The Sunday News
Mbuso Ndlovu
IT does not matter what you are buying these days, you just have to be ready to pay good money for it. Of-course among us are money bags who throw money around, some having made it through huge sacrifice and sweat, born into money and yet others by marrying money.
However, we make it, one would expect those we give it to, to respect the provider of the dough as they too navigate their way to riches. That doesn’t seem to be the case generally especially in the grocery retail sector. That also seems to depend on the location of the supermarket not the brand.
One Spar supermarket, OK, Choppies or Pick n Pay shop in one part of town operates differently to the other in a different part of the same town.
Definitely different branch managers have varying approaches towards running business but in this instance all such managers seem to behave the same towards their customers in poor and rich areas. The same attitude is displayed by lower ranked employees too. This resultantly influences the customers’ zest when they go shopping.
Take for instance in high-density suburb supermarkets the customers are all consciously or unwittingly regarded with disdain by everyone from the security guard, packers, till operators, sweepers to managers. The contemptuous attitude is also exhibited by small grocery shops too who regard everyone who frequents them as a potential thief not a customer.
From the moment one walks into such supermarkets you are keenly watched or followed by plain clothed security officers who do not even try to disguise themselves as they stop or move whenever you do so.
As you move from one shelf to another a different person takes over and openly monitors all your moves as you scratch your head or wipe off sweat from your brow.
Should you try to take out a phone from your handbag he swiftly places himself right in front of you, not bothered by the fact you may think he is a thief checking you out.
You are watched and followed by different employees all the way to the till where the gum chewing cashier perched on a high metal stool will violently shake each item as if to make sure you have not glued them to each other.
They even stretch their necks, giraffe-style, to check if there are no items remaining in or at the bottom compartment of your trolley (if there are any trolleys as most only have baskets) before rudely asking how you are settling the bill.
As all that is happening there is a man behind the teller closely following all the action instead of helping you pack your groceries. As soon as you finish paying and packing your items the man demands your receipt and ticks off item by item, despite that he has been closely watching everything as it was happening.
To make sure this potential thief who has somehow spent more than what the shop employees earn per week doesn’t come back to con the shop by reusing the receipt, the man then puts his signature on it and for good measure tears it into two before handing it back to you or dumping it in a trash can by his leg.
But the disrespect does not end there as one would expect. Having cleared all the security protocols inside the shop as you leave there is yet another hurdle.
This time while you are promising yourself you will never allow anybody to disrespect you and your hard-earned money like that again, you are aggressively ordered to use a different door from the entrance that you used earlier.
There you are expected to jump over a bench while carrying your goods as the security guard watches expectantly for something to fall from between your thighs.
Even the crowd of vendors working by the door will be arms akimbo watching too as they mentally undress each customer awkwardly jumping out of the shop.
Now compare that high density suburb experience with the suburban supermarket at Ascot, Bradfield, Four Winds, Morningside, Mahatshula, Parklands, North End, Richmond or Paddonhurst. It is a new ball game all together.
The same Spar, OK, Choppies, Greens, Liquor Hub, Oceans, Chicken Inn, TM Pick n Pay brand suddenly acquires a different attitude towards the customer. He is feted as king (Queen). The same happens in the CBD as there is a vast difference in the way customers are treated downtown and uptown by the same supermarket chain.
Downtown where the city is rundown with old buildings and flats and close to the high-density suburbs thus relatively deprived compared to uptown where it is cleaner with better looking flats and offices closer to low density suburbs, the shop workers adopt attitudes deemed appropriate.
Depending on the part of the city centre where the shop is, the layout is quite revealing. In poorer sections of the city the shops are small and shelves are close to each other thus reducing space for shoppers to manoeuvre. Items are thrown about and in some instances are not even on the shelves but on the floor, especially bulk items like mealie meal.
Most shops downtown have shopping baskets only while some have a few trolleys too but you have to wait for one. Uptown everything including mealie meal is on the designated shelf and clearly labelled.
In some suburban shopping centres like Bradfield as you drive in by the gate you are met by security who issue a gate pass to ensure the safety of your car. Parklands, Paddonhurst, Nkulumane, Entumbane and Ascot have the same layout although it is no longer in use.
As you walk into the shop all the shelves are clearly labelled in such a way you don’t have to crane as you find your way around.
The spacious shops ensure there is enough room to move trolleys around and, in some shops, there are no shopping baskets at all but trolleys of various sizes only. It is so quiet you can hear customers croon as they dump items in their trolleys. Often there are merchandisers offering beverages to customers and promotions on items like detergents, drinks and confectionery. Security is there but you can’t tell who is watching you.
It’s done in a way that does not invade the customer’s space but respects them. There’s CCTV and huge mirrors everywhere. No need to follow anyone around here. As you are still parking outside or walking in somebody is watching you from an office computer, studying your demeanor or appearance to determine whether you need close watching in the shop.
If it’s decided that you need watching you will be followed on TV and someone will be waiting by the exit listening to directives either via Bluetooth wireless earphones or radio. If you are clear they won’t touch you but if you are not, they, without drama, invite you to an office as you try to walk out.
There is no public humiliation of customers with some smeared with cooking oil, eggs and flour like what happens downtown. Here it is assumed the customer forgot to pay or is actually crying for attention health wise. Nobody is ever lynched as such shoplifters are labelled drug abusers who need medical attention not imprisonment.
One such fabulous shop, Groombridge Spar Supermarket in Mt Pleasant regularly catches UZ students stealing but gets in touch with the college instead of calling police because they understand how depraved for life the students may be.
There is a shop assistant conspicuous everywhere on the floor, not security, and they are ready to assist by taking you to the item you need despite the clear directions above the shelves. Depending on character, some will help you select the brand that’s wallet friendly.
Besides the courteous staff, the shop itself is smart and floors are being cleaned at all times throughout the day.
The cashier greets you with a smile before serving you. You are sanitised before you enter your pin number. Meanwhile, someone will be packing all your stuff in plastic bags and putting it back in your trolley. If it is not a busy time you may have him push it to your car. Nobody asks for your receipt and there definitely is no high bench to jump by the door.
What’s shocking is that if the same staff are transferred to downtown or high-density suburbs shops their attitude towards work and customers immediately changes. They transform into rude snobs without making any effort at all as if it’s natural.
And the reverse is also true, they quickly adopt good manners and courtesy once they move to upmarket branches.
That attitude needs working on and entrepreneurs must ensure their staff, management included, treat all customers with respect. It is clear most of their customers and business comes from the high density and downtown areas where the bulk of the population is so those customers deserve respect, after all even most of the staff stays in those areas.
As customers we can force a change in attitude by withdrawing our patronage and taking our money to those businesses that listen to our concerns and mean it when they talk of valued customers. A typical customer poor or rich expects to be treated with respect, courtesy and graciously.
With lots of businesses competing for the little money in circulation in an economy slowly coming out of depression one would think our entrepreneurs would be grateful to any clients paying them attention by employing full-time staff tending complaints desks and quickly responding to issues raised by their so-called valued clients.
