Snails pace at the Co-op

[MaMaD1990]

Just interested to see if this is the same in other places. We have 3 local Co-ops and in every one, the service is so slow! I find it quite amusing and usually just use the self service so not bothered by it, but my partner and a few friends get driven up the wall with it. There is actually a well known joke between locals that you go in a youngster and come out an OAP it's so slow! Is the Co-op like this anywhere else, or is it just my sleepy little town? YANBU - yes its slow and drives me mad, YABU - no its not slow at all.

Ours are fine - a trip to one of our local co-ops (no self service tills) doesn’t take any longer than ASDA (self service only).
The tills in coop are occasionally unpersoned but as someone else said, staff are usually stacking shelves and they turn up pretty quickly. ASDA is much worse if you need help as the only two staff left are always off somewhere gossiping.

Yes, the Co-ops do seem to be rather slow, I think that this is why they probably decided to also offer funerals.

All our local Co-ops seemed to be the place were older retail staff go to see out their days before retirement. They are a place of refuge for those who aren't fast, or robust enough anymore for home bargains/b&m. Younger staff do sometimes start, but leave quickly.

You can spend a day going there and to our local independent hairdressers.

This is so true. I popped into ours the other day whilst my OH waited in the car. I took that long he said he was about to send a search party. I can't think what the shop assistant attributed the delay for, but when I told my OH he cried laughing!

I've just screamed laughing at the pp's description of not being able to get out of the shop.

We have one close by that I occasionally go into for rolls I'm for breakfast, maybe twice a month or so. The staff are so rude and continue the shelf filling task before coming to serve customers. They don't even acknowledge the wait. Thankfully it has self serve tills too so I just use them. I remember all the rage fro retail staff when self serve till came in be sue it was costing peoples jobs. I never choose a person over a self serve now because people are very often rude.

@Amdone123

This is so true. I popped into ours the other day whilst my OH waited in the car. I took that long he said he was about to send a search party. I can't think what the shop assistant attributed the delay for, but when I told my OH he cried laughing!

I've just screamed laughing at the pp's description of not being able to get out of the shop.

you’ve just screamed? REALLY?

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

Yes, the Co-ops do seem to be rather slow, I think that this is why they probably decided to also offer funerals.

yes the range is also a very slow experience. This is why self service tills are in my view such a good idea, those who just want to pay and piss off can do so quickly, those who'd rather wait and chat can queue for the person.

I've been spoiled by lidl/aldi style pack at speed challenge, whenever I go anywhere else I get bored!

Isn't that the point- it's not at hyper speed, rush rush rush?

There are 3 relatively close by. 1 normal coop, 2 part of the east anglia group. All painfully slow, one with staff so unbelievably rude, I’ll drive past it even for a pint of milk.

I think we got the gist Jewel!

Our Co-Op can be a bit slow, but the staff are lovely and it was a life saver during the first lockdown. It is expensive though,

As someone who works in a large coop(yes they do exist lol), you lot can sod off(well the ones moaning about it). We work are butts off. Live in a bit of a touristy area and half term was mad. We did what we could under the circumstances.

@Almostascot

The service at our local one isn’t particularly slow most of the time. But I did have one occasion were the till tried to charge me £100.04 for a box of eggs. And it took 3 poor staff members to try and fix the error as the queue backed up around the shop!!

Also during lockdown they introduced a one way system but unfortunately if you followed the arrows strictly you got caught in a never ending loop around the newspaper, sweet and household aisles!! And were unable to leave the shop!

I've just read your comment out to my partner and we are laughing our heads off - thank you for the laugh!

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

Yes, the Co-ops do seem to be rather slow, I think that this is why they probably decided to also offer funerals.

quite!

@CeeJay81

As someone who works in a large coop(yes they do exist lol), you lot can sod off(well the ones moaning about it). We work are butts off. Live in a bit of a touristy area and half term was mad. We did what we could under the circumstances.

I'm sorry if you're offended, retail staff have indeed done a sterling job over the pandemic - this really is just a lighthearted thread with no malice intended!

Our Co-ops are great, always speedy! It's the Tesco you need to watch out for, I usually use self service but every time I've gone to a proper till I've been stood waiting for ages while the cashier has a lengthy chat with the customer in front of me which carries on after the customer has been given their receipt and change

Aldi and Lidl - I always have to psych myself up ready for loaves of bread and tinned tomatoes to get lobbed at me whilst I desperately try to pack. I find it unnerving when they've spent 10 minutes throwing items at you and then say "have a nice day!".

I love pur co op. Its good quality food in the middle of pur village. The staff help the elderely across the road to the shrletered housing during quiet patches. There can be queues but the staff are wotking hard - they cant rush all day. there are self service tills for those wanting speed.

We have a small and a large co op nearby and they are both staffed by friendly and efficient staff. Can't say I am ever that impressed with the produce but the staff are lovely!

Ours is slow. It used to be a Sommerfields with the same staff and there were never any queues so I think it's the way the Co-op is managed. Everywhere I have lived / visited Co-ops are infuriatingly slow with long, snail-pace-moving queues.

Nope, our Co-Op is fine, but there's one cashier at Morrisons that I avoid like the plague. If she went any slower she'd be going backwards.

Yes, but I’ve worked oh the peak times so I avoid the worst is 6 - 7pm on a Friday. The staff are great but there’s one who has to comment on every item you’re purchasing.

No self-service tills here so you just queue it go to the corner shop.

I quite like not being hurried and hassled along and having my shopping thrown at me at warp speed to be honest. I always feel that I'm not quite good enough in the speed packing/belt loading stakes in some places!
I only do top up bits from the local co-op because it's quite expensive and I think the main problem is that they don't really have enough staff to do it all - serve customers, stack shelves - you always get one who barges to the front of the queue demanding to know why there's no tinned tomatoes or whatever left while the staff are all serving or trying to persuade the self service tills to actually work, and do the other things that need doing, especially during covid.
I have nothing but admiration for those who do this job day in and day out, especially during covid, I don't think I could have hacked it tbh!

I find it amusing when I see a huge line of people waiting to pay and the dear assistants are having a chat with Maud about her recent hip operation seemingly unaware of the 10 customers waiting. Bless her cottons.

10 who could use the self service tills whilst Maud has possibly the only human interaction she gets in a day.

I like our co-op for the small local feel it has. Tends to have more older people shopping than the big supermarkets. It maybe suits them to have a slower pace. Frankly, I think we could all do with a bit of slowing down.

The one in my village is great. Service quick and assistants really helpful. Their 2 hour delivery service is amazing too. Real life saver.