Walmart - The manager is watching YOU!

While I prefer to shop somewhere other than Walmart (the store my daughter refers to as the "root of all evil"), I found myself in the awkward situation of a LEGO emergency.

Previously, a Toy Story 3 set was purchased at Frys Electronics. This set included the figures of "Buzz Lightyear" and "Woody". The 7 year old was elated! He spent the afternoon pouring over these legos. Had I known Legos would keep him from stating "I'm BORED! I'm BORED!", I would have purchased Legos a long time ago!

Well, as it happens, we went out for Chinese and he brought the Legos. They were all put together - a car, Buzz, and Woody. This young man was acting up in the vehicle on the way home. I told him we would leave the Legos in the car until the next day. "Don't worry, nothing is going to happen to the Legos." He insisted I bring the Legos inside as they might melt in the garage. While it does get a little hot here in Arizona, I doubted the Legos would melt. I actually found that attempt at manipulation amusing.

As it happens, my daughter and I had to run to Starbucks as the internet access from Mediacom was down temporarily due to an "outage" (yet again) and I still had some papers to grade for an online section I teach.

Well, she moved the Legos.

In the morning, we drove the little 7 year old boy to school.
After we dropped him at the gate, we realized that Buzz... was MIA!

Quickly, I wielded the SUV around. Buzz's body was found near the school entrance but his head was missing! Buzz had been decapitated!

We searched diligently in the rocks for Buzz's head to no avail.

"We should have marked where we found Buzz," Tina said.
I replied, "What would you have me do? Draw a chalk outline of him with sidewalk chalk!"

Alas, we gave up in our search for Buzz's head. We did return to Starbucks, hoping maybe he had been lost the prior evening and was still there. However, we did not find Buzz's head or any remnants of his head.

Well, having assured and reassured a young child that the Legos would be alright and then losing the head of one of his favorite characters is really not a great way to build trust! So, I felt, at the time that the one solution was to quicky purchase a set with Buzz from the local discount store.

I was shocked, bewildered and well... disgusted at what I saw.
We found a set, and headed to the register.

There, it was, at every single register. The most disturbing and bizarre thing I had ever seen. I mean, as if it were not enough that Walmart charges more for their clothing items than Macys or Kohls. As if it were not enough that the quality of their merchandise is low and their prices are high. In my opinion, Walmart is the drug dealer of the consumer merchandise industry. First, they set their prices low. Many working class people started to shop there. "Everything under one roof!" Right...?

Then, they raised these prices to higher than you would pay at some stores in the mall! This is ludicrous. Also, the customer service is severely lacking. Low quality merchandise, low quality customer service. Just try asking someone at Walmart to take something out to your car or up to the front register! Now try asking someone at ToysRus.

At any rate, there it was.
The most low class, rude, dispicable thing I have seen in a long time. I was astonished.

There was a picture of the manager at every register. For someone who has never been in a Walmart (and good for you, don't go in there), that is a lot of registers. The registers are lined up in a row. There are well over 15 registers in a row by the front of the store. Now, why in the world would there be a picture of this man at each register?

Facts:
Walmart has a bad rap for being bias
Walmart Customer Service desk is directly in front of several of these registers
Walmart corporate contact information is available online

http://walmartstores.com/contactus/feedback.aspx


The large image seemed more like 80x100 than 8x10. In fact, the image may have been 5x7. This did not matter. This large image of the manager at each "outpost" was disturbing and bizarre. The young white man in the picture looked out of place in a business shirt and looked more like a profile from "America's Most Wanted!"

Of course, I had to say something about this.

I get up the register.
"What in the world is this all about?"
"What do you mean?"

"Is your manager narcissistic or something? Why in the world are these on every register?! It's BIZARRE!"

The customer behind me says, "It's not bizarre. It just means that the manager cares about the customers."

I respond, "It is bizarre. When you work in an office, you don't see a picture of the manager or CEO on every cubicle!"

No repsonse.

Well, in my opinion, the action is awful for the following reasons:

1. The manager is watching you! Isn't it bad enough for cashiers to be monitored by video, store security, and each other. Honestly, in my opinion, how much worse can you make things for your cashiers? They are paid low wages, work odd hours, put up with customers all day long, stand on their feet, have to bag groceries and items for customers, are monitored by video, staff, and security. Now, they are under the "watchful eye" of the manager's picture?!!!

2. If you do not behave - "cashier", there is a number right here for someone the customer can call regarding YOU!

3. This stops people from contacting corporate about this store.

4. Some kind of power trip/fear factor the manager set up to intimidate cashiers under the guise of caring for customers.

Did you ever notice that some people will do things that are so not in your best interest and try and tell you they were trying to do you a favor?

I now agree with my daughter - that Walmart is... "the root of all evil".