Yeah I wonder why that one didnt work with the Germans, known throughout Europe for their fiery extraverted personalities and enthusiasm for small talk
It was also because of labour unions. It’s illegal in Germany to prohibit your employees to form or join a labour union. And because of price gouging. They tried to undercut market prices (even below their own buying prices) to drive out competition, which is illegal in Germany, so they were ordered by a court to raise their prices, if my memory serves me correct.
Its not that we do not like smiling but forcing someone to stand by the door and smile at you is just kind of evil and would be unsettling to me.
Having other customers near you in the Lidl self-checkout is already too much social interaction
Someone has never been to a Walmart and it shows. Can tell you that overworked toothless 80 year olds are NOT smiling at you (have to go during night shift walmart, you get the true sense of Murica’s freedom, 24/7).
At a big tescos last year they had a greeter… a person was there for about a month then they stopped it lol
American manager: let’s all gather this weekend for a team building in the forest!
European employee: I see you from 9 to 5, and you want me to see you more? Is there alcohol ?
manager: no…
Employee: then no…
The real reasons were a complete inability to compete with the likes of Aldi and Lidl on the one hand, and their arrogant attempts to transplant US practices with very little regard for German law. Walmart was dead in the water after a couple of newspaper articles about that. The enforced smiling and greeting was only a very minor aspect of that, stuff like trying to forbid employees to be in relationships with other Walmart employees was talked about a lot more. The end result was that being seen shopping at Walmart came with social backlash. I’ve personally seen people walking out of one of their stores being questioned about why they support that shit by passers-by. Not even activists, mind you. Just regular people absolutely despising everything about that company.
I think it’s very funny how Walmart failed in Germany because they refused to adapt to local preferences, meanwhile Aldi is now one of the most successful grocery stores in the US despite also not adapting to American customs. Common Euro W.
Speculated? There are alot of proven reasons, one of em literally going broke, bc of their massive losses
There was also encouragement for employees to spy and report on each other. Definitely not something that would sound all too familiar to East Germans barely 10 years after reunification.
They tried to bring this type of nonsense to ASDA during the buy out at about the same time but every member of staff bar a few examples at ASDA house told them to fuck off.
We did have greeters though and in our store at least they were well liked by the customers. Although they were far more relaxed and genuinely friendly helpful folks compared to our US colleagues.
I understand Hans here.
I live in Japan, where this kind of stuff is common, as well as the over-the-top greetings (the whole shop shouts when a customer enters or leaves), and I find it extremely grating. I would like to tell them to tone down a bit, but I am not sure they would like it.
Remember kids, if someone is smiling for no reason, they are scammers
I am here to shop, not be your fucking friend. You’re here to work, not be a smiling clown freak, with a fake hello. I’d prefer a genuine fuck off, than a fake smile and hello.
wait till u find out that ALDI (Süd) is the fastest growing grocery store in the USA, with over 2000 spots expected to be opened till the end of next year
If someone smiles at me, I think he is American/British or insane.
back when Turkish was a foreign language
I did find it very annoying when I went to Australia where the cashiers would start frivolous conversations w/ you. It’s such a waste of time and energy and for what.
They also as far as I know had baggers, people hired just to bag up your groceries at the checkout, and the Germans found it weird and unsettling to just stand there as a wage slave bags up your groceries.
And I would find it weird too, sounds like a nightmare to shop in and work in tbh
Now tell them why Blockbuster failed Hans, that’s the better story.
Aldi, Lidl, Rewe and Edeka just too strong
Also they thought they would just roll over Aldi and Lidl.
Based german autistic win
They were no match for our collective autism.
Welcome to Costco, I love you
Germans do smile, except they only do it when they mean it.
Germans only smile when they see a curry wurst cart in the vicinity.
Half the supermarkets on the planet are German anyway. How would they still fit in around here? Costco maybe could be successful, because Metro is doing such a shitty job, but Walmart and Target can stay out.
I don’t agree with those barbarians on many things, but they are right about this one.
31 comments
>certain team-building activities
https://preview.redd.it/05cq96z495pd1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6ffe63f55be7238d1ef21e6e524a7f9a7ce993c3
Yeah I wonder why that one didnt work with the Germans, known throughout Europe for their fiery extraverted personalities and enthusiasm for small talk
It was also because of labour unions. It’s illegal in Germany to prohibit your employees to form or join a labour union. And because of price gouging. They tried to undercut market prices (even below their own buying prices) to drive out competition, which is illegal in Germany, so they were ordered by a court to raise their prices, if my memory serves me correct.
Its not that we do not like smiling but forcing someone to stand by the door and smile at you is just kind of evil and would be unsettling to me.
Having other customers near you in the Lidl self-checkout is already too much social interaction
Someone has never been to a Walmart and it shows. Can tell you that overworked toothless 80 year olds are NOT smiling at you (have to go during night shift walmart, you get the true sense of Murica’s freedom, 24/7).
At a big tescos last year they had a greeter… a person was there for about a month then they stopped it lol
American manager: let’s all gather this weekend for a team building in the forest!
European employee: I see you from 9 to 5, and you want me to see you more? Is there alcohol ?
manager: no…
Employee: then no…
The real reasons were a complete inability to compete with the likes of Aldi and Lidl on the one hand, and their arrogant attempts to transplant US practices with very little regard for German law. Walmart was dead in the water after a couple of newspaper articles about that. The enforced smiling and greeting was only a very minor aspect of that, stuff like trying to forbid employees to be in relationships with other Walmart employees was talked about a lot more. The end result was that being seen shopping at Walmart came with social backlash. I’ve personally seen people walking out of one of their stores being questioned about why they support that shit by passers-by. Not even activists, mind you. Just regular people absolutely despising everything about that company.
I think it’s very funny how Walmart failed in Germany because they refused to adapt to local preferences, meanwhile Aldi is now one of the most successful grocery stores in the US despite also not adapting to American customs. Common Euro W.
Speculated? There are alot of proven reasons, one of em literally going broke, bc of their massive losses
There was also encouragement for employees to spy and report on each other. Definitely not something that would sound all too familiar to East Germans barely 10 years after reunification.
They tried to bring this type of nonsense to ASDA during the buy out at about the same time but every member of staff bar a few examples at ASDA house told them to fuck off.
We did have greeters though and in our store at least they were well liked by the customers. Although they were far more relaxed and genuinely friendly helpful folks compared to our US colleagues.
I understand Hans here.
I live in Japan, where this kind of stuff is common, as well as the over-the-top greetings (the whole shop shouts when a customer enters or leaves), and I find it extremely grating. I would like to tell them to tone down a bit, but I am not sure they would like it.
Remember kids, if someone is smiling for no reason, they are scammers
I am here to shop, not be your fucking friend. You’re here to work, not be a smiling clown freak, with a fake hello. I’d prefer a genuine fuck off, than a fake smile and hello.
wait till u find out that ALDI (Süd) is the fastest growing grocery store in the USA, with over 2000 spots expected to be opened till the end of next year
If someone smiles at me, I think he is American/British or insane.
back when Turkish was a foreign language
I did find it very annoying when I went to Australia where the cashiers would start frivolous conversations w/ you. It’s such a waste of time and energy and for what.
They also as far as I know had baggers, people hired just to bag up your groceries at the checkout, and the Germans found it weird and unsettling to just stand there as a wage slave bags up your groceries.
And I would find it weird too, sounds like a nightmare to shop in and work in tbh
Now tell them why Blockbuster failed Hans, that’s the better story.
Aldi, Lidl, Rewe and Edeka just too strong
Also they thought they would just roll over Aldi and Lidl.
Based german autistic win
They were no match for our collective autism.
Welcome to Costco, I love you
Germans do smile, except they only do it when they mean it.
Germans only smile when they see a curry wurst cart in the vicinity.
Half the supermarkets on the planet are German anyway. How would they still fit in around here? Costco maybe could be successful, because Metro is doing such a shitty job, but Walmart and Target can stay out.
I don’t agree with those barbarians on many things, but they are right about this one.