WALDBAUM'S OF DEER PARK

1960 Deer Park Avenue & Brennan Place

Tuesday June 09 2009

On a recent visit to Waldbaum's of Deer Park we had a problem.

Firstly, a simple request to the deli clerk to slice a cold cut product "thinly" brought forth a sarcastic and totally arrogant reply.

Secondly, a item was priced incorrectly and after checkout a trip to the Customer Service counter was necessary.

HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED!

After cruising the aisles with a shopping cart and selecting items to purchase the next stop for us was the cashier's line. So, there we were, on line with several shoppers ahead of us. When we finally reached the conveyor belt and placed our items to be scanned by the cashier, one of the items was not priced correctly, but we were charged for it,  and after leaving the cashier's line we headed to the Customer Service counter for an adjustment.

At the Customer Service counter, in front of us, was a woman who apparently was conducting some business with the Customer Service person. We noticed that she had a shopping cart which had approximately a dozen or so items in it. The clerk provided whatever service she was there for. Now she was finished with Customer Service.  So, I guess she figured that as long as she was there she might as well have her items rung up instead of heading to a cashier's line where there were quite a few people already on line. What did the Customer Service person say? She said, "I'll be happy to ring you up!" Of course, luck would have it that there were several items which the customer disputed the price of. We waited there at Customer Service for 17 minutes while this went on! It should not have happened at all! The Customer Service person should have directed this customer to the checkout lanes which is where we waited our turn to be checked out!

So when we got home we went online and reported this to Waldbaum's which is, incidentally owned by A & P stores.

Today we get a call from "the manager" of  Waldbaum's in Deer Park.  He said that he was "so sorry!" He also said, "Personally I think that the deli guy is not all there!" I believe that he meant that the deli service clerk has some emotional problems. It's good that a person with emotional problems is placed in a position of dealing with customers! Then he said goodbye and hung up the phone. Gee, I felt like I actually annoyed him! Perhaps this is "THE NEW WALDBAUM'S ATTITUDE!" If it is we won't be going there anymore!

Did the store manager, while on the telephone, offer any consolation for our inconvenience? NOTHING! Just a half-baked apology.

So here's the moral of the story.

Don't expect any offering from Waldbaum's, "in an effort to make it right"  when they treat you as an apparent annoyance! They apparently couldn't care less about you. This is what they showed us on our visit. This is what the "store manager" showed us when calling in response to our complaint. In actuality they showed that they couldn't care less!

THERE ARE OTHER SUPERMARKETS THAT REALLY VALUE YOUR BUSINESS!

SHOP AT THEM INSTEAD OF WALDBAUM'S!

P.S. Today is June 24 2009 and we are notifying A&P about this situation. We'll let you know what their response is and it will be posted right here! Be sure to come back for the update!

June 29 2009- I received a telephone call today from a female representative of Waldbaum's promising a more thorough investigation into the matter detailed above. I was promised a resolution in achieving satisfactory closure to this incident. Come back for an update! It will be posted here!

July 8 2009- Well we were promised resolution by Waldbaum's but we're starting to think that it was just an empty promise! We have heard NOTHING from them yet as of this date!

July 14 2009- Here is the final chapter in the continuing saga of Waldbaum's.

Today we received a callback, after making several more calls and leaving messages in order to find out how the "problem resolution process" was going. The female "problem solver" with whom we spoke "apologized" for the delay explaining that it took time and then she went "on vacation for a week" and had only just gotten back.

She explained that the store personnel who were complained about had been "counseled" and that I need not worry about any further episodes such as what had had experienced which is why we made the original complaint.

I waited for her to finish explaining this and I let a few seconds go by waiting for an offer of resolution, you know, for the bad experience. Perhaps a card for a discount on the next shopping trip.....maybe a free cupcake....I got nothing! Absolutely NOTHING was offered! These people do not know how to resolve customer issues properly!

Good people of Suffolk County, it's like I told you previously. Waldbaum's attitude sucks big time! Customer's are seen only as dollar signs $$$$$$. Don't expect them to offer you something.....anything.....if and when you are treated  improperly and with disrespect by their employees. Who knows? Maybe that's the intended manner in which the employees are trained to perform by Waldbaum's management!

Anyway, it shows that Waldbaum's customer's mean nothing in particular to them no matter what they might say, such as, "We value your patronage!" They showed us that they don't "value" us at all! Take our recommendation....you're better off avoiding any dealings with Waldbaum's! Shop somewhere else!

However, should there exist the unlikely but slightest chance that it may somehow dawn on them how badly they have screwed up here, and that we do receive a "proper and more meaningful offer" of resolution in place of the rhetoric and lip service from them which we have already received, then in the interests of fairness, propriety, and what is just, we shall promptly post it right here for all to see! We hereby call upon Waldbaum's to "do the right thing." Otherwise, this page shall remain here interminably for all to see and be guided by! After all, we ARE fair-minded here at suffolkconsumer.com

Today is Wednesday January 27 2010. We have heard NOTHING from Waldbaum's up to this day and date.

This just proves what we thought all along. Waldbaum's management is composed of arrogant persons who care nothing about customer abuse at the hands of their "employees." It is our opinion that employees at Waldbaum's are taught to be anything but respectful to the very people who patronize their stores and thus help to pay their salaries! We no longer shop there and have not since the original date of this incident which was back in July of 2009.

If you want arrogance from store employees why not go to Waldbaum's!