Pathetic Standards

On July 4th, at around 09:15, I was ordering some chicken drumsticks from the deli counter at Checkers Fairbridge. I usually go there at least 3 times a week for lunch. However, I have noticed a decline in standards recently. The staff members have been swearing and shouting at each other while customers are shopping, and the people in charge of the deli counter and other goods often ignore customers when they are waiting. Instead, they engage in conversations with each other as if they were on vacation.

Today, I witnessed new lows. The glass panels of the deli counter were being cleaned (something I wish had been done the day before, before fresh food was placed there). Three to four staff members crowded the space while one staff member cleaned. She sprayed cleaning liquid on the glass panel while there was fresh food in the trays. The smell was strong, the foam of the soap was on the glass panel, and she started wiping while the food was fully exposed. It was absolutely filthy.

Finally, after catching the attention of the staff member behind the counter, who was finished with her chit-chat with her colleague, I asked for two drumsticks. I even indicated with my fingers that I wanted two. However, seconds later, she asked me again how many I wanted.

My customer journey through that store has been getting worse, and today was the last straw. Checkers wants to make you believe that they are better than the competition; however, they fall short. The store's aesthetics are beautiful and give a sense of luxury, and with that, you expect your entire experience to reflect this. But Checkers lacks something that other stores like Woolworths have perfected.

The staff members at Checkers have no pride. Customers always seem like an annoyance to them. They fail to grasp that customers are the reason why they have a job. However, this is not the fault of the employees; it's the managers' responsibility.

The managers only seem to be present when the regional store managers are there (I assume these are the nicely dressed people I occasionally see). Instead, these managers should be on the floor, ensuring that supervisors are keeping an eye on operations. If I can notice these issues within just 15 minutes, then a supervisor who is actually paying attention will see all of these issues and start addressing them.

The employees need to start living up to Checkers' slogan, which is "Better and Better." Because what I see is the exact opposite, and it's hard to believe that it's a flagship store.

Employ people who actually care about their job, and you will see an improvement. Needless to say, I will be supporting the competition going forward. I just thought I would bring this to someone's attention. Perhaps it will reach someone who cares.