Costco Gives Me The Finger On The Way Out The Door!

Posted on May 25, 2008 | Filed Under Rants

05-25-2008
Costco, Orange CT USA

In general I'm a fan of Costco. The experience is pretty much the same whether you shop in San Diego CA or Shelton Ct. And anyone that can get away with charging EVERYONE at least 40 bucks a year for the privilege of shopping there, well… they earn a special place in my heart.

I went in today just to pick up a brick of playing cards for my friend and partner Frank Everhart, Frank is a Magician in Key West, Fl and the other half of The Key West Guys. Franks not lucky enough to have a Costco within 5 hours, so I help him out!

While I was there I happened to run into a Toaster Oven that looked like it would be a great replacement for  the one that conked out on me a couple of weeks ago, that and a beach chair and some socks.

Went in to spend $13.00 and left spending almost $150.00. And that's not unusual… From what I understand Costco has the highest average ring of any retailer in the US. Good on ya Costco!

 The transaction was event less, even pleasant. I heard the 2 young ladies ringing me up discussing how someone had just gotten chewed out for just throwing peoples purchases back in their cart, they commented that it was horrible behavior and I dug that. (They weren't talking to me, I just overheard them while waiting in line)

They rung me up, I had a $10.00 rebate on the Toaster Oven. I was walking out and was looking for a rebate board, ya know where you would pull the rebate ticket, I couldn't find one so I stopped at the Customer Service counter where 3 employees were shooting the breeze. I approached the closest young lady behind the counter and explained I had the rebate and asked how I get the rebate ticket, barely looking up she said - "send in the receipt".

DONE

No "thanks for shopping with us", no "thanks", no h"ave a good day", no smile -  NOTHING! Not even "goodbye", she just went back to work!

Well, maybe to anyone else that would seem like just a tiny mistake, but to me… HUGE. I would have fired her for that.!

She was the last impression I have of that visit at Costco. Everything that just went right - just got sabotaged because she was lazy and didn't care. Will I go back?  I'm sure I will, but I may go back only 9 times this year instead of 12. I spend an average of $300 each time I shop there. So that's 900 bucks Costco does not get a chance to make. That's probably about 3 weeks pay for this "Customer Service" Rep!

Why, oh why do so many people go so far and then screw it up at the end. The end is just  - if not more  important than the rest of the experience. That's why you make sure the folks on your registers are trained and drilled to smile, be polite, pay attention to the Customer, have fun with the Customer, make the part where they're parting with their hard earned money as pleasant as you can. Geez, if it was up to me I'd say hug and kiss them at the register!

Do ya get it? Many stores put their quietest and most conservative people on the register - WRONG! Put the most outgoing fun people on the checkout. Teach them to count change better if you have to but that's the person you want there.

Change just this one thing…I'll bet you'll see your sales go up, repeat visits increase, and the average ring accelerate. Try it!

Talk to me folks. What do you do during the check out process that makes your business special? What have you seen done that you wish other folks would do - Talk to me!

John Jaworski

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Tagged as: Costco, Jolly Roger Marketing, marketing. Retail sales training, poor customer service, Sales