Lidl Review

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Lidl
★★★☆☆
2.6
44.0% of users recommend this
  • Quality of service

  • Layout of shop

  • Value For Money

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henryhorn's review of Lidl

“Overall Lidl is worth the effort of being made to feel...”

★★☆☆☆

written by henryhorn on 10/01/2006

Good Points
Very cheap good quality tinned goods, fresh veg and cooked meats. Chocolate biscuits and choc. bars are nicer than many English brands.

Bad Points
Staff are rude, and thoroughly unpleasant. I use two branches and Okehampton are without doubt much worse than Exeter.
They can be heard moaning about long hours and low wages every time you visit the store, and woe betide you if you aren't quick enough packing the goods.
It is such a shame as there is no need for the unpleasantness, I always smile, say please and thank you but they appear so fed up and the discontent seems to stem from the manager downwards.
If a queue forms at the tills, the cashier will rarely call for another till to open, when they do often that assistant (and I use that word sparingly, they don't actually assist) glares at the customers for interrupting their shelf stacking.

General Comments
Overall Lidl is worth the effort of being made to feel a nuisance, as the goods are cheap and good quality.

I think perhaps the way the customers get treated is down to the way the staff are trained (or not) and if they upped their training to include asking the assistants to smile and even help packing a bag occasionally it would be a super place to shop.

I continue to shop due to the fun of the middle aisles which offer amazing bargains in electrical goods, otherwise I would go next door to Waitrose, for me the money isn't the reason I shop there, more the quality of the goods.

  • Groceries, shoe rack

    Goods purchased & cost

  • Layout of shop

  • Value For Money

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Eb's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 09/02/2006

I would just like to say, on a recent survey done where I live, Chichester, West Sussex, Lidl was one of the highest paying hourly rates almost £7 an hour and Army & Navy being the least payed in the area, so unless Lidl has seperate wages for certain areas, which I doubt very much, I disagree on what you say, infact if you dislike it so much, I suggest you shop elsewhere.

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Henryhorn's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 02/05/2006

Yes the Okehampton store in particular has improved a lot lately, do they read this I wonder? !
I haven't visited since the expansion but husband has and said much improved. I hate criticising places, and am far more likely to send a letter saying thank you and well done to companies (sent three so far this year) but shopping truly was an unpleasant experience there.
Let's hope the management has changed and staff are happier now...

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Ali Bongo's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 28/04/2006

I agree with henryhorn regarding the Okehampton store. The queuing used to be horrendous & managing to pack your goods & move away from the till at break neck speed wasn't easy. Things do seem to have got a little better recently though.

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Hldomster's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 24/03/2006

Was I just saying that customer training was minimal. Lord behold I found out today that our staff must attend a customer service training day in Stockton. Don't know what affect it will have. The whole thing will probably be a load of patronising nonsense - who needs to be taught how to be nice to people? Anyway, there you have it :)

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Henryhorn's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 24/03/2006

Perhaps we are just unlucky in the branches near here, but if I were an arrogant awkward customer, surely I would have found that out before now in other shops? Sorry, I can't agree it is always the customers attitude that provokes their often heard complaints re wages/staff hours etc..
Lidl do seem to have improved the service in recent months, but the comment from the above employee typifies their attitude, they are happy to sell you something but woe betide anyone who enquires about anything other than please can they have a carrier bag !
I don't feel that this customer was being unreasonable in enquiring if any spare parts were possible, but their employee clearly feels aggrieved that they had the temerity to ask...
Their working conditions will be governed by the same as the rest of the UK, and a 30m break in 10 hours is I suspect breaking the law... It's pretty obvious the check out staff are kept under pressure, as one told me they had a time limit to get customers through the check outs, which is why they sit and wait until you unpack all your shopping on to the counter before they start.
I still stand by my original review, which is they sell some really good items at very reasonable prices, but the staff lack training, in one branch I've seen people storm out several times when fed up waiting to be served whilst at least eight others are shelf stacking..
I shop there every couple of weeks, it's actually a great place to make you curb your excessive spending, because there is little choice, you can't go wild.
One more thing, we tried their Ruby Port last week..Yum Yum!and their champagne is pretty good too.

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Lewist's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 24/03/2006

Thanks to hldomster for the inside info. From what some of my young students say, many shops treat their staff in this sort of way. I will make even more sure in the future that I will treat Lidl staff - who are always polite and friendly in our Lidl - with consideration and friendliness. They do a good job.

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Hldomster's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 23/03/2006

I'd like to clear things up.
I'm an employee of Lidl Consett. Staff training is minimal, they basically throw you into the action.
As for unpleasentness, in our store it isn't something common. Till procedures require you to say hello, thank you and good bye. If you get 100% on your till check (some anonymous person will check you) then you get a free bottle of champagne.

When we are unpleasent, it's when a customer is obnoxious. Some just expect so much. I mean one woman wanted me to get her some spare parts for a shelving unit she bought. We sell the products, we don't manufacture them.

The pay is good, but not for the treatment we receive. The management system works by placing fear into employees. Do some research, in Czech Slovakia it was alleged that female staff had to wear white headbands to identify them so they could have more frequent toilet breaks. Trade unions are simply not allowed, use one and don't count on another pay rise.

The staff are treat like theives. When you see a 30% cheaper sticker on a product, you get 30% off. Staff don't. There is no employee discount either. Every night we are subject to pocket searches before we go home. Any goods that are to be thrown away due to being out of date cannot be taken home by employees.

The job is labour intensive. We only get a 30 minute break if we do a 10 hour shift. We rarely stop, once one job is completed another starts. Stores are understaffed. In my store we have only 2 staff in all day on a Sunday. Please bare in mind that on Sundays we have a price change and special tables to assemble and merchandise.

So there we have it, if you like our prices shop with us, but don't bank on the staff giving you more time than we have to - we don't have any to spare.

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Lewist's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 27/02/2006

I'm sorry to hear about a Lidl with rude staff. I use the Livingston branch and the staff are always polite, helpful and friendly. On the other hand I have to say we should be able to go into any branch of an international outfit like Lidl and find the same standards anywhere, so in view of what you say perhaps there is a need for more standardisation in their staff training.

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Henryhorn's Response to henryhorn's Review

Written on: 18/02/2006

How can you possibly disagree when you don't shop at the branches mentioned?
I grew up in a shop, so probably have more idea than most how to treat customers, ie. smile, assist when asked.
I reviewed honestly and without predudice, so to suggest I shop elsewhere is a bit catty!!
I will continue to shop there for the very real bargains they offer, but Lidl desperately need to review their staff training, in comparison to other supermarkets, theirs is seriously lacking.

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