Big Box Boycott

Earlier today I needed to run to the store to pick up a few things for dinner. Since Todd is home sick I loaded up Lucy and we drove 4 miles down the road to Wal Mart, as we so often do because it is so darn cheap and close. We were shopping along fine, then she got crabby. I rushed through my shopping and got in line to check out. That's when it happened. 2 lanes open, staff worried about lunch and not customers, loads of people in line. Certainly a recipe for a very angry me (especially because Lucy was now nearing an all out rage). The other people in line with me were more helpful than the staff at Wal Mart...so I wrote them this little letter:

To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing to inform you if my grossly disappointing visit to your Zion, IL Super Center on 1/6/09. As has happened on numerous occasions before, there were insufficient registers open when I approached your check out lanes. On this visit, at the first lane I entered the checker put up her lane closed sign after another customer and I were already waiting in her lane. She informed us that she was going to be going on her lunch break and would not be taking any further customers. This closure left 2 remaining registers open in the store, with at least 4 customers each waiting in line. The other patron and I joined this line of now 8 people where we waited as the cashier was having some difficulty. During this time another Wal Mart employee approached the lanes, but rather than open another lane she began to discuss lunch break schedules with other employees that were in the area but not operating a register. While myself and 7 other customers waited in line, 4 of your store employees congregated at the cash lanes discussing breaks and calling other available employees to operate the registers, rather than do so themselves. It took 5 minutes, 3 store pages and a member of management to finally open another register. Within this time I very seriously considered leaving my $80 cart of groceries in the store to tend to my infant daughter who began crying during this debacle.Unfortunately, I did have items I needed to purchase and felt forced to wait while the staff made their lunch plans.

This is not the only incident where my family and I have encountered this sort of situation in this store. On several trips I have often felt I am sacrificing prompt and courteous service for the convenience and low prices. This trip, however, made the most impact on my choice to shop there because of the complete disregard for customer satisfaction. I live in an extended family household of 7 people where we spend an average of $200 per week on groceries and household items, most of which we purchase at this store. Though it may not create any sort of impact on your big-box establishment, I do not have any intention to shop at this or any other Wal Mart again. In fact I would rather drive 10 miles out of my way and pay double the price to be treated with courtesy just as I would rather devote my extra time informing my friends, neighbors and associates why I refuse to shop there than explain my dissatisfaction to a member of your management who does not appear to take it seriously.

I am not sure what your customer philosophy entails, but I do not believe the behavior I witnessed is in line with that of any successful business. I hope that you can convey at least that part of my message to your staff.