Has B&Q gone self-serviced?

Now we like to pop into the lovely large B & Q store at Darnall in Sheffield to get our DIY/Gardening fix and of course check out on any bargains too.:wink:

Imagine our horror when we popped in yesterday only to see the check-outs ripped out and replaced with self-service tills (something we hate with a passion), there were no human operated check-outs there so we swiftly dumped our goods and walked out in disgust!

We did hear last year that this particular store was given planning permission to open littler retail units inside of the main store because it was not preforming too well this could be the problem. But surely there are plenty of people who just like Bob and I like the human approach on the check-outs any offers or faults can be sorted out with ease but you can't do that with a blinking non-human operated till!

I can't understand it and wondered how wide spread this problem is through the B & Q chain, I mean is your local store doing the same?Hel.xxx.

 

I don't know about our two local chains Hel. I usually tend to avoid them unless it's an emergency, as I have always found that the staff are not knowledgable, and no good when you need to find out exactly what you do need to purchse in order to do a project. I much prefer the little local guy for that type of thing. At least they can guide you in the right direction with what you really do need to get a job done. For plants and gardening items, I might pop into the big orange store once in a while, but again, find generally healthier plants and more variety at the garden centres, nurseries, local plant sales. I think there's just a general sense of wanting to suppor the small guy in business as well.
Other than the checkouts, I guess i've always found B&Q very much a self serve store.

 

Our local B &bQ still has serviced check outs and the staff are very friendly and helpful.

 

I was in the Cortonwood one the other day (just over the border into Barnsley) and that still had staff on the checkouts. As did Rotherham last time I was in - but that was a few weeks ago.

 

Our local place has staff-but even that term is used loosely.

 

Yes, I totally agree with you, Hel.

My local one, just outside Durham, had 4 installed recently but none of the ordinary checkouts were manned so customers were forced to use them. Only thing was, every checkout kept erroring and the lady in charge was flying from one to the other trying to get them sorted! As a result the queue grew and grew. When it was finally my turn, I scanned my first item which was a small bottle of paint brush cleaner, cost about 65p, and a light started flashing on top of the machine and this flag was flashing on the screen saying "WARNING! Age verification required." I hardly knew whether to be insulted or complimented!

Got that sorted and my next item had no bar code label so she had to spend ages sorting through the in-store staff catalogue (huge thing in a lever arch folder) to get it!!

All in all, not the most successful introduction of DIY check-outs. I went to customer service and got a customer complaint form upon which I wrote that I thought this was taking DIY a tad too far!! :lollol:

 

SMall point of interest-surely the shoplifter would have field day in somewhere like B&Q? So many things in there that are small enough to be robbed and yet are extremely expensive?

 

Our local B&Q is still staffed. Perhaps self service tills might make a difference there - no matter what time of the day or week we go they only ever have 2 tills operating and on a sAturday, the queues can be something else. I find complaining about it in a LOUD voice soon gets some attention and another till grudgingly being opened.

 

I thought 'the orange store' employed people who were experienced in all sorts of diy. That was the point, no more un-experienced staff, ones that knew what you were talking about ect. I have found it a bit disappointing in some respects, but think the older (more experienced) staff know stuff. However, I have found other times very frustrating & have the feeling that the person I was dealing with was not interested. I Let them know.

Let us know if the B&Q are being taking over again with people with profit in mind. We have a lot of people on here that will let their thoughts be known/

cheers

 

Our nearest B & Q have had the self service machines for quite a while.

Maybe I am the only one here .... but I actually like them

If it means I havent got to talk to a spotty teenager at the weekend on the tills who roughly manhandles my plants (or whatever else I brought) ... well then I am more than happy to use them

 

Haven't been to ours for a few weeks but there were no self service then.
Now I am mobile again I will check ours out .

There are no other DIY stores nearby so B&Q have a monopoly here.:(

 

I only use screwfix, toolstaion, BES or failing that the builders merchants. All cheaper than B&Q.

 

I like them too - but I believe there should be at least one staffed till. It's crazy taking the option away and really slows things down. Not everyone has the desire to use these things and unless you are used to them there are lots of things that cause hold ups. For those that CHOOSE to use them in the supermarket - it is a choice and most people who do are now pretty savvy with them.

Those that don't want to - shouldn't have to. It is a shop for xxxx sake

 

I guess we're lucky - we are close to the horror that is Crawley, but it does have an excellent industrial estate, with all sorts of wholesale places, including Screwfix. We have 2 Homebases and 1 B&Q and at least 15 Garden Centres or Nurseries within a 10 mile radius.

I have stopped buying plants at Homebase or B&Q now for quite a while. The quality is appalling and I find the staff at my local GC so much more friendly - one of them even tells me when they're getting a fresh stock in so I get the best selection.

 

helen last time i went to our local B&Q they had just put them self service desks in but they also had checkout staff aswell at tills, our local tesco has them self service till also and staffed ones, must admit i wouldnt use them self service tills