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In Defense of Michaels

I have been a Michaels shopper for years and have recently started working there. My experience is that almost all the employees really want to help; most of the people I work with are crafters themselves.

I think one of the problems is that employees witness a lot abuse from customers. People think absolutely nothing of tearing open a package to see what's inside. Because of the nature of the products people are constantly squeezing out paint, pulling out yarn, opening shrinkwrapped packages, etc. People test sharpies on everything, regardless of the fact that we put up a booklet right next to the pens. Most employees spend their time running around trying to fix everything.

I've seen a lot of people here complain about not getting stellar customer service. Michaels policy is usually, "leave the customer alone, but if they ask you, focus on them until they are satisfied". Theoretically we have a "prime Time" from 11 to 1:30 M-F where we arent supposed to do anything but customer service, but when this happens, NOBODY wants any help. In fact most customers look annoyed that I even say hello to them!

People always ask for coupons and get upset if we don't give them any. The whole point is that you get one from a newspaper, but people get really pissed off about it. I gave somebody mine which I brought from home to use and they didn't even say thanks. Sale prices get mixed up because things dont get put back; we just can't keep up with the misplacings! Registers get backed up because of the misplacings; people get angry about the price.

Cash registers go slowly because we don't have any baggers and a lot of craft stuff is hard to bag. Manager keyturns are needed for returns and many other processes. Cashiers HAVE to answer phones because there's nobody else who will!

Quite a few people complain about incompitent execution of customer service tasks; I think its because employees try to help in areas that they arent trained in because nobody else is available. It's NOT because they are lazy or uncaring. For my part, I think the training we get is really not enough.

I dont know if the problems stem from corporate, but I think its the nature of the wares. It's very very hard to make everything well when curiousity is tearing everything apart right in front of your eyes.

I suppose my point is to not blame the employees, because we are doing what we can with what we are given. And we really do try.

Reply to
Komsomolka
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I didn't see anyone here COMPLAIN *about* Michaels, so what's your point? Noreen who has worked retail but still believes the adage that the customer is always right.

Reply to
Noreen's Knit*che

Wah, wah, wah. Did somebody pee in your oatmeal???????? Nobody HERE complained about Michaels, and your post is highly insulting. Noreen who has worked retail and STILL knows that the customer is always right.'

Reply to
Noreen's Knit*che

It has been a while, but I do recall complaints about Michaels being aired here. I think this writer has made some valid points and I too have worked in retail. Also, there is a vast difference regionally in customer service in most retail venues.

Are you having a bad day, Noreen? This is not your usual friendly welcome.

Reply to
posey

And did you see this article -- which has nothing to do with customer service?

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Reply to
posey

If Michaels could fix these, things might go better.

Roger.

Reply to
Yarn Forward

Hi, Posey! No, I wasn't having a 'bad' day, her post just struck me as abusive... out of nowhere, so to speak. I really didn't remember complaints againts Michaels being aired here... Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
Noreen's Knit*che

I'll have a peek, Posey! Hugs, Noreen

Reply to
Noreen's Knit*che

Loved the story - thanks. Just goes to show you can knit with almost anything! ;>)

Shelagh

Reply to
Shillelagh

My daughter has worked retail and I think many of your complaints about shoppers are true in general. A few rotten customers come in and mess up the entire store and expect special privileges.

I have a friend who saw a woman pick a blouse off the rack and use an old receipt to "return" it using a cashier that was her friend.

Some shoppers just think the world revolves around them. And dealing with them day in day out is no piece of cake.

I haven't been in this news group long enough to know if anyone has complained about Michaels. But I get the impression that we are all friends here and if one of us wants to blow off a little steam we should be here with support.

Reply to
betty

This is very true. I've seen people go to hang a blouse or whatever back on the rack and it falls to the floor. Do they pick it up? No... that would take too much effort... so they just walk away and leave it where it dropped. :o/ I have picked up after these people. There have also been occasion where I have picked something up (packaged) to look at only to find that it had already been opened.

There are very rare occasions when I can understand opening a package... to

*see* the size of something... but in those instances, I often wonder why the store doesn't just have one article out of the package to begin with so customers can see the size. I'm talking about things from sandwich bags to garbage bags... even to underwear that are packaged 3 to a bag. For the bags... if the store doesn't want to take one out of the bag, at least put a yardstick nearby so customers can look at the measurements that way instead of trying to work it out by holding their hands out to what they *think* is the right size. As far as the underwear... some of the sizing on those packages are really weird (even if it says a weight on them, not everyone of that weight is the same shape) and some of the underwear isn't as stretchy as it should be, so I can see where it is helpful to actually be able to hold up a pair to see what they look like.... not to mention the fact that you cannot return underwear if you've taken it out of the package. How are you supposed to see if they will fit (without trying them on) if you can't take them out of the package?

Uhhh, that's stealing, plain and simple. :o/

This is very true... everyone has a complaint about how they were treated, or what condition the store or item was in... and we do voice our opinions in here as if speaking to friends that we meet with in our own towns. However, I honestly don't remember seeing a complaint about Michaels before... but then, I was offline for a couple of years and didn't get to see all the postings.

Gemini

Reply to
MRH

There was a pretty long thread a few months back people "blowing off steam" about Michael's. What I remember most about it was complaining about the quality of the customer service. It's possible that posey read those posts and didn't refer to the date they were posted before posting her own response.

I generally try to give people the benefit of the doubt in situations like this...as we all should. :o)

BTW, how was everyone's Fourth???

Jenn

Reply to
Jenn W.

Ah, well there you go... I definitely didn't see that thread about Michaels. I have only ever been in Michaels (in London Ontario) once... it was around Christmas time about three years ago... and I never had a problem with the stock or the customer service. I didn't find what I was looking for at first, but when I asked I was taken to the right area. :o)

Yep, I think so too. ;o) By the way... you have my nose! But then I got it from an online friend (who's nick is a breed of dog) years ago. LOL

Being as I'm Canadian, my fourth was just that... the fourth. But I do hope everyone State-side had a great time. ;o)

Gemini

Reply to
MRH

I've noticed there are alot of us who have "that" nose. lol

Well, ours was great! Lots of fireworks, BBQ and watermelon!!! :o)

Jenn

Reply to
Jenn W.

SNipping because I didn't think it was necessary to leave it in. I have read complaints about Michael's here, but generally no worse than complaints about many other retail places. That being said, when I have gone to Michael's, I have sometimes gotten excellent service, and sometimes not so great. What I like is hanging out in the wool section and talking to other customers. You can learn lots there!

Katherine

Reply to
Katherine

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