I wish I didn't think.
I get angry when I do, so many things going on and I want so badly to change it.
I have always said I didn't want this to be an "have a go at Asda" blog but I have told you a couple of things that have gone on, but what is going on now takes the biscuit.
Don't be surprise if I and many more leave that bloody store.
I,m not talking about jane, the one who phoned me at home and was so rude, because she's alright now, (well sometimes!!!) but nothing like she was. No, she is not the problem, the problem is Asda itself.
This has been going on now for some months, it's not new, and it's driving us all mad.
We have been told about the new "Happy to help" programme they have set up.
We must be over the top happy to help all customers.
This is how it is set out:
1. We must say Good morning/afternoon to every customer.
2. We must ask every customer if they have bags and do they need a help with their packing?
3. We must then ask them if they want any bags and if they do, do they want free ones or the "bag for life" meaning they 5p once and when the bag is damaged we will replace it free.
4. We must make conversation with them, whilst we serve them, and take an interest in what they say.
5. When we serve the next customer we must say "Thankyou for waiting."
You notice I say we must, because, you see, we are monitored. One of the girls from the office comes down with a pad and marks you.
I have failed twice.
They failed me because I didn't make any conversation with the customer so they say, I don't remember not talking to them.
Tuff!!!!!!!!! I don't bloody care.
I do 5 hrs a day 4 days a week, plus any over time,and you could serve between 10-15 customers an hour,depending how much shopping they've got, so can you imagine just how many times I say these things? So many times and always of course with a smile.
It is driving us all mad. Those words go round and round your head until you could scream.
I used to love that job but now it more like a torture chamber, and I'm not the only one to say this, we all are. It is totally unreasonable to expect us to say this over and over and over again.
Also, if we are asked a question by a customer,for instance if they cannot find a particular product, if we are not on a till, we then take the customer to the product they require and then ask them if we could help them with anything else.
Thats ok but it could be the "mystery shopper"
This person, will again monitor us and mark us, the store will then be told how many we have scored.
The scoring goes like this,
1. We must be wearing our name badge
2. We must always be polite and take the customer to the product they want or if we are not sure take the to the customer service desk so they can enquire about it.
3. Ask if we could help with anything else.
4. Just our manner and how helpful we are.
None of us know who they are and when they will come into the shop.They come once a month.
Whoever passes this is rewarded quite well by Asda.
You get your photo taken with the manager,Nigel,and you are invited to an free breakfast and that is the works by the way, egg, bacon etc. and an Asda card worth £20.00
Not fantastic but we appreciate it.
They mark us out of a hundred and we have passed it.
In fact I have passed it, believe it or not.
You must remember when geoff had his knee op, well, it took a few months before he could drive, and on this particular day I was taking geoff to hospital. I received a phone call from one of the office girls and she asked me if I was going to the breakfast, I asked what breakfast, and she told me I got a hundred per cent from the mystery shopper.
I didn't know, nobody told me.
I explained I was taking geoff to hospital so I couldn't go to it, which was a shame.
I went to work the next day expecting a least a word from my managers, but no, nothing.
Time went on.
The next week, one of the girls told me there was an envelope on the desk for me. We wondered what it was and made the usual joke about it being my P45. Everybody laughed.
I opened the envelope to find an Asda card.
It was the card worth £20.00 that you get when you pass the mystery shoppers 100%
I put it away and said no more.
It isn't that I wanted a great big cheer, or even my photo taken for that matter (I hate photos of me lol) but most people get a congratulations or a hand shake from the managers because it looks good for them and the shop so they are pleased.
All shops are monitored and there is a competition between us all and it is put up on the notice board which shop has the highest points.
Anyway, thats what I mean about not wanting to think.
I wish I didn't.
I just get angry.
I get angry when I do, so many things going on and I want so badly to change it.
I have always said I didn't want this to be an "have a go at Asda" blog but I have told you a couple of things that have gone on, but what is going on now takes the biscuit.
Don't be surprise if I and many more leave that bloody store.
I,m not talking about jane, the one who phoned me at home and was so rude, because she's alright now, (well sometimes!!!) but nothing like she was. No, she is not the problem, the problem is Asda itself.
This has been going on now for some months, it's not new, and it's driving us all mad.
We have been told about the new "Happy to help" programme they have set up.
We must be over the top happy to help all customers.
This is how it is set out:
1. We must say Good morning/afternoon to every customer.
2. We must ask every customer if they have bags and do they need a help with their packing?
3. We must then ask them if they want any bags and if they do, do they want free ones or the "bag for life" meaning they 5p once and when the bag is damaged we will replace it free.
4. We must make conversation with them, whilst we serve them, and take an interest in what they say.
5. When we serve the next customer we must say "Thankyou for waiting."
You notice I say we must, because, you see, we are monitored. One of the girls from the office comes down with a pad and marks you.
I have failed twice.
They failed me because I didn't make any conversation with the customer so they say, I don't remember not talking to them.
Tuff!!!!!!!!! I don't bloody care.
I do 5 hrs a day 4 days a week, plus any over time,and you could serve between 10-15 customers an hour,depending how much shopping they've got, so can you imagine just how many times I say these things? So many times and always of course with a smile.
It is driving us all mad. Those words go round and round your head until you could scream.
I used to love that job but now it more like a torture chamber, and I'm not the only one to say this, we all are. It is totally unreasonable to expect us to say this over and over and over again.
Also, if we are asked a question by a customer,for instance if they cannot find a particular product, if we are not on a till, we then take the customer to the product they require and then ask them if we could help them with anything else.
Thats ok but it could be the "mystery shopper"
This person, will again monitor us and mark us, the store will then be told how many we have scored.
The scoring goes like this,
1. We must be wearing our name badge
2. We must always be polite and take the customer to the product they want or if we are not sure take the to the customer service desk so they can enquire about it.
3. Ask if we could help with anything else.
4. Just our manner and how helpful we are.
None of us know who they are and when they will come into the shop.They come once a month.
Whoever passes this is rewarded quite well by Asda.
You get your photo taken with the manager,Nigel,and you are invited to an free breakfast and that is the works by the way, egg, bacon etc. and an Asda card worth £20.00
Not fantastic but we appreciate it.
They mark us out of a hundred and we have passed it.
In fact I have passed it, believe it or not.
You must remember when geoff had his knee op, well, it took a few months before he could drive, and on this particular day I was taking geoff to hospital. I received a phone call from one of the office girls and she asked me if I was going to the breakfast, I asked what breakfast, and she told me I got a hundred per cent from the mystery shopper.
I didn't know, nobody told me.
I explained I was taking geoff to hospital so I couldn't go to it, which was a shame.
I went to work the next day expecting a least a word from my managers, but no, nothing.
Time went on.
The next week, one of the girls told me there was an envelope on the desk for me. We wondered what it was and made the usual joke about it being my P45. Everybody laughed.
I opened the envelope to find an Asda card.
It was the card worth £20.00 that you get when you pass the mystery shoppers 100%
I put it away and said no more.
It isn't that I wanted a great big cheer, or even my photo taken for that matter (I hate photos of me lol) but most people get a congratulations or a hand shake from the managers because it looks good for them and the shop so they are pleased.
All shops are monitored and there is a competition between us all and it is put up on the notice board which shop has the highest points.
Anyway, thats what I mean about not wanting to think.
I wish I didn't.
I just get angry.
