why do retail staff complain about "no staff"

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I complained to Maccas about one of their restaurants not clearing up properly and received an apology and a promise to improve. They actually did improve and next time we went things were fine. I would ring the manager and have a whinge, plenty of out of work youngsters would be glad of a job I am sure.

My daughter works in a largish retail store and is often on the shop floor completely alone while her supervisor/manager is upstairs in an office. Customers complain when there is no one on the shop floor as she is on the till. Trade is slow early in the day more staff arriving nearer to midday but even so in my opinion it’s not good practice or safe for one person to be alone in such a large store. Management say they are only allowed so many hours for staff to work per week so its money driving this of course, makes me mad.

What is it that you don’t understand here OP? People are expensive, so virtually no business employs enough staff nowadays. There is no “slack” in staff numbers, and people are sick or have other reasons to be absent much more often.

I was in our local M & S store some time before Christmas looking for a particular style of jeans. There were so many styles on display that it was difficult to determine 'what was actually what'.......close inspection of the individual labels was required which was quite tedious to say the least.
Not being able to find the style I wanted I looked around for a member of staff..........not a soul around apart from two females on tills who claimed they couldn't help because they couldn't leave their posts.
When I asked where the store supervisor was, they said they didn't know who that was.
M & S lost a sale that day!!

Staff are expensive. I went into a large branch of Zara. You checked yourself into the changing room by scanning the price ticket and checked yourself out. I only spoke to a member of staff because at the self - pay I couldn’t release the magnetic security on an £11 t-shirt.

There have been many discussions on tv about loss in business because shop lifting has gone out of control. If stores don’t employ enough staff to be on the shop floor who is to blame when their stock is depleted by shop lifters. I am sure the minimum wage is far less to pay out than the cost of the stolen goods being lost.

If there is a shortage of staff in general especially to help with customer enquires actually on the shop floor not at a customer service point three floors away. Potential customers will go elsewhere and who can blame them. I would sooner shop on line most of the time no worries about parking standing around waiting for help. There are less tills to go to apart from self pay tills that always seem to run into problems. It suits me and easy returns if there is a problem what’s not to like and much prefer.

Staff are expensive but supermarkets make huge profits and can easily afford to pay for them, especially young ones on lower wages. No excuses, just money making . If there is a problem with shoplifting pay staff to stop it at the door or check everyone’s receipt like KMart and Costco do here.

I dare say customers will vote with their feet. However I’m pleased to hear shop workers are getting better pay. The big boys make plenty of profit for shareholders.

I complained in M&S recently about the same thing. Nothing happened but I went online to complain formally. That led to a big shake up at my local M&S. Next time I was in the lady I'd complained to said that head office had visited and inspected and the manager was now actually on one of the tills!
I suppose if people don't make their feelings known to management nothing will ever improve.

My youngest son works for Sainsbury's and they cut staff all the time. The vast majority of their checkouts are now self service and there are less and less staff on the shop floor helping customers. Supermarkets were possibly the only ones who weathered Covid without any financial problems. People always have to eat but their solid financial position isn't reflected in pay for those near the bottom of the ladder.

I am annoyed by the fact that all over Xmas and now Lidl near us brings humungous trolleys stacked with goods to stack shelves that block an aisle and prevent shoppers from getting goods off the shelves behind the trolley. I banged my ankle trying to get round one of these monstrosities and said to the staff member that perhaps they should pay staff to do this task after hours, at which the staff member laughed and said that would mean paying more to whoever worked that shift so it just wasn’t going to happen.
We went to Sainsburys instead last time.

argymargy

What is it that you don’t understand here OP? People are expensive, so virtually no business employs enough staff nowadays. There is no “slack” in staff numbers, and people are sick or have other reasons to be absent much more often.

Could understand this if is a small independent concern, but the supermarkets we are talking about make massive profits, yet no matter how much more the customer has to pay the services we get are lamentable.
Some of those profits should be passed on to the customers by providing better service.
I know that isn’t the way it is but imho this means we should challenge the way it is, otherwise things will just get even worse.

I agree the massive stock filled trollies blocking aisles are a safety hazard and a nuisance for customers. Imagine trying to negotiate one in a wheelchair or pushing a pram.

What is your point?
Hospitality is notoriously short staffed these days, as are both the retail sector and social care.
Why? Lost staff who have gone back especially to East European countries - yes, Brexit - but also the cost of living in the UK is particularly hard on lower paid workers.
The hike in NI and energy costs has led to employers cutting back to remain competitive while cutting costs.
How many customers would Wetherspoons retain if they bumped their prices up or dispensed with the bottomless coffee?
Many people no longer want to work the low-pay anti-social hours they perceive part of the hospitality and retail sectors - evenings, weekends etc
So yes, if they say they are short staffed - they probably are.

Babs03

I am annoyed by the fact that all over Xmas and now Lidl near us brings humungous trolleys stacked with goods to stack shelves that block an aisle and prevent shoppers from getting goods off the shelves behind the trolley. I banged my ankle trying to get round one of these monstrosities and said to the staff member that perhaps they should pay staff to do this task after hours, at which the staff member laughed and said that would mean paying more to whoever worked that shift so it just wasn’t going to happen.
We went to Sainsburys instead last time.

How do you think Lidl and Aldi keep their prices low?
If you want personal service go to independent shops on the high street - but be prepared to pay for the privilege.

I bought coffee in a Muffin Break yesterday - it was busy and the 3 assistants run off their feet. There was a run of 7 tables facing the counter - all, bar 2 occupied, so I took one, moving the dirty crockery into my tray for collection. Gradually, custom eased off and I moved the dirty stuff from my table onto the next door table, which had been vacated. I then noted that all the other tables were piled high with dirty crockery, but one assistant then disappeared (break or home time) and all those tables remained piled high, at least until after I’d left.

Maybe the cold weather has brought more folk out to browse around shopping centres?

Isn’t it obvious why retail staff ‘complain about no staff’? It’s because there’s a shortage of staff for all the reasons stated above. I’m another who doesn’t understand the OP’s point.

The best staffed shop I know is Boundary Mills. It has only a few out-of-town stores so may not be known to everyone. (Colne, Newcastle, Grantham, Walsall) There are always staff around willing to help customers, especially in the Pavers shoe section. The queue for the checkouts is long but moves quickly are there are plenty of tills open. Also free, easy parking, individual fitting rooms, toilets, café- and plenty of bargains. No, I don’t have shares in the company, I just enjoy shopping there.

Aldi has more staff than any of our other supermarkets. They are polite and quick,too. It is cheap but also very good. They keep prices low because they have less stock but what they have is well chosen. A lot of the staff are uni students doing shifts, there is always a demand for jobs from them and they don’t mind the wage structure. Same applies to most fast food places.

Cabbie21

The best staffed shop I know is Boundary Mills. It has only a few out-of-town stores so may not be known to everyone. (Colne, Newcastle, Grantham, Walsall) There are always staff around willing to help customers, especially in the Pavers shoe section. The queue for the checkouts is long but moves quickly are there are plenty of tills open. Also free, easy parking, individual fitting rooms, toilets, café- and plenty of bargains. No, I don’t have shares in the company, I just enjoy shopping there.

I don’t miss the Ribble Valley weather, I do however miss Boundary Mill!

Their Colne flagship store is fabulous.

We did a huge trolley dash to kit out for holiday let, we had two trollies piled high, staff insisted we went to one of the restaurants for tea whilst they processed it, an hour later it was all beautifully and carefully packed and ready for us to take home.

The family that own the business are just lovely, they have an hotel in Yorkshire we used to frequent, Mr Bannister senior would always come over and chat, he would remember details of previous conversations, the atmosphere in there was always great.

I think they must treat their staff well!

nanna8

Aldi has more staff than any of our other supermarkets. They are polite and quick,too. It is cheap but also very good. They keep prices low because they have less stock but what they have is well chosen. A lot of the staff are uni students doing shifts, there is always a demand for jobs from them and they don’t mind the wage structure. Same applies to most fast food places.

Are you talking about Australia or do you have insider information on the UK?
Not every town has university students on hand!
The abolition of zero hours contracts will also hit many establishments who cannot afford to keep staff on during quiet spells.

nanna8

Staff are expensive but supermarkets make huge profits and can easily afford to pay for them, especially young ones on lower wages. No excuses, just money making . If there is a problem with shoplifting pay staff to stop it at the door or check everyone’s receipt like KMart and Costco do here.

I agree. Small shops may be on slim margins, but the big supermarkets certainly are not.

We waited 15 minutes for two coffees in a well-known coffee chain in a hospital yesterday.
They really did need more coffee machines and more staff.