On a Friday evening when the supermarket is normally expected to be heaving with activity, there were no staff to be found on the shop floor. Lonely security guard cut a sorry figure standing by the totally empty trolley ramps. There was no one around to bring the trolleys from the parking lot back into the building. Customers were being asked to go outside the building and look for trolleys, if they wanted to use one. "They will turn up, if you are willing to wait" was the reaction when I asked the security guard. The picture of empty trolley ramp was taken 45 minutes later when I was leaving - and still none to be found.
Not being a typically polite Brit I decided to complain but couldn't find a manager on duty or anyone at the customer services desk. Bad experience did not stop there. Shelves were not being refilled - look at the images from the Bread and Biscuits sections. To make matters worse empty cartons were being used on the floor where liquids have been spilt - without any required warning signs.
And whatever happened to the promise of "we will open up another desk if there are more than two customers waiting in the queue at checkout". There were only three members of checkout staff on duty - who, to be fair, were trying to manage their best under the circumstances.
If this is how Tesco plans to manage its operations during the World Cup it might very well announce closure of service like at Easter break. At least they wouldn't be contributing to the World Cup frustrations.
