every time i go to k-mart  it has a dozen registars and only one or two open,no one watches they,re children they tear the stores up,employees are sullen and ignore customers,circle-k and ampm has a better staff and sell more  per squar foot of shelf space, it takes forever to check out ,i have left full shoping carts at check out  because wait was so long  i have quit shoping at k mart altogather fire every one and recruit a staff that wants to work.

Hi rstinnett- Thanks for your feedback!

Would you mind sharing some ideas about how the stores should be remodelled? How do you feel about the variety and pricing of products at Sears?

I was recently in the Columbia store too.  The manager, I think his name was Mike, was a rude man.  The sign said that all classic elements seperates were on sale and he wanted to charge me full price.  michelina please make sure that Mike gets fired for being a rude manager

stefan58 said…
every time i go to k-mart  it has a dozen registars and only one or two open,no one watches they,re children they tear the stores up,employees are sullen and ignore customers,circle-k and ampm has a better staff and sell more  per squar foot of shelf space, it takes forever to check out ,i have left full shoping carts at check out  because wait was so long  i have quit shoping at k mart altogather fire every one and recruit a staff that wants to work.

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its not that they dont want to work it that between the poor pay killing retention the lack of hours given to stores by the corporate managers who get bonuses and high 5 one another when they come in under budget the few people that remain are over worked and have low morale making it hard to even force a smile

Hello, I beg to differ but I live by a Super K-mart and it is absolutely wonderful the  store is very clean and organized. The working staff always seem  very helpful and kind.  I suppose like anywhere depending on who is managing the store or whatever the business makes all the difference. I know I would rather shop at super k-mart then wal-mart which seems to be getting more an more jumbled up, I prefer the neater organized way like our super k-mart here!

Don't get rid of Kmart. Sears is great too. Kmart is less expensive and is more affordable for the everyday families. They have layaways to help out with the holiday shopping. There are not many places that do that at all.

I worked for Kmart for 2 years - 2 times.  This last time, by the time I had left I was disgusted with the management team.  I love the store and the customers, but my co-workers moral was low.  Management never gave your self confidence a boost when you did a great job, but were right there in your face when an error happened.  I still shop at the store.  The employees moral is still low.  Find a way to increase employee moral and you will find happier people. 

If your  worried about morale maybe you could have done something different. Why do people always think that they need a pat on the back instead of just their paycheck. try a factory.

Amen!   Employee morale is internally driven.  Most people who are successful in life have become this way because they have learned how to motivate themselves.  They are positive, self-confident people who enjoy working because of the satisfaction the work itself gives them.  If an employee has a need to be recognized just for showing up for work, he or she will certainly have a difficult time ever getting promotions or raises.  So how about if we quit blaming managers for everything?  Most of them are amazing at what they do, (or they wouldn't be in their jobs very long) but are seldom given credit for anything they do!  Let's all be grateful for the jobs that we have and for the people who hired us in the first place. There are too many people who would love to have a job right now . . . . any job!  Count your blessings and turn that frown upside down!

Both of these answers have frustrated me immensley.  Obviously, neither of you have ever worked a minimum wage job in the retail setting.  I didn't need the paycheck, I wanted to be there.  It wouldn't have hurt anyone in management to stop and say even once, hey, you are doing a great job, thanks for being here.  That is in any sector of the working world, not just here. They would chastise you, though, for not obtaining more contribution to different charities or selling service agreements.  Raises??? There are raises in minimum wage jobs??  You both must be Republicans.  Have a great day and count your blessing the next time there is a cashier at a Kmart that tells you have a nice day and thank you for shopping at our store.

As an associate,  the Kmart's in North Dakota and South Dakota are clean and well organized, although they could use a little remodeling, i.e. flooring, paint, new checkouts etc, nothing too major, but it will come in time. The assosciates are very helpful and curtious.  However, it seems that once you leave the midwest, things start to get bad not only at Kmart, but also at Wal-mart and the Targets as well.  I was in a couple of Kmart, Wal-Mart, and Target stores (california) during my vaction last summer and was shocked at how dirty and messy they were compared to the stores that I have been in in the Midwest. They looked like they were in 3rd world countries.  It must be a culture thing I suppose or perhaps some of these stores were in blighted areas?  It just baffles me how disrespectful people can get when shopping.

Working in a retail setting is very hard work, long days on your feet, etc. Who doesn't like to feel appreciated? I understand your point of view. If all things were equal (pay, hours worked, etc.), would you rather get a pat on the back or thank you from your manager, or would it mean more from a customer?

To be honest, most of the customers were very nice.  I enjoyed checking out their purchases.  The older patrons were the best, some of them just wanted to have someone pay attention to them.  It was never a problem to help them, but management said that I didn't have to be helpful, just get them out of there.  My idea of customer service and theirs were a bit different.  Just a different perspective.  It doesn't matter anymore.  Thank you for your comments though.

Kmart is wonderful...it is human nature to sometimes not focus on others, and appreciate people..it is not a kmart thing....its all compnaies...bigger companies, people sometimes fall thru the cracks...it is nice to be important..but it is more important to be nice....sometimes management needs reminding..maybe upper management at SHC can have a manager meeting, and have district meetings, to remind managers how important their staff is..I have been a kmart shopper 30 years..and travel for work..I see kmarts all over the nation...some great, some horrible....you have to hold managers acountable when ther eis a problem or poor store, or staff with poor attitude. Look at the problems wlamart is having with morale....hundreds of lawsuits, thousands of employee, locked in stores, not paid overtime, hiring illegals....on a national scale..it was front page news....u dont see that stuff at kmart..it may exist..but not on a federal level/scale....now target reported a 83 % drop in 3rd quarter credit card sales...target--83% drop?.....economy, service....appreciation...its at all stores, all companies..all llevels....where kmart may no longer be the biggest....management needs to do whatever it takes to fill its parking lots, and stores.....the rest will follow....

 

The Kmart that I shop at is normally a mess...The toy dept. especially I believe it is understaffed and the staff that is there doesn't care or they have no supervision. I am looking for Elmo Live and half the shelves were empty and most product was in the wrong spot. I went to Wal Mart and spent my money there.I love Sears products but they need to Make the Kmarts look like a sears store...organized and clean.

The people at my local K Mart never smile from management on down.  The CSR desk is always staffed with someone who acts like you have interrupted them and are now trying to steal the store out from under them.  Although, most of them would not notice if you did.  Once when I checked out I recognized the cashier and was excited to see her since we had lost track of each other.  Well as she was checking out my items I was just talking away not even giving her time to get a word in edgewise, the manager came over and told me that the cashier was not allowed to be talking on the job.  It held up the line.  She wasn't even half way through checking my stuff out.  I was mad to be reprimanded since I was the customer.  So I waited until she had finished ringing me up.  Made sure I paid in cash.  Went directly to the CSR desk and got a refund.  The manager did not like that.  He even had  the nerve to ask me why I was returning what I has just bought.  I told him by his talking to me he was holding up the line.  He did not like losing a sale of$489.76 Later I saw the cashier and told her what I had done and she said she new she got wrote up for it.  Can you believe that?  No wonder the staff doesn't smile or act friendly.  Thank goodness he is not the manager any more but they replaced him with a woman that is even worse can you imagine?

Hi firsttimegrandma, I'm sorry to hear about these store experiences. Did you know you can write a review and rate your local Sears and Kmart stores? Yep, it's true. And, these reviews will be available to the store managers so they can get a real customer perspective. I'd encourage you and everyone in our community to write a rewiew of your local store. I hope we do better next time!

At my Kmart, 9600, the manager and assistant manager are very helpful to both the customers and employees.  They even runs a cash register when we are busy and need help.  Our manager smiles and talks to her customers and makes sure they are satisfied with their purchases and their shopping experience.  Also, she makes sure to stress that customer service is #1 to her employees, making sure that her employees smile and say hello to the customers, take them to the product, and explain the options and features to them.  I have been told by many customers that our store offers the best customer service in town, despite having a new Super-Walmart.

i agree with you. as a mother to i want to get the best prices. the more money that i save the more money that i can put to better use like taking care of my family. even though some times you don't get the best service at least you save a little money. i also agree that the stores need a little better service.

I live near a Super Kmart in Riverside, California.  My last few visits have been pleasant.  I am usually asked by an associate if I need some assistance while shopping and the store is kept quite orderly.  Except for the restrooms.  They are wrecked every time I go in there.  I could echo what was mentioned earlier that there are usually not more than 2 check-out lines open and I always have to wait.  Other than that, I like shopping there.

I am like you, I like K-Mart store. A number of them have closed here in my area, Western New York but we do have a few left and I go to one all the time.  I think the quality of the products is great some times priced higher then Target or Wal-Mart, but on the whole a nice store.  I have used lay-a-way a number of times which is great for someone on a fixed income.

Keep K M

The K-Mart store in my area is better than any of the other stores that sell the same type of products. They have many workers that have been there for 20+ years. The management is very responsive to suggestions. My Motherinlaw is 91 and is getting frail, I try to get her out as much as possible and we normally go to K-Mart on Sundays. There was only one non electric wheelchair there and she needs to be pushed around if she is going to be able to enjoy the trip. I emailed the address I found on the website and the next day I received a call from the manager. I explained the problem and he promised to do what he could do. A couple of days later I was in the store and there were 2 wheelchairs there. Haven't had a problem getting a chair since.

I will say, there is not always some there to assist right now. the service is still much better than most stores except for maybe stores where the sale people are on commission. And with the economy in the shape it is in it is going to get much worse.

Dennis

K-Mart has much better deals then Target will ever have. People were lined up for the Twin Cities C.D, but other then that they have no great deals and the only way they ever will is if the economy gets even worse then it is. And I believe they still will be higher then any other store. The employees could care less in helping you compared to K-mart. They say they are lowering prices, but they do not beat K-Mart!! 

I don't agree with you.  I enjoy Kmart.  It has had some hard times in the past but I think things are looking up for it.

I agree that Kmart is doing some things right in this economic downturn compared to other retailers, ie, no payments no interest on Sears cards until June 2009 on purchases of 199+, double coupons, lawaway, and early black friday deals.  I hope that Sears and Kmart are able to weather this economic storm and continue to remodel thier stores, service, and distribution network as I like having an option other than Wal-Mart to shop at becuase many of their products are cheap and fall apart (low price comes at a cost). Having the right amount of product on time is paramount along with good customer service=return customer.  Part of the problem Touch of Lace is that Kmart closed many of their stores in the Minnealpolis area during the last round of bankruptcy, thus leaving the window open for Target and Wal-mart to aggressively move in along with other retailers. 

I like shopping at Kmart (and Sears) as it brings back memories as a kid, shopping with my parents.  This was before Walmart spread throughout the country like a virus, closing down small town stores and before Target was trendy.  My disappointment is that Mr. Eddie Lampbert isn't interested in revitalizing either Kmart or Sears and sees them as cash cows, sucking the life out of these two, once strong chains.  Store leases are allowed to run out, locations are sold, etc.  Where is all of that cash going to?  What happened to the long term plan?  When will a Kmart be remodeled?  Why were self-checkouts removed?  Dot com business is important, but how could you have a dot com business without strong stores?  I agree with fixkmart in that there is a shining light for Kmart and that is the return of the layway option.  Kudos for at least that!

Thanks for your comments!!

king4852 said…

Amen!   Employee morale is internally driven.  Most people who are successful in life have become this way because they have learned how to motivate themselves.  They are positive, self-confident people who enjoy working because of the satisfaction the work itself gives them.  If an employee has a need to be recognized just for showing up for work, he or she will certainly have a difficult time ever getting promotions or raises.  So how about if we quit blaming managers for everything? 

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Wow, I'm willing to bet that you never worked retail. You can have the best job in the world with free cake and ice cream served to you every day and it can be ruined by a horrible manager.

When I worked in retail, I wasn't asking for recognition for showing up, but a "thank you" for taking over a task that my manager hated doing would have been nice. A "good job" for doing the work of three people (because the other three were too lazy to do anything in the store) would have given me a bit more motivation. How about letting me leave early to watch my brother's high school graduation, instead of making me move my lunch break to the end of the day so I could make it to the ceremony in time? Or not conveniently forgetting that we had other employees in the store that could do inventory each month, instead demanding I do it every time while she sat in her office chatting on her phone? (Only to make me do it ALL OVER AGAIN because she screwed up the paperwork.)

I have a Bachelor's degree and own a semi-lucrative business, so I have no problems with motivating myself. But it's really hard to stay motivated when your efforts are constantly ignored by management, but you are constantly reminded of every small mistake you make.

I'm the original poster, who started this thread, and wanted to pipe in here and let you know of an experience I had today at the Kmart store in Sedalia, Missouri.  This was on "Black Friday" but we were not there until 1:30PM just doing some regular shopping. 

 First, you should know we drove 30 miles to get to this store.  I wanted to shop there because it is where my mom (who passed away two years ago) and I used to shop as a kid for Christmas.  Second, I wanted to shop there because I do not want to give a red nickel to Wal-Mart.

I was impressed at the friendliness of the staff, and how many shoppers were there.  Even later in the afternoon and the parking lot was full.  The registers were all open and we checked out $120 poorer in less than 5 minutes.  Good job!

Now I will say the Sedalia store is in need of some facelifting.  Even just re-doing the lighting in the store would do wonders.  This store dates back many, many years.

So I take back my original statements.  Perhaps Kmart is finally getting things right -- only time will tell.  My only advice:  Don't try and compete with Wal-Mart.  Wal-mart is for cheap, Chinese made junk.  Kmart at least still has an air of "uniqueness" about it.  Different products, unique selections and almost a "quasi-cool" factor to it (I just loved the Xmas decoration we picked up!)

 

Great to hear rstinnett! Sounds like you found some good deals, too!