Walmart is awful in just about every way. I don't blame folks/families who shop there because every penny counts but I will not do business with them when there are so many better options out there.
A set of headphones, a video game or whatever they might have taken, it will generally be small, is not worth the risk of getting into an altercation. Whatever it was, it's not worth getting stabbed, shot or having teeth knocked out and your nose broken.
Add up things like this across a full calendar year and they become very material to the bottom line of a store location. Word on the street gets to be that your store is an easy grab and I can promise you it will be felt.
Thats what they were stealing.
I sold electronics and appliances at Sears Century Plaza from '03 until we shutdown in '09. We caught folks shoplifting all the time. I'm pretty sure we had the reputation of an "easy grab." We caught quite a few, though. You'd be surprised at how compliant people become when they realize they're nailed. :biggrin2:
Yeah. It's a great way to rationalize not doing anything. "The money we could lose would be a lot more than what we're actually losing so let's just be safe and keep losing what we're actually losing. Heck, all we have to do is take it out of the location's bonus program to make up for it. Now, on to the next team building meeting!!!"
Not doing anything?
You do the best you can with the options in front of you. What's your suggestion? Physically restrain every shoplifter? :rolleye2:
My suggestion is don't punish an employee for trying to keep someone from stealing. Sure, have a policy but good lord don't leave someone out to dry when they are trying to help the company. Yet turn around and expect them to be "loyal" and go "above and beyond" for the company. It sends a very conflicting message.
Yes, one can project onto Walmart all the ills of the world, but a breach of company policy will get you "disciplined", and maybe even fired, at most major companies. As was noted earlier, liability is a primary concern, especially given the litigious society that we have these days.
Yep. This is the best advice one could give in this day and age of being an employee. Don't walk out on a limb for the company because they dang sure won't be anyone walking out there with you and they have no problem cutting that limb with you own it. Do your job, your job only and go home. Nothing more, nothing less.
Discipline him, sure. DM or Store Manager: "While I appreciate what you did and understand where you were coming that was against company policy and not something we condone. You will have retake the LP certification and will not be eligible for a raise or bonus for 6 months."
And they shouldn't give a damn about the store or the merchandise. Not to the point of putting their life or livelihood in danger. They should do a good job at what they are required to do. That is noble. They should care about the customer to the point possible. That is also noble. There is nothing noble about getting killed, maimed, or fired trying to protect a company that doesn't want you to do that. I'll bet this fellow is a great guy, but this was not a smart move. I've seen too many get caught up in the "cowboy" "fun" of catching people like this. Makes 'em feel good. Not smart, though. Hopefully people will get the message that the Walmarts of the world don't want that kind of help and they will be the ones to end up getting hurt or screwed. I feel bad for the guy. I really do. He thought he was doing the right thing.
This depresses me. Not the story itself so much, but the state of our society where this is the case.
But Wal Mart has excellent quantity of wine which will eventually improve the "selection".
