Forum Topic

Sainsbury's Werter road.

Absolutely fuming, about an hour ago, I picked up 7 items and went to pay at the cigarette counter. A young girl not the usual ones, said I'm not meant to serve you you have more than 5 items. Anyway she did, I said what about disabled people not everybody can serve themselves. She pointed to the self checkout. Anyway I said get the manager you never have a till open you expect everybody to do it themselves. Well there was a different manager I had not seen before. with that the assistant that screamed at me last year was standing behind her smirking.  The Manager said stop pointing your finger, I said your pointing yours at me. Anyway I was so annoyed I sat down for a while, I was so annoyed I went in again bought a small bottle of Prosecco, went to the till with one item, the lady behind me had a great basket full. I whispered to her was  she putting it through the till she said no. I want a Lotto ticket. With that another Manager has come up shouting at her saying you can't put it through the till, the women kept saying I'm not. Are they getting blasted thicker in Sainsbury's or what.  Anyway I got home and rang and complained to Head Office who are dealing with it. They said if a customer wants a till open they should open it.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d29 Comments

Barbara Stevens ● 18h

Sorry message, was for Alexander for his help.

Barbara Stevens ● 19h

Thank you either your complaint or mine went to the right place, just come home from Sainsbury's, even the tall gentleman on the till laughed when I said I've only got 5 items. He said you can have 7 if you want, we laughed. he said the first till is now for Lottery etc, the second till for items.  So obviously something has got to the shop re the complaint, I also said the blonde woman with the fringe and straight hair has been in trouble before for being rude and taken upstairs, so she obviously tried again on Friday. Well they must have her on camera behind the Area Manager smirking.

Barbara Stevens ● 19h

Don't blame you Alexander, but as it is only across the road from my road, I will just keep going in there to annoy them. Or even though it was a general letter. They could have got in trouble but head office kept it quiet.

Barbara Stevens ● 1d

Barbara:  Yes, standard PR response. It looks as though Sainsbury Werter is a hopeless case. I use it as little as possible

Alexander MacLeod ● 1d

Thank you Alexander, they replied with a general letter they must send to everybody.  Anyway if any other future correspondence needed.  it was on the 8 th Aug 12.54 and then when the other lady was being shouted at was 8 th Aug 13.12 pm. Just after I was served with the small bottle of Prosecco.  Thank you for trying.

Barbara Stevens ● 1d

This is what I've just got back from Sainsbury Head Office."Dear AlexanderThank you for your email, I am responding on behalf of Simon Roberts.I'm sorry you unhappy with the amount of manned till that are opened at the Sainsbury's store in Putney.  I would like to advise we do have a maximum limit of items when using the kiosk till of five items.We continuously review the services in our stores to make sure we offer the best experience for our customers.  They will still see the same friendly faces in-store, they'll just be working in a slightly different way and are on hand to help anyone who would like support. If a customer wishes to use a Served Checkout, they can speak to one of our colleagues and they’ll open one up.We want to offer our customers choice and convenience when they shop with us and we continue to provide a variety of payment options, including Self-Service, Smart Shop, and Served Checkouts. I would like to advise any repairs needed for any of our stores are reported to the relevant department and we arrange these to be fixed as soon as possible.  However, sometimes this can take longer than we would like especially if the repair needs a part to be imported or specialist equipment is required. I am sorry if any my colleagues were rude to you, in order for me to investigate this please can you advise the date and time you attended the store, full detailed description of the incident,  description of where in the store this took place and a description of the colleague.Once again on behalf of Sainsbury's, I am truly sorry for any upset and inconvenience this matter has caused you and I look forward to hearing from you.Nicola Haviland"

Alexander MacLeod ● 1d

Thank you Alexander, I might need to write their name on my hand.

Barbara Stevens ● 1d

Just for the record, the store manager's name is Katarzyna Franckiewicz

Alexander MacLeod ● 1d

Thank you, I've never been so rattled, over something like this. I also rang this morning to make another complaint, to make sure something was being done about my call. I got another young lady who really listened. But said it usually takes 3 days.

Barbara Stevens ● 1d

I've just fired off a detailed complaint to Roberts, the Big Boss. Have had formal ack. If anything interesting arrives later on I shall share it with the Forum.

Alexander MacLeod ● 1d

Perhaps Head Office will send in some Mystery Shoppers to check on Management and their attitude to customers. Also one of the staff who I don't know who she thinks she is, but is on camera now standing right behind the Manager, when I was was meant to having a private conversation with. Obviously the Manager New AREA Manager couldn't stand on her own 2 feet.

Barbara Stevens ● 2d

Didn't mean to keep on about Sainsbury's, but I went in there all cheerful and came out annoyed which was all a stupid situation made worse by Management. Also the stupid other assistant who doesn't like people.

Barbara Stevens ● 2d

You get the impression that they are running it down when lifts are often out of action as it will drive people away.  If they aren't they should have someone ready to help when they aren't working.  I don't like the self-service machines in most stores - one or other of them in a row is always giving instructions out loud but it's impossible to tell whether it's the one you are grappling with or another.  In Sainsbury's (not Werter Road but a smaller one) I find there are young staff who are determined not to go near the manned tills and leave you standing waiting.  Yet they are always having to sort out problems people are having with them with the machines busy promising that help is coming. I just think it must be orders from above. Effing executives at one tier or another trying to reduce their costs, look good and making shopping a worse experience for many of us than it already is! I also think the choice of goods sold is decided by HO.  They've certainly been discounting an awful lot of food recently but not what we like unfortunately.  It just doesn't seem well managed and is more of a trial than it used to be.

Philippa Bond ● 3d

In Ireland pubs had table service before the advent of apps which worked well. I have to confess I do not know if the runners were on wages plus tips. But it was very useful for those of us that seemed to wear Harry Potter invisibility cloaks at the bar before they were invented.Resources have been removed away from checkout staff, who whatever the supermarket were normally the most helpful, busiest and polite of the staff to security.Personally I think the management of the Sainsbury's may be too disconnected from the real world. At many branches you have to scan your receipt at a barrier to exit the shop.A stupid annoyance to lawful shoppers whilst the barrier wouldn't stop a toddler never mind those in unlawful activities that will just push through them.Perhaps there are studies that show treating  shoppers like sheep is profitable but I doubt it!

Ed Robinson ● 3d

So Sainsbury's is completely put out at Putney if somebody has a trolly full. OH no we have to open a till. Oh how can we annoy them so they don't come back, snear at them and make them feel uncomfortable. Well how about helping customers.

Barbara Stevens ● 3d

Ed. Agreed, in my early days of managing projects it was stressed that things will go wrong but it's how you resolve them that will determine how the customer perceives the success of the project. Being rude to customers doesn't seem to be in any training manual I've ever seen. I must admit I rarely go into the Werter Road Sainsbury's these days, but the "local" one at East Putney still seems to have cashiers that provide good, polite service on the few occasions I use that shop?I must say that over time the self scan terminals in most supermarkest seem to have improved - a result of customer feedback? I was convinced the original software was written by some geek sitting in his (yes, probably "his") bedroom who'd never been shopping in a supermarket :-)Of course, with the increase in staff costs and competition for employees self service is becoming more ubiquitous in coffee bars, cafes, shops to hotel, train and airline services. I must admit I quite like ordering drinks and food on an app in the pub rather than having to fight my way to the bar and then having to wait while the bar person verifies the age of all those in the round  in front of me :-)

Michael Ixer ● 3d

Just to put the record straight, I may look Ok, but I walk slow and sometimes limp. I have no movement in my right wrist, as I have had R/arthritus for 25yrs. So I take my trolley, balance their metal basket on top and usually only buy a few items. The Security Guard discusses his knee with me and asks me what to do as he is in pain. Well apart from me.  The lady who was being told that she can't put her shopping through the till, had no intention of doing so. This was out of hand for the Management lady to disbelieve her and continually argue with her, I was standing with the Security Guard watching. All the Manager did was make a customer get annoyed. But obviously the customer was in the wrong for arguing back. The customer was a smart lady and this was completely unnecessary,

Barbara Stevens ● 3d

Andy: Imagine you are 70+ and a bit infirm but still having to shop. You would find the current set-up at Werter Road  unhelpful and occasionally hostile. As for the "management", it doesn't deserve that name. The place is a shambles. Also the lift is regularly out of action - another minus for customers of a certain age.

Alexander MacLeod ● 3d

I use the Sainsbury's smartshop app where you can scan your items yourself as you go and pay at the self checkout.I have to say my experiences in every other Sainsbury's store from locals to large superstores has been positive. Not so Putney, I avoid if possible and have even emailed some complaints.I should add that I never expect experiences to be perfect be it in the supermarket or a restaurant. It's how the business deals with mistakes that makes the difference !

Ed Robinson ● 3d

Residents of Putney or where ever should not be treated in the manner in which they are. The staff who have been there a long time are lovely, but for Management to treat anybody like that, we do not get paid to do their job, or paid to be spoken to as if they were telling off a member of staff. We keep them in a job by spending our money in there they should show more respect to the customer. As for the other lady who I hadn't seen in there before, was being picked on in an aggressive manner, she should have asked for the Police. Why go out of your way to upset customers.

Barbara Stevens ● 3d

No Andy, I spent years serving other people, I will not do their job for them. We stood and watch the Manager having ago at the other lady it was pure aggression, she deserves the sack. The other lady at the cig counter only wanted a lottery ticket. But the Manager was shouting at her and waving her arms at her telling her she can't be served with all those items. The lady was actually going to do it herself, but seemed the Manager didn't believe her. It was aggression and pure madness.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d

Must be quicker and better for your blood pressure to self serve.

Andy Pike ● 4d

Should have bought 2 meal deals, that what have been 6 items. Now we have to put so much on the counter and pay. Then put the second lot on the counter and say I want a separate bill this is for somebody else.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d

I agree, Barbara and Ed, it is a very depressing place now.We use Werter Road as a very last resort.  It is such a pity as it used to be a very friendly place to shop.  How things change!

Ivonne Holliday ● 4d

Don't blame you Ed, the Management were being aggressive, not just to me but to the other lady as well.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d

Service has definitely gone down hill at that branch.I rarely go into that branch these days.

Ed Robinson ● 4d

This isn't fare on disabled residents. There was a tall elderly man in front of me with a trolley, seemed his bread and something was taken out of the trolley, I only hope they didn't refuse to put his shopping through. Everybody should go to the cigarette counter with 6 items, I've known people to walk out and leave their shopping behind before now, looks like they have started uproar again.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d

I said to Head Office, residents should Boycott the shop, her reply was Oh we don't want it on Social Media. I said I was putting it on our local website. Being spoken to rudely to a customer who is a regular who spends their money in the shop. Even the Security said I was always in there, the stupid young lady who had ago at me last year just walks around in there frightened she will crack her face.

Barbara Stevens ● 4d