The Growth of Wal-Mart, animated

[Silock]

Sorry if repost

http://projects.flowingdata.com/walmart/

[Valiant]

Wow, that progression chart can also double to show you how cancer spreads..

[RJ]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Interesting map. I never realized how many more stores there are in the east half of the U.S. compared to the west.

Those Walmart-less spaces you see only exist because no one lives there.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

You know... for all the complaints about customer service at Walmart, I had a very good experience when I bought that TV.

This young black kid wheeled it out for me... and I told him I'd pull my car up. He said, "Don't worry about it.. I'll take it to your vehicle. I like the chance to get outside."

Then... since the box wouldn't fit... he helped me take it out of the box, and squeeze it into the back seat. He told me I'd need that box to return it, if I had any trouble, so he said we could fold it up. (In 90 degree heat, no less) He folded it up, and put it between the TV and the back window, because he said you don't want that hot sunlight on a plasma screen.

The guy was cool as hell.

I tipped him 10 bucks, and told him thank you. He tried to give it back, and said he wasn't supposed to accept tips. I told him I wouldn't tell if he wouldn't.

Walmart... (hell every business) needs more employees like that. Very rare these days.

I've found that the Wal-Mart experience varies greatly between individual stores. There's one very close to my place that I can't stand. Aside from the fact that it's constantly overrun with "white trash" and their Hispanic equivalents, the employees are rude and unhelpful, and the place is always a gigantic mess.

If I drive an extra five minutes to another store less than 5 miles away, the experience is completely different. It's crowded still, but the people are more polite, the employees are generally friendly and helpful, and they have it cleaned up really well - at least when you first get there in the morning.

I usually just spend the extra gas and drive to the other one if I need to go.

[cdcox]

I've walked out more than once over long or slow checkout lines. Leave the cart or the basket right there and just walk. What pisses me off more than anything is that they have 4 self check out lines but NEVER have more that 2 active. It's like the flunky they have assisting people can't handle more than two lanes. Meanwhile at Kroger, one person keeps 6 self checkout lines humming. I don't have any qualms about shopping with anyone. No body is trash as far as I'm concerned. Everyone needs to buy stuff. But I won't tolerate slow service when I want to give you my money.

[KcMizzou]

Come to think of it, I should call and tell a manager about that. (Everything other than the tip, of course) I remember his name was Vernon.

A little posititve feedback for a good employee goes a long way.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by DaFace

I've found that the Wal-Mart experience varies greatly between individual stores. There's one very close to my place that I can't stand. Aside from the fact that it's constantly overrun with "white trash" and their Hispanic equivalents, the employees are rude and unhelpful, and the place is always a gigantic mess.

If I drive an extra five minutes to another store less than 5 miles away, the experience is completely different. It's crowded still, but the people are more polite, the employees are generally friendly and helpful, and they have it cleaned up really well - at least when you first get there in the morning.

I usually just spend the extra gas and drive to the other one if I need to go.

Different part of town?? Are the people nicer because the area is nicer??

I was downtown and had to go to the bathroom.. Not a single ****ing place even if I bought a candy bar would let me use their facility.. They do not have public bathrooms, that and the door was a pad locked steel door..

Up north it rains candy and free shitters..

[RJ]

Originally Posted by cdcox

But I won't tolerate slow service when I want to give you my money.

Yep, nothing pisses me off more than when I have to wait to give someone my money.

[Thig Lyfe]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I like how everyone hates on Wal Mart but nearly everyone shops there at least once a week.

I may go to Wal-Mart because it's convenient, but that doesn't mean I don't feel my soul being sucked from my body whenever I'm in there.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Valiant

Different part of town?? Are the people nicer because the area is nicer??

I was downtown and had to go to the bathroom.. Not a single ****ing place even if I bought a candy bar would let me use their facility.. They do not have public bathrooms, that and the door was a pad locked steel door..

Up north it rains candy and free shitters..

Yep...the area is nicer. I'd say that 60% of the issue is under management's control at the "bad" store (not enough lanes open, unfriendly employees, etc.). The other 40% that I don't like is simply because of the people at the store.

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by RJ

Yep, nothing pisses me off more than when I have to wait to give someone my money.

What I ****ing hate is ignorant ****s in front of me always writing checks.. But that is not what chaps my ass.. It is the ****ing fact that they wait till everything is rang up to whip it out and do it.. They do not even start writing the name and date while the checker is ringing them up.. Then when I get up there, their slow asses are still standing there bewildered on what to do next.. IT is called move your ****ing ass so I can pay and leave..

[Jewish Rabbi]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Come to think of it, I should call and tell a manager about that. (Everything other than the tip, of course) I remember his name was Vernon.

A little posititve feedback for a good employee goes a long way.

Please do. I work in a grocery store, and people tell me what a good employee I am all the time. I know damn well that I'm a good employee, tell my boss that so I can get a raise!

[Valiant]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yep...the area is nicer. I'd say that 60% of the issue is under management's control at the "bad" store (not enough lanes open, unfriendly employees, etc.). The other 40% that I don't like is simply because of the people at the store.

Problem is their employee pool is probably those worthless people.. That or no one is applying to work at a shitty store, make 7dollars and hour and then deal with their trashy counterparts..

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by SportsRacer

I may go to Wal-Mart because it's convenient, but that doesn't mean I don't feel my soul being sucked from my body whenever I'm in there.

I just don't get this POV. I feel much worse when I pay much more for stuff than I think it is worth. When I cave in and pay more for something than I think it's worth, that is when I feel the soul being sucked from my body. Never had that feeling at Wally World.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by Jewish Rabbi

Please do. I work in a grocery store, and people tell me what a good employee I am all the time. I know damn well that I'm a good employee, tell my boss that so I can get a raise!

Amen, will do.

I had a customer call my boss one time, to compliment me. He put out a memo describing what happened, and how i helped the guy out.

That was about two years ago, and I still get some good natured crap for it. "Teacher's pet" etc.

There's nothin' bad about being helpful. I'll go out of my way to help out a friendly customer, esp. if they're in a bad spot.

Thankfully, though (on the other side of things).. where I work... I can raise the price for a prick.

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by Valiant

What I ****ing hate is ignorant ****s in front of me always writing checks.. But that is not what chaps my ass.. It is the ****ing fact that they wait till everything is rang up to whip it out and do it.. They do not even start writing the name and date while the checker is ringing them up.. Then when I get up there, their slow asses are still standing there bewildered on what to do next.. IT is called move your ****ing ass so I can pay and leave..

Yep. When ever I am in line, I start analyzing each tiny movement of the cashier and the customer to figure out why in hell there is a line in the first place. Every false move and my blood pressure goes up. Nothing pisses me off more than when someone has to look at the bar code before the scan the item. What the hell is the purpose of that? Do you possess the ability to read the bar code? Just scan it already. Pulling the item from the cart scanning it, and putting it in the bag is one continuous motion.

I always feel somewhat vindicated when I check my items and pay for them and still beat the person in front of me out the parking lot. F'n slack-jawed mouth breathers.