FOOD 4 LESS disrespects the elderly

Letter to corporate… and the city council… and the mayor… and AARP… and all the local media… and myspace… and, well, now you OD.

On Wednesday, March 3, 2010 I took my 61 year old mother to Food 4 Less, Joplin, MO.  She just had knee replacement surgery in February and cannot walk unassisted.  I went into the lobby, got a riding cart and took it to her at her vehicle on the lot.  She rode it into the store, bought her groceries and proceeded to ride it back to her car.  I was going to return it for her.  She can now drive, but she cannot walk.  She has a mini-van that is higher up than a car and it was her left knee and the car is an automatic… REGARDLESS.  I walked ahead to unlock the van.  She was chased out of the store by someone YELLING at her to "STOP, you can’t take that cart outside."  I said, "I’m going to bring it back in."  She told me "I don’t care, you can’t have it on the lot".  I told her to call the police because it would be inside before they got here.  Then she went back inside.  I returned the cart and she’s still talking about us to the customers walking by.  I, again, told her to call the police.  She said, "I did and they said they don’t deal with people like you."  I told her I didn’t deal with people like her either.  I continued to walk to the car and I hear her LOUDLY talking to two other co-workers and passing customers… "Sure, she can’t walk to her car but she can drive away"  I could not believe she was mocking customers IN FRONT of said customer AND TO other customers and employees.  That’s customer service no-no number one!  So I turned back toward her and said, "I suppose you’re the manager around here too, right?"  "Yes I am," she replied smugly.  I asked her her name and she said it was Amanda.  This entire exchange has left me livid.  I am expressing this disgrace to every audience available.  Your actions and reactions will be follow ups to this issue.  I think it is a poor reflection of customer service and elderly respect.  I told Amanda that if she wanted to do her job right she would have offered to drive the cart back to the store, like all the other retail places do.  She was too busy trying to humiliate and embarrass us over something that should not have been and issue.  We were good regular customers of this company, but now feel attacked.  I hope someone can look into this matter IMMEDIATELY. You MUST assure other elderly people, coming to spend what little money they make, can be treated in a kind respectful manner within a considerate atmosphere.  THIS DEMANDS ACTION, DO NOT PUT THIS OFF TIL LATER.