6 Reasons Why I Hate Lowe’s
December 31, 2006
- Gross, disgusting lighting that makes you look awful
- Horrible parking lot with no good space, ever
- Never any more than two cash registers open at a time
- Never any more than two employees working the floor to answer questions
- Every sign is written in English AND Spanish
- But most of all, I hate Lowe’s because THEY SUCK at Customer Service. For a detailed explanation of what I mean by that, take a gander at the (admittedly long) letter I’m sending to their manager:
Dear Mr. Manager:
I am writing to you regarding my recent experience with selecting and purchasing a new kitchen countertop at your store.
My mother offered to buy me a new kitchen countertop as a Christmas present this year. Since my current countertop, an ugly avocado green ceramic tile counter, has been in place since approximately 1975, I was thrilled with the opportunity to have this home improvement project completed. It was to be the stepping stone for a complete (if gradual) kitchen renovation.
My mother and I went to visit your store some time in early December – I believe it was Monday, December 11 – and we looked around at the various colors and options your store offers. I found the durability of the solid surface and granite counters appealing, but preferred to get a laminate countertop because there was a wider range of colors and textures offered.
After quite a bit of time, we were able to speak with Alan regarding our possible order. In all honesty, he did not seem very interested in waiting on us, and he was especially not interested in selling us a laminate counter. He dismissed our inquiries about the laminate and kept giving us information on solid surface. Finally, we asked him if he would be so kind as to get a rough estimate for us on how much a laminate counter would cost. He made a copy of the diagram we brought with us and told us that usually estimates were returned to the store within about three hours.
I expected to hear back from him that afternoon, but I did not. In fact, several days passed without my receiving any information about an estimate, despite repeated calls to the store. I was told by Barbara that she could not give me any information because she did not know where Alan kept his files. I was told by Alan that he would re-fax the paperwork and call me back. I was told by a very helpful associate from the Appliances department that no one was in that section when I called. But I did not get my estimate – until I left the message that if I did not get an estimate, Lowe’s would not get my business.
At that point, Alan finally called me with my estimate and broke it down for me – counter, installation, removal of the existing countertop, etc. It totaled $1161 or something very close to that. My mother and I went in a few days later to proceed with the paperwork and Alan was not there, but Barbara was working. She also seemed uninterested in waiting on us and was preoccupied with talking to another Lowe’s employee, but we had a seat and waited until she was free. When we finally got to speak with her and told her about our experience with Alan, she was much more solicitous and offered to take over working on our purchase. She told us we would need to pay $35 for an official measurement to be taken, and we set that up for Monday, December 18 at 10:30.
After the measurement was taken, Barbara called me back and told me that the job would cost in excess of $1500 – much more than I had originally been quoted. I told her that I understood there could be some variation from the verbal estimate I had already received, but was surprised that it would be over $400 off. She repeatedly said that it was Alan’s fault, because he hadn’t noted on the original estimate that my countertop was made of ceramic tile. (Despite the fact that we told him that it was a tile countertop when we asked for an estimate.)
After some time to think about it and make budgetary considerations, my mother and I decided to proceed with the purchase. I called Barbara and told her that we were still interested in getting the countertop. She called me back some time later (as she was drawing up the contract) to ask me if I wanted to pay the $298 to have the sink put back in. This was never mentioned to me prior to having the contract drawn up and came as a complete surprise. I told her that I would not pay an additional $300, especially after having the price already jump by $400, and that I would take care of getting the sink finished myself.
I told Barbara that I would be in with my mother to sign the paperwork and make a deposit on Friday afternoon, December 29, probably around 3 pm.
Due to some scheduling conflicts with my mother, we were not able to get to the store until shortly after 4 pm. Barbara called me at 3:50 to ask me what time it was, and she was wondering if she had missed me. I told her that I expected to get a call from my mother at any moment telling me she was ready, and that as soon as she called me, we would head up to the store. Barbara said that I shouldn’t rush, and that I could come in on New Year’s Day if I wasn’t too hung over. To say that I found her comment very rude and unprofessional is a whopper of an understatement.
Nevertheless, we were still prepared to proceed with the purchase, and arrived at the store around 4:15 pm. When I arrived, Barbara was on the phone with the installer. After she got off the phone, she informed me that I would probably have to either pick up the countertop myself (if I knew anyone with a big truck that could haul something 10 feet long) or pay an additional $100+ to have it delivered to my home.
I am of the very strong opinion that the issue of whether or not the installer could pick up the counter at your store should have been discussed and settled well before the official estimate was given. Further, I do not see why I should have to pay a fee because of the installer’s inability to do his job. It was the final straw in a long line of disappointments and insults. We decided at that time to cancel the purchase.
This entire experience has left me completely uninterested in giving Lowe’s any of my business in the future. I will not buy so much as a screw from your store, Mr. Cook, and I will encourage my friends and family to shop elsewhere, too. Lowe’s is not the only home improvement store in town, and it should not act as though it is.
Sincerely,
Multitasking Mama
Good for you!
Customer service is exactly the reason that I refuse to shop at Best Buy!
It sounds as though that you fail to realize that there are other customers in town and not just you as well. A false realization in retail customers is that there are other customers. The cabinet specialist was probably working on another project before you walked in. I will admit the time of response for the estimate was later than it should be. In reality you should have had the detail and then picked out your counter top. Then you would have known about all the extra installation fees. If you would have calmly ask for free delivery it would have more than likely been granted to you for being a respected customer. To be quite honest I know you are lying about delivery being 100+ dollars as well. Lowes takes out delivery loads worth $25,000 all for the same low price of $55. I understand your frustration but your exaggeration is excessive.
Well, John, I’m guessing you’re either a stockholder or employee of Lowe’s.
I have worked in retail and I think I am quite understanding/forgiving about the whole busy with other customers issue, but that was clearly not the case in this instance.
I worked in a store that emphasized customer service over all other aspects of retail work. I know good customer service when I experience it and I know poor customer service when I experience it. This was poor customer service of the highest magnitude, and bordered on being a bait and switch scam.
Finally, why would I lie about the delivery fee? There was a $110-125 charge to have the countertop delivered to my home, which I did not even want to do. (Where would you store a 10 foot section of countertop for a couple of weeks while waiting for the installer to show up?) My outrage over this particular charge was because I was being asked to pay for the installer’s inability to do his job.
My experience was just that — MY experience — YOUR mileage may vary.
While I am not an employee but a small stock owner I do apologize for the way I perceived your letter. I used to work retail as well and customer service has to be the number one priority for a business. It is just that the service at my local Lowes store is much better. I guess every company has its bad apples and disgruntled employees. I am taking your side on the third party installers that Lowes uses. Some are very good and capable, others lack a lot to be desired. I personally feel that in-house certified installers will be the way of the future for most retail stores. This will result in better customer service because employees are often times held more responsible that sub-contracted installers I’m sure. Again I apologize, by the way did you end up getting a new counter top? I did alot of research into Lowes before investing and everything they say is that they are in the best interest for the customer. I was just shocked to hear about your experience.
[...] that disastrous experience I had with Lowe’s regarding my kitchen countertop? And the letter that I wrote to the [...]
I went in to the new Lowe’s store in East Brandon, FL on Friday night at 8PM to purchase a clothes dryer. In about 30 seconds, I picked the dryer out and the lady in that section took my order and told me to pay at the customer service counter. I then spent 55 minutes trying to pay for the dryer! There are all kinds of managers behind the counter, but nobody knows what to do and seem afraid to make eye contact. I was waiting for Alan Funt to come out with a camera and that he joke was on me. Unreal. Beautiful stores, poor training and apathetic employees make the shopping experience a drag. I did some special order windows about 4 months ago, That transaction to 5 years off my life! They suck out loud. I hope they see the light before Home Depot eats their lunch.
Stop complaining about Lowe’s employees. If people came to your job bitching about things beyond your controll, you would act way worse than the employees you encountered i’m sure. Half of our employees are college kids anyway. There are issues at retail stores that the Sales Associates cannot handle because of company policy and procedures.
Get over yourself, quickly. I’d laugh in your face if you threw me attitued at my store.
[...] bring in the house, and that it had to be re-ordered. Ugh. Certainly not a big surprise, given my previous experience with them, but a bummer [...]
I am an employee of Lowe’s, and I sincerely apologize for the inconveniences that you had to endure. I hope you will know that every employee is not like they are and that some of us do our very best to make our customers happy and take pride in doing so.
To Jessica – it’s a shame that you probably have to suffer for the poor employees at Lowe’s. I just had a bad experience as well and when I went to talk to a manager I had to wait at the counter while the 4 people behind the counter finished their chat. The manager then proceeded to tell me she couldn’t help me at all. They are very apathetic about getting or keeping business. I won’t be back there either. There are too many other choices. The service at the local Ace Hardware is fantastic.
I was doing a search on the ‘net to find out if other people had the same poor customer service as I did with Lowes, and found your blog. Wow, I thought Lowes only screwed ME over. Turns out they have a habit of screwing others as well. We contracted with them to have 9 windows replaced in our home. After sitting with them for over 2 hours to make sure I got the right windows, had a 30 minute measurement done in our home, they finally got the windows in after 3 weeks. Now, 30 minutes before the contractor is due to arrive, they told me they ordered the wrong windows! I am livid. We spent all weekend preparing our house and juggling two infants to accomadate the install. TO make it worse, they acted as though I was being a B***H and the manager stopped short of calling me that on the phone when I spoke with him to complain. Well, I called corporate and gave them an earful. They better give me free installion or we are cancelling our order. LOWES SUCKS!!!
I work for Lowes, and your right, it does suck. Employees are there to work for hourly wages mostve the time, and they don’t really care about the customers. Wanna know why? Cause we get very little incentive to treat customers well. Lowes is a penny pinching store, so commission is given only in a few departments, and its a punitive amount. To an employee, its not worth dealing w an aggrivating customer. For example, if a customer needs help in Appliances when no appliance salesfolk are there (which has commission w sales) and I work in Tool World, I’ve got no incentive to come help that customer, because if I make a sale in that department I don’t work in, then I get no commission. Lowes also looovves to understaff and screw over employee schedules to inflate their total profits. Pretty ridiculous, I know. Oh well. I guess tomorrow I’m goin back to work and do some more not caring for the customers. Unless of course Lowes gives me an incentive! Pffft, yeah right.
I agree. I also work for Lowe’s. We get paid crap do deal with more bs than the managers do. I work customer service and I try to do my job as well as I can, and I can say I have had customers give me nothing but praise. Little do the customers know the sh*t I have to deal with. Understaffing! Stupid employees not answering their mobile phones (which are given to them for the reason of being more efficient).
At the customer service desk, not only do i have to answer the phones with no help, which do not stop ringing by myself, most of the time I am the only cash register open.
Everytime someone calls, I have to slow down, if not stop what I am doing (checking out customers orders) but have a customer on the phone who Must! Tell me their lifes problems before saying they need a department/product. All while I have to keep a smile on my face and not piss off the customer in line.
The floor associates have a lot of crap to deal with too, special orders must be done 100% correctly, or they have to fix it which is a Huge! Hassle. Calling and faxing the company. Refunding and rebilling the correct order, which causes the customers card to have a second charge and refund on it. A lot of that is the stupid customer changing their mind too many times and the store having to deawl with any product that comes in and can’t be returned because its custome made. The store then looses money because it doesn’t get sold at full cost.
The floor associates also have to deal with 5,000 calls a day, while helping customers find something, understaffing causes them to jump into departments they aren’t completely in knowledge of (because lowes doesn’t know how to properly train everyone) and doing special orders which take many minutes if not an hour or two, and customers problems that need fixing/solved.
Yes, the employees are most to blame, they just don’t care anymore. Getting paid single digit wages to put up with idiotic customers is hell!
In response to the people who didn’t get their stuff correctly. Complain to a manager at once! That’s what they are there for! Don’t wait around for things to fall into place, it’ll just stay f’d up.
The employee that did the counter tops should have had the detail done first then wrote up an estimate. Period. No it would never have costed $100+ to have it delivered, if u are having something installed, you have the option of taking the product with you or having the installer deal with it. You should never have been told that you must take it. That’s BS. And kinda your fault for letting it happen, talk to a manager. Yes the manager will bitch about it later, but guess what, that’s what they get paid $50,000 a year salary plus bonuses (nice fat bonuses) when the hourly employees do good.
Yes, the managers get hundreds and thousand dollar bonuses when we get to do all the manual labor.
Door swings both ways. If u have a problem with the Lowes eemployees and the way they are doing something. Get a f*ckin manager!!! Don’t sit around and complain like a baby!
That is why Lowes, Menards, Home Depot, etc are called ‘Self-Service’ or ‘Do-It-Yourself’ stores. If you were looking for someone to install countertop for you, hire a professional. Anyone who goes to Lowes, Home Depot, Menards, et all to hire someone to do home improvement work for them deserve whatever happens to them.
I hate lowes but for a completely different reason. I work at a pump sprayer factory that has a large contract with lowes. We had a long weekend scheduled for the 4th of july weekend. At the last minute lowes calls in and says they need some 30,000( a very large order that would normally take weeks to complete) spectracide brand sprayers by monday. Since my company kisses any big box stores ass in order to keep their business, My plans and campsite deposit are now shot to hell, and ill be working all weekend plus lots of mandatory overtime, As if I wasn’t already void of a life.
There’s a spiffy new Lowe’s in Columbia, Maryland. Unfortunately, it has the same old problems as the other Lowes and Home Depots: poor customer service. I needed a simple humidifier filter. After valiantly looking on my own, I started my search for an employee. Five minutes later, I found one, only to wait another five minutes before she finished with her current customer.
I asked where I could find the filter, and instead of showing me, she gave me directions to where I could find them. I followed the directions but the filters were not there.
At this point, I was near electrical, so I decided to find a part for outdoor lighting that I needed. I couldn’t find the part, and I could also not find an employee. So I pressed one of those buttons that summons employees. Five minutes later, even with the repeated store-wide calls that help was needed in electrical, no one came.
So I began again to search for an employee. I found one, waited for him to finish with his customer, and then he was able to point me in the right direction. After I got the lighting part, I turned my attention back to the humidifier filter. I asked a second employee in plumbing, and he sent me back to the very aisle I looked before. Still nothing, not even a space designated for any humidifier filters. I walked back to plumbing and found the first employee. She said the filters should be over there. When I said they weren’t, did she walk over there with me? No, she said, “I don’t know what to tell you.”
I pressed the issue, and she went on the computer and saw that the store had 7 of the filters in stock. She told me to ask the guy at appliances because these filters were part of his department according to the computer. I then waited for the appliance guy, but he told me that the filters WEREN’T his department, and he sent me up front to customer service. I waited ten minutes for an employee to help the couple in front of me.
When it was my turn, customer service summoned me a manager. He walked me around the store to several places and he couldn’t find the in-stock filters either. He said maybe they were damaged in shipping and the computer information was inaccurate. When I reminded him that we couldn’t even find a SPACE for this item, he said, “Well, we probably don’t carry them anymore.” An hour of my life gone down the drain.
Mike:
hello, I am an employee for multiple years and know exactly where the humidifiers and their filters are—they are on the end cap in appliances on the top shelf. was it the A-10 or A-30??
Gloriana-
hello also, I AM an experienced kitchen designer and am sorry that the specialist that you dealt with on BOTH instances did not give you the information you needed at one time. In MY store–when a customer comes in and asks for an estimate I will sit with them and give them a “rough” estimate and explain it is JUST that–an estimate. In order to get a “Complete” pricing to include removal and plumbing hookups, I explain we would need to do a “detail” and the installer would assess the job and get me the “labor” pricing but before you walk out you KNOW the EXACT price of the material including TAX & DEL along with the merchandise. Again I am sorry that you did not have a very happy experience at your store but as said above earlier…some people don’t CARE about their jobs, and unfortunately those of us who do-have to PAY for it.
I work at Lowe’s and I am tired of all of you winey ass customers, who have nothing better to do than to sit down and type your little insignificant letters about how you were not babied and pampered. Lowe’s probably didn’t call you back because they didn’t WANT your business.
People, please understand RETAIL…RETAIL is RETAIL and it is what it is. We get and deseserve what we pay for. Compane Lowe’s to Depot and it is the same difference, they have us. We did it to ourselves, cheap is cheap. We are talking corporations, do you really think anyone care about your countertop. It comes down to the dollar the more you spend the more attention you get, and/or receive. We only have ourselves to blame, less is more and more or less we want to pay less. Wake up, this is what it is! You want to really know what is going on work in retail, deal with the customers who always seem to want something for nothing…
It is easy to make the mistake of assuming that all of the employees who work at any retail store are an expert or have years of experience in their respective department/business.
If they had more skills they probably wouldn’t be working in retail in the first place. Doing more of your own research about what you need for your project to be fulfilled would make everyone’s life a tiny bit easier, for customers and the employees.
The first mistake you made was not getting quotes from other sources, including smaller stores and independent contractors.
The second mistake was, even after receiving abysmal service every step of the way, you still purchased the item. Unbelievable. The service is bad because it’s tolerated.
Customer Service at Lowe’s: Here’s 40 cents, now call someone who cares.
I am a fired employee of Lowe’s. We tried our best at customer service. Unfortunately, we were often threatened, screamed at, told if we were not productive, we would be sent home. They instituted a code of ethics and use that CE to write people up for every little thing. I violated company policies I did not know existed. I asked to be removed from C/s time and time again and the answer was no. They had me doing the job of four people. I finally cracked under the strain and said something I ought not to. Bob’s your uncle – fired for willful misconduct. Can get no unemployment – they can give me a bad reference. I am destitute.
I much agree cynthia. I have repeatedly asked both Lowes store that I currently work for to take me out of customer service, but to no avail I am still in a position that I truely hate, but stay at because of the job market. I torture myself daily for a measily 9 dollars and change an hour. Worth the stress. I think not!
One more thing. I sliced my hnd open (at work, on the clock) not only was it about 3 inches long and an inch deep (with tissue pouring out) I had to sit in the office with a towel around my hand, for over 2 hours so HR could come in at the scheduled 8:30 shift (which he was late for) so paperwork could be filled out. Not only did I slice nerves in my hand, I was in extreme pain and bleeding everywhere. I was on the verge of passing out.
I finally get to the hospital, get 15 stitches in my left hand. Go back to workto give them the doctors paperwork, and the say, “okay clock out for your lunch and we’ll see you in an hour, u can work self check out when you get back”, I did it, regretably.
Nothing like this hs ever happend to me before. I look at the paperwork and it clearly says “return to work ‘followign date’” I went back to work and complained. They said, oh we are short some peole, so you will have to stay….
My friend/mentor who saw me upset (she also works at lowes, went to the HR ans was yelling at him, “do you want to have another lawsuit on your hands?” of course he acted dumb… “you have that poor girl standing in self check out with stitches in her hand, waiting on customers, while she is crying and in pain, you go out there and tell her to go home!”
This could have gotten her written up for speaking that way to a superior. But she didn’t. HR tells me I can go home at 1:30 when everyone else comes in. I still cry. I can’t take the pain. My mother then finds out. She calls the store yelling at the managers and HR. (She also works for the same Lowes store) needless to say, I still could have sued them, being a young adult and never being injured on the job, not knowing how to handle that situation, and being in extreme pain, that comapny should have known better. I shit on the Lowe’s name.
Oh, and lastly. Do you think one customer gave me a break for having a completely bandaged hand held above my shoulder. They would stand there and expect me to get everything out of their basket for them while I am injured. Stupid customers….they all should have known better!
I think everybody has good and bad employees at there job. As a manager at LOWE’S in Louisiana, I feel that people do good on the interview, but just need the job at the time. While they’re on the floor they don’t put in any effort in the customers. We catch on to that quick, but it takes a while to fire someone. It’s tough working for a big box like LOWE’S. We at the Shreveport, La Youree store are and better be customer focused. Come see us if your close by.
Went to a Lowes looking for a bird feeder. I think it was a Sunday. Parking lot was deserted. Very few employees to be found inside. Inside that infuriating automatic paging system was going off every few minutes. Couldn’t take it any more so I drove 5 mi to HD where the parking lot was packed and there must have been one employee per aisle, at least. What a dramatic difference! Explain that one! A few weeks later I went back to Lowes for carpet and appliances. They messed up the measurements on the carpet and on the separate appliance order they scheduled the wrong day. I give up on them.
Some tips on having a good experience shopping ANYWHERE but especially at a big box store:
1. Leave your bad attitude at home. No one is impressed that you have a bad temper.
2. If the parking lot is full, then the store is probably busy. If you don’t have time shop later.
BTW most stores don’t own the parking lots.
3. Show just a little respect to the store associate. If they ask “May I help you”? Then ANSWER them. Don’t make them ask you three or four times while they are trying to figure out whether you are rude or hard of hearing.
4. Have some idea of what you are looking for. Most associates are not mind readers. So if you ask for that “angled plastic thing” it may take awhile for them to realize you want corner protectors.
5. Don’t expect the associate to defend why a manufacture doesn’t make what you want, or why that store doesn’t carry it. No store can have everything Also associats can not empower you to violate warranties or installation instructions just because it is convenient for you. No it is not ok to nail down lamianate flooring. No you can not lay vinyl sheet goods over top of carpet. Most associates are not chemists so they can not explain to you why an adhesive that is good for one product should not be used on another, especially if the manfacture provides specific instructions.
6. Try to cultivate a relationship with the associate. You are in the store constantly. I you show a a LITTLE respect you will get a lot of information and goodwill from the associate. Calling the associate names and making nasty remarks guarantees you that the associate will not do anymore than what is required of them. Those associate can be a very valuable resource to you on all manner of projects and situations. But they can also forget where you can get a product or someone to do some project for you.
So read the above, try to apply these tips and I am willing to bet your shopping experience will improve. If it doesn’t see which one of these tips you did NOT employ.
The reason I hate Lowes, is what they did to my son. He was a mill work specialist. Custom doors and windows. He was one of their best preforming salesman they had. Every body liked him. In in fact one of the biggest contractors call the day after he was fired and told him to go to Menards and the would talk to the manager for him. Many contractors asked for him to handle their jobs. On July 1, 2009 he received his 10 years of loyal service award. On July 7, 2009 he was fired for entering a safety zone without a safety harness. He was going to do any climbing. When he stepped in for 15 to 45 seconds and steadied a door that was slipping off a hilo and stopped it from slipping into a goup of $400 to $800 doors, standing of a shelf. Stopping an accident and saving Lowes around $3500 in damaged. The LP man(loss prevention) saw him save the door and wrote and had him fired. I appealed his firing to Robert Niblock the CEO of Lowes and the next person that contacted me was his female corporate attorney. I eplained what had happened. She sent me a letter that she was reviewing his termination. 1 month and 1 week later she informed me that he admitted in his incident report that he did step into the safety zone, she could not recommend his re-employment, because Lowes took safety very seriously. She didn’t say nothing about stopping an accident, nothing about saving Lowes around $3000 in doors and she didn’t say anything about this being his first rule violation in 10 years Some of his fellow workers thnks the was fired because he was making to much money. The person that replaced is making a lot less money. He had 10 years and a violation free record. He was making $15 an hour and was averaging over $125 a week in commissions in Anderson Indiana. In the year of 2008, where the unemployment rate is over 15% and averaged of 1400 houses in foreclosure. In the letter from the corporate lawyers to my son, she wished him good luck in his endeavor to find a new job. Isn’t that nice. Since that safety violation rule is on his record, the state of Indiana won’t let him have any unemployment. So many Indiana companies are firing their employees on trumped rule violations, that it will be 4 months before he get a hearing on his protest. So you people in Indiana, if you are fired, go to the unemployment office as soon as you can and file a protest. Most companies will not fight your unemployment money and you will get back you money, from the day you filed. If you don’t file quickly you loose any chance of receiveing unemployment pay. If you would like to say something to these unfair and cheating people e-mail them “robert.a.niblock@lowes.com” and the corporate attorney the person who could have give his job back is “jennifer.k.swartz@lowes.com” I am quit sure they will know the person you will be talking about. THE GUY YOU FIRE IN ANDERSON LOWES STORE. Thank you for letting me vent. Robert Miller tweetie43@embarqmail.com