Ever since I was hired ( 3 1/2 years ago) our go-backs problem has got progressively worse. It seems that no one wants to take the bull by the horns and actually DO something about it. Everyone says my proposal won't work-to stop it at the register. What is in the cart is what the cashier rings up. Period. Customers are running roughshod over us in this issue-and they (and us) know it. Some people say we would lose customers. So be it-maybe we aren't the right fit for that customer and they would better be served by going elsewhere. Thoughts on this? Has your store gotten aggressive in trying to combat this problem? What worked-and what didn't?
huh? you want them to pay for everything in their cart even if maybe they just noticed they picked up something that was expired, or if there was a hole in the package, or if they just received a text that said "oh dont worry about the canned tuna"? how about no.
don't worry about it. you're not the manager. and if you want it done, maybe get faster at it.
Your proposal will NOT work: customers can and WILL catch on to this "idea" and leave go backs scattered throughout the store, ditch them just before getting in line. So what does that solve? Nothing. Go backs are not going away anytime soon, if ever. My suggestion, put go backs away as soon as the appear. Didnt want that can of tuna? Put it away as soon as possible.
And sometimes customers get items they don't want and change their minds on. Why? Because they can and it's their right. Nothing you can do about it. Haven't you ever changed your mind last minute?
I'm not supporting Gobacks. I hate those d*mn things as much as anyone else. Talk with FE and maybe have them assign Gobacks by the hour to the cc's or anyone working front end. To be fair, make sure there is rotation so each person gets an hour if possible. That way no kne will get singled out and think they are the only ones that are doing it.
No, not only is that bad customer service but just rude.
1. I would rather they give it to us than just leave it somewhere random in the store.
2.Sometimes the price is different than what they thought it would be or they simply don't have enough money. (mistakes and miscalculations happen customers are human)
3.Again it's just bad customer service.
The solution that I've been pushing for is:
1.When management goes around and collects misplaced items they take a second lap and put them back. (yes I know unlikely)
2.Perishable go back immediately or get placed in the ice chest.
3.All items must be sorted immediately (in baskets by aisle)
4. when a basket is full it must go back immediately. (checkstand basket can be done when slow or at close)
5.cc have a 30 min goback shift after carts. (Works if the person opening knows how to write the cart schelde) They will be expected to do five baskets in the 30 min time frame.
6.If a customer needs a replacement item such as ground beef and has a large order all meat dempt. items get taken back then.
7.Any down time(more than 10 mins.) that cc have should be spent doing go backs, carts or light cleaning. Not standing around doing nothing.
Go Backs are one of those things that can be avoided by the customer knowing what they want, buying, and leaving quickly. For the past 20 years that has been slowly changing to the customer not knowing what they want to just coming in, looking around, grabbing some things, going to check out, and then changing their mind.
The only way to keep go backs low is to actually do them as they come in. We can't force customers to buy things they don't want.... as much as I'd love to have that power!
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
I've worked at more than one store where gobacks were out of control. One of my stores has a full time person do nothing except gobacks because the customers leave crap everywhere. The store I'm at now has to make do with assigning whoever to do gobacks. Sometimes they keep up on them other times there can be four or five buggies that need sorting. It just depends who is working. The idea all go backs must be finished before 9am only works if somebody starts at midnight in some places.
Ah yes, the dreaded go-backs, my store had a huge problem with them, so much so that they 2 full-time spots dedicated to just sorting and returning go backs. It got so bad to the point where all go backs where collected off the front end and sorted in the back receiving/holding area. I remember when corporate was doing walkthrough our Store Manager and Grocery Lead basically say "to hell with this and just started scanning out gobacks and tossing them into compactor.
We can't force customers to buy things they don't want....
If this did work, Kroger's "the customer gets everything they need, and a little extra" initiative would work every time, instead of hardly ever. You know, that concept of suggestive selling they instilled in us, as does every grocery retail store.
