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Kohl's lines
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Dec 18, 2006
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I'd like to go on the record and state that I believe Kohl's has a terrible checkout line system. Before you get in a line to actually pay for your items, you have to wait in a queuing line, where a "helpful" associate usually directs you to the appropriate checkout line. Do they think I'm incapable of choosing a line myself? Am I so stupid that I need someone to tell me which line to go to? I have a feeling Kohl's paid some consultants a lot of money to run an expensive computer simulation, the results of which said that the queuing line system was the most efficient. While it may be the most efficient, there are at least 2 major problems with it: - The idiot factor. Idiots are among us, and they don't know why there's a big line before a bunch of smaller lines. So every few minutes, someone will walk toward the smaller lines, notice the bigger line, and ask incredulously, "Is this the checkout line?"
- Inferiority-ism. I pride myself on my ability to choose the shortest, fastest line. We as humans have a natural desire to excel in this area. Taking this ability aware from me is like declawing a cat or caging a wild animal. My natural instincts are taken away and my soul is crushed.
So, Kohl's, get rid of your stupid checkout line system. Even if it's more efficient, it feels slower and it hurts my feelings. #business
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Mom and pop
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Dec 18, 2006
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I've never been a fan of mom and pop stores. In my limited experience, they've always been small and run-down, with few to no options. So when big stores like Walmart or Home Depot come into town, I'm not at all disappointed. The big guys offer better quality products and a better selection at lower prices. Plus, they're usually clean and well-run.
My opinion changed a little yesterday. I was trying to install ceiling tiles in a room in my house by gluing them to the existing drywall. That's how they were installed before the major leaking/cracked pipe fiasco. But wood glue wasn't doing the job (how was I supposed to know?), so I went to the local hardware store instead of the 3-miles-and-30-minutes-farther Home Depot. I went in and talked to an employee who recommended a few different high-strength glues. Then another employee came over and recommended using staples, eliminating the need for glue altogether. All I needed to do was staple the lip of the tile, not the center (again, how was I supposed to know?). So instead of buying some chemically harsh adhesives and completing an unnecessarily messy job, I bought some staples and quickly finished [some of] an easy job.
It was such a pleasant experience walking into a little store and talking to someone who immediately knew the solution to my problem. Nobody tried to get me to buy anything more expensive. Nobody gave me a credit card offer. Nobody checked my bag as I walked out of the store. Nobody asked me if I wanted to buy insurance for my staples. It was a simple in-and-out operation, and that little stored gained themselves a repeat customer. #business
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