TESCO - lessons you NEED to learn from the NHS

Without going into graphic detail I found myself in A&E on Sunday afternoon, with a minor injury. Specifically, it was Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham. They were clearly busy; staff and patients were darting about. Yet each member of staff I encountered – from the security guards at the entrance, to the reception team, to the two nurses and doctor that helped me – went above and beyond their call of duty to ensure I was well taken care of... and all with a smile too! I left bandaged up, educated on my injury, given sound advice on what to expect over the coming days and above all, I felt CARED FOR; the same way in which my own mother would.

What’s sparked me to write this article is the appalling levels of customer service I’ve received in TESCO by comparison over recent months. I’m referring to a specific TESCO store within the Nottingham urban area that I always do my weekly shop in. I’m not going to publicly name and shame the store, but if anybody from TESCO Head Office is reading this, then contact me privately and I will gladly reveal all.

• This week, with my arm bandaged, I had to listen to a member of staff controlling the social-distance queue moaning that they had to work. I quote one of the lines, “I could have been at home today with my feet up, instead I’m stuck here”. I was at the front of a long line and wouldn’t have been the only customer to hear this.
• Last week, I stood patiently at a self-service till waiting for two staff members to finish gossiping before one of them could be bothered to help me with an item that wouldn’t scan (they were not busy - there were no other customers at the tills). No apology offered.
• Two weeks ago, a person in plain clothes barked at me demanding I step out of the 2-metre box at a main till. Granted, this was my mistake but the person said it very aggressively. This person then revealed to me they worked there but was in plain clothes because it wasn’t their shift. I couldn’t believe a TESCO staff member, even when not on shift, would have the audacity to speak to me in that way.
• I’ve been in store during very busy periods and have lost count the number of times I’ve been nudged out the way, or forced to move to adhere to the 2-metre rule by ‘picker & packers’ for online shoppers. Clearly, in their eyes, their accessibility to the shelves takes priority over in-store shoppers'.

This list could go on and on...

None of this is acceptable TESCO! I am a paying customer of yours and quite frankly I’ve been treated like dirt on many occasions. The NHS is ultimately a free service (yes, it’s funded by our taxes and NI contributions), but no money was exchanged during my visit on Sunday and I left feeling very well taken care of. They had my best interests at heart and I left feeling very positive.

The same cannot be said for my trips to TESCO. Despite the fact I spend a lot of money with them on a weekly basis, I often feel unwanted, unappreciated as a customer and leave having had a bad experience.  

So I take my hat of to you, the NHS. Specifically QMC in Nottingham and especially the two nurses in the Minor Injuries Unit that I’d gladly give a 5* review.

And shame on you TESCO! I’m a paying customer of yours and quite frankly I’d prefer to do my shopping elsewhere.

I recommend your staff are given the same training on customer service as what the NHS staff receive. Then, and only then, might I choose to shop with you again.