"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"Matt Barrow" wrote in message
...

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
"Stephen Blackpool" wrote in message
ups.com...
March 8, 2007
Is Home Depot shafting shoppers?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com....aspx?GT1=9215

By cutting back on employees, the home-improvement retailer is putting
the screws to the people it needs most: its customers.


Let me get this straight: Brain-dead customers can't figure out how to
open the yellow pages and find a hardware store, lumber yard, plumbing
store, lighting store, or garden center, any of which will give better
advice and often have better prices than Home Despot, and this is Home
Despot's fault? Not the fault of brain dead parents who were too busy
watching 200 channels of cable to to get off their fat, lazy asses and
teach their kids how to find a merchant in the phone book?

They live with their kids for 18 years or longer, and no time to teach
something easy like this?

You've never run a business, have you?


Matter of fact, yes. How do you feel your question relates to the fact
that some people somehow reach adulthood with virtually no resources?

That you blame the problem on the customers.

So typically American.


Think harder, and spend more time reading newsgroup questions. Here's what
you'll find out:

- There are people who have never set foot in a hardware store or specialty
store (appliances, lighting, plumbing, etc), and it's NOT always because all
the specialty stores have vanished from their towns. They seem to believe
that if the employees aren't wearing little aprons, then the specialty
stores must be intended for contractors only.

- There are people who think that if they have a problem with Home Depot,
the solution is to go to Lowe's. Or, complain about it here. Some people are
not capable of devising another solution.

- There are people who apparently don't know that you can open the yellow
pages phone book and find businesses in it. Right here in this newsgroup,
I've seen people say "Thanks. That's actually a good idea. I'll try it". Are
we dealing with children here?

So, tell me: Who do YOU blame for creating humans who are so unresourceful?
Advertising that makes the big box stores seem like the only source for
every damned thing? Maybe. But, I choose to lay much of the blame on
parents. I would like to hear YOUR theory, though.


Hint: Since the year 2000, there have been two reasonably accurate surveys
in this country which indicate that about 54% of the population is stupid
and docile.

"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
- There are people who have never set foot in a hardware store or
specialty store (appliances, lighting, plumbing, etc), and it's NOT always
because all the specialty stores have vanished from their towns. They seem
to believe that if the employees aren't wearing little aprons, then the
specialty stores must be intended for contractors only.

In addition, they have been conditioned to think that the big box stores
have the best prices for everything. That is far from the truth. Their
service is often second rate also., if you need appliance repair or fast
delivery.

Going back 10 or more years, the local appliance store was often priced
higher and maybe even a little arrogant. Most of those dealers imploded,
the rest formed buying co-operatives and now compete very nicely with price
and usually have superior service.

On Mar 10, 9:09 am, Mitch Mitch@... wrote:
At least you have choices. In my small town, all we have is a
Menard's. Staffed only by retarded teenagers who avoid customer
contact at all costs.

Sorry to hear about your experience with Menards. I have probably
purchased over $100K from them in the past 10 years. They continually
surprise me with their knowledge and their "depth of stock",
especially in engineered lumber products. They never surprise me with
their prices, which are nearly always way better than Lowe's or Home
Desperate. Better still, here they honor "pocket peelers" - A 10% off
coupon booklet for Home Depot.

Hopefully things will improve for you. Be careful what you wish for,
though. Lowes or Home Depot won't be the answer...

JK

Deke wrote:
Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.

I'm on home depots side in this battle.


But what about the extensive spin they do that all of their employees
are experts waiting for us to pull into the parking lot?

In article , Deke wrote:

Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.

I'm on home depots side in this battle.

Heh. Well some people do expect a free consultation with
half a dozen different professionals -- architect, plumber,
electrician, tiler etc.

I don't expect that from HD or Lowes but I do get mightily
****ed when I can't find anyone in the store who can tell
me where they've hidden the XYZ widgets. And if I have to
wait 15 mins in line at the checkout.


--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Deke" wrote in message
...

Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.


Dumb questions? How about a young person who needs to know how to hang a
painting on a masonry wall, and nobody at HD has a clue? These are basic
things their employees should know. What's the customer supposed to do? Hire
a mason to answer his/her question about the appropriate hardware?

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:49:28 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Deke" wrote in message
.. .

Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.


Dumb questions? How about a young person who needs to know how to hang a
painting on a masonry wall, and nobody at HD has a clue? These are basic
things their employees should know. What's the customer supposed to do? Hire
a mason to answer his/her question about the appropriate hardware?


Absolutely NOT.

Hire a minimum wage high school drop out and then take the money
saved and increase the shareholder dividends.

The young person with the question needs to go the local hardware
store and pay for the answers to his questions.

There ain't no free lunch and we are a capitalist country so don't
begrudge our stores a profit.

On 10 Mar 2007 23:06:11 -0800, "Drastic91"
wrote:

On Mar 10, 10:38 pm, "rivahrebel" wrote:
I find that basic hardware items are unavailable at my local HD's. I guess
the lack of ability to make big profits on such items as steel rivets keeps
HD from stocking them. It's really bad when it's easier to start out
shopping at a small hardware store 15 miles away rather than checking at the
local HD about 2 miles away because usually the HD either won't have or
doesn't stock what you need.

I have a love/hate relationship with Home Depot. I love it because it
is convenient and they carry many common items that you need for a
home. I hate them because of the service that they provide. I asked
a guy where I could find three prong outlets and he commented that I
could have just broken off the third prong and it would have worked.
Not all of them are that bad but its hard to find good help. I tend
to go to Lowes when I am shopping for anything that I feel would look
good in the home such as lighting and crown moulding. I go to Home
Depot when I am fixing a wall or repairing pipes.

Great advice. I broke off a prong yesterday in fact.

On Mon, 12 Mar 2007 16:30:45 -0500, Deke wrote:

On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:49:28 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Deke" wrote in message
. ..

Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.


Dumb questions? How about a young person who needs to know how to hang a
painting on a masonry wall, and nobody at HD has a clue? These are basic
things their employees should know. What's the customer supposed to do? Hire
a mason to answer his/her question about the appropriate hardware?


Absolutely NOT.

Hire a minimum wage high school drop out and then take the money
saved and increase the shareholder dividends.

The young person with the question needs to go the local hardware
store and pay for the answers to his questions.

There ain't no free lunch and we are a capitalist country so don't
begrudge our stores a profit.

.

Buy the time-life book over toward the checkout?

allways a topic sure to take up a page or two of furum.... bash home
depot.

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

Larry Bud wrote:
On Mar 10, 11:30 pm, user wrote:
HeyBub wrote:

They could, but they don't. If you can point to one single monopoly that HAS
raised prices in a captive market, I'd be surprised (except for professional
sports and government-sanction monopolies like utilities).
Microsoft, and with Vista

LOL!!!! I didn't know Bill Gates was holding you down making you
purchase Vista!


Excuse me? Read my headers, asshole

Drastic91 wrote:
I have a love/hate relationship with Home Depot. I love it because it
is convenient and they carry many common items that you need for a
home. I hate them because of the service that they provide. I asked
a guy where I could find three prong outlets and he commented that I
could have just broken off the third prong and it would have worked.
Not all of them are that bad but its hard to find good help. I tend
to go to Lowes when I am shopping for anything that I feel would look
good in the home such as lighting and crown moulding. I go to Home
Depot when I am fixing a wall or repairing pipes.


Hah, The interior doorknobs and registers I bought from Lowes a little
over 3 years ago are losing their brass(?) plating. The chrome light
fixture I got at the same time is rusting.

I'm not saying HD's stuff is any better, on the contrary, I've learned
to avoid the big box stores when I need "nice looking" stuff now.

--
Art

Hire a minimum wage high school drop out and then take the money
saved and increase the shareholder dividends.

The young person with the question needs to go the local hardware
store and pay for the answers to his questions.

There ain't no free lunch and we are a capitalist country so don't
begrudge our stores a profit.

Bob Nardelli's inaugural initiative five years ago was to do just
that. Within few months we lost our top tier floor associates.....
these were well paid folks with the best product knowledge.... we were
awash in part-timers/short-timers just as the biggest housing boom in
U.S. history was hitting the fan, and our stock performed
appropriately by tanking. That was a massive mistake.

Home Depot DID NOT take care of it's shareholders any better than it
took care of it's loyal customers or loyal associates.

Six months from now I hope you all see big changes. We got a new boss
and he ain't like the old boss.

On 12 Mar 2007 18:27:40 -0700, "Stephen Blackpool"
wrote:



Hire a minimum wage high school drop out and then take the money
saved and increase the shareholder dividends.

The young person with the question needs to go the local hardware
store and pay for the answers to his questions.

There ain't no free lunch and we are a capitalist country so don't
begrudge our stores a profit.

Bob Nardelli's inaugural initiative five years ago was to do just
that. Within few months we lost our top tier floor associates.....
these were well paid folks with the best product knowledge.... we were
awash in part-timers/short-timers just as the biggest housing boom in
U.S. history was hitting the fan, and our stock performed
appropriately by tanking. That was a massive mistake.

Home Depot DID NOT take care of it's shareholders any better than it
took care of it's loyal customers or loyal associates.

Six months from now I hope you all see big changes. We got a new boss
and he ain't like the old boss.

I'm sure that there is some happy medium that would maximize profit
and long term growth. In other words, keep a few- but not too many.

Good luck with your new boss.

Hint: For all big box stores, Kiosk? with location info need to be
installed for the idiot customers who are too lazy to look around for
their gadgets.

On Mar 10, 7:55 pm, mm wrote:
On Sat, 10 Mar 2007 12:01:45 -0500, curmudgeon

wrote:
Some stress customer service
and some stress paint cans perfectly aligned.

I really like that. I'm trying to learn how to do my soup cans at
home.


I didn't know paint cans had stress...who's going to pay for the
therapy? Oh man....just another thing....

"Deke" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 11 Mar 2007 21:49:28 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote:

"Deke" wrote in message
. ..

Put my vote for the store doing it right.

Their only reason for existence in this world is to turn a profit.

There is little profit in a box store hiring employees to answer dumb
consumer questions. Let the consumer hire a professional to train
them.


Dumb questions? How about a young person who needs to know how to hang a
painting on a masonry wall, and nobody at HD has a clue? These are basic
things their employees should know. What's the customer supposed to do?
Hire
a mason to answer his/her question about the appropriate hardware?


Absolutely NOT.

Hire a minimum wage high school drop out and then take the money
saved and increase the shareholder dividends.

The young person with the question needs to go the local hardware
store and pay for the answers to his questions.

......where the handful of screws will be so close in price to HD's that the
young person won't even notice. And the project will be done in 1/2 hour,
the right way, the first time.

The man's got class.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/communit...m=Pag e%3D322

I'm Frank Blake, the new CEO for The Home Depot. I've read a number of
the postings on the MSN message board (unfortunately, there were a lot
of them), and we've dispatched a dedicated task force - working
directly with me - that is ready and willing to address each and every
issue raised on this board. Please give us the chance.

There's no way I can express how sorry I am for all of the stories you
shared. I recognize that many of you were loyal and dedicated shoppers
of The Home Depot ... and we let you down. That's unacceptable.
Customers are our company's lifeblood - and the sole reason we have
been able to build such a successful company is because of your
support. The only way we're going to continue to be successful is by
regaining your trust and confidence ... and we will do that.

We've already taken steps to cure many of the ills discussed on this
message board:

* We will be and already are increasing our staffing in the stores.

* We're also in the early stages of launching a nationwide program
to recruit and hire skilled master tradespeople to staff our stores so
that our customers receive the kind of service and expertise that made
The Home Depot great.

* We're investing significantly in the appearance of our stores to
make them an easier and more fun place to shop.

* And we're making it clear to all our associates that nothing is
more important than you, the customer. Every associate knows that his
or her number one job is to make you smile and to help you solve your
home improvement problem ... no matter how big or how small.

But the real judge of all of these changes we're making is you. All I
ask is that you please give us the opportunity to win you back. When
you enter our stores, you should receive a personal greeting. After
that, you should encounter a helpful associate who will walk you to
find the tools, material or service you need. If you don't, please let
us know ... just like Scott Burns did.

I'd like to thank Scott - his column about our company was insightful
and revealing. You can easily tell that it struck a nerve with me.
Scott, we'll do all in our power to again make The Home Depot the
store you and your wife, Carolyn, once referred to as "our store." I'd
also like to give my thanks to the many people who posted comments on
this board. We want them. We need them ... to enable us to keep
getting better. We're committed to being the company that helped set
the standard for customer service excellence in home improvement.
Please continue to hold us accountable.

Finally, message boards of this type do not allow us to respond
directly to each poster, so please give us the chance to fix the many
issues discussed on this board by writing to
. You have my personal assurance that every
effort will be made to address your concerns.

The Home Depot was built on great customer service, and we will
rebuild on that tradition - just give us the chance!

"Stephen Blackpool" wrote in message
ups.com...
The man's got class.

Huh? Saying, "I'm sorry you got screwed, but things are different now!
From now on, we will use condoms and KY Jelly!"

They blew it big time, and I hope they go down the tube.

I need stuff, and tomorrow, I'm going to Lowe's. Now I don't even consider
Home Depot. Hell, Ace is better than Home Depot, and Ace is getting bad,
too.

Steve

Hey Frank.

Stop by for a beer sometime.

I was suggesting that a kiosk(sp?) be installed in every store that
lists the parts and where or what aisle and section the part is
located.

You should be able to do it once and be essentially the same for
every store for 95% of the parts.

And if it works, you could sell a little advertising space on it to
pay for it.

Deke




On 15 Mar 2007 20:50:26 -0700, "Stephen Blackpool"
wrote:

The man's got class.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/communit...m=Pag e%3D322

I'm Frank Blake, the new CEO for The Home Depot. I've read a number of
the postings on the MSN message board (unfortunately, there were a lot
of them), and we've dispatched a dedicated task force - working
directly with me - that is ready and willing to address each and every
issue raised on this board. Please give us the chance.

There's no way I can express how sorry I am for all of the stories you
shared. I recognize that many of you were loyal and dedicated shoppers
of The Home Depot ... and we let you down. That's unacceptable.
Customers are our company's lifeblood - and the sole reason we have
been able to build such a successful company is because of your
support. The only way we're going to continue to be successful is by
regaining your trust and confidence ... and we will do that.

We've already taken steps to cure many of the ills discussed on this
message board:

* We will be and already are increasing our staffing in the stores.

* We're also in the early stages of launching a nationwide program
to recruit and hire skilled master tradespeople to staff our stores so
that our customers receive the kind of service and expertise that made
The Home Depot great.

* We're investing significantly in the appearance of our stores to
make them an easier and more fun place to shop.

* And we're making it clear to all our associates that nothing is
more important than you, the customer. Every associate knows that his
or her number one job is to make you smile and to help you solve your
home improvement problem ... no matter how big or how small.

But the real judge of all of these changes we're making is you. All I
ask is that you please give us the opportunity to win you back. When
you enter our stores, you should receive a personal greeting. After
that, you should encounter a helpful associate who will walk you to
find the tools, material or service you need. If you don't, please let
us know ... just like Scott Burns did.

I'd like to thank Scott - his column about our company was insightful
and revealing. You can easily tell that it struck a nerve with me.
Scott, we'll do all in our power to again make The Home Depot the
store you and your wife, Carolyn, once referred to as "our store." I'd
also like to give my thanks to the many people who posted comments on
this board. We want them. We need them ... to enable us to keep
getting better. We're committed to being the company that helped set
the standard for customer service excellence in home improvement.
Please continue to hold us accountable.

Finally, message boards of this type do not allow us to respond
directly to each poster, so please give us the chance to fix the many
issues discussed on this board by writing to
. You have my personal assurance that every
effort will be made to address your concerns.

The Home Depot was built on great customer service, and we will
rebuild on that tradition - just give us the chance!

Stephen Blackpool wrote:
The man's got class.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/communit...m=Pag e%3D322

I'm Frank Blake, the new CEO for The Home Depot. I've read a number of
the postings on the MSN message board (unfortunately, there were a lot
of them), and we've dispatched a dedicated task force - working
directly with me - that is ready and willing to address each and every
issue raised on this board. Please give us the chance.

There's no way I can express how sorry I am for all of the stories you
shared. I recognize that many of you were loyal and dedicated shoppers
of The Home Depot ... and we let you down. That's unacceptable.
Customers are our company's lifeblood - and the sole reason we have
been able to build such a successful company is because of your
support. The only way we're going to continue to be successful is by
regaining your trust and confidence ... and we will do that.

We've already taken steps to cure many of the ills discussed on this
message board:

* We will be and already are increasing our staffing in the stores.

* We're also in the early stages of launching a nationwide program
to recruit and hire skilled master tradespeople to staff our stores so
that our customers receive the kind of service and expertise that made
The Home Depot great.

* We're investing significantly in the appearance of our stores to
make them an easier and more fun place to shop.

* And we're making it clear to all our associates that nothing is
more important than you, the customer. Every associate knows that his
or her number one job is to make you smile and to help you solve your
home improvement problem ... no matter how big or how small.

But the real judge of all of these changes we're making is you. All I
ask is that you please give us the opportunity to win you back. When
you enter our stores, you should receive a personal greeting. After
that, you should encounter a helpful associate who will walk you to
find the tools, material or service you need. If you don't, please let
us know ... just like Scott Burns did.

I'd like to thank Scott - his column about our company was insightful
and revealing. You can easily tell that it struck a nerve with me.
Scott, we'll do all in our power to again make The Home Depot the
store you and your wife, Carolyn, once referred to as "our store." I'd
also like to give my thanks to the many people who posted comments on
this board. We want them. We need them ... to enable us to keep
getting better. We're committed to being the company that helped set
the standard for customer service excellence in home improvement.
Please continue to hold us accountable.

Finally, message boards of this type do not allow us to respond
directly to each poster, so please give us the chance to fix the many
issues discussed on this board by writing to
. You have my personal assurance that every
effort will be made to address your concerns.

The Home Depot was built on great customer service, and we will
rebuild on that tradition - just give us the chance!


Mr Blake might want to try listening to his employees - and not just
managers. My son worked in a HD in NJ years ago. He and all the
regulars saw what was going on and predict the decline. Many also left
for Lowes. Perhaps giving every employee a book or two - Like Good to
Great might help.

Lou

On Mar 9, 3:38 pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Stephen Blackpool" wrote in message

ups.com...

March 8, 2007
Is Home Depot shafting shoppers?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...meDepotShaftin...

By cutting back on employees, the home-improvement retailer is putting
the screws to the people it needs most: its customers.

Let me get this straight: Brain-dead customers can't figure out how to open
the yellow pages and find a hardware store, lumber yard, plumbing store,
lighting store, or garden center, any of which will give better advice and
often have better prices than Home Despot, and this is Home Despot's fault?
Not the fault of brain dead parents who were too busy watching 200 channels
of cable to to get off their fat, lazy asses and teach their kids how to
find a merchant in the phone book?

They live with their kids for 18 years or longer, and no time to teach
something easy like this?

Wow, you still get the phone book? ;+}

If I caught my kid looking in that waste of tree's I would be
disappointed

Google it.

-jtpr.

"jtpryan" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 9, 3:38 pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:
"Stephen Blackpool" wrote in message

ups.com...

March 8, 2007
Is Home Depot shafting shoppers?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...meDepotShaftin...

By cutting back on employees, the home-improvement retailer is putting
the screws to the people it needs most: its customers.

Let me get this straight: Brain-dead customers can't figure out how to
open
the yellow pages and find a hardware store, lumber yard, plumbing store,
lighting store, or garden center, any of which will give better advice
and
often have better prices than Home Despot, and this is Home Despot's
fault?
Not the fault of brain dead parents who were too busy watching 200
channels
of cable to to get off their fat, lazy asses and teach their kids how to
find a merchant in the phone book?

They live with their kids for 18 years or longer, and no time to teach
something easy like this?

Wow, you still get the phone book? ;+}

If I caught my kid looking in that waste of tree's I would be
disappointed

Google it.


Maybe, but you'll probably not see some excellent locally owned stores in
your google search. Or, they'll be buried in the middle of 418,000 hits.

On Mar 10, 8:16 am, George wrote:
Stephen Blackpool wrote:
March 8, 2007
Is Home Depot shafting shoppers?
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...meDepotShaftin...

By cutting back on employees, the home-improvement retailer is putting
the screws to the people it needs most: its customers.

I am surprised that anyone is surprised. Big box stores are interested
in wiping out all of the small stores. To do that they had to make
themselves look like good guys at first. Once they decimate the small
stores they can cut way back on staff and raise prices.

Yeah, but around here (New Hampshire), I have yet to see a True Value
or other like hardware store go under. When I dtalk to the owner's
they say HD and Loews address a different market.

I only go to the big ones on Sunday for wood. No where else to get
it.

-Jim

On 15 Mar 2007 20:50:26 -0700, "Stephen Blackpool"
wrote:

The man's got class.
snip

imho:

What scares me, as a trades person, why would you put your liablity on
the line giving out professional advice to a DIY'er?

When I hear a home owner did what an orange aproned person told them,
I immediatly want to see it. I've found wronge breakers, outlets with
no grounds, etc. What if someone died? Would HD take the rap?

tom @ www.Consolidated-Loans.info

Just Joshin wrote:
On 15 Mar 2007 20:50:26 -0700, "Stephen Blackpool"
wrote:

The man's got class.
snip

imho:

What scares me, as a trades person, why would you put your liablity on
the line giving out professional advice to a DIY'er?

When I hear a home owner did what an orange aproned person told them,
I immediatly want to see it. I've found wronge breakers, outlets with
no grounds, etc. What if someone died? Would HD take the rap?

tom @ www.Consolidated-Loans.info


The advice is almost always verbal so the giver of advice can say the
taker did not remember correctly.

Lou

I tried to watch an electrician bend conduit in a coffee processing
plant and he stopped working and commented "If I let you see me bend
conduit I'm afraid I'll lose my job to you"!

On Fri, 16 Mar 2007 22:57:19 -0400, Just Joshin
wrote:

On 15 Mar 2007 20:50:26 -0700, "Stephen Blackpool"
wrote:

The man's got class.
snip

imho:

What scares me, as a trades person, why would you put your liablity on
the line giving out professional advice to a DIY'er?

When I hear a home owner did what an orange aproned person told them,
I immediatly want to see it. I've found wronge breakers, outlets with
no grounds, etc. What if someone died? Would HD take the rap?

tom @ www.Consolidated-Loans.info