Home Depot review by a former employee

Home Depot restrooms dirty and filthy they barely clean it everytime I go in there I see a hurricane has passed through, few years ago they had one of the cleanest restrooms in town (i know this is a dumb point but still)
Finally the get the air conditioning fixed after 2 years heard the blowers or swamp coolers for the first time last week music to my ears
They claim they care about our military when they don't they care about the bottom line the little 10% crap yeah. There doing it because other businesses are doing it and Lowes
There own employees don't even get 10% but Lowes employees do.
They honor Lowes discount coupons
They are obsessed with Lowes they try to match or beat everything they do.
Hell they even talk crap about Lowes? WHY WHAT PURPOSE DOES IT SERVE TRYING TO HAVE PRIDE OR SOMETHING GIVE ME A BREAK. you got pride wear your home depot apron to Lowes.
So what am I saying about the future of Home Depot? It will go bankrupt? Hell no that company is way to big and profits off of big biz customers and contractors. What I am saying is they will no longer be the number one home improvement store sooner or later Lowes will be.
Favoritism is the key to the Home Depot. I work my but off, came when others were hurt, sick, or didn't want to come to work. Sure I didn't have the best customer service on some days but, you either have it or you don't (our store manager had none at least toward his employees).
Let me talk about another guy he's a plumber head of his department badgered the hell out of new employees esp. me I mean harassed me and even bothered me (when i was defending himself from ridicule) spread rumors about me. The plumber even had the nerves to mess with me in the line of work (helping the customer get a product number or whatever you call it)
Everyone knew about it too even the managers, What happened to this plumber he's still there because of his vast knowledge even though he is always cocky about it towards customers. And his brown nosing to corporate. There were others who messed with the cashier like that did they get in trouble no cause its the good ole boys club. I distance myself
And well the managers for the most part don't like to wear there apron even though its protocol and the managers love to delegate delegate delegate no hands on. The only hands on work you would see from any authority were the department heads and the supervisors. I'm sorry if I insulted any manager that does that I just have no respect for authoritarian managers who don't do anything. Your gonna be authoritarian you better get your hands dirty is my take on that.
you had a CSM or FES it doesn't matter same position, I presume that's what she was called who sat on her a** but all day in the office and didn't know what was going on at the floor.(I heard they got a new CSM so good for them)
You have a store manager that is hard to work with and is cold at best. I even heard of a story that this store manager was trying to get rid of the head electrician who's the best person you'll ever meet and is very knowledgeable. Seems like the only people the store manager liked were people who were brainwashed to think that Home Depot is an awesome company that cares for its employees.
Managers will send people home because there losing money ok they have a point. But there's more they have a sharing profit they get just like the employees but unlike the employees they get a bigger bonus
They hire associates like in garden who don't have a clue.
Home Depot preaches customer service yet they have none whatsoever DMV sometimes outmatches this Home Depot at Sierra Vista
Floors are always dirty no one ever cleans debree, crap in the isles (smaller ones) hell I had that cashier friend tell me he didn't see a display in the isle so he tripped and almost fell.
Garden center was despicable before looked like trash, it looks better now but still have alot of problems (garden center manager got promoted to ASM)

user1annon---right on----except if you lived in the midwest you would have the pleasure of seeing Mennard's kicking depot's butt daily; three times the number of cars in the lot, better prices, cleaner and more user friendly stores. Oh and by the way their restrooms are clean! And no I do not work for Menard's and do not root for the founders son Paul Menard(race driver) but just shop there.

I agree 100%,because everything you said mirrored what happened at my old store in Reno... ;)

Wow... Could have thought this was from the Ohio Valley.

Glad to know its not just my store...

johanna hill, the SM, got her job on a disability claim. She has no idea what shes doing, is horribly rude to the employees but preaches customer service. She is the DM's puppet. She only 'manages' when she gets an email from upstairs telling her what to do...

Misty Melton, ASM, has a few favorites she lets get away with murder <like bringing her coffee, cursing on the sales floor when open, hanging out with her in the phone center and back office for extended periods>..

Its cute when they are together, Misty follows Johanna around all day, they sit in the office together snaking and talking about everything but the store...

Damn I wish I could find a gig like that.

well this is store 443 in Sierra Vista

User1Anon wrote:

well this is store 443 in Sierra Vista

mike robbins's district, right?
ha! forget it

My store is the same way but we have a bunch of DH's that got promoted b/c they had sex with everybody. It's not how hard you work but who you have sex with. Everyone that is part of management had sex with someone in the company. There is something wrong with this picture. They don't care about your drive or love of the company. Why try? How could I respect any of them that slept there way to the top? I will not ever lower myself to get head that way. I haven't meet any part of management that didn't have sex with any hd employee. The whole situation is sad.

Alright you're complaining about a dirty store, while you're someone that works there. Who's fault is that? I pick up trash when I stride around the store. I even offered to clean the bathroom a few times after asking for the required utilities. Even if you're busy with other store related tasks, what do you think your coworkers are there for? That newly hired temp working in the lot would love to take a step inside the air conditioned store for once. If I see a fellow associate trip like that, I'd take it as my responsibility to make sure it won't happen again. We take care of our fellow aprons (At least at my store).

I remember when I first started working at the Home Depot. It was right at the beginning of summer and I wasn't used to the heat. I had a bloody nose one day. Just a mild one that dried up after 15 minutes. But for the rest of the day; I got called up by other associates, the FES, the MOD, the Head Cashier, and supervisors to check how I was doing. They came all the way to the garden area where I was help loading to give me a water bottle. By the end of the day I had about 8 water bottles in my apron.

People come into retail without knowing the rule of retail. The rule is that you're going to get plenty of "shit". Whether from the store or from customers. A customer may still be angry even if you tried your best to help them. Even if you do your best it may not be up to standard. Dirty floors, messy aisles, cluttered work area, etc.

If you're harassed. That's what the Aware Line is for. It's not just the store policy, its the law.

If a newly hired associate doesn't have a clue, then other associates in the department should help them and give tips. PK certificates gives the basics of everything you need to know. The majority of us aren't professionals.

Even the friendliest of people have to come and go at times. Retail is competitive business. A particular department might not being too well in terms of sale and that's why the head might be taking heat. I'm sure they may be a great person, whomever they may be. But the department's setback sets every else back in terms of available hours.

With the current economy, people are lining up just to take your job. If you have that kind of attitude towards the store, it will probably show in your work.

The one and only optimist wrote:

Alright you're complaining about a dirty store, while you're someone that works there. Who's fault is that?

the ones who make decisions regarding staffing

I even offered to clean the bathroom a few times after asking for the required utilities.

can you kiss a little more ass?

Even if you're busy with other store related tasks, what do you think your coworkers are there for?

listen, over-eager ASM, they're also too busy with store-related tasks. it's not our fault we don't have enough help as it is.

But for the rest of the day; I got called up by other associates, the FES, the MOD, the Head Cashier, and supervisors to check how I was doing.

they saw the over-achiever corporate sheep in you and wanted to make sure they didn't lose that.

But the department's setback sets every else back in terms of available hours.[QUOTE]
and you agree with that strategy? that's backwards thinking.. home depot has taught you well, homey. besides, it's not always the department supervisor's fault if the department is performing poorly. there are a ton of factors that come into play, and upper management certainly has a lot to do with it.

[QUOTE]people are lining up just to take your job.

and then quitting when they see the reality of it

optimist your a corporate sheep stone cold no doubt about that.
I worked my ass off for this company and they terminated me on easter sunday on something stupid as to they have no hours to give me????
Offer to clean the restrooms it ain't the cashiers job to do that so you must be a real brown noser

And if you had a brain you would know that each district is different

PS: I'm not unemployed I work for Lowes now sure its just freight team but I'm full time, and get a bit of a higher wage unlike Home Depots BS of Temp part time then you get Permanent full time....

Alright. I have no intentions of working in retail my entire life. It's not going to take me far, allow me to purchase that home, or ride in that brand new sports car. Home Depot has been my first and only job since high school and it's been a wonderful job. I've received wonderful reviews and was offered a full-time supervisor position a year after I graduated from high school. Which I humbly declined due to college.

I took working at the Home Depot as a chance to learn people skills, pick up home improvement tips, and build my work ethic. Even if there wasn't much guidance, I took it upon myself to achieve all I can. I'm not going to be a middle-aged adult still working in retail that thinks they're too high and mighty to clean toilets. Even with the fact that janitors make more money than people in retail on average.

How would I be a corporate sheep when I have no interest in working for corporate Home Depot? If I was biting my lips while doing something to get someones approval then yes, I would be ass kissing.If I can be an overachiever in a retail environment, one of the most "demanding and grueling" field of work, then I'm pretty sure I'm ready for anything.

Being yelled in the face by some random demented, angry customer and still be able to put on a smile to calm the customer. Check.
Handling too many tasks that one can handle at a time. Check.

Of course every district is different. But it's up to the associate to make the best out of it.

I'm not saying that your doing this but if your trying to put me in my place then your sadly mistaken.

I understand saying, let me be the lot attendant when there not there or hurt, or, learning about hardware. Why would you volunteer to clean the restroom is beyond me. It seems you were trying to get managements "approval" that or a good referral hey that might be it....

number 2, biting your lips just a part of the business world... you bite your lips until your in a position where you can make a change and challenge the status quo or whatever.(I got axed for this lesson learned)

number 3 what I meant by corporate sheep is it seems your trying to stick up for the company (thats how you sounded). The store being filthy is on the management not employees.

(side note: I almost got employed by a company that basically brainwashes its sales reps. the way your wrote your comment it seemed like you were defending the company)

number 4 this is from me, I recently graduated from college, and I'm in retail only because of the economy and the lack of jobs. Not middle aged just trying to find better jobs. in otherwords retail is not my first choice of growing but, if I have to go through retail I will.

number 5 retail isn't food period. What does that mean? Food service workers have a tougher job than retail. You wouldn't be ready for that.
And were you ever on freight crew?

Management plays a big part of the morale

The one and only optimist wrote:

How would I be a corporate sheep when I have no interest in working for corporate Home Depot?

dude, you already do. you are part of the corporation because you are the puppet in the corporate equation.

Being yelled in the face by some random demented, angry customer and still be able to put on a smile to calm the customer. Check.
Handling too many tasks that one can handle at a time. Check

No self respect because you've committed yourself to being HD's plaything, Check.
You are _exactly_ the kind of employee HD wants to staff their stores with. Your fellow employees are watching their backs around you, count on it.

You can do so much for an angry customer, this is no skill a little kid knows to be nice when his mommy is angry or vice versa. Same thing with a customer.

Kinda makes me upset, because retail business now is "kiss ass to the customer" unfortunately.

So the 3 things you can do to an angry customer

1.) they threaten to go to a competitor, tell them thats there choice and maybe even tell them where its located.
2.) Be rude to them back (Bad idea obviously a big no no)
3.) As I had a supervisor tell me, hear them out and just smile at them. If nothing else, it just pisses the customer off even more. Then just get throw them to management.
And of course number 4.) Smile while at the same time kiss there ass.

Quoted from job description of a Home Depot Sales Associate:

"They will also maintain the in-stock condition of assigned areas, and ensure that the areas are clean, shop-able, and safe."

*gasp*

Now why did the cashier fell and the garden center so messy again?

Must be the management! Or is it associates failing to do their duties? So what happens if a manager chews someone out for it? Oh right, that makes them a pain in the ass and highly disliked manager.

The one and only optimist wrote:

Now why did the cashier fell and the garden center so messy again?
Must be the management! Or is it associates failing to do their duties?

the sooner you understand the concept of "sh1t happens", the sooner you'll understand your questions

Boy you must be some retard or something.
Anywho, it has nothing to do with the restrooms?
And btw there's some sales associates that don't even have time to do that crap because there highly understaffed.

And what does that have to do with anything that we're talking about. I'll tell you why the cashier sweeps and cleans garden. And waters garden. its two words.... THERE BORED!!!!!!!!!! Give me break

And to answer your question fully YES it is managements fault for not directing an employee to fix garden, there suppose to be on the same page as well thats there job is to direct people?????

unethical wrote:

<quoted text>
the sooner you understand the concept of "sh1t happens", the sooner you'll understand your questions

Alright I don't know about your store, but at my store, we receive a bonus for every so month that goes on without anyone being injured.

Only it hurts when we bend over to get the reward sometimes and we have to hope we are not injured when getting our reward.