Positive Home Depot Experience

[TNWNGR]

I've not done any business with Home Depot in quite a few years but went to one in town today looking for a battery powered leaf blower since they had several models on sale. I'd gone to one of the Lowes stores yesterday and been disappointed at the lack of selection and no one offering to help me. Today what I later learned was one of the store managers noticed me trying to find a product in the lawn equipment section and asked me if I needed help finding a product.

When I told him what I was looking for he took me straight to them, discussed product selection to me an noticed a better sale item on a better product then I was looking for and pointed it out to me. I was impressed that someone knew how to do their job. Then when he found out I was looking for a small gas grill he told me he had just what I needed and took me to a grill they weren't going to carry this season that had already been marked down to $149.00 and offered to let me have it for $100.00 if I wanted it.

Then he and another employee loaded the grill and leaf blower into the back of my truck while I placed items in the cab. Needless to say I appreciated it and asked if he was a manager and confirmed I'd guessed correctly. I remember when customer service was awful at that store so I'm glad to see it doing better. I also remember when customer service was better at Lowes and hope to see it improve.

[Pain103]

 My interactions at Lowe's have been negative the past few years but have been good at Home Depot. I like talking with the older guys working there and usually give me good ideas or take me right to what I'm looking for even if it isn't in their section.  I made the mistake of stopping by the Lowe's on Dickerson Pk one day and needed to rent an auger and they were clueless one even tried to charge me extra for the blade until I called her out.

[runco]

I for one don't place a lot of value on customer service, its just my style, I think its over hyped.  But what I do know, I don't think its the sign on the business that makes the customer service, but who the person is providing the service.  Example, take the manager who the OP dealt with at Home Depot, and put him at Lowes, I bet you would get the same caring customer service at Lowes.  Or take him and put him at Sears, Tractor Supply, or the local tire store, and the customer service barometer will always be high. 

 

[2.ooohhh]

I for one don't place a lot of value on customer service, its just my style, I think its over hyped.  But what I do know, I don't think its the sign on the business that makes the customer service, but who the person is providing the service.  Example, take the manager who the OP dealt with at Home Depot, and put him at Lowes, I bet you would get the same caring customer service at Lowes.  Or take him and put him at Sears, Tractor Supply, or the local tire store, and the customer service barometer will always be high. 
 

A large component of good customer service is within management both empowering the employee to provide it and encouraging it when they do. I've been at many big box stores where it's obvious the regional/national overlords have tied the store manager's hands when it comes to actually doing anything to improve a bad situation.

[TNWNGR]

@runco I won't dispute your post at all and largely agree with it but I should probably also remind you that an entire stores employee moral and in turn their interactions with customers key off of a good managers leadership and personality style. Yes a good management team and make any store better then its competitors in a given location.

@2.ooohhh your right as well and yours is a topic often discussed in a lot of circles.

[runco]

Some people react to negative situation with negative attitudes, while others still are very positive.  I say again, customer service is about the person period without conditions. 

[Omega]

I think it ebbs and flows with good customer service, I've mostly had positive experiences with those two places.  In fact, for the most part, I've had good CS anywhere I go.  The key is to realize who is on the other side and that they may not have the power to fix the situation, and most importantly that they personally didn't cause the situation  (unless they did).  I've had calls and emails answered with an offer for replacement no questions asked.  Conversely, had the same companies ask all kinds of questions, ask for pictures etc.  

[JAB]

1 hour ago, runco said:

Some people react to negative situation with negative attitudes, while others still are very positive.  I say again, customer service is about the person period without conditions. 

A person doesn't work in a vacuum.  Someone with a good customer attitude can have that attitude ruined by a work environment where they aren't treated with at least a modicum of respect by their employer.  If a person's employer has a piss-poor attitude or treats the employee like he or she doesn't matter then that employee probably isn't going to have a very good attitude, either - and you can't really blame them.  Further, if the work environment is hostile or geared in such a manner that employees are pushed to "hurry up and get it done" regarding getting stock on shelves, etc. then such pressure can result in the employee feeling like they don't have time to devote to customer service and the truth is that they may not if they want to keep their job.  On the other hand, if the employer creates an environment that not only fosters a positive attitude and let's the employee know that he or she isn't going to get yelled at for spending time helping a customer, even at the expense of getting other things done, if necessary, that is going to help a person with a good customer service attitude maintain that attitude.  The fact is that a person's environment, how they are treated and such things have a major impact on that person's attitude, interaction with others and job performance.  That isn't just my personal opinion but is based some of the basic tenants of Human Resource Development.

Edited February 18, 2017 by JAB