Co Op is doing my nut in

[Sad Act]

Is it me?

When ever I walk into the Co-Op, there are wheeled cages full of products on every aisle and corner. It's not the biggest of places and they cram in as much stuff per cubic snail fart as possible already. There's scarce enough room for customers, let alone every piece of delivered stock that's just arrived!

Now today, they lost a few bob from Mr Grinch (Sad Act to his fellow forum members), cos he was just so p***ed off with getting nowhere fast and dodging countless bobbing backsides, as they dipped into delivery cages and stuffed shelves. Bad timing I hear you say? Then I must be having a rubbish few months because I seem to pick all the wrong times for hitting the hallowed floors. No stock and I would whinge? Correct but no customers and they would whinge too.

PROCESS: delivery arrives, stock into stock room (not through the bleeping shop, you muppets), check and prioritise shelf restocking required, bring out stock from stock room, replenish shelves, and so on.

Admittedly it takes longer, but then you have a selling floor that well, 'sells' and not an obstacle course for old gits like me to rant about (beta blockers and gin required).
Assumptions made: the Co-Op and staff have:

          A  - a stock room
          B  - a brain
          C  - a sense of customer service
          D  - no desire to see me darken their door again

Anyone have a fresh spleen please? (Oh, and the answer is probably 'D')

[mrs jellyby]

I sometimes attempt to buy bread there, usually shortly before closing time. Those cages are always lined up along the bread side of the aisle, so all you can see are the curled-up carrots and courgettes on the other side. After heaving one or two out of the way, all I can find is dozens of thick white sliced loaves and the odd loaf of something apparently passing as wholemeal. Serves me right for leaving it so late in the day, I suppose.

For me, it's the dreadful music that gets piped in from the bargain bin of some failing back-street record store that makes me want to get out as quickly as possible....straight into the path of one of their more regular customers as they dump their vehicle half on the yellow lines and half on the pavement.

Still, at least it's not yet a Tesco.

[Merrell]

Mrs. Jellyby wrote:

<< it's the dreadful music that gets piped in from the bargain bin of some failing back-street record store that makes me want to get out as quickly as possible. >>

Oh ... I hate piped music ... and, yes, it has exactly the same effect on me, too.

[triffic]

I have assumed that the music is deliberately chosen to get people to leave as fast as possible, instead of cluttering the limited space by attempting to browse between the trolleys   .

A few months ago I wrote to Coop head office, expressing these views. Within a week, the shop was mercifully free of yorping noises. Sadly, the relief only lasted a few weeks, and I find that the Coop is again a place to avoid unless you have earplugs in. Why do they do it???  Even the staff dislike it (although the loudness is much less near the checkouts).

[NotaDailyMailreader]

Deleted

[jdtaylor]

These trolleys are getting silly, worse than others I know and needs to be sorted.

[John Bald]

Don't know what people expect when Co-Op is trying to provide maximum service from a small site. I'm grateful for it, and for the friendly staff.

[NotaDailyMailreader]

Deleted

[Sad Act]

Hi John

I expect a safe environment in which to shop. The clutter and obstructions in the aisles would have made safe passage in the event of an emergency very difficult.

None emergency hazards include:
 
1.  Trip hazards: stock cages in the aisles (big brutes taller than me);  stock all over the floor and in the process of being extracted from the cages for distribution around the store; staff crawling amongst the shelves in the already cluttered environment trying to place stock on the shelves some, of which were obstructed by those cages.

2.  Collision hazards: those bleeping cages, the bleeping stock and the bleeping staff crawling

3.  Five gold rings, four calling birds, three ....

Sorry John but the excuse of trying to do their best is a bit thin. Safety is a high priority and customer service means not treating the customer as if they were an inconvenience in the process of logistics and stock control. And now I need another spleen!

[jdtaylor]

Just had an email from Co-Op Customer services which sounds like something may be done: We do take all complaints and observations very seriously and I can confirm that the comments have been passed to the local Operations Manager for urgent attention.  Thank you for taking the time to contact us about this matter and I can assure you that the Operations Manager will investigate the matter fully and take appropriate action.

I did also raise the problem from my point of view and that I've struggled on occasions so hopefully something will be done now as the matter is being looked into and I just hope this means they get their act together as it could just be a lack of stockroom space if I'm right, but maybe there is a simple solution to this deliver less stock and there won't be the need for these trolleys.

I think it may have been what i said in the past, but sandwhiches did get moved from the mid day delivery to the early morning delivery last year at some point and it does seem as though they are actually getting sold more which is good news on that front, and that was when staff agreed with me it would make more sense to have them on an earlier delivery and as such it did happen.
 

[Numbnut]

Back in the world of too many people with too much time on their hands again are we Linton?

We have a shop on our door step that stocks most of what we need for our daily needs, is open 14 hours a day, 364 days a year, operates on a tiny site with inadequate stock and storage facilities, has a fine selection of wines, groceries and own brand products and all we can do is whitter on about a few cages?

Time to get a grip at all you think Lintonites?

[Sad Act]

Hi Numbnut

Not sure who you are taking a pop at.

[jdtaylor]

Maybe we need to help them find a storage solution as there's a lot of empty space at the fire station maybe they could have a lock up building there which could solve storage problems a short push to the store.

[davidd]

I'm sure it could be better but we are very fortunate we have it in the first place...

[mrs jellyby]

In their defence, I find the till staff usually very friendly and polite.