Giving Praise…
I received this email from reader, Lindsay, and wanted to share it with all of you:
I have been couponing for years, as I’m sure so many of your readers have, also. I have developed such good relationships with a lot of our local Walgreens and CVS employees and am so thankful for their helpful saving advice and the coupons they give me when I’m missing one (or 2 or 3!). This Christmas, I went on the Walgreens and CVS websites and left a comment of praise for EACH of those employees who help me on a weekly basis. I know we are all struggling and their bonuses and promotions depend on customer response… and let’s face it, most of the time, it’s not praise. I thought that maybe this year you could encourage everyone to leave at least one comment of praise for their most loved employee. My girls, Jessica and Nicole, do a lot for me and put up with my multiple transactions, messy coupons, and disorganized brain so much that it really was nothing for me to go to the Walgreens website, click ‘contact us’, click ‘comment’, and leave a praise.
I will definitely be doing this for all my favorite employees! What a great way to show appreciation for others AND get into the spirit of what the holidays are all about!
To make it easy for you, here are the contact links for Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid:
What a beautiful idea!!!
I appreciate this post. So often we focus on the complaints and the cashier and mangers who are not coupon friendly yet, so often we have wonderful cashiers who accept all the coupons with a smile. I am so grateful for the cashiers who were helpful and patient when I pull out my large stack of coupons. Thank you for this positive post! You rock!
I agree. I feel bad for some of the cashiers after hearing women complain on here. I often wonder if they don’t realize they have a sour attitude and it rubs off. A lot of these employees are new to their jobs or may be seasonal and vague language on coupons surely wont help them.
Thank you for writing this Lindsay.
Good idea!
Amen.
What awesome cashiers she has!!
Great idea I can think of at least one employee in each of those stores that I think is great. 🙂
That’s a great idea! I’ve done that in the past for the manager and asst manager at my local Rite Aid, because they have really been wonderful. After the first real conversation I had with the manager, he has always greeted me by name, recognizes my husband when he goes in, always takes a moment to chat with me, and they have both been so patient and helpful with my multiple transactions and stacks of coupons! 🙂
Thank You so much for the awesome idea!! Also for posting the links THANKS 🙂
thanks for the links, it made it that much easier! don’t forget target! 😉
WOOHOO! Thanks for reading my email Collin 🙂 I can only imagine how amazing it will be if Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid and whoemever else received an influx of praises for their employees this year… SO exciting!
The best thing I like about Walgreens is that they seem to always read the comments. I had an employee be very rude to me (before I started using coupons), and I sent a polite email saying I was disappointed in my service. I had a manager calling me the next day! So, these employees will be very happy to have had someone say such nice words about them 🙂
Great idea!!! I know that a few that I deal with are more than patient with me also. I have to get the names and then I will make sure I leave a nice comment for them!! I’m so happy that this reader passed this along, this just goes along with the season!!! It is all about giving, and I can give back in a way that will maybe help the cashiers, I’m all for it!!
I have such wonderful young cashiers at my favorite RA in CT that I usually hand them one or two of my freebies when I get them each week. They rock! But I love this idea too!
Nice!!!
That’s so awesome! I wish I could find a cashier that was nice and/or helpful like that. I’d gladly sing their praises!! lol! I always try to be happy and ask how their day is and even applogize for my large stack of coupons, but I never get back anything more than simple tolerance. How lucky you all are to have kind or even helpful cashiers! :o) Happy Holidays!
That’s exactly what I did on Thanksgiving day.
Done. Thanks for such a great idea. We often forget to praise, but we never forget to complain.
What a great idea!
Your right people are always ready to let everyone know about the bad stuff. It is best to look at the good. Thank you for a great letter.
Great idea! Joe at my Rite Aid puts up with so much from me! Sometimes two or three times a week!!
will do!
Thanks for this reminder. You’re so right that it is important to focus on ALL the good experiences and cashiers more than the negative ones, I’ll do this as well!
There’s a cashier at my local Rite-Aid who actually keeps a box of coupons behind the register. If you are buying something she has a coupon for (clipped herself!) she will dig through it and apply it towards your purchase. I swear she has a photographic memory! Going to write about her now – thanks for the reminder that we need to give “Atta boys” as much as “Oh craps!” 🙂
I have already done this twice this year (for to different stores) Definitely appreciate all the cashiers who are friendly!!!
One shopping experience I had some trouble with employees not knowing the coupon policy, but took the time to teach them about it and even leave my personal copy. I told them, right while I was checking out, that I was really appreciative and impressed by how courteous they were when other stores are nearly always not when couponers come in. I told them I would be contacting corporate on their behalf PRAISING their wonderful service. They all seemed really excited about this. I went home and did just that. I got a personal phone call that VERY AFTERNOON from the store’s manager saying she appreciated my compliment. So, if you think they don’t let their stores know of these praises or concerns you have your proof right there. They contacted this particular store within hours because I got the phone call the same day! I was so impressed and shocked! 🙂
I did the exact same thing for 2 cashiers (one at Walgreen and the other at CVS) …The cashier at Walgreens is soooo good. I really like her a lot. They are so patient with me. I love it when she says “Dont worry, we got it”…Thanks Cheryl … 🙂
I did this for an amazing Publix employee a few months ago, and I know he was told about the comments I wrote since the next time I went in there he made sure to tell me thank you, it really wasn’t about getting thanks from him to me it was about letting the company know what a great employe they have!
Working retail is so much fun! The idea of helping the customers find what they need and what they want especially at Christmas time. But people do forget what cashiers and retail management have to deal with! It warms the heart of those hard working people in retail to be praised! I worked retail for many years before I got remarried, my husband had 2 young children, so now I stay-at-home and take care of the kids and our house. Staying at home is more rewarding by far..but I must admit I miss the interaction with my regular shoppers who become great friends!!
I just sent a comment to Walgreens! What a great idea. When I first started using coupons there I had some awful experiences and now the cashier that checks me out every Sunday is SO helpful! Thanks for the suggestion.
Great idea! My walgreens ladies are awesome. We all have young children so we are always checking up on each others babies. I have more contact with them than some of my close freinds these days with my many trips in 🙂 I will for sure be leaving positive comments for them!
I just sent a praise report to Starbucks for Francoise, my favorite employee there – she always has a smile on her face and makes you feel like you are her only customer. Great idea…….
Thanks for the idea and the link…just left a comment for my favorite Walgreens employee in Sherwood, Oregon – Rosemary!
I actually did this a while back before I was even close with Steve my CVS guy, it was actually only the 2nd or 3rd time I had been in to coupon early last year and he was SO incredibly helpful. So i wrote a note to CVS, they then sent it along to the store and I went in a week later, and Steve walked up to me and personally thanked me. Again I had only been in there maybe 2 times before and he rememebered me. He is the best!!!
totally agree, send along the praise!
I do this all year long…it is a great idea and we all need to do more praising instead of complaining.
Anyone see where the CVS email is? I just see the phone & snail mail address. I have a cashier here in TX that is phenomenal! Not only is she great at what she does, she takes the time to really get to know her customers. It’s really refreshing to not feel rushed or like a burden when I come across great cashiers!
About a month ago I wrote to corporate Rite Aid about an amazing store I shop at! I believe that people need to get credit for what they do RIGHT. Back in the day when I worked at Mcdonalds, someone sent a letter to corporate about how nice I was and how they had never dealt with such a chipper employee, and I got a copy of it and it really did make my day!
I am now a stay-at-home mom, but used to be a Walgreens employee, I am very appreciative that someone is taking the time to remind us the importance of praising employees. It really does make a difference! I used to be a Senior Beauty Advisor and worked at several Walgreens in the Kansas City Area. I always tried to make sure my customers were #1, and that I saved them as much $ as possible. I took the time and clipped coupons and stored them under my register for my customers use. Anytime companys such as Revlon would send me coupons I always made sure to let my customers know that I had them and when the best time time to use them.
Also, just a reminder your Walgreens beauty advisors work on commision. They don’t get paid very high wages b/c of this. So any cosmetic, hair, bath and body, hosiery, etc. needs to be checked out at the cosmetic counter for them to get credit. I know it was very frustrating to me when I spent 15+ minutes with a customer picking out just the right color of lipstick or whatever she was looking for, just for her to go to pharmacy. Also usually anything on display on the counter they get commision off of too, and compete with other stores to see who can sell the most! So next time your in there help them out!! I personally always rewarded my customers for checking out with me in cosmetics by giving them free samples, or candy.
So get to know your local Walgreens Beauty Advisor, she could save you alot of $! Plus they are continually trained about the products in their dept. and are kept up-to-date on the newest and upcoming products.
Thanks!!!
P.S. Sorry so long! lol
Hi Jamie! I didn’t realize that my girls are working primarily off commission! I ALWAYS check out at the cosmetic counter but I will be hyper-vigilant from now on, too! Thanks!
wow. i didn’t know that! thanks for letting me know.
I am sure they would appreciate that! It’s been a little over 2 years since I’ve worked there. In order to get a decent paycheck I had to work very hard to get my customers to check out with me. So hopefully they’ve taken that into account these past few years and raised their wages so their not relying so heavily on commission.I understand when your coming in to get a prescription and you want to pick up lotion too you only want to make one transaction but when you do that your Beauty Advisor is losing $$. In these tough economical times not only should we be thinking about our finances but lets try to help others out too!!
FYI: When I worked there=Most everything in their section is between 1%-5%. Walgreens beauty items, (i.e. Walgreens hand sanitizer, lotion…) they get 10% commission on. Perfume and more expensive face lotions decent % too. And most def. purchase the gift sets(perfume, shave, make up set, etc.) with them, they pay a good % as well.
Also there is certain items in the photo dept. that your photo specialist gets commission on. The front register people get commission on the items displayed on their counter. It’s usually a different item every month. Just ask, and I am sure they’ll be more than happy to let you know.
Wow, I NEVER knew this and they’ve never told me. I’ve always paid for items at the front counter because I tend to grab something and hit the checkout closest to the exit. THANK YOU!
Thanks for the enlightment. This will give my shopping a Wags a new meaning.
fantastic idea!
I LOOOOOVE this idea! I’ve worked in retail since I was 15. Working my way up from “just an associate” to management and a lot of people do not realize how much we deal with on an everyday basis. It’s incredible the number of times people are so quick to complain esp when it is an “uncontrollable.” I’ve had clients ask me to go to the back and MAKE them something….ummmm….I am NOT a machine. I sell products, I don’t make them. A lot of clients do not realize that when they take surveys, management actually gets the results straight to their desk and so does district, regional, and corporate managers. I LOVE when I check results and someone has left such kind words. We post these for employees to see because it does make us feel that we have a purpose and we’re appreciated. Also it gives them drive to work harder to get another call out from a client! Thank you so much to all of the clients that do these things. Management for a lot of companies are ranked on your survey results, so remember..if you have an amazing experience, PLEASE let us know! Each and everytime you visit! The more positive responses, the higher our ranks…and more importantly the we know we’re doing a great job for YOU! 🙂 Thanks again!
thanks for this great reminder! I have also written to restaurant corp offices to pass on my “appreciation” to their great employees. It doesn’t have to be someone serving me but someone I’ve noticed that goes far beyond their normal duties.
What a great idea! I didn’t realize our comments would help them with promotions and bonuses. My Walgreens has GREAT cashiers! Great way to help those who help us all year.
I am also calling RA corp and thank them for changing the rules on the Gift of Savings. It is great that they listened to us and acted so quickly to make it right for us couponers.
awesome idea! I will definately be doing this!
I did this not too long ago for a young woman at my Walgreens. I don’t know for sure if she is a “beauty advisor” or not, but I do know she always asks to check me out at the cosmetic counter. I usually try to wave her off because I didn’t want her to have to do it. Now, maybe I know why. I actually prefer her because she is so coupon savvy, but didn’t want her to go to the extra work!!! I feel so dumb! I worked in retail all through college, so I’ve been on both sides of the counter now. I try to kill with kindness because I want to keep coming back (and because it’s the right thing to do!) and hope that they will remember me as being such so they will want to help me out instead of groan when they see me! Anyway, I think it’s a great idea and I hope lots of people will do it!
Thanks for this post! One cashier at my Walgreens is a complete doll and she deserves praise. I hope that these comments are read at their store meetings.
What an amazing idea! I love it…
What I usually do is have the receipt handy when I get home that day and call (corporate if I want to say something nice about the manager, the manager if I want to say something nice about the employee), using the receipt to tell them the name/cashier number of the employee that was very nice or went the extra mile for me. I wonder which way is best for the employee? Email or phone call?
I just called CVS customer service and gave well desreved compliments to the store manager and one of the employees
If I don’t know a cashier’s name couldn’t I just give my receipt info? The store number, register and transaction number for them to be able to look up the person’s name?
I used to go to 3 stores regularly but lately one of them has been coupon un-friendly so I’ve been going to the two others more frequently. One of them has really started to stand out in my mind and its this one cashier in particular that is awesome. She even counted my coupons and checked the receipt before I left “I counted 17 coupons and it looks like they all came off on your receipt. If it doesn’t look like one came off come back in and let us know” I was in shock over this! In a good way of course.
I don’t always see this cashier when I go in but she is definitely my favorite!
Thanks ladies! I work at a Rite Aid in North Carolina and you don’t know how good it makes us feel when someone calls or emails to let the company know that we did a great job helping customers. We actually get those little blue pins you see on our vest sent from corporate to us when we get a good customer compliment. It is hard sometimes to be patient with the multiple transactions and the +ups not coming out right and the billions or coupons lol. It’s alot to handle at one time and we try our best. But we really do appreciate the compliments!! Thanks again! 🙂
I just did this today for a girl at my Rite Aid, I brought a letter to store manager and sent one online 🙂 I run into way too many cranky cashiers that having her ring me out makes my day!!!