I've had my fair share of rants about WSS. But, in all fairness I must say that the fellows at the counter have been a lot more friendlier and helpful to me than in the past. I go there without a bad attitude to begin with, I just go there to get my stuff. And, if WSS doesn't have, it's not a matter of life or death, I can always rely on Fly's Etc. in High River to get what I want.
Don't know if you intended or not but you have illustrated the catch 22 we deal with every day. As has been pointed out the retail system was "upgraded" by UFA 6 weeks or so ago so the sku or item number is the only reliable way we can look up product and that wil lead us to the bin in the warehouse. We have and will continue to look up SkU 's for customers that don't have that information as we have done for 4 years. It is more difficult now for as you know we sell a lot more products than can be listed in any catalogue since the post office restricts the number of pages. Often we can find the item (sku) from a catalogue on the counter. For better coverage all 3-4 going back to 2008 are there. We can't look up by manufacturuers number or random search manufacturers in general anymore although they realize removing that feature was an error and are trying to get it back but programing it in is not going to be fast or cheap so it won't happen for a while.
So you have your number and are waiting patiently in line and I am serving a fellow that wants a loading tool component not listed in the catalogues. What next try the WSS website or even the manufacturers website and see if we can trace the product. AT what point is my research for the customer ahead of you interfering with the service you are getting because you are kept waiting while we try everything in the book and some things not in the book to find his product. At what point do we say sorry if you saw the product in a catalogue, website etc write down the number so we can give you a reasonably fast turn around on whether it is in stock ordered or back ordered.
How long are you willing to wait in line while we do research for that customer. What if you know exactly what you want and have the item number so if you could get up to the counter we could give you a proper answer.
What if you want a brick of .22 ammo but we are all researching things for customers that didn't record the item number.
We also have customers that perhaps are not well versed in products as beginners to the sport so they seek advice and opinions so we spend a lot of time with them showing them some options and different price points.
My earlier comment (about memorizing item numbers) was inappropriate for it was sarcastic and that doesn't work on the internet because you cannot see me being tongue in cheek but you also have to realize that any customer that comes up to the counter with an item number we don't have to look up is going to be served faster and the line will move more quickly for everyone.
We get it from all sides some days for a kind old gentleman just walked up to the counter a few weeks ago looking for reloading dies and before I could identify the aisle they were in a very rude customer went up one side and down the other of this gentleman who probably didn't even realize there was a numbering system for butting in without a number.
We are trying to give service and sometimes that means we have to do some research for the customer but at other times researching things is holding up all the other customers when the person asking for the item could have easily recorded the item number prior to coming in.
Thank you for taking the time to fill us in. I can now see how your counter can be a loaded situation with unaoidable frustrations for both parties. This helps me to understand and be better prepared because you are addressing the internal situation. I too have been stung by IT guys who didn't fully understand an inventory system as it applied to customer sales. It took awhile to get things ironed out.
Would your management consider a computer outlet on the floor that a guy can use to access #s and descriptions (not actual inventory, I'm sure that should remain private). Lee Valley tools did it and it sure helped because thier line-ups can make yours look real short. As well with rapidly changing pricing in retail it would be nice to have one of those readers to scan a price and avoid the line-up for a simple price check?
Would a polite email from a customer encourage action among the bosses?
I would encourage anyone who has practical suggestion to improve anything to fill in the suggestion/customer service box at the front of the store. I think they give out a gift certificate from time to time for valid suggestions. it certainly can't hurt anything if it wil help move the line faster for everyone.
WWbird - I really appreciate the reloading stock whiteboard listings in the Lethbridge store. That's a time saving initiative that I first saw in Lethbridge. Glad to hear the other stores adopted the practice.
Please let the Lethbridge & Calgary firearms staff know that I have been consistently pleased with their personal service.
a BC shopper.
Got to agreE with you twofifty , with the exception of the guy in Calgary ,who, when asked what do you have in Lefthand 300 win mags sayS " You lefthand shooters are a joke ! get a right hand gun and learn to shoot it !" AND HE WAS SERIOUS ! Wish I had gotten his name .The rest of the staff have all been very accomodating .
a hunting we will go!!!!!!
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