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Life at Home Depot is nasty, brutish and short

FoxInDetox details several overheard conversations from just one visit to Home Depot to explain why:

Sometimes it takes every ounce of strength you have and a whole lot of praying to keep from walking up to a Home Depot employee and punching them in the face.

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I've found that you can substitute any retail or civic entity in the place of (say) "Home Depot" and get the exact same service around here. I don't know if its widespread, and well known in other cities, but the customer service round here stinks for sure. Hey, I worked at BK when I was younger. I hated it and I hated the customers (really just a shameful way of saying how much I hated myself for having to work at BK, wearing the rusty, checkered, polyester outfits), but I was always good with the customer service. "It builds character," I told myself. Around here, you've got to damn near threaten employees with violence before they'll stop slacking, texting, or talking on the phone long enough to just ring you out.

What good is it getting a manager or a supervisor? They've gotta work with these sloths. If they could've done anything about it, wouldn't they have done it by now? Trust me, they're more beaten down they you are. Grin and bear it, or give it back to them just as good with bigger balls and move along.

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Geez Fonya....lots of complaining of what you heard but no bad experience of your own to complain about at Home Depot. Did you ever try to contact a supervisor? Don't know if it's widespread? Makes me think you should do a little more research before you complain in general about all of us HD employees giving YOU bad service.

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I guess your working at BK didn't build your character up too much cuz here you are telling us to give it back to them....that should really solve the problem. Besides Fornya, I've never seen a HD cashier on the phone or texting while they are on duty.....are you sure you were even in a HD when all this took place???

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Now I dont feel bad for knocking the can of epoxy based white patio paint of the shelf and all over the floor.

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YOU DON'T FEEL BAD??? And you wonder why the employees at HD might be a bit miffed dealing with customers???? Bet you would complain ruthlessly if Home Depot delivery service spilled a gallon of paint in your driveway!

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I am an employee of Home Depot and must write that while many of the customers we deal with are honest and know what they are looking for, their are some customers that are outright rude. While i don't claim to know it all, I certainly know that there is no chainsaw blade that fits a hedgetrimmer as one customer insisted on one day. He even bought in the hedgetrimmer that he insisted had a chainsaw blade on it. Another time I had a customer come to me getting mad because I couldn't understand what in the world he was looking for.....the man spoke only spanish and for some reason I am being rude because I don't understand spanish. (last i looked, this is the good ole USA.) I could go on and on, but that is not my intent to knock customers...my intent is to let it be known that it is sometimes both ways....rude customers and rude employees.

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It makes me feel really awful to think that people would like to punch me in the face because I am a Home Depot employee. Most of the employees in my store are doing two people's jobs because we just don't have enough staff to handle the business. If you have a complaint it should be taken to management and not levied upon the employees. We are all people just trying to pay our bills and have a bit left over for a savings account.

Home Depot is a self-serve store? We have sign boards above bays of product to help you select the correct items for your project.
Home Depot says "You can do it,we can help". And we do, by making a vast array of product available to the public AND at contractor prices (so you can do it).

Home Depot provides a wide variety of How-To publications for sale in our How-To Centers. Customers come to me for details on how to plumb or wire a house. This is unrealistic to ask when coming through my departments on a shopping trip. While I am happy to help with instructions on wiring a switch or what size of underground cable you need, purchasing a How-To book that can be referred to as required, would provide succinct answers.

Customers cannot expect shopping for home renovations products will be the same experience as grocery shopping. Be prepared to spend more time. By virtue of the fact we operate as a warehouse,not a boutique,we have safety restrictions and policies that require we move very carefully.

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i've worked for the home depot in chehalis,wa for 2 years now.... and let me tell you, you think it's bad being a customer? you want to punch me in the face?

customer service has become something for customers to prey upon.... it's one thin if a cust ask's for something... then they start demanding things .... then they expect you to hold thier hand through the entire store hand picking what they need.... c'mon people I ain't your mommy!

I love working for "my" customers i save them money where ever i can ( my way of "stickin it to the man! )

imagine yourself in my shoes.... 40hrs per week (never more) if you work over your shift you "MUST" cut it(go home early) by sunday or you could be written up! the HD staff's just enough but..... when another dept takes lunch other dept must "cover" wich also means abandoning "your" dept so if you go into a HD and thier seems to be no one in say... flooring dept it's because thier"covering" electrical or paint dept... though us as employee's complain because we don't like cust telling us how bad we suck or how home depot is "going to hell in a hand bag" manegment does nothing... but you can't blame your local home depot for staffing the store like this.... it is all orders comming from "Corporate Office"... they allow each store a set amount of hours per store,per dept,per week, yada yada yada ........

recently all employee's were asked to participate in a "employer of choice survey" (yes HD "thinks" people choose to work there because it's the best choice LOL ) this survey just came back with the notion that HD employee's may be getting a lil digruntled, lack of pay, lack of bodies on the floor to help customers, too much paper work and procedures , they say this survey was to help the company "do whats best"

so far i've only seen changes that are good for HD bottomline... and thats what it comes down to, less man hours more profits and millionaires with more millions

the one thing that erked me is when i saw the creator of HD giving a speach about the company he build and he said the one thing that bothered him is when he goes to a HD and asks where something is and the associate points and says "yeah straight down isle 6 to your left" he says home depot is a no pointing zone and when a cust askes for something we are to "walk the cust. to the product" yeah right asshole, you try being a real HD associate 40hrs a week under staffed and walking every cust to the product. i think you've lived rich too long and need a dose of reality, or staff your stores well enough that this would actually be feasable.

anyways yeah don't hate the employee's and don't get mad and want to punch them we're just trying to earn a honest buck.... take it to corporate office any HD service desk can give you the ph# and you can make a "formal complaint"

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Like you, I'm also an employee of the Home Depot in the Carolinas. I can tell you that most of my fellow associates bust their butts every single day to produce good customer service. Our store is doing well, (under the economic stress) and we're still be criticized by upper management that our "Power Hours" are poor and worst in the area.
As employees, we are only as good as our management staff. Most of our managers in this area have never worked retail and don't have the experience or know company procedures. With this said, the stores are under staffed during high volume traffic and over staffed in the later part of the evenings when most contractors/DYI's are at home with their families.
The sad thing about my store is this, there are too many managers, dept head and wonnabe mangers running the show and not enough associates to get the job done.
I don't know what the solution is. Maybe if enough customers called the 800 number and voiced their concerns and complaints about not enough associates on the floor to help assist them with their needs, maybe Corp. would open their eyes and give the customers what they need instead of ASSUMING what the customers wants?
Just like life, Home Depot is what both associates and customers make of it.

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You know I have to agree with what you say. My mom works at a Home Depot too. She spends all day out in the garden running the register and there is never anyone to help her answer questions with customers. She has to almost beg to get someone to help load the heavy stuff. She is out there when it is freezing and when is burning hot. She is always trying to save people money, come up with ideas how to make yards look great. She knows most of her customers by name.I think she is the only one left there willing to water the plants even. She barely gets any credit, and she doesn't get paid near enough to suffer what she goes through. I can definitely say that. As far as a company survey. DO THEY REALLY CARE? Just who did that satisfy?

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I know the feeling, because I too do the job of two people here at Home Depot, and what I see is that if you are not a butt kisser with some of the ASM, you get no place, you don't even get Homer awards. In my store it's always the same group getting all the Homer awards, time after timer.

I have helped all departments here to pass every inspection they go through and nothing, don't know what else to do.!!!!

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You've got to be kidding these guys work like dogs and are treated the same way by intolerant customers who think that they are the only ones in the store.

Times are going to fast and people just don't have any patience. Slow down, think first before making an a** of yourself and be grateful you're not taking the abuse they have to endure on a daily basis.

They, HD employees, have ALWAYS done a good job for me and believe me I order many things from the store and off the web.

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I was in an Ohio Home depot recently watching an interaction between a customer and an associate and it really showed how petty some people are as customers. An associate helped load some concrete bags into a cart for someone. 10 mins later another associate came out to look at the price on the phone said oh no the 6.00 price is for whats below it and 9.00 is for whats above not belowso 9.00 is the right price. Another few mins. later the customer came out again looked at the price and went back in. Few more mins later they came out together and the customer says I'm a customer I dont read anything but prices so if somethings there its that price period. the associate said well there is also a picture showing the concret bag here as well as the description and 9.00 here with a picture and description for your metal lath its very clear here which is which. The customer says well im not reading the description or looking at the picture because its to far from the price(2") away I see this item and this price so thats what it is.

What the hell is with these little scammers who are wrong and they know it its was so clear a monkey could see it. She cussed out the employee and he stood there with a smile on his face. She says i walked all the way over here back and forth because you couldnt figure out the price so I should get the discount anyway. The employee says "it was not me the prices here are very clear and there is even picturesof the product. You could not figure it out even how obvious it is and the very fact that you walked over here is because you chose to and you were proven wrong the first time you dragged it out I did no. You want to know this price its that I go by what I see and read and you try to get something for nothing." Customer says oh well I'M going to Menards. Employee "geez I'm sorry but I think they'll be glad to gain YOU as a customer being very polite and smiling the entire time.

I shook his hand and said thank you for not taking the crap from scammers.

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I am a Home Depot employee and I've never worked in a place where the customers are so rude, demanding and disrespectful to the employees. The customers are always trying to get something for nothing and of course we're told that the customer is always right!

They return water heaters that are six years old and have been used and trashed. We had a customer who bought a $2000 gas range and thought he knew how to convert it to propane and ruined the stove. He brought it back greasy, grimy and disgusting looking and Home Depot gave him all of his money back! We then had to throw it out. We have customers who use toilets and toilet seats and return them with feces on them. They return refrigerators that they've ruined and they've left food inside so by the time it gets to the store it stinks to high heaven. The list goes on and on!

Home Depot bends over backwards for these conniving liars and they have the nerve to complain about HD! They call on the phone and don't bother to ask if we're busy with a customer. They start in talking about their problem, then when we ask if we can take their name and number and call them back they report us to the manager for being rude and we get written up.

We don't get paid enough to take all the abuse that is heaped on us day in and day out. Try standing on a cement floor all day and see how you feel at the end of the day. Before you start complaining about Home Depot employees try walking in our shoes for a week and we'll see how you like it.

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Customer service jobs suck.

Welcome to retail, anonymous Home Depot whiner.

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You are a coward for making that comment. Store employees take abuse from customers like you because they have to. I work for the home depot, and I wish a punk like you would take a swing at me, because that would be a day you would not soon forget, I would beat you down like the little bitch you are.

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I have worked at the HD for over 4 years now. I am sick and tired of having customers come in and want things for free. 95% of the time, customers are not right. They are idiots! I can't tell you how many times a week I have to deal with these idiots! Then I get written up for being "brutally honest" to them. I don't think it's fair for employees to get shit on and then turn around and get screwed for it. I have just about had it! I hate being blamed on perception by management. They just sit on their lazy ass in the office and play on the Internet. If we were caught doing that on the floor, we would be out the door! I hate the HD and I do not respect management at my store. I love the people I work with, just not management. My wife asks me every night how work was. I tell her it sucks. She's wonders why I am so stressed. I walk into work and wonder if I still have a job. That's not fun.

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as someone who still patronizes the Somerville/Assembly Square Home Depot on occasion, I do know, from experience, that this particular Home Depot seems to be chronically short-staffed, and it's often quite tough to get a salesperson for advice on where to find something, or about a certain product that i'm interested in purchasing.

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Although it can't be included in the famed "Seven Wonders of the World", the mystery as to how Home Depot has stayed in business all these years nevertheless remains a wonder.

My wife took a job there almost nine years ago. At that time, everyone adored the store manager. He was fair, respectful of his employees and not afraid to roll up his sleeves and pitch in. She loved going to work in the morning as she was assured that family came first and her schedule could easily be worked around our then young children's needs. Life was good.

Nine years have past and managers have come and gone. Working for Home Depot has morphed into more like "Home Despot". Gone are the days of respect and fairness ... usher in an era of backstabbing and favouritism.

Evidently my wife's initial experience with Home Depot was somewhat of an anomaly. One need only Google "Home Depot employee complaints" and you are treated to a plethora of sites from which to choose.

It would seem that the Depot has a rather checkered history of punishing loyalty, hard work and dedication while rewarding mediocrity and laziness. All you have to do is somehow stroke the right egos and become your manager's best friend and drinking buddy and your future, work hours and number of hours you want is virtually set regardless of your work ethic. Hell, you might even get a promotion.

Customer complaints run rampant too. Since managers only look at the bottom line and care little about whom they must step on and treat like crap, they are notorious for staffing their stores minimally, postulating that if they cut employee hours then naturally store profits must go up. Who cares if they become bitter and surly ... they can always be fired and replaced, right?

What they fail to consider, though, is that if a customer needs assistance and he is forced to seek out an associate himself, he is just as likely to leave the store and take his business elsewhere.

My wife once had such a store manager. She slashed everyone's hours and staffed the store to bare minimum in an attempt to impress head office with her managerial prowess.

Instead, profits plummetted, customer traffic was virtually non-existant and employee morale hit rock bottom figuring if management didn't care, why should they? Go figure.

Add to that, the fact that the store failed miserably on several Mystery Shopper reports. Head office was not pleased. But what to do?

"Well" she must have said to herself. "Maybe I should try thinking out of the box and go back to staffing the store adequately, offering my employees more hours and quit treating them like shit and see what happens."

Well, lo and behold, customers began trickling back in, profits soared and employees were cheerful, helpful and cared once again. Cue the Hallelujah chorus. She went from a being a selfish, power-drunk, draconian shrew to a thoughtful, approachable and respected store manager. Evidently you have to spend a bit of money to make money.

But alas, she was transferred and enter, stage left, the latest graduate of the "Eva Braun School of Business Management".

Department managers cower in fear from her, avoiding eye-contact with associates. When one approaches them with a problem or grievance, they shrug and walk away, spineless to the core because heaven forbid they should have to stand up for their staff to the new "harpy of home improvement".

Hours again are cut to those with the expertise and given to new hires because they're cheaper. Little regard is given to the fact that they don't know what they're doing.

And the cycle begins once again. Profits are plummetting, morale is low, everyone's looking for the first opportunity to jump ship, no one cares and customers are flocking elsewhere.

One can only hope that head office sits up and takes notice. Perhaps even conduct a review of their store managers' business practices and people skills ... UNLESS, OF COURSE, THEY JUST DON'T CARE EITHER!

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As a DS, I can tell you that there is never enough time to satisfy your required tasks. The boss says, "Make / Find time!" From where, pull it out of my a-s?
I love my customers as well, and have a loyal pro/diy base that will wait a week until I can wait on them personally. The flip side are the helpless schmucks that want (and now, expect)to be bathed, powdered, and held throughout their entire shopping experience. "How much is this?" I slowly point to the price label, and quote the price!
To one of a million Hispanics, "Can I help you with your project?" They smile, say "Yes" (Jes)and keep walking. Pissed off, I say now, "And what would that be?" ... AND FOLLOW THEM AROUND THE STORE.
One dude threw a can of wood hardener back on the shelf and complained that "SHE NO SPEAK-AH MY LANGUAGE!" As a first generation American of peasant background, I AM PROUD TO REPORT THAT MY 4 GRANDPARENTS AND MY PARENTS SPOKE SEVERAL LANGUAGES BEFORE THEY CAME HERE, INCLUDING ENGLISH!
I am tired of covering flooring, electrical, plumbing and garden while my own call bell is going on the overhead for "Extended Wait-time"
What the F--- is this new FAST scheduling system suppopsed to accomplish? Already my established customers are frustrated, and what new ones there are make it a one-time trip.
Some pointy-headed Poindexter-type bean counter MF in a cave must have come up with this idea as a way to hurry the death of the home depot CUZ' IT AIN'T WORKING.
The scheduling does not allow for any life, good sleep, healthy habits, off work. No wonder we all drink.
Listen, times are hard, but so am I. What is it,m three minutes till the end of the world? I plan on going down with shi(t)p. I continue to offer the very best customer service and support my co-workers,because that's the cloth from which I am cut, but we need to be supported by upper management and rewarded for our sacrifice. Oh and by the way, if we support our MILITARY, why is Lowes offering 10% off every day, and we don't? AND my success sharing bonus was $60.00 and I kick a--, but the CEO got a 3 MILLION dollar bonus this year. Go figure.
Well, i got home last night at midnight, and back to the store at 10AM, so, one more cup of coffee, some vitamins, and a prayer, and I'm back at it.
Thanks for listening.

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Try closing and getting home at midnight and opening at 0600 the following morning. This is the "fast" program in action. The entire point is to get the full timers to quit so more part time help (temps) can be hired. The "temps" do not get any benefits and once "obamacare" kicks in health benefits will be a MAJOR expense for HD.

More corporate greed....more kickbacks to the politicians ......the death throes of a once great nation. Welcome to America!

And to think HD "cares" about the customers....that is laughable. They care solely for the "customers wallet"!

Totally incompetent management on the local level (a college degree is NOT compatible with skill trades) but then HD is not a hardware but has gone the way of pretty lamps and orchids. Trouble is the higher on the chain you go the worst it gets. You get assistant managers and managers with not NO background in anything but HD. Most have never even driven a nail. The blind leading the blind......again a symptom of our entire country.

The list goes on and on.....but one thing is clear......when you screw over your employees (which HD does so well)you eventually collapse.

I believe we will wake some morning and find the headlines read "Home Depot Sold" and the big boys have run off to South America with their money. Bank of America WAS too big to fail.....its stock price is now under $5.00 per share......its only a matter of time before HD is in the same predicament!

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Have read many comments....NONE better then this ! you nailed a normal day at HD.

people talk about customer service and let me share this. Last week a couple of ladies from a charity came in to buy a generator for a less-fortunate family,I helped get them the right generator at the right price. They needed this delivered to the family ( about a mile from the store) HD wanted to add a $80 delivery fee to this ? Really ? I told the ladies that if they could wait until I was off, I would bring it to the family myself.

Today, I came into work and my store ASM gave me a "Homer" badge, Saying the two ladies called corporate in support of what I had done. While this was a nice honor, If HD had it delivered, this would not have been necessary !

Would have been nice to see HD do the right thing in the first place, but I guess a badge is cheaper than paying an employee to do it. SAD BUT TRUE !

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Try it and you'll just see what you get, so you think that the Home depot employee hands are tide up. baby , just come on down, and make our day.
One Love!!!!!! :)

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