More Bunnings

[PlanePig]

Whenever I get asked by Bunnies staff " can I help you ? " I reply " I doubt it "!!
Planepig.

[Wongo]

Bunnings in Artamon employs mostly high school and uni students (especially at night time). Some of them is as young as 15. I like chatting to them because I like to see kids working hard. But that is as far as it goes. I don’t expect them do know too much about hardware.

If I need advice I would come here.

[Wood Borer]

Like most things in life I judge people and companies by their actions and not by their words or advertising.

My understanding of Bunnings is their target market is mainly for weekender and less occasional DIY people. Their product line, the skills of their staff and their advertising reflect my understanding. They offer hardware to the trades but this equipment is sold on price and quantity.

For me to go to their tool section and try to discuss the pros and cons of a low angle plane vs a York pitch plane would be pointless and ridiculous. It might make me feel good bragging to my mates that the "idiot in Bunnings hadn't even heard of .... and they don't stock them" but I got over that phase half way through high school.

I occasionally shop at Bunnings but I don't go there expecting high level advice, speciality tools or hardware.

The staff there are an easy target because many are keen but generally not experienced and sometimes their advice can be a bit shaky. If you evaluate them based on what I think is their target market, I think they are OK.

Like Wongo indicated, for advice there are horses for courses.

- Wood Borer

[gatiep]

Good one borer.


I just wonder what will happen to the complaining members if Bunnies only have cashiers in their stores. You go to Bunnies get your requirements and expect to pay as little as possible. Bunnies do the same, they attract employees and expect to pay as little as possible. That is a loose loose situation all round.

Next time you go there, forget about your gripe with Bunnies but see the person that works there as just that.......a person that works at Bunnings, who is as individual as all of us. Strike up a convo with them and you'll find that as people they are great. Say hello to the doorperson, I bet you they don't want to be there but it is a way of earning a crust. After all, that is the reason why most people work. Be nice to the staff and you will find that they will go out of their way to help you.

It is easy to brand people, especially if you don't like the pricing of their employer, but remember that they can do less to change that than you can. You can withhold your money by spending it elsewhere and you have a choice to spend it elsewhere. I bet most those people are not there because they love their job, but because it pays them , that may be pittance, but to them it is an income they need

Next time before running them down, just take a moment to reflect on your own life...................are you perfect?

Have a nice hasslefree day!

[Eastie]

I'm really struggling to read some of the posts on bunnings staff lately.Would you treat your wife/son/daughter/... with contempt if they worked on the door, in the timber section, on the trade desk, in the tool department... at Bunnings?

Borer and Gatiep - thankyou

[Sturdee]

Well said Joe.

Sometimes I am critical of the company and its policies but never of the staff that work in Bunnings.

They always are helpful and pleasant. They may not have enough product knowledge but I found that they are always willing to get a more experienced person to help if needed.

We must not forget that it is not a hardware store but a supermarket that sells hardware items, tools, electrical goods, household goods, paint store, plant nursery, timberyard and has even a cafe and play area for kids. Some things they do well others not as well for experienced woodworkers. But for the market they aim at they do it very well.

Now for timber I go to a timberyard where the timber is stacked properly, for general hardware items I go to a specialty store, for finishing items I go to a shop that specialises in them and for some tools it is Bunnings ( who could resist the GMC $ 39 router) but others I buy at Carbatec or Helrless Machinery.

By all means criticise Bunnings on its policies but not the staff unless they do something wrong and then make your criticism know to the management.


Peter.

[silentC]

It puts me in mind of a situation that I found myself in a couple of years ago.

I was in a hurry to get home because I had to pick my kids up from day care. I got to the train station in time to catch a tran that would get me there in plenty of time. After waiting for awhile, it looked like it was running late. I started to get agitated. Next there's an announcement. The train is running 15 minutes late and for today only will not be stopping at my station. The next one is 20 minutes after that.

I went around to the station master's office.
"Is the next train stopping at Riverwood?"
"No, we just made an announcement that it is not".
"Why the @#$% not?"
"Don't you swear at me!"
"You people are a disgrace, why don't you get your together. How am I going to pick my kids up now? rant rant"

I walk away swearing under my breath. I wait for the next train, I'm late but I get there. Along the way I'm starting to feel pretty bad. I really shouldn't have spoken to that guy like that. It's not his fault. He probably gets yelled at all day long and is powerless to do anything about the problem. What a rotten job. So I'm feeling pretty low by the time I get home.

The next morning, I saw him at the turnstiles so I went up and apologised to him. I told him I was a bit stressed out because I was running late and that I knew it wasn't his fault. He was very appreciative and from then on was always friendly when I saw him. He even let me through the gate one morning without a ticket, which I hadn't bought because I was late getting to the platform.

I don't know what the moral is but I guess we're all just trying to get along and do what we have to do. Being rude to people because of the job they do is probably not helpful to anyone.

[bitingmidge]

Eastie,

I tried to give you a greenie but have to do some spreadin' first!

It is a more than interesting point you make, whenever we take the you-know-what out of anyone or anything. Whether it's spelling, people who work in Bunnings, or people of a particular race, from a particular country (my particular specialty ) or dare I say it, STATE OF ORIGIN! (to say nothing of architects!), there will be someone who gets hurt by the comments.

I can't speak for everyone, but I don't intend to stop the remorseless bagging of anyone or thing that bobs up, on the other hand I NEVER intend to cause offence!! (How does that work?) Inevitably I will give someone the complete and utter ab-dabs, and my current apology for that doesn't expire till January from memory.

I think as long as the likes of you pop up every now and then to make sure things don't get out of hand, we are OK.

Like every good game, if we play the team and not the man, we should be on safe ground......with the caveat, that the team has in all probability more bucks than we do, so an out and out defamatory blast would not be a good idea even if it was justifiable. (No, it is IMPOSSIBLE to justify defamation!)

In the Bunnies sense, every one of the staff has a family, a credit card bill and the need to eat, they are (mostly) human beings...a really constructive way of fixing poor service is to write a detailed complaint to the store management. Even better, write a LETTER complimenting them when good service has been provided :eek: .

We employ a team of young people in a retail business, and it is amazing what sort of positive impact publishing that sort of unsolicited complimentary letter has on the team, and on the service they provide.

As employers it is amazing the impact they have on us, just knowing one of our team has stood out so much that someone has gone home and taken the time to write about their experience and then spend 50c on a stamp to tell us!

We actually do have the power to change peoples attitudes!

Peace and Love Man!!!!

Cheers,

The Maharishi
(Oh bloody hell, who have I offended now?)

[silentC]

Being rude to people because of the job they do is probably not helpful to anyone

I'd like to add a caveat to that remark. It is perfectly acceptable to be rude to the following people because of the job they do:

Lawyers
Parking Inspectors
Officers of the Highway Patrol
Architects

[bitingmidge]

On the other hand, being rude to IT people is also perfectly acceptable...they don't get it anyway!!!


Given that by my rough calculation, 85% of the members of this board are involved in the IT industry.......oh, sorry I have to go now...I hear my Mum calling................

[silentC]

Just remember that without IT people, there'd be no BitingMidge with 'much to be proud of' (I wondered what came after 'splendid one to behold') reigning over his virtual domain, there'd just be plain old P sitting around in his shed in Mountain Creek wondering if anyone else liked making sawdust as much as he does

[jackiew]

it is amazing what sort of positive impact publishing that sort of unsolicited complimentary letter has on the team, and on the service they provide.

I do write complimentary letters ( although probably not as many as I do "constructive criticism" letters ).

I sometimes tell complete strangers they look good in something that they are wearing if I think they do or that I really like the colour scheme they've chosen for the front of their house or the plants in their front garden. Some people freak out of course but mostly they seem pleasantly surprised and walk off with a spring in their step.

We all like to know we've done something right ... and mostly we just get told when we've done things wrong.

If you're sat behind a cash register and forced to wear a hideous uniform all day and ask complete strangers how they are then having someone notice you as a person ( I like those earrings, where did you get your nails done .... ) makes life much more pleasant.

I sometimes see how many people I can get to smile at me on my way to work .... try it, its fun.

[silentC]

I sometimes see how many people I can get to smile at me on my way to work .... try it, its fun

My smile looks like a grimmace, so most people think I'm in pain and offer assistance. It's a great way to meet people.

[Driver]

I sometimes see how many people I can get to smile at me on my way to work .... try it, its fun.

If you're sitting on a bus or train and you don't want anyone to sit next to you, try smiling and nodding emphatically at each new passenger as they walk towards you. They'll avoid you like the plague!

[bitingmidge]

Just remember that without IT people, there'd be no BitingMidge

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Are Macs made by IT people???

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: