Good, no great service from LCBO employees

jimmay · Post by **jimmay** » Wed Jun 08, 2011 9:10 pm

Well, after reading another thread on here, I felt I needed to try to balance the scales a little bit. Most of us are too happy to bitch and never think to praise, so here goes...

I'd like to relay a positive experience I had recently. I went to a local store (I won't name it, don't want to get anyone in trouble for providing exemplary service), but anyone who knows me, can narrow it down to one of three stores...) Anyhow, I went last week to pick up my Garrison private order. I approached the service desk and 'the beer guy' was paged to help me. He went 'out back' came back and couldn't find it. I told him, I got a call two days earlier, so it should be out there. He then proceeded to take me back there (this is IMHO the 'exceeding expectations' part, but maybe could get the CSR in trouble??) and together we found it. Problem solved.

While back there, I noticed four Rogue releases and the start of the summer releases (which were not on the shelf yet) and they let me grab what I needed while back there!

So who else has some positive stories?

ON a side note, I can personnally vouch for Len's exceptional service!

Ale's What Cures Ya · Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:43 am

If I ever have a positive experience with an LCBO employee I'll be sure to post it.

The best I've ever had can only be described as a neutral experience.

Lukie · Post by **Lukie** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:20 am

My positive experiences have only seemed to occur when the CSR's do their job correctly. That is how low the threshold of customer satisfaction has been set at the LCBO. I know there are individual employees that are knowledgeable, courteous and take the proper time to fulfill your needs (and these seem to be clustered in certain locations), but in my experience they are far outnumbered by the ones who are simply indifferent about customers' needs and want to brush you off as quickly as possible, in order to return to their regular tasks.

Because the problem is so widespread, this is not an individual problem. This is a systematic, organizational issue that has to do with poor training and a system that has few incentives for above average performance and few punishments for poor performance.

The_Jester · Post by **The_Jester** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 11:41 am

Nice try, Jimmay. 0 for 2 so far!

biegaman · Post by **biegaman** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 12:30 pm

The_Jester wrote:Nice try, Jimmay. 0 for 2 so far!

Ya. Somehow this thread has started out as the "bash the LCBO more sarcastically/politely" thread.

Full disclosure: I don't give a shit about the LCBO. I think the grass is greener on both sides of the fence, depends on what we're debating. And before I type a long post deliberating on the pros and cons of the LCBO (and yes, there are PLENTY of BOTH), I'll just share this story instead to keep the thread on track...

When I went into the St Lawrence Market LCBO looking for the Rogue release, they weren't yet on the shelves (thank God for DrinkVine!). I saw two employees talking and kind of rudely interrupted to inquire. The woman who ended up helping me made a kind of a face, followed by a comment something along the lines of "what is it with this beer? How is it that all these people are going crazy over this? We just got it in last night, it's still in the back, and I'm almost sold out already!" While I kind of resisted explaining to her the whole world of 'beer-geek-dom', I just explained that it was a popular brewery and a limited release. But she really pressed on, was genuinely and professionally curious. She went to the back and brought out all the Rogue beers, plus a couple from the summer release (Sunburst and Celt) that had also just come in and weren't on the shelf, asking if I had tried them and/or was curious to (which I was, and was going to ask about right after the Rogue stuff). When I got to the cash, the Sunburst didn't have a barcode. Before holding the line up too much, the same CSR ran into the back and, smile on her face the whole time, came up with it and wished me a good weekend. If I owned a store, I would have hired this woman. She was pleasant, helpful, inquisitive and thorough.

notdan · Post by **notdan** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 2:05 pm

To be honest, I've never had a terrible experience with the LCBO, although I've never done a private order and rarely make any special requests. A few less than perfect encounters, but nothing awful.

There have been multiple times when an employee would look up a beer I requested on the system, then go in the back and find it for me. One time he couldn't find it and was really confused (since the system listed two cases being present), and he went back about three times to check for me. The beer wasn't found, but the effort was definitely being made, and I appreciated it.

Other times they've offered to swipe my Airmiles card for a friend's purchase. Extra Airmiles? Hells yeah.

And not to get off topic, but I had a really pleasant interaction when picking up my first bit of Mad Tom at the Beer Store. I called in advance to check if it was there, and without needing to look on the computer, the guy said "Yeah, we just got some in today". I told him I'd be by to pick some up in a little while. When I got there, I didn't even have to ask for it. Two six packs were waiting by the checkout for me (I made sure they were for 'the guy who called'). Great service.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:42 pm

There are a few folks, who, unless the earth is moved, and Jesus comes and walks on water for them, they will never be happy. We've seen this over and over.

0/2? Give me a fucking break.

Ale's What Cures Ya · Post by **Ale's What Cures Ya** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:02 pm

SteelbackGuy wrote:There are a few folks, who, unless the earth is moved, and Jesus comes and walks on water for them, they will never be happy. We've seen this over and over.

0/2? Give me a fucking break.

Pfft, even that's been done before. Show me something new.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:15 pm

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:
SteelbackGuy wrote:There are a few folks, who, unless the earth is moved, and Jesus comes and walks on water for them, they will never be happy. We've seen this over and over.

0/2? Give me a fucking break.
Pfft, even that's been done before. Show me something new.

Maybe an ale would cure that nasty disease you've somehow contracted?

Ale's What Cures Ya · Post by **Ale's What Cures Ya** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:29 pm

A good ale cures all.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:51 pm

Ale's What Cures Ya wrote:A good ale cures all.

You'll get no argument from me. Ale's good for ya.And lager too.....

TheSevenDuffs · Post by **TheSevenDuffs** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 8:53 pm

Had a great experience today with a local Mississauga LCBO employee at the Applewood Village store. Not only did he know what Hopyard was but he helped me find it. Then he went to the back to retrieve 2 6 packs of 2XIPA for me and even walked me to the counter to make sure it was in the system properly. This guy is great. He's helped me pick out wine in the past as well.

They aren't all bad...

nickelass · Post by **nickelass** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:19 pm

Honestly beyond some private orders getting lost in a stores stock room, I've never had a major problem with any LCBO employees. Aside from a few grumbles after being asked to get stock from the back, I've always had good service. I've mostly frequented the LCBO on Lansdowne in Peterborough, Rideau St, and Glebe in Ottawa, and the LCBO up here in Timmins. The system isn't perfect, but in my experience most of the staff are great.

Garthicus · Post by **Garthicus** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:37 pm

Yay - a thread about average/acceptable service.....

Lukie · Post by **Lukie** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 3:14 pm

Garthicus wrote:Yay - a thread about average/acceptable service.....

You get what you pay for.