The local Kroger's that takes my money and gives me food in exchange has gotten off track lately. When retailers are stressing how important the customer experience is to their bottom line, sorry to say, some just do not get the meaning of experience or bottom line, or both.
On a little street named East Pearl in old Cincinnati, Ohio, No. 66 E. Pearl Street, to be exact, Barney Kroger opened his first grocery and bakery. The year was 1883. The little company has grown a bit since then. By Kroger's own date line, they name 1946 as the beginning of their modern era. Surprisingly, I was a living creature on this planet and I walked into a Kroger's for my very first shopping experience in their stores in 1952. So, I have shopped at Kroger's for a few years--more like a few decades! But, I have not had a problem at Kroger's ever, until two weeks ago and the occurrence of that same problem today.
So, I have been giving Mr. Kroger's name sake my money for far to long and the store allows me to take home that value in food stuff. It's a good arrangement. I've not objected one way or another and the store ,likewise. But, debating for several minutes if I was being to over-reactive or just being a crusty old man who waited a long time to be able to scream out: "Get off my grass." "Stay out of my yard." "No,you can't have your ball back." I decided that it was the crusty old man part and said to the checkout supervisor that,"No, I will check out here." That I was,"..... tired of being run all over the front end of the store when I am already tired, already had my walk for the day and just wanted to go home and relax".What stirred my emotional well and got my veins inflated was when she walked away from me shaking her head. I called out to her, don't be shaking your head at me.She rolled her eyes and laughed. I was not amused in the least and to have my cashier tell my checkout girl that she can't talk to customers.....well, that's the moment that I decided that I would contact Kroger's Corporate office.Before that thought had been completed I spotted a new sign that had gone up since my earlier view a few days prior. So, I got my cell phone out snaped this shot and went on out in the cold to stay my purchases in the car. At home, I pulled up the Kroger web site and clicked on the "contact us" button.
Since 2005, I've only highlighted Corporate America on three featured blogs that were of this nature. Two of the three have been this year !
Many years ago I listened to David Roderick, CEO of US Steel, in a speech, declare that we were not turning out middle and upper management of any significance. Since that point in time, observing what was meant in that speech have earmarked many examples of that very tenant. It hasn't gotten much better and continues to be bathed in corruption and deadly sins of old Corporate America. It's time more people start to speak out. It is the very essence of the Occupy movement!
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