Chain store RANT

[Caustic Burno]

I always shop locally if I can't find it with them I go to Amazon and let UPS deliver.
I try at all cost to stay out of Wally World. There profit margin is huge and they don't pay their employees a livable wage.
Doesn't bother me that they move in and are more efficient than mom and pop as they provide more jobs for the community.
If they paid their employees a livable wage service would go way up. They put very little money back in the local economy,
just take it out. They are not like a power plant or other manufacturing that pays good wages
and pumps money back into the community to the service related jobs servicing the plant creating more jobs.

How much should they be paid to say "how can I help you", and stick a can on a self?
Maybe the real problem is no one has pride in their work, no matter the pay?

I guess it depends on which window your looking out of in the glass house.
Kinda of hard to attract workers with pride when they can make the same at Mickey D's along side the school kids.
They pay 20 bucks an hour the store could really raise the standards and people would fight to keep
their job. HeII most of them are better off on welfare monetary wise.
I am just not willing to buy from a major corporation that pays slave labor wages.

 

[TexasBred]

Most of these places are basically "self service" just like the gas stations, convenience stores etc. ONly service you get is when they take your money. Regardless of pay scale if you take the job you should put out some effort and at least find a smile occasionally.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I always shop locally if I can't find it with them I go to Amazon and let UPS deliver.
I try at all cost to stay out of Wally World. There profit margin is huge and they don't pay their employees a livable wage.
Doesn't bother me that they move in and are more efficient than mom and pop as they provide more jobs for the community.
If they paid their employees a livable wage service would go way up. They put very little money back in the local economy,
just take it out. They are not like a power plant or other manufacturing that pays good wages
and pumps money back into the community to the service related jobs servicing the plant creating more jobs.

How much should they be paid to say "how can I help you", and stick a can on a self?
Maybe the real problem is no one has pride in their work, no matter the pay?

I guess it depends on which window your looking out of in the glass house.
Kinda of hard to attract workers with pride when they can make the same at Mickey D's along side the school kids.
They pay 20 bucks an hour the store could really raise the standards and people would fight to keep
their job. HeII most of them are better off on welfare monetary wise.
I am just not willing to buy from a major corporation that pays slave labor wages.

Sorry CB but the Good Lord would want us to work hard no matter the pay, even if you are a slave.
Read Philemon, before Onesimus met Christ he was worthless to his master, but after the changing of his heart, he went back to his master, still a slave, but now he had worth, and was a better slave.
Pride and self worth is greater then any amount of money.

 

[skyhightree1]

 

[shadyhollownj]

I've been skimming this thread and its kinda funny how everyone says support their local business even if prices are higher. I have as a contractor lowered my prices about 30% in this bad economy did the local store. No they still roll up in their mercedes and charge 10 bucks more for a sheet of plywood than a big box store and have no problem doing it. I dont care how helpful you are if your prices are higher for every single item and sometimes double you wont get my business. They are a True Value so they do get national pricing on items not mom and pop single store. The worst part about the computer system is the fact that it lists the profit % on the screen in plain site. I dont make over 25% on my services why should they make 80% just because they know you.

Heres a little story about my trusty hardware store. My buddy was there on christmas eve a few years ago. He went in and picked up his 600 dollar lumber order and went to start the truck and got nothing. They were closing early since it was xmas eve. He asked them if they had cables to jump him and the manager said that none of the ten or so employees did but he could buy a set. next thing all the guys in the yard are hiding in the building looking at him waiting to leave. The manager then comes out and says the gates are getting shut and if you dont get you truck out they will lock it in for the 4 day weekend they were closing for. He asked if anyone could help him push the truck out and they said no one could help. So he pushed it out himself with the load of lumber by himself. As soon as he got past the gate all the guys came out of the building, got in there trucks, and left. Hows that for a merry christmas.

 

[M5farm]

I've been skimming this thread and its kinda funny how everyone says support their local business even if prices are higher. I have as a contractor lowered my prices about 30% in this bad economy did the local store. No they still roll up in their mercedes and charge 10 bucks more for a sheet of plywood than a big box store and have no problem doing it. I dont care how helpful you are if your prices are higher for every single item and sometimes double you wont get my business. They are a True Value so they do get national pricing on items not mom and pop single store. The worst part about the computer system is the fact that it lists the profit % on the screen in plain site. I dont make over 25% on my services why should they make 80% just because they know you.

Heres a little story about my trusty hardware store. My buddy was there on christmas eve a few years ago. He went in and picked up his 600 dollar lumber order and went to start the truck and got nothing. They were closing early since it was xmas eve. He asked them if they had cables to jump him and the manager said that none of the ten or so employees did but he could buy a set. next thing all the guys in the yard are hiding in the building looking at him waiting to leave. The manager then comes out and says the gates are getting shut and if you dont get you truck out they will lock it in for the 4 day weekend they were closing for. He asked if anyone could help him push the truck out and they said no one could help. So he pushed it out himself with the load of lumber by himself. As soon as he got past the gate all the guys came out of the building, got in there trucks, and left. Hows that for a merry christmas.

I'm 99% sure that would not have happened in Alabama. Out of the margin you see on the screen there are a lot of factor and expenses that come out. Di you survive off of a 3% bottom line. I would not shop at that place but if you could see the margins on the screen at hd or Lowe's you would have a stroke.

 

[skyhightree1]

local isnt always best expecially as a contractor. shady I agree with you I also see on the private side bad customer service as well. I hate bad cust srvc it really PMO. I try not to do businesses that outsource their cust srvc overseas but I would not have a cell phone if I did.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sim


If you believe that with all your heart apply to Wal Mart quit your job and change the culture.
I bet for 8 bucks an hour your service would be just as bad as their associates now.
I will also bet a dollar to a doughnut hole you wouldn't have much pride in that job .
For eight bucks an hour I wouldn't get out of the rocking chair on the front porch.

 

[M5farm]

CB, we rarely disagree. I spent a lot of years in the retail environment and I can assure you when I made 3.00 an hour bagging groceries I gave the same level or better customer service than the ones making 10 dollars an hour. The problem with "living wage" is the people wanting it are not capable of performing at that level of pay. it has become a society of kids that want to start making 30+k out of high school. if 15$ was the wage, walmart and every other business that employees unskilled labor would lay off employees because in that business you have a set sales per man hour that is based off of the current payroll. (forgive me I can't recall the formula at the moment) 5 employees (8$ hr) @ 320.00 a week = 1600.00 payroll ............ 1600.00/600.00 (15$ hr) 2 full time employees and 1 part time for 26 hrs. they still have the same job to do as the 5 employees and service level goes down because they cant get it all done. Why do the Chains do this? The chain stores negotiate buys and in theory sell below cost to beat the competition on key items to draw a consumer into the store. because they sell so much of this item they have to cut expenses to wash a profit margin that the execs of the company set. the most controllable expense is labor therefore hire more part time at lower wages and have bodies on the floor or hire more fulltime at a higher wage and have less people working that in now way can meet the demands or service level the consumers expect in today society. so the next time your in a grocery store / walmart and there is one cashier open and 10 deep and 6 self check outs you can see why you got a "deal" on the product you bought while your risk of stroke goes up 50%.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Sim


If you believe that with all your heart apply to Wal Mart quit your job and change the culture.
I bet for 8 bucks an hour your service would be just as bad as their associates now.
I will also bet a dollar to a doughnut hole you wouldn't have much pride in that job .
For eight bucks an hour I wouldn't get out of the rocking chair on the front porch.

I manage, and take care of +2500, 200 pound hogs for $10 a hour. I bet you a weeks pay that you couldn't get 95%, or more, of the minimum wage Walmart employees to work there a year at $20 a hour, and have to be happy about it. :tiphat:
I love my job, and wish I had more hours at the barn, hopefully in a couple years they will have a another barn. Got whelps on my legs from pigs biting me, have a bruised tail bone from one knocking me down, multiple needle sticks, and bruised knees after two 10 hour days loading pigs, but would I take minimum to keep working there? No doubt.....and you can quote me on that.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Sim


If you believe that with all your heart apply to Wal Mart quit your job and change the culture.
I bet for 8 bucks an hour your service would be just as bad as their associates now.
I will also bet a dollar to a doughnut hole you wouldn't have much pride in that job .
For eight bucks an hour I wouldn't get out of the rocking chair on the front porch.

I manage, and take care of +2500, 200 pound hogs for $10 a hour. I bet you a weeks pay that you couldn't get 95%, or more, of the minimum wage Walmart employees to work there a year at $20 a hour, and have to be happy about it. :tiphat:
I love my job, and wish I had more hours at the barn, hopefully in a couple years they will have a another barn. Got whelps on my legs from pigs biting me, have a bruised tail bone from one knocking me down, multiple needle sticks, and bruised knees after two 10 hour days loading pigs, but would I take minimum to keep working there? No doubt.....and you can quote me on that.

I will say this you are working hard doesn't sound like very smart IMO.
I pay that wage to HS kids to drive t post.
You are most likely right about the current Wal Mart employee as they will be able to hire a better class of worker and retain them.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Get paid for what i'm worth, CB. I keep working there, and working hard maybe i'll make more, but till then i'll work till Jesus comes.

 

[TexasBred]

I love my job, and wish I had more hours at the barn, hopefully in a couple years they will have a another barn. Got whelps on my legs from pigs biting me, have a bruised tail bone from one knocking me down, multiple needle sticks, and bruised knees after two 10 hour days loading pigs, but would I take minimum to keep working there? No doubt.....and you can quote me on that.

Sim I appreciate you dedication to your job and the hard work you put in but don't ever sit back and settle for crumbs or that is all you'll ever get....along with more work !!!! Do a good job,learn to do it smarter and let the boss/owner also know you expect to be paid according to your work ethic and accomplishments on the job. You are not a slave. You are not chained down to the hog farm. Everyone should enjoy their work and appreciate their job but don't be happy being at the bottom of the pecking order the rest of your life. There are plenty of employers who are more than willing to let you stay at the bottom.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I love my job, and wish I had more hours at the barn, hopefully in a couple years they will have a another barn. Got whelps on my legs from pigs biting me, have a bruised tail bone from one knocking me down, multiple needle sticks, and bruised knees after two 10 hour days loading pigs, but would I take minimum to keep working there? No doubt.....and you can quote me on that.

Sim I appreciate you dedication to your job and the hard work you put in but don't ever sit back and settle for crumbs or that is all you'll ever get....along with more work !!!! Do a good job,learn to do it smarter and let the boss/owner also know you expect to be paid according to your work ethic and accomplishments on the job. You are not a slave. You are not chained down to the hog farm. Everyone should enjoy their work and appreciate their job but don't be happy being at the bottom of the pecking order the rest of your life. There are plenty of employers who are more than willing to let you stay at the bottom.

Totally agree with that TB as he is working for poverty wages and will never get off the bottom rungs of the ladder.
Sim if you are not a kid working for your dad or grandpa and if that is all you think your worth life is going to be a tough row
to hoe.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

I love my job, and wish I had more hours at the barn, hopefully in a couple years they will have a another barn. Got whelps on my legs from pigs biting me, have a bruised tail bone from one knocking me down, multiple needle sticks, and bruised knees after two 10 hour days loading pigs, but would I take minimum to keep working there? No doubt.....and you can quote me on that.

Sim I appreciate you dedication to your job and the hard work you put in but don't ever sit back and settle for crumbs or that is all you'll ever get....along with more work !!!! Do a good job,learn to do it smarter and let the boss/owner also know you expect to be paid according to your work ethic and accomplishments on the job. You are not a slave. You are not chained down to the hog farm. Everyone should enjoy their work and appreciate their job but don't be happy being at the bottom of the pecking order the rest of your life. There are plenty of employers who are more than willing to let you stay at the bottom.

Totally agree with that TB as he is working for poverty wages and will never get off the bottom rungs of the ladder.
Sim if you are not a kid working for your dad or grandpa and if that is all you think your worth life is going to be a tough row
to hoe.

That's all i'm worth for that job, it's a low end job, why should I be payed as much as someone that is working full time managing a production line at a factory. I know what i'm worth, and if the job doesn't pay what i'm worth for that job then I wouldn't work there. At some pig barn part time, i'm worth about $10 a hour. If I was working as isle walker at Walmart, I would be worth about minimum wage, because all I would be doing is standing around and telling people where stuff is, that really sound like a $15 a hour job?

 

[shadyhollownj]

Sim I start my laborers at 14 bucks an hr and I cant even find good ones that show up. They are robbing you at 10/hr.

 

[skyhightree1]

My laborers start off at 12

 

[M5farm]

Comparing wages from all over the country is not Apple to Apple's. A person in south Alabama's cost of living is completely different. If an employer can't find someone to do the job at min wage he/she adjust accordingly until they fill the position. We are talking about labors not skilled positions. I start class A cdl drivers at 10 to 11 an hour they work 6 to 4 Monday thru Friday driving and unloading shingles by hand on the roof. 2.5 hrs east of me they start at 14hr.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Comparing wages from all over the country is not Apple to Apple's. A person in south Alabama's cost of living is completely different. If an employer can't find someone to do the job at min wage he/she adjust accordingly until they fill the position. We are talking about labors not skilled positions. I start class A cdl drivers at 10 to 11 an hour they work 6 to 4 Monday thru Friday driving and unloading shingles by hand on the roof. 2.5 hrs east of me they start at 14hr.

There are different scales of economy all across the country is correct.
Ten dollars an hour is poverty wages if you are in Mississippi or New York on a forty hour work week,
that is less than 21,000 a year before taxes. If just depends on if are the ground under the ladder or the first or
second rung.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Sim I start my laborers at 14 bucks an hr and I cant even find good ones that show up. They are robbing you at 10/hr.

Mexicans get $5 a hour to do the same job, sounds like a steal to me.