The Differences Between Harris Teeter and Food Lion
I was in the parking lot of Food Lion when I overheard an exchange between an irate customer and a manager.
Customer: I would think that you would try harder with your customers. When Harris Teeter opened over there (across Rte. 29), they really took a lot of your business.
Manager: (unintelligible)
Customer: Well, if I were you, I’d try to get them back.
She’s right, and yet, while the Food Lion is closer to home and cheaper, I would rather drive further and pay more than enter its automatic doors.
It’s obvious to any customer that Food Lion is missing the boat in dramatic fashion. Even though I may drive further to get to Harris Teeter, the trip takes me the same amount of time, since I know I’ll wait in a line with a snarly cashier behind people stocking up on Twinkies.
Here are just some of the differences between the two:
Customer Service: At HT, they actually know my name, everyone greets me and has a smile on his or her face. At FL, they ignore me and talk to one another. At HT, a guy chatted to me about the (unavailable) lard. At FL, there’s no one around to ask for anything.
Products: At FL, the produce section is small, there is no butcher, fresh fish or cut to order meat. At HT, the produce section is large and there is a great variety. The amount of food HT carries is actually astonishing and FL’s selection pales in comparison.
Store appearance: FL often appears dirty. So does the largely unkempt staff. At HT, everyone looks like they walked off the set of High School Musical and the floors gleam, especially the wood floors in the wine section. Did I mention that FL doesn’t even have a wine section?
I don’t even know why I’m bothering to write this. The differences are so obvious; so painful, that I’m not sure why I’ve even returned to Food Lion for a “quick trip” to pick up one item. It’s not worth it. Oh, and before you tell me that the Food Lion is “remodeling” to make the store better — I know — that won’t do the trick. Remodeled attitudes and selection are what they need in addition to new linoleum and a fresh coat of paint.
It’s pretty telling in this economy when we’re trying to save gas and money when I’d rather drive further and pay more for better service and selection. I know I’m not alone. Relationships with customers are what’s going to keep doors open.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Oh… thank you, thank you. I couldn’t agree more. FL seems to be the “first in to a location and we just don’t care” kind of store. It’s laughable to me that the store near us is remodeling; as nice as the new interior may or may not be, the customer service is what’s always been sorely lacking.
July 16th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I haven’t shopped at FL in years — precisely for the reasons you articulated.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
I shop at the FL by Monticello HS about once a week during the school year but I haven’t been in any of the FLs much this summer. With double coupons, the savings are better at HT and Kroger. Kroger can be pretty soul-killing, too, but I love that cheap gasoline.
Happened to shop at Foods of All Nations the other day. $28 for half a bag of groceries. Most of the produce looked tired at best.
July 16th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Every neighborhood in every city I’ve lived in has had a “ghetto” grocery store. A place you’ll buy Band-Aids at 2:00 A.M. but not much else. I’ve always felt their real purpose was the same as County Fairs and the Sally Jesse Raphael show. People watching and an instant sense of superiority.
July 17th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Precisely the thing that is helping my new practice grow in these uncertain economic times while my long time employer, the Evil Empire, is languishing. Many other practices in the area are stagnant or declining, but mine is growing. Treat people at least like human beings (even when some are marginal!) or family (when you’re not fighting with your brother) and you will go far. The Golden Rule applies to retailing, too.
July 18th, 2008 at 4:56 am
Oh, the comparisons could go on and on… I am so deathly sick of corporate greed, lack of customer service, lack of giving a crap about the customer, failure to follow through when employees make critical errors that screw your customers out of hundreds of dollars because they rang up the wrong service agreement, which is somehow the customers fault (DON”T SHOP AT CIRCUIT CITY), and so on. Say what you will about Disney, but every company should take lessons from them in custoemr relations and customer service. When we took our daughter there at age 4, NO ONE said it wasn’t their job, everyone seemed happy to be thjere and greeted with smiles and how could they helps, it was clean and well-kept, as were the employees, etc. i am tired og goint to drive-throughs, grocery stores, or any stores where I am spending hard-earned money and the cashier can’t be bothered to be pleasant, is surly or rude, or can only discuss how they can’t wait to be off with me. I am a nurse in cardiac ICU–how would you like to be my patient if I didn’t care whether I administered meds, never smiled at you, never answered your call light, didn’t care whether you were hurting, and told you I couldn’t wait til I didn’t have to take care of you. I don’t know Food Lion or Harris Teeter either one, but I know exactly what you are speaking of, and there seems to be basics I learned when I worked at McDonald’s as a teenager that are lacking everywhere. Now, I will get off the soapbox MJ inadvertently got me on.
July 18th, 2008 at 7:32 am
FL is the closest grocery store to me, too, although it’s the Mill Creek FL which I think is nicer than the others. They do have a wine section, and while there is no one around to help you find things, the cashiers are relatively polite. Still, I’d heard that the fabulous Wegmans had bought FL, and so I had high hopes for the big renovation, but now I see that it is merely cosmetic and that food quality and selection remain the same, which is a disappointment.
July 18th, 2008 at 8:12 am
You go to FL for the things you need and know EXACTLY where they are. It’s like W-M. You don’t go there for the customer service you go there for the low prices and convenient location. It’s a self-serve store. The only thing FL lacks is the self check out which would make the experience complete. That being said, I still hate the place, but I’ve adjusted because I’m cheap and I’m on a budget (that and my kids won’t drink milk from anywhere else, the punks).
For you northern albemarle folks, if you want to venture to more than one store, Target actually beats a lot of FL and HT prices on non-perishables like wine and beer (you know the necessities).
July 21st, 2008 at 8:24 pm
‘Xactly. The only thing you didn’t mention was how friggin’ cold it is in Food Lion! It may be 98 degrees outside, but I have to wear sweatpants and sweatshirt inside FL. But, then again, that makes me fit right in with the crowd! Oh, and have you ever noticed you have to dust off boxes and cans at FL? Like they’ve been sitting there for years! Yuck.