a night shifter myself, in a different line of work, but who has to fight that stereotype at my own job.

Edit: this is only at my local Wal-Mart.

[bainsidhe]

While yes, it's entirely possible the employee was on break, I completely understand your frustration and why you'd assume he was just a lazy employee. Our WM won't tell workers to stay off the floor or out of customer sight while on break, but they also don't want you near the registers or talking to working employees unless you're buying something. When you're on the clock, you're supposed to be working. And besides, nothing pisses off customers more than being ignored.

My thoughts? Send an email complaint to corporate. Don't waste breathe calling the store, your complaint will probably be immediately forgotten. However a complaint to corporate will get management moving and they'll start paying closer attention to their employees and what they're doing on/off the clock. At least my Walmart would. Management did NOT want corporate on their ass, so they took corporate complaints seriously.

[protege]

Their evening and night people are the reason there are bad stereotypes.

Blas, it seems to be the case here too. Trashy customers aside, I refuse to patronize the local Mart of Wal store...simply because of the staff. Here, they're all sour-faced, and pissed about their jobs. Rarely, are they polite...even when I've been nothing but nice to them. I don't know how other stores are, and I'm not trying to bash everyone who works there.

[ShinyGreenApple]

Yep, at Volde-Mart, no nametag = no worky. It's also entirely possible he was just dressed unfortunately, or worked for another company (like PetSmart) that has the same dress code. On one hand, if he was on break, hanging about the store is dumb because we're sure to get stopped. On the other hand, we can't always bring a jacket or change of shirt and would just like to be able to shop around and be left alone. We're customers too, every now and then I'll often stage a phone conversation as I'm walking to the front of the store to leave so people will leave me alone.

[smfrazier]

I work at the "Mart of Wal" and I sometimes walk around the store browsing(or shopping)on my lunch break or if I'm waiting to pick up my wife who sometimes gets off later than I do. Sometimes I'm approached by customer's but I always explain politely that I'm off the clock and at least so far they've always understood. A bigger problem has been other associates who want me to do something after I've clocked out. Some of them aren't as understanding.