Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 12:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Excellent artical Ben!!! You had to be at wal mart no doubt about it!!! That store is the worst place to go. I do not shop at wal mart for that very reason!! To bad the loyds,and the man who owns home hardware and the ones who own live oak nursery can't get togother and build a store to compete with wal mart...That way people could shop at a locally owned store that has it all.....

Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 2:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)

AMEN...service at Walmart is horrible, and sadly, customer service seems like a lost cause in this town.

I own a business, and I cannot find employees that will work with a smile on their face, focus on their customers, and stay off their cell phones.
My blood pressure goes through the roof sometimes, but no one wants to WORK and the ones that do act like they are doing me a favor by showing up.
Some of my people are good, but even the sweet ones do not focus on the customers enough, and if I fuss they will quit...so whadda ya do?

Posted by NtzMom55 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 2:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Ben, your 'Natchez Vacation' experiences in reference to your shopping and dining frustrations are all too typical for our area. I am a strong believer in trying to spend as much of my money here in my community because I try to support the place I live in but it does come with much aggravation and frustration. The few times that I do go to other towns for shopping (like Wal-Mart) or dining, it is amazing how different my experiences are (a much more pleasant experience). It should not be that way. With our community being a major tourist destination, it is very embarrasing to have such poor service all too often on a regular basis. It really gives our community a bad name. The general attitude of this town needs a major shake-up. This is my home and I want it to be the best, as it should be.

Posted by OldGrandDad (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

If I go into a store or restaurant in Natchez and I do not get good service, I get a bad impression of that business and usually do not want to go back. If I get the same bad service in another town, I tend to get the same impression of that whole town. I certainly wish some folks around here would hire better help cuz one sorry employee can cause a lot of hurt for all of us.

Posted by hellcat (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 6:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This cell phone thing makes me furious! The woman at the gas station at WalMart is constantly on her phone, I never know if she's even speaking to me. My last visit I had to wait so she could get off the phone and plug it up because it was about to go dead. This while wondering when her boobs were going to fall out of her shirt...I could go forever and not see that! They have a class at Co-Lin Vo-Tech called Professional Development, I think it should be required before you become employable! Funny thing is they teach you what your parents should have, Work Ethics!

Ntz Mom, I'm available p/t, e-mail me if you get in a bind. I don't even know who you are or what kind of business you have but I do enjoy talking to people.

Posted by boredwithstupidity (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 6:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

And this comes as a surprise? I have quit going to local stores and restaurants that have this kind of help. Often the owners of the business are no better than their help. My guess is some of the owners that really don't care had old family money buy them the business and they really couldn't careless whether customers are treated right.

Walmart gets one visit a year from me to buy vitamins I can't find anywhere else in town. Most of my shopping is done online because I don't feel like being treated like trash (or ignored totally) when I go in to a business to spend my hard earned cash.

Posted by olderthandirt (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 7:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Great article, Ben! You said what a lot of people think! Management.That is the problem. Either it is good or it is very, very bad. Personally, I feel cell phones should be banned from all employees while they are working.If there is a family emergency, the store can be called and they will be notified. It is rude for the employees to be talking on the phone OR to friends and other employees while being checked out. A smile and pleasant attitude would be an added plus too.

Posted by happybunny (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree, management is the problem. There are never any lines open at Walmart. Since when did the Walmart greeters become security?

Posted by DIXIEGAL21 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As much as I want to move back to Natchez, reports like this make me think twice. Come on owners/managers, you're in the driver's seat here, take control. A great start would be to ban the cell phones entirely, and immediately fire those employees who are damaging not only your business, but Natchez as a whole.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

How can the manager fire them for doing just what they do? I hate wal mart. They think you HAVE to have them. But you don't. We made it just fine when they weren't here. I wouldn't buy meats there for anything....

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on June 20, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder if Ben went to RT at Tracetown. Never been there but word of mouth is that place has the worst service in town.

I would be livid if it two hours for a meal and the salad came after the entree.

Ben, be careful about demeaning other local businesses until the ND gets its house in order.

Posted by daddysgirl (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 9:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)

To mimic others before me...AMEN!! It's not just here in Natchez though. Sadly, we have come to a place where people just don't care! I actually wrote a 'letter to the editor' about this exact thing. I had a day from hell retailing experience not to long ago and Wal Mart was one of the culprits. Along with McDonald's (on the highway) who was OUT OF ICE at 12:00 noon. Being out of ice was bad enough, but being told that I had to go to the drive thru in order to get my ice sent me into a bit of a rage!
I know it's hard to find people to work and to do a good job, but management needs to take control. I worked for my aunt one Christmas in her store in Jackson...a VERY successful business woman for 30 years. When she asked me to come and help, she told me that she paid her workers by the hour and expected them to work by the hour. Not a terrible thing to expect from your employees.
Natchez is getting worse and you should definitely call it to the attention of management when things like this happen. May or may not do any good, but you'll never know until you try.

Posted by missmuzeum (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It is certainly not just Natchez--the attitude of not caring about customers is rampant. My former Mississippi home-town had a Walmart that had employees just like here in Natchez--completely unhelpful, on the phone, or talking with a friend instead of manning one of the three open checkout lanes (out of 25). The fast food businesses were no better. No "may I help you?", no smiles, no looking at the customer, no "thank you", just thrust a bag with the wrong order at you and demand payment.

Posted by ladyrider (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

These are some great postings, everybody. I agree, gemcull, the Natchez Democrat also needs to get its house in order - they have some rude people at the front - not all of them - but there are a couple that look at you as if you are bothering them. Cell phones are a huge problem and people not wanting to work. I had a boss who used to say, "A day's pay for a day's work" and that's the truth. The service at RT is horrible. Sometimes a server is at the mercy of the kitchen but I don't think this is the case with RT.

Posted by natchezsouthside (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

What would help the most is speaking to management at the time that the employee is behaving in an unprofessional manner.

Why didnt you say something when the waitress ignored you? Why didn't you tell the WalMart store manager about the employee using the cell phone.

Maybe the Walmart manager will read this article???

Speak up people!! DON'T BE SHEEP!

Posted by gemccull (Gary McCullars) on June 20, 2008 at 11:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"if it two hours" should read "if it took two hours".

Posted by destiny (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

ladyrider, your comment reminded me of my parents that instilled the same in me. the old adage 'a decent days pay for a decent days work' should be taught from early age. Could be started with their allowance. If they do not do chores as they should, deduct their allowance, might help them become better workers in the future. And I'm a big advocate about the cell phone idea. Leave it home while at work.

Posted by wrck4ever (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I've lived here for 4 years now and I'm still waiting for the southern hospitality that everyone speaks of. Good service around here is few and far in between. Were I work cell phones aren't allowed in the restuarant. When you walk thru the door you're greeted and seated and made to feel like a valuable customer. The owners go out on the floor and talk to all the customers they help us when we get busy. It's sad how nobody wants to work anymore, and actually take pride in their work. Our staff nows their job and how to treat the customer and if you don't like you're job theres the door. More places need to use this method.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ain't that the truth wrck4ever

Posted by drawpaintsing (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 3:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Isn't this similar to what the lady from New Orleans was saying about the hospitality around here? I think, in general, that is what she was talking about. But she got bashed really bad. Customer service is terrible everywhere. My sister works at Wal Mart, and she is trying to get out of there.

Posted by lilredhead (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I was just complaining to my husband today about this very problem. I am sick of the inattention, cell phone talking and texting, the rude attitude, the BS. We live in Vidalia and I love to support or local businesses. So today we wanted pizza for lunch and where do you think I called? The girl on the phone was so rude, got my order wrong and then proceeded to tell me that I had said I asked for something that I did not even realize they offered there. Walmart in Vidalia has some very good workers. I have many that recognize us when we go in and always speak to me. The managers, well lets just say they can jump off the bridge for all I care. Two other locally owned food establishments (owned by the same people) have the same problem as the pizza place. RUDE!!! COLD FOOD!!! ALWAYS GET THE ORDERS WRONG!!! It infuriates me! I will say that there is a wonderful little place in Natchez that has the best Italian food and we have always had very good service there.

Posted by quest (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 4:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My husband and I go to Winnsboro Wal-Mart most of the time where the majority of the employees are friendly and very helpful. The one in Vidalia is also way better than Natchez.

We recently visited Red Lobster in Monroe. The dining experience was fabulous. The manager circulated among the diners, chatted, offered to help, etc. The server had a smile and was extremely courteous and efficient. We will definitely go back. There are, however, places in Natchez where we do not dine because of the service and overall atmosphere. If I have good service, I let the employee know as well as the manager. If I have bad service, the employee and manager both know.

As for cell phones, if I am ignored because an employee is on the cell phone, the manager will definitely hear about it.

Posted by lilredhead (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 4:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I worked in retail and also at a bank for over 15 years. If I would have ever acted like these employees do today I would have been FIRED! Customer service is the heart of a business.

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 5:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I wonder why my own experience at Natchez Wal-Mart has been consistently so much different than everyone else's? This morning, for instance, I was pushing my cart down the row of checkout lanes, looking for the shortest one; a cashier standing a few feet ahead of me waved me over and directed me to her lane, which was actually a couple of lanes over. She was actively SEEKING a customer to help, and I appreciated it (and thanked her for it, too).

A couple of weeks ago I was standing at the paint counter, looking for any kind of attendant there. An employee, maybe a supervisor, walked past with another customer, saw me standing there, and the next thing I knew, a very pleasant young woman was hurrying over to the paint counter to help me. "Can you mix paint?" I asked, because she looked very young and as if she might be more comfortable at the jewelry counter or maybe in cosmetics (yes, she was young and cute, so I stereotyped). "Sure," she said, and immediately went very professionally and competently about doing just that. While my paint can was shaking, she helped out another customer who had come up behind me.

Finally, for years I've received unfailing courteous and helpful service in their photo lab.

Again, why has my experience been so much different? Of course I am sometimes frustrated there by too few checkout lanes open to serve WAY too many customers, but that is not the fault of the cashiers, is it? So I never take it out on them, which would really be a stupid and rude thing for a customer to do (and, unfortunately, a very common thing for customers to do).

Service at the fast food restaurants . . . Well, it varies a lot. DQ workers are always friendly and helpful, for instance, as are the workers at the McDonalds in Tracetown. There seem to be management problems at a few others, which I will refrain from naming (we all probably know them, anyway).

While not universally so, generally it is true that people will give pretty much what they get, in terms of treatment of others. I worked very briefly in retail a lot of years ago, and learned very quickly to "read" customers: If they wanted light chat while I checked them out, that's what I gave them; if instead they silently piled their purchases onto the conveyor belt, or chatted with someone else while they did so, I would leave them to it, and just get the stuff checked as quickly as I could. I always appreciated the customers who made eye contact, maybe even smiled, asked me how I was, whatever, because that made me feel as if they at least saw me as a fellow human being rather than as a stupid, incompetent jerk who was just slowing their lives down or whatever.

Point is, if you enter a place EXPECTING bad service, you WILL get it. (And I'm probably running out of space, so will shut up.)

Posted by c_8512 (anonymous) on June 20, 2008 at 10:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

My very first job was at a local grocery store here in Natchez. Our store managers preached good customer service; the reason being, if the customer does not feel welcome, they will not come back. My job was to bag groceries, and when I was not bagging groceries, I was cleaning the floors or fronting the shelves. But no matter what I was doing, I would ALWAYS stop to speak to a customer. I am not the only employee that did this, this was the rule back then. I got to know many of these shoppers by name, as they did mine. When it came to bagging their groceries, I was expected to bag them the way I would for my own mother, which I gladly did. Then came the fruit of my labor: the parking lot tip! Those few years that I worked for this store, I almost always brought home more tip money than I ever earned on my paycheck.

As Ben, and many other commenters have stated, it seems to be acceptable customer service these days to just make a rude sound at those annoyances called customers.

Posted by southern_bell (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 4:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well I work at a grocery store and I don't care what register I am on when a customers comes through the doors I look up and say Hi.
My manager gets madd because when the customer comes in my line I laugh and talk to them like I have known them for years.
I tell him that is how you keep them coming back to your store. If you are freindly that shows good service.
When they come in I ask them about trips, or their family they told me about and stuff like that and they look shocked that I even remember.
Now you go to Wall-Mart and they don't ask you how you are doing, did you find everything you need or nothing.
" c_8512" I know what you mean about the tips, I'm a cashier and alot of times the bag boys are busy so after I am finished ringing the customer up, I bag the groceries for them and they tip good. And alot of times no tip but a simple Thank You is alot. It shows me that I am doing a good job.
I think if a doctor ever told me that I would die if I worked in the public around people, I am going to call Lairds and pick out my coffin. LOL

Posted by msmama (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 11:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well as a Natchez resident I too have experienced the local lack of service issue. From the well noted issues at WalMart to the downtown tourist places like the Pecan place I am horrified at the lack of interest in serving the people. When is this town going to wake up - it's the people spending their money at that store that helps pay their salary. But unfortunately that is now the new mindset of our future...we Owe the employees for their laziness, rudeness and "it's all about ME" attitude. These issues are in all our stores...from western stores, restaurants, fast foods, our newest hardware store...nobody wants to help you anymore - Oh by the way I am still waiting on pizzas I ordered - more than 4 YEARs ago!!!!

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 1:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

dangyankee you must have been at the wal mart in fairy tale town.....

Stines has never had friendly people there nothing changed when they built the new one..Home hardware gets all out business...

Amen southern_bell

Posted by dangyankee (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 2:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)

No, fire39212, I was in the Wal-Mart right here in Natchez. Probably it helps that I usually go there around mid-morning, before the hostile crowd gathers and before all the employees have been standing on their feet for several hours and have had time to be cussed out by several irate customers (who generally are irate about stuff the employee cannot control). Just for fun, you should spend some time observing customer behavior, and then imagine yourself in the employee's shoes, and THEN imagine standing in those shoes 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, for the rest of your natural life because there are NO opportunities in Natchez, for probably minimum wage or maybe a little more IF you've managed to stick it out long enough. And with regard to Wal-Mart, specifically, imagine working in an environment in which employees are "used" in ways that have been very publicly described in more than one lawsuit.

That I have occasionally received "bad" service there (usually because there were like, 2 people on to serve 500 customers) surprises me much less than the fact--yes, FACT--that I have so consistently received good service there.

No, I don't work for Wal-Mart--I couldn't afford to, first of all, and frankly, I haven't met a Natchez employer yet for whom I would be willing to work. The rampant "plantation mentality" here, the idea that one small group of people could, should, and in fact are ordained by God to keep a much larger group at the scrambling-for-existence, poverty level, leaves me a bit cold.

Maybe that is an unfair characterization of employers. The problem, really, goes beyond them. The paradox here is that, even with regard to Wal-Mart employees, we are talking about Natchez citizens. When we say "they" are rude and inhospitable, etc., we are saying Natchez citizens are rude and inhospitable. It is not only the employers or employees--it is US. ("We have met the enemy, and he is us." Who said that? Cartoon character.)

Maybe if we stopped looking at them as "them," and instead saw them as "us," we would all get along better.

P.S. There is ONE local employer I would work for, if I knew anything about his business, which I don't. His name is Frank Heard, of Heard Music. Without going into private detail, I know how he helped a long-time employee who had been injured (not on the job). He is good people--he is someone I could work for (again, if I knew anything about his business, which I don't).

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

You make a good point dangyankee....But i have always worked as a manager for a c-store or apartments. Trust me i know about the people who come in in a bad mood just looking for someone to take it out on etc..But, i also know about the employees who could care less if a customer comes in or not...But, i also know about the ones who take that extra step to make someones day also.....

Posted by ntzmom (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 7:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)

A few of you have written me about a job...I appreciate the offer very much. But right now, business is so slow, I can barely keep the ones I have busy.
When things turn around, I will let you know.

Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

dangyankee - Pogo of the Okefenokie Swamp! That dates me I guess.

fire - it's pretty funny really, but the reason you don't go to Stines is the same reason I don't go to Home Hardware. The people inside are friendly, but I never can find anyone to load my truck. Last time I had to get another customer to help me load two large pieces of lumber. Several customers were out there just putting their stuff in their cars or trucks and throwing the loading sheets on the ground. I don't usually have this problem at Stines.

Posted by fire39212 (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 8:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Really...We have never had that problem at home hardware......You can walk in stines and noone even speaks so therfor we have never bought anything that has had to be loaded there...

Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on June 21, 2008 at 10:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can walk in Stines and people ask if they can help me. At HH the cashiers speak to me, but I have to find someone to help me. Kind of like dangyankee and WalMart, who knows?

Posted by drawpaintsing (anonymous) on June 23, 2008 at 10:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Dangyankee, everything you said about your WalMart experience is true. My sister works there, and she go through a lot. She have customers getting attitides with her, and when she say something back at them, she get reported. Customers abuse the "Customer is always right policy" there. She say that customers throw their money down, not wanting to put it in her hand, when it's time to pay for something. She stands on her feet practically the whole while she is at work. I can go on and on about what she go through with customers. The only thing I don't like about all the Wal-Marts is that there aren't enough cashier lines open. If they are not going to use them, then take them down and put someting more useful there.

People, in general, are rude. Our parents taught us that in order to gain friends, you must show yourself friendly. If you all see some public workers down, it wouldn't hurt to say something nice to them. If they are still nasty with you, then they are sure to be the problem. But don't just assume that when you see them looking a certain way, they are. Who doesn't get a little frustrated when they are tired?