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Franchises and Customer Service

As consumers, we are all overly concerned at the precipitously declining level of Customer Service, more so by locals holding reputable International Franchises yet offering less than acceptable levels of Customer Service and satisfaction which appears lacking in supervision by the International Franchisors. These include:

HILO/IGA

If you visit a supermarket in many developed countries you will be impressed with everything. From the cleanliness of the spotless and well buffed floors, a PRICE sticker attributed to every item so you the consumer would know exactly what you are paying for a product, even so far as offering you the best deal by listing price per ounce of each competitive brand. The perishable section would comprise of FRESH QUALITY produce FIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. And if they wish to clear out a particular fruit of vegetable so as to maintain ONLY the freshest of fresh, you would be informed of a discounted price. If, say its orange juice or yogurt is on clearance sale you would not have to scope the box for the expiry date which is the real reason for its “two for one special”. The CASHIERS would greet you with a pleasant dispossession and direct EYE CONTACT, “Hi, How are you today” compared with Hilo's rude, untrained and unsupervised cashiers who are not even skilled to make eye contact with the customer as they so rudely proceed to cash you out, possibly asking with bended heads “ Yuh have a Shoppers Card ? If you dare question anything, they are sure to give you an attitude rather than apologize. Their CHECKOUT counters are way understaffed sometimes below 40% capacity with long lines encroaching on shoppers. This lack of appreciation for the shopper's time can result in an average of 28 to 43 minutes to complete your checkout . In other words you must suffer to pay them for your purchase. Sometimes you find yourself in their produce section and seeing the deteriorating iceberg lettuce or other fruits and vegetable, you ask “what the hell am I doing here?

These produce don't seem fit for human consumption!

Independent Grocers Alliance is a name used by many independent grocery stores throughout the world. It has since expanded to the world's largest voluntary supermarket chain, where the banner is licensed in 45 countries and territories to over 4000 independent supermarkets served by 37 independent distributors.

At Hilo 's FLAGSHIP and successful West Mall superstore, you will be angry if not embarrassed on some weekends not to find a trolley, forcing you to stroll the checkout area reminiscent of a true third world country. Many, Many items bear NO PRICING in their designated area. Check the floors for grime when the international standard is rigorous on sparkling clean floors. Check the chillers for dead blue flies, and check its DELI and meat areas with staff in their dinged white uniforms where I saw one wearing a latex glove yet digging her face in a kitchen area leaving a lot to be desired. Try calling their phones for information and they simply allow it to ring incessantly or busy. PERIOD . My God, can we have a PUBLIX here? They are Florida's largest corporation, and unquestionably the benchmark for supermarket quality, variety, and customer satisfaction. Every evening just before closing time, someone in lily white uniform will go to their bakery with a CLEAN plastic bin to collect all their unsold in-house baked goods for discarding. Yes, Discarding!, AND they involve their customers in various promotions, product education and community development projects.

It appears HILO'S parochial vision just wants to SELL their food products, with no shoppers's participation or COMMUNITY involvement and improvement programs

UNLIKE the and PUBLIX strategy of involving , valuing and improving its customer relations and inevitably enjoying the benefits customers loyalty they have EARNED .

KFC

Their revenue comes from the masses which make up some 90% of sales volume. Yet an educated consumer would be disappointed that what is KFC in North America is in such sharp contrast to Trinidad 's KFC where untidiness is the rule without the regular sanitary checkups, table cleaning etc. Its cashier booths are manned by understaffed and apparent untrained cashiers who enjoy seeing the masses in long lines as they appear alien in the art of Customer Service operating more on a third world ‘seller's market” mentality. Their ordering and check out operate at around 50% capacity, encroaching on your valuable time so they can unreasonably cut cost and enhance their profit margins. This means it can take you anywhere from 18 to 23 minutes in confusing lines to get served. Their staff is NOT trained to even apologize for their shortcomings and would quicker antagonize you with rude answers as if you are a mendicant. I recently told their St. James branch this is not how KFC operates and he instead boldly asks me “SO WHY YUH BUYING HERE”? Get there after a certain time and your snack box would consist of what is available, BUT, with wings for the same price of a regular Snack Box. I took some American visitors to Tobago in April 2006 and was utterly embarrassed at the overall condition, from the grime on its entrance doors to unclean tables and un-mopped floors as they merrily continued selling more and more and more snack boxes, raking in the profits. Do these places have Managers? KFC and other local Franchisees operate outside the high standards set and required by the International franchisors who maintain visible operations espousing consistently ultra clean premises, quality meals, and not only well trained, but frequently monitored employees ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction. And, would you believe KFC calls their sales reps “CUSTOMER MANIACS”.

PIRG strongly believe that our poorer consumers, supporting some 90% of the fried chicken culture are treated with contempt and disdain, and certainly deserve better from an internationally well respected brand. Let's see them provide clean premises serving quality meals value priced from opening to closing hours, served by courteous staff trained and monitored for customer satisfaction.

PRICESMART

PRICESMART which is an international discount club established their warehouse in Trinidad by selling a “Membership Fee” which some critics claim was so well subscribed by Trinidadians anxious for variety that their financial patronage contributed to the establishment of PRICESMART'S first store in Chaguanas. YET , having bought their membership, try calling PRICESMART at any of their store numbers in Chaguanas or Invader's Bay if you simply wish to inquire if they have a particular item in stock before traveling there. The phones are either constantly busy or just ring and ring and ring. If you are lucky to get them to answer their phone, they would, it would appear, have to walk to a particular department from which you need information, all the while keeping you on the phone. Certainly, this is not the same service offered consumers in CONSUMER REGULATED countries, and our patronizing Trinidadians need not be treated differently. These people make enough money to employ a full time operator who can respect you the consumer, and direct your inquiries to a specific department for immediate, courteous and professional handling.