On Jan 13, 9:10*am, SMS wrote:
I've had to go to a HF about 30 minutes away (with no traffic) but
yesterday I saw the HF sign up in a shopping center about two miles
away. I also saw employment ads for several new HF stores in the Bay
Area. Redwood City, Santa Clara (San Jose), and Dublin, are getting new
stores.

Their store in Newark (CA) that I've been going to is very poorly
managed, so hopefully the one near me will be better. Last time I was in
the Newark store, there was one cashier open, with a long line, and five
employees (including two cashiers and an assistant manager) having a gab
fest behind another register. When it was my turn, the cashier said,
sorry I'm closed, and another cashier opened and immediately had a long
line. I gave up and told the cashier, "you can have someone put all this
stuff back, I'm not waiting a second time in a line that long."

My local HF has 2 cashiers by the front door and kind of a manager's
counter, with a register, tucked into a corner a little way's away.

Most times, as soon as one of the 2 main lines gets a little long,
they call someone to open the other.

Last weekend I was 3rd in line at the one cashier that was open. The
other cashier was on the phone. Just as the first customer finished
up, making me 2nd on line, a manager went behind her counter and said
"I can help whoever is next over here". As I started to walk over
there, passing the cashier that had been on the phone, she said "I can
help you right here."

I stopped at her register and then glanced over towards the manager's
counter to say thanks. She had a genuinely hurt looked on her face. We
all got a big laugh as barbs were tossed back and forth about
"stealing customers".

I've never had need to complain about the customer service at my local
HF.