Unbelievable Co-op

[Sprinter]

I couldn't buy my paper last night. Previously i have not been allowed to purchase prepayment electricity. Enough is enough, first salvo fired.........

 

Dear Sir/ Madam

 

For the second time i have been unable to purchase goods/services from the coop on the high street in ******** (near the *********). This is, if i am not mistaken designed to be a convenience store is it not? According to the sign on the door it is open for business until 9 pm.

On the first occasion some months ago in the early evening approx 7:30pm i was told i couldn't purchase electricity for my pre-payment meter because the machine had been closed down for the night.

Last night i went in at 7:30pm to purchase an ET and a Harborough Mail, apparently i could have the Harborough Mail but not an Evening Telegraph "because they had been counted for return". The irony of this is of course the inability to buy an Evening Telegraph in the Evening.

I dont understand this because in the past i have purchased the previous days ET early in the morning from the coop supermarket in ******* where they have simply adjusted their return figures?

My conculsion therfore is that the job of the staff in the high street branch is to make your convenience store as inconvenient as possible! You would think with the prospect of a new Tesco opening they would be falling over themselves to be helpful?

 

As such it will be a dark day in hell before i sally forth into that branch again expectantly clutching my cash eager for a purchase.

 

With incredularity, ****

[poontang]

Yes I'm afraid the co-op do are the simpletons of the supermarket world.

[Chris Bb]

My conculsion therfore is that the job of the staff in the high street branch is to make your convenience store as inconvenient as possible!

No, they're making it as convenient as possible.

 

 

For themselves!

[Sprinter]

Second salvo fired to Editor and Circulation Manager of the paper......

 

Dear Sir,

 

I must apologise (tongue in cheek) for your local circulation of the Kettering Evening Telegraph being down last night by 1. I appreciate this won't make a great deal for difference in the overall scheme of things hence the tongue in cheek bit.

 

Picture the scene if you will, it is early evening just past dusk. In fact the church clock is just striking the half hour after 7pm. At this point i venture forth happily into the Co-op on ****** high street to purchase said copy of your Evening Telegraph. My luck is in, there they sit stacked neatly on a trolley near the counter. I pick up a Harborough mail and ask for an ET to be told i can't have one. "Beg Pardon". No apparently i can't have one because they have been 'counted'. I ask again just in case the staff are having a giraffe but no they have been counted for return and entered on the 'computer' and that is that. I admit i ask the obvious question re whether or not it is evening and again why i can't have my paper because it is called The Evening Telegraph but alas the staff are unmoved by the irony of the situation. At this point i have to admit defeat drop the Harborough Mail back on the rack ,turn on my heel and head for the door muttering incredulously under my breath.........

 

Best regards,

********

[CZ550Kevlar]

I think the bigger question here is why do you want to read the Kettering Evening Telegraph, you can read it online on the internet.

But seriously you tend to find a huge difference in co-op shops, the shepherdswell Co-op are an amazing bunch, very friendly always helpful, The co-op at River just don`t really care and are a sad looking bunch there are a couple of helpfull ones but i hate going in there, i`m sure the smaller village serving ones seems to be friendlier, the bigger ones in my experience don`t have the local community at heart.

[Sprinter]

I think the bigger question here is why do you want to read the Kettering Evening Telegraph, you can read it online on the internet.

 

 

Just a convenience thing, i pick a copy up as i head for a pint in the evening. Sadly the local hostelry hasn't yet moved with the times and whilst the beer is palatable the wifi revolution hasn't yet arrived.

 

Come to tink of it another use for the paper version is that in times of desperation you can use it to mop up spilt beer, this is a little more tricky to accomplish if you are reading the paper on your smartphone.

Edited October 1, 2010 by Sprinter

[Essex Keeper]

on the news last night a boy in a co-op shop got told to take his hood of or leave

 

 

 

 

he was 4 years old with ear ache

[Supersonic]

If that is all you have to worry about mate then you are a very lucky guy.

 

Nige

[crosshair]

I remember a few years ago the Coop Bank refusing to open a bank account for a Ferret Rescue Soc.

They were of the opinion that ferrets were involved in blood sports, I've never shopped there since.

[pegasus bridge]

the co-op is the 'local' shop in the village - i hate the place - primarily because i have never actually visited the place and NOT had to wait in an unneccesary que, the staff seem to work very slowly, and will only ask other staff members to open additional tills once at least 15 customers have been waiting whilst the disinterested shop assitant works as slowly as he can. i now drive an extra 5 miles to use a small sainsburys store, and despite having lots of foot traffic the seem to plough thorough it quickly.

[snozzer]

I actively avoid the coop wherever I possibly can simple because they support he liebour party. On the odd occasion I have no choice but to grace them with my business, I hold my nose, head my head in shame and hope no decent self resepecting subject of our once Great Nation see's me...

[Piebob]

I remember a few years ago the Coop Bank refusing to open a bank account for a Ferret Rescue Soc.

They were of the opinion that ferrets were involved in blood sports, I've never shopped there since.

 

My understanding, but I can't remember how it came about, is that Co-op are a very anti organisation.

[crosshair]

My understanding, but I can't remember how it came about, is that Co-op are a very anti organisation.

 

 

I cannot remember how it came about either, it certainly made headlines at the time.

Perhaps there are members on here that will recollect the incident.

[death from below]

The one in Billericay is great - they seem to constantly over-order food so I often go in at night time just before they close and they have loads of food on it's sell buy date that has to be sold for next to nothing - I know that sounds a bit tight but I regularly pick up huge bargains - I'd suggest it to anyone who has a co-op as they all seem to do it - I got twelve petit-felou yogurts for the kids last night for 20 pence - they're sitting eating some right now.

[Blackpowder]

It is the only supermarket in our small town, understaffed usually but it is handy to have. What is unbelievable is that 3 weeks ago they were putting up displays of Christmas sweets etc, since then its growed and growed.

 

Blackpowder

[Sprinter]

Well it's a start, i'll have to consider a suitable response after i've had a beer or two tonight......

 

Dear ***

 

Thank you for your email, I appreciate your patience in awaiting a response.

 

I was very sorry to learn of the difficulties you encountered when attempting to purchase a newspaper from the High Street store in *****. I fully understand how frustrating it is to try and make a purchase only to find that one of our colleagues is not minded to place the needs of the customer as their personal priority. I am genuinely sorry for the poor impression and I would like to apologise on behalf of Midlands Co-operative Society.

 

My colleague *****, who is the Operations Manager for the ***** High Street store, will discuss with the store team how this incident could have been approached differently to achieve a much more positive outcome. This will ensure that future incidents are dealt with more efficiently and with the customer’s needs being viewed as the main priority.

 

If it meets with your approval I would like to organise a goodwill voucher in recognition of the poor impression that was created during your recent visit to the store. Please could I ask you to advise me of your address and it will give me pleasure to organise this for you.

 

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Customer service person