View Full Version : The VA should pay attention to Lowes
Sorry if this is a repost! I used the search function and couldn't find it anywhere.
http://www.silive.com/northshore/index.ssf/2014/07/good_news_lowes_employees_come.html
In 1971, I stepped on a land mine in Vietnam and lost both legs above the knee.
For the past two years, I have been waiting to receive a new wheelchair from the Veterans Administration. In addition, I have been told that I am not entitled to a spare wheelchair.
On the evening of July 7, my wheelchair fell apart again, while shopping at Lowe's Home Improvement Center in on Forest Avenue in Mariners Harbor.
Three employees, David, Marcus and Souleyman jumped to my assistance immediately. They placed me in another chair while they went to work.
They took the wheelchair apart and replaced the broken parts and told me, "We're going to make this chair like new."
I left 45 minutes after closing hours in my wheelchair that was like new.
I kept thanking them and all they could say was, "It was our honor."
The actions of these three employees at Lowe's showed me there are some who still believe in stepping to the plate.
They didn't ask any questions, didn't feel the need to fill out any forms or make phone calls. Someone needed help and they felt privileged to be given the opportunity.
That is awesome!
had it happened at Home Depot all the employees would have looked around wondering what aisle parts were in cause they don't know shit there.
BPTactical
07-14-2014, 04:38
Morals and character.
Something .gov is far removed from.
To serve is not reserved to those in the military, it is just something that is taken for granted by those who never have.
Great story.
Singlestack
07-14-2014, 06:14
This story also explains why private charities are much more effective than the gov. To the .gov, it is just another job staffed with rules and beaurocrats. Private charities and invariably staffed with those dedicated to the service of others. Huge difference.
Bailey Guns
07-14-2014, 07:24
That's a nice story.
sabot_round
07-14-2014, 20:29
That's nice that these few employees did that. Let me say from personal and from my wife's experience from working at Lowe's...
FUCK. THOSE. FUCKING. BASTARDS.
That is all. Carry on.
Could you please elaborate on your comments?? Inquiring minds want to know.
SR
Colorado_Outback
07-14-2014, 21:19
The district level management have been treating my wife like absolute shit for the better part of 3 years now. They just recently demoted her, cut her pay, moved her to a store that is an hour away from our house (and she literally drives past 3 other Lowes to get to her new store) and continue to set her up to fail.
We are contemplating legal action, its that bad.
Home Depot is the way to go by default (all of the neighborhood hardware stores are gone, and Ace is just as bad as Lowe's...my dad, sister and grandfather have worked/are currently working for Ace and they treat their people as bad if not worse than Lowes).
I know people who work for/have worked for home depot and its very much like you describe.
The district level management have been treating my wife like absolute shit for the better part of 3 years now. They just recently demoted her, cut her pay, moved her to a store that is an hour away from our house (and she literally drives past 3 other Lowes to get to her new store) and continue to set her up to fail.
We are contemplating legal action, its that bad.
Home Depot is the way to go by default (all of the neighborhood hardware stores are gone, and Ace is just as bad as Lowe's...my dad, sister and grandfather have worked/are currently working for Ace and they treat their people as bad if not worse than Lowes).
Just a thought... Perhaps it might be a good time to pool together that family experiences and start an Ace Hardware or True Value family franchise? Run a business and show the corporate place how to treat workers right?
PugnacAutMortem
07-14-2014, 22:23
Just a thought... Perhaps it might be a good time to pool together that family experiences and start an Ace Hardware or True Value family franchise? Run a business and show the corporate place how to treat workers right?
That's actually not a bad idea. I like that idea. Shoot if you get it into the right neighborhood you could snag a ton of business away from the big box stores...
Very interesting...
Colorado_Outback
07-14-2014, 22:34
Sorry, but it would fail just like all the other mom and pop stores.
The margins are thin and customer service isnt high on the consumers list of must haves, price being number 1 for most.
The problem is Acceptable Quality Limits or AQL, we as consumers tolerate the level of service we receive from those big box stores. Until the consumer as a whole starts to have a problem with the service they receive nothing will change.
Edit: Same gos for the employees, they don't pay well because they need live body's over experience. Open a competing business that sells the same stuff with higher over head.. well I suck at math but you see where its going.
Sorry, but it would fail just like all the other mom and pop stores.
The margins are thin and customer service isnt high on the consumers list of must haves, price being number 1 for most.
The problem is Acceptable Quality Limits or AQL, we as consumers tolerate the level of service we receive from those big box stores. Until the consumer as a whole starts to have a problem with the service they receive nothing will change.
Edit: Same gos for the employees, they don't pay well because they need live body's over experience. Open a competing business that sells the same stuff with higher over head.. well I suck at math but you see where its going.
Yeah... unfortunately I get all pie in the sky sometimes. I need a rubber band on my wrist to snap me back to where I should be.
Colorado_Outback
07-14-2014, 22:44
Sorry, ill stop being a debbie downer now.
The world sucks sometimes.
Sorry, ill stop being a debbie downer now.
The world sucks sometimes.
More than sometimes.
Customer service is understated these days. I think people gladly pay a little more for a quality experience. The issue is there's hardly any places that offer that anymore.
Colorado_Outback
07-16-2014, 17:36
That is true to a point. The margins are so thin on most products that they must cut money from somewhere, and that is why they sacrifice customer service. They want the cheapest labor possible getting the bare minimum done. But that does not mean that you will fail by default starting a small competing business. Take McGukins hardware in Boulder. They charge ridiculous prices, but have everything and then some. Location location location, then add a little specialization and you will be profitable.
Edit: At mcGukins the parking lot is full from open to close every day. It is unreal.
Very true, but if you walk down that road you better know how to run a business.
The classic American dream, "I want to own a restaurant!"
Well what do you know about owning and operating a restaurant? "Well people tell me I'm a good cook and I have 500 grand to throw at it"
Most people don't have anything more than a pocket full of money and a good idea.
Same thing applys to hardware stores, and everything else.
I wanted to own a restaurant until I took restaurant management and found out how many of them fail in the first year.
Colorado_Outback
07-16-2014, 18:16
Customer service is understated these days. I think people gladly pay a little more for a quality experience. The issue is there's hardly any places that offer that anymore.
Some people will gladly pay for a quality experience and extra service and as Danimal pointed out they will patronize that business once they find it. Unfortunately they are the minority not the majority.
The majority (myself included) are happy to go to Lowes (because its close) figure out what I need myself and get on with my life as quickly as possible.
The majority will put up with D work, so that's what they'll get.
And lets not forget, Lowes, Home Depot etc are large corporations with one goal. Profit.
If they wanted to improve the quality of peoples lives they would work them full time and offer something that resembled benefits.
The Walmart episode of South Park is spot on. Price and convinance were more important to the people of South Park and they paid the ultimate price.
yCMTrqqwrJY
Good NEWS! Minimum wage should be going up soon so that means better quality labor?!?!?!
for what it's worth i've heard first hand the horror stories of Ace, lowes and depot employees. They are just the walmart of hardware stores.
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