How can we improve Sears and Kmart?

 I think Sears & K-Mart need better customer service so many customers are unhappy with the way they have been treated within the last 2 years, after being loyal customers some for over 30 years & they are now ready to stop shopping there.

I am sorry to hear that. What are some of the specific issues that you see? Do you have some examples that you would be willing to share? 

Okay, since everyone is a little shy I thought I would post a link to some of the existing Sears reviews on the site. It might get the discussion going http://sk-you.viewpoints.com/Sears-com-reviews

It's all about cost-savings now. While I do most of my HBA shopping at Kmart (I'm a Sears Holdings associate), I have no Kmart near my home. So on occastion, I shop Target. As a result, I receive these "clipless" coupons from Target. They're great. It's one multi-folded coupon with several savings programmed into the SKU. Savings range from $0.50 to $1.50 on purchases of a variety of products from household cleaners to health and beauty. I used one last week and saved about $12 (but of course I bought many other things not on coupon). So, how about creating a clipless coupon that includes items you know I buy but with the opportunity to also customize my coupon with other items (kind of like a 'write in"). Maybe I could customize and print out the coupon online. So, for example, in my in-box I'll get an e-mail from Kmart that says, "Here's your clipless coupon with $1 off Windex, Kleenex and Skintimate. Click here to add XX more products!" 

Store experience needs to be elevated.  Customer expects that now.  They cannot even verbalize it, but it is an automatic expectation (they've been trained by all other stores).  Even wal-mart is leaving us behind, as they are updating their stores with updated fixtures and flooring.  Also, need more freestanding Sears locations.  Perhaps changing the name altogether might be a good start to reinventing the company, as both have negative connotations.  People in the US are ready for change and you can see it in every aspect (politics, shopping, traveling, restaurants).  During this economy, Disney parks are actually doing very well in profit.  This tells us, that the customer is willing to spend the money, if there is something special in return.  They want diversion, entertainment, a vacation.  There is a big opportunity to offer that in our stores.  We need to understand that the customer is already making the choice to take time out of her busy schedule to go to the mall...she expects a mini vacation, to be wowed for her time and money.  How do we address that?  How are we wowing her.  It's not just about the product anymore....it's more about the experience.  If we cannot compete with convenience (kohl's and target) or cost (wal-mart), then, what can we offer?  Perhaps close a few stores to get money to put back into remodeling the rest of our stores (inside and out). 

Can we create shop within a shop concepts as per Lands' End, but taking that idea across other lifestyle brands.  Lands' End is a good example of what can be accomplished. 

I am glad to see these comments. I think they are a great start. One thing to think about as you write these is to consider your own customer experiences and write from that perspective. As more members join the discussion, they will probably only have that view. I think that might be the best place to start given that the community is open to both associates and customers. It will be really interesting to hear. What do you like/or dislike about your retail experiences at Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, Kmart, Kohls etc... What is best out there, what experience has left a lasting impression; when you had a purchase choice what influenced your decision? Don't just think about these retailers either, think about any experience that you have had that really impressed you.

I am totally devoted to Sears and Kmart.  However, everytime I get together with family the topic comes up about something they need to buy etc...  I always suggest Sears and Kmart.  Why not, we have great products.  Unfortunately, the discussion always ends the same way...  with the discussion of how poor the service is.  People don't shop Sears for the best price.  They want a quality product that they can trust, but they want excellent service.  This is where the focus needs to be.  Sears needs to show the customers that they have the best service out there.  I don't want to bring something in to be fixed and wait 2 weeks to hear back on the status.  I want to know that my vacuum will be ready within a day or two and that I can get a loaner if necessary while I am waiting.  Improve the service and improve the customer loyalty.

This is a good discussion, it is the only one I have cared to post a comment about so far. I think that as a mom the first thing I look for in a store is CLEAN BATHROOMS and Sears definitely FAILS MISERABLY in that department.  I also think that wider isles allowing strollers is important and some comforts such as a little play area for kids in the store.  Give the mom and kids something to look forward to when coming to  Sears or Kmart.  Kmart has the snack area so you can get a little treat for the kids but Sears has nothing.  I also feel very strongly about RETURN POLICIES........Sears has a 90 day return policy but that is not what customers want, they want more time.  We are all busy and can't always get back in time and I think we all buy things several months before we plan to use them.  Especially in the case of clothing because clothes for the upcoming season is about all you see and you take them home and don't even use them right away and sometimes by the time you need to wear them - you change your mind.  Also in the case of a gift where you do not have a receipt, returns are impossible.  At Target they can look up your purchase at the customer service counter if you paid by credit card(even if it is not their own credit card) and that is a huge convenience.   Also there are too many young teens working in both Sears and Kmart that do not care about the customer or the store, they are there to make a buck and leave.  We need to hire people that are more mature and will actually care about the customer experience and how the store looks and now neat it is.  I think we need better training for the store clerks so that they know the store better and their products and where to send the customer when asked for help.  When I shop in Sears I just feel like no one cares if I buy or shop there and if I am happy and whether I can find what I want. Employees don't seem happy or friendly, and I shop in at least 5 different Sears stores in the northwest suburbs on a pretty regular basis.  When I go to Target or Walmart or JCP or Kohl's I always am greeted with a happy person, it is easy to find help, and they usually have better restrooms and fitting rooms and just a better general feel.   The products are sold all over but the customer is going to go where they feel happy and welcome and can get help when they need it.

The isssues I have are with pricing of items.  You can go to the Mission Grove Kmart in Riverside,Ca. and find many items not priced on porduct or shelves.  The electronics dept. lack in variety.

Hi, I'm Pam, a 25 year loyal Kmart associate. I want to see us succeed, really succeed! I see good things coming from this website!

One of my fellow associates recently had a wonderful checkout experience at a competing retailer and related her story to our team. The cashier was absolutely wonderful, bubbly and VERY interactive. This fellow associate walked into the store at the end of a long day at work, with a plethora of to-dos on her mind, feeling quite overwhelmed and tired. She left the competing store at 9pm feeling energized, happy, smiling and feeling like there was a perfect end to a less than perfect day. This feeling will be stored in her subconscious, and without her knowing it, it will determine where she chooses to shop in the future. Customers all over the world are making those same subconscious choices multiple times a day.

We need to step back and stop putting the highest priority on the numbers and commit to putting emphasis on people and technology.

• We can clean up the store, stock the shelves, have the right merchandise at the right price - but NONE of that will make a difference if the customer doesn't leave the store having had a truly positive experience.
• We need to be "ambassadors" for our company and our stores. All associates need to live, breath, move and feel as a unit
• We need to give associates proper compensation, respect, feedback and focused and frequent training. Associates are a precious asset second only to the customer
• Do not view the one-time cost of technology without truly calculating the life-time efficiency and customer gains. Don't settle for using legacy systems and processes.
• When looking at what our competitors do, don't say what can I do to implement that, say what can I do to improve on that?
• Be best in class and set the industry standard in people and technology, lead, don't follow

We need to strive to make-the-customer's-day. Whomever your customer is. Whether you directly touch the customers in the store or whether your direct customers are other associates. We all assume that every associate comes to the table everyday with basic things like being polite, helpful, hardworking, time sensitive, efficient and productive. But the fact is we don't, we're human, we have good days, we have bad days, and some of us just don't know any different, and some of us care very deeply but feel powerless to change the machine. No matter how good someone is, there is always room for improvement. Culture training needs a major overhaul. It shouldn't be something we do every once in awhile; it's something Sears and Kmart must invest in every minute of every day. 24/7/365. It shouldn't be "training"; it must be a way of life, instinctual and uncompromising in the pursuit of service and doing what's right for our customer each and every time.

• There needs to be an enterprise-wide commitment to setting aside specific time for each and every associate to frequently spend quality time on customer service/culture-driven tasks or initiatives
• Invest in technology NOW that increases any and all efficiencies. Every minute we save in efficiency now, is exponential over the life of our organization.
• All associate labor must be reviewed to determine if it's an efficient and cost effective use of company assets. Labor is not a bottomless pit, it's a precious resource that must not be wasted on tasks that are poorly planned. Labor hours MUST be part of every ROI analysis.
• Every day as part of our tradition there needs to be attractive, fun, engaging and meaningful opportunities for associates and customers to be tuning in to things like:
  • web casts
  • pod casts
  • store video news
  • chat
  • discussion boards
  • town halls
    • the real kind where there is no agenda and no numbers; consisting of candid dialog between the audience and a speaker in the center of the room not up on a stage
  • workshops
  • lab experiments
  • daily voting/polling
    • on things like product, ideas, marketing, hot topics, question of the day, pain points

Goals from the top on down need to be redirected away from the financial numbers and towards issues that deal directly with people and technology. The people we serve and the people who serve and the systems and tools that help us do that. You can set all the financial goals you want, but if the customer and the people and tools they use are not the top priority, the numbers will fail - every time. Numbers don't shop our stores, numbers don't touch the customer, numbers don't stock the shelves and numbers don't ring the merchandise. People do. If the customer is 100% satisfied, the numbers will be there.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for providing this outlet!

Pam

I have been very impressed with our recent TV commercials.  They are providing lifestyle solutions and real life use of product.  They are bright, upbeat and relevant.  Unfortunately our print ads and stores do not reflect these same feelings and passion.  I would love to see more solution based vignettes and/or areas on the floor for cross-merchandising.  If we can sell a lawnmower, why not sell the iPod, clothing, hat and shoes to wear while mowing?  Why not put a patio set up with a cooler or a kegerator (sp?) next too this to show the consumer what they can do after they finish mowing the lawn?  Let's reflect just how passionate we are about our brands and our company.

As a Kmart associate , I think one of our biggest issues is staffing. The PC's are hiring too many young students who have not developed any type of  value driven  work ethics. The younger Associate comes to the store looking for a place to hangout and make friends with other Associates.  I have to spend a tremendous amount of time policing the  younger staff.  The importance of customer is constantly stressed to them, but unless you are walking the floor and observing them it just doen't happen. I understan that our PC 's are under tremendous pressures to hire, so they very often do it in a vacuum.

A mature workforce could add a lot of value to our customers shopping experience, As a customer  iI try only to shop where people are genuinely interested in me making a purchase. I don't need some one to hand me evry item off a shelf. I do look to see a clean dressed staff, that is not completely ignoring me while engaging in personal conversation.

It would also help our credibility to have more than one unit of ad advertised item on hand when an ad breaks, this really annoys our customers. I think we should think more stagtecially about this , stating up front limited quanity. may not be avaiable in all stores...

The SL assortment has improved dramatically this season and we could win in this arena however, it may take a little time for customers to know how much better we have become.

I am committed to doing my part to make Kmart the destination store for the community I serve.

To make sears/kmart better, use call centers that are actually in the united states! I don't know how many times each day I hear complaints about call centers overseas and how the customer is so frustrated because they can't understand each other.

The salespeople should be trained to be mindful of the customer and be ready to provide assistance.  The quality of salespeople in Sears have been dropping over the past 30 years.  This is probably indicative of our society today where the young have no respect for others (customer).  The older cashiers seem to be more friendly and helpful.  Sears should develop and nurture a culture of customer service that was once a given at a Sears store.  Today, Sears is not a store of choice.

I think we need an identity. People don't asscoaite Sears with any type of apparel at all. Maybe, maybe someone could tell you one or two brands we carry, but not any more than that.

Then, when we do carry something, our inventory levels are so low, you can't find it if you want it. I have been unable to buy a single pair of mens pants in my size in three differnt Sears stores at three different times in the last year.

I entered the Sears store for the 1st time and shopped in the mens apparel dept. I bought many shirts that were on sale that I felt was expensive by themselves but when I saw the  it was cheaper by getting 2, I jumped on it. Tank top was half off and I was pleased with that.But did not find any pants on sale. I believe that when men go shopping they usually wait for the last minute and need everything at once, especially if going on vacation. Not having the pants on sale meant I did not do my entire wardrobe in Sears. JC Penny got my money for my bottom half!

I believe that Sears has some of the best products to offer - its craftsman and Kenmor product lines or some of the best in the world  What I don't understand is why since Sears is affiliated with Kmart - that the two don't put out what is the best of both places.  In West Allis WI we have a Kmart store that is basically a mess and the check out process is a night mare, so I tend to go across town to a Target Store instead - even though I believe the prices are higher.

I don't understand why the Kmart store doesn't turn into a superstore were I can get Craftsman, Landsend and Kenmore products.  It just seems that if you would offer quality items at a Kmart - than the over all sales would increase for the store.  As an example - a Martha Steward shovel just doesn't hit home with me as a quality item even thought the price tag is high.

I also shop at Walmart - but not for quality, so if you have both the quality and the inexpensive products - don't you believe that the over all mix would drive up per-store profits?  Maybe a combined name should just be K-sears-mart or just K-sears - the people that understand quality will recognize the Sears part and lets face it there are more Kmart stores so even if the name changes people will still go into the store to see what it is all about.

Just as a side note on the Kenmore products - our family does a lot of research using consumer report - so keeping the price and quality in line - will definitely drive up sales.

Seems simple.  We all want to be valued.  What makes a customer feel valued?  Listening??  (Could it be that easy.)  How do you get employees to want to listen.   Hire people that care about Kmart and Sears.  A smart company will make an investment in their employees who will then make an investment in their customers.  You get out what you put in it.  Yea, Walmart can offer lower prices, but Walmart is beginning to reap what they have sewn.  A company sells "value".

My husband I purchase a grill last week(at Citrus Mall-Tampa) only to find out it is $60.00 cheaper this week. It would have been nice if the salesman would have told us. We would have waited to purchase it now. We have spent ALOT of $$$$$ at this Sears....we now may stop shopping there and cut up his charge card, and definetely shop elsewhere. Thanks for listening.

Munster,  you can go back within 30 days of your purchase and get a sales adjustment  for that amount. In some cases, you can even call the store and get it done by phone. The sales associate probably was not aware of the price reduction that was coming next week. Hope you reconsider shopping with us as we do value and appreciate every single customer  we get.