Over the years i've tried to avoid B & Q like the plague, mainly down to the way it is staffed.
A few years ago when I was fitting out my bathroom I had the honour of finding the only person operating a till asleep, slouched over his workstation, out as they say, cold.
When I woke him he seemed as shocked to see me as I did to see him wipe the sleep dribble away from the side of his face.
"Sorry mate, rough night innit".
Where the "Innit" came from I dont know, but I wasn't best pleased.
On pointing this out to the manager, and after he reviewed the video footage of his snoring staff member an argument broke out in which I was referred to as a Wanker and the manager was referred to as a useless prick. Well, he was right in one part, however, I dont and have never taken kindly to being called a wanker and pointed this out to the "useless prick" before "Sleepy" removed his orange apron, threw it on the floor and stormed out of the store.
Mr Prick stood there and nodded his head.
"Can't get the staff".
Just to say, I did leave the store with £90's worth of free stuff, but still, Wanker? Me? Tut.
On a visit last year I got to the front of the queue to find that my item had no barcode on it.
"This doesnt have a barcode on, will have to get someone to get me a price. How much was it?".
"I have no idea" I replied, "not working here and all".
"No worries, i'll just get someone to get a price".
A bit of Tannoy work and some flashing lights later and a young man of "Sleepy's" ilk sloped to the till and was asked to get a price on the item, and off he went at sub snail speed. Eight minutes later he returned.
"Cant find it" he said, and turning to me he asked " do you know how much it was?" At which point I left the store and went online to purchase it.
Yesterday with a certain trepidation I returned to B & Q for the first time in over a year.
Now, to my joy the till operatives have been replaced with self scan units that talk to you in English, which is a step forward in itself.
"Please scan your first item". It said.
I did.
Then placed it in the scanned area as requested.
"Please scan your first item", it requested once again.
"Please place item in the bag".
What fucking bag?
"Please place item in the bag".
At which point a a young chap came across.
"They're a bit tempermental mate, its not scanned the price. Any idea how much it was?"
Progress eh?
