Superquinn - Not so super?

Charlie-Bravo

Right, here's my beef...went to superquinn this evening to get some ingredients for a sausage casserole...I had most ingredients already i.e. the sausages from SuperValu left over from the weekend fry-up and the packet mix which I got from Lidl the previous week! All I needed was one large onion, mushrooms, and a yellow pepper. Did Superquinn Select in our lovely Charlesland have any of these?! Yes, but I would have to of bought a big tray of mushrooms and a net of onions - As for peppers, there was a sorry fella sitting on his own with a bruise side - he was the last one left.

You may think, ah well - you're looking for specific items for a certain reciepe. Ok, fine, I suppose I am but even when I go looking for a litre of Fresh full fat milk in the evening after work my choice is either skimmed, low fat or a 250ml carton! These guys have had 3 years to get things right but still manage to 'impress' me. They can't seem to get things right. And another example would be that I've never seen a wine fridge filled with absolute muck of wine bottles...everyone has different tastes in wines but I could swear they're putting the sh*te white wine in the fridge cause they know 'cold' wine sells on a quick buy!

Most people reading this would think, well if you have a problem with this shop tell the manager, and I have and have also made points to Superquinn by emailing the head office. I got a nice response though, pointing out that they value my comments and will put the necessary in place to ensure the shop best serves the communities needs and so on.

So, here's a thought...if you don't like something about this particular shop (because its a small Superquinn) maybe we could put togther a few points of what we think is wrong or could be changed so it benefits most. Obviously we need to do this without cuasing defamation or otherwise of the good Superquinn name.

Thanks, A!

P.S. Superquinn Bray rocks.

The Yipper

You're not wrong there Astro!
In my expreience, complaints generally fall on deaf ears. My last experience left me milk-less, bread-less and waiting in line behind a queue of people at one of the two open checkouts while BOTH express automatic hi-tech scanner self service pay-as-you-go checkout things were experiencing technical difficulties.
I have little more to say on the subject of SubstandardQuinn. I don't think this stuff would've been an issue when Fergal was still in charge.

Mullie

I agree, I regularly come out of there without one or more basic items that they really should have in stock. Be it onion, banana, mince.....
I have to laugh though, you'd never be stuck for 15 year old balsamic vinegar!!??

Ru

I can't agree more.

It's bad enough that they run out of my favorite beer on a regular occasion :eek:

The last time i shopped there was at about 9.30pm on a Thursday. I went in to get cigarettes, beer, munchies and cashback...

I went directly to the "off license" counter which was not attended (as per usual) i was approached by the shift manager who very patronizingly told me to use the self service fast lane... i explained i needed to also buy cigarettes and i needed cashback. He shouted at one of the staff and told her to open a till for this "fella". She supplied me with cashback and then told me to make the rest of my purchases in the fast lane...

There is NOTHING super about this place, if anyone can remember "Crazy Prices", they were better than this place. I haven't been back except for the odd pint of milk. Supervalue in the main street is by far a better store and has a better selection of items.

matt-dublin

someone's a dutch gold fan!!!!

Hammiepeters

Right from the start the place has been a shambles. Typical nonsense for instance is Saturday morning ; no croissants or orange juice. I mean if you were to think for one minute what the locals would be or like to be doing on Sat or Sun. Maybe reading papers over croissants and coffee and OJ. But no, two years later. Same nonsense every weekend. They took out the cash machine. I thought ok. I'll just go to the checkouts in future. They took out the checkouts in favour of fast lanes which when left unattended cannot approve alcohol or cigarettes. mmmmm! Like not many customers buy wine, beer or fags!
The shelf life for bread seems to be about two days longer than elsewhere. You need to be careful or you end up with stale bread.
Last week I had a corked wine.(This can happen anywhere, not just SQ) IE wine was tainted by a bacterial infection in the cork. smells a bit like wet heshen or sackcloth. Brought back immediately.
Patronising manager asked how long open. Answer 2 mins. He asked then if the corkscrew went all the way through. Answer No and if it did it would not make any difference. He said that it would. I then tried to explain to him what cork taint was but he did not want to listen. He just treated me like I was having a laugh. Felt like smacking him. I took another bottle anyway.The girls there are very nice. Has to be said. In fact, I told them that the only good thing about the place is the staff and SQ appear to be trying to make them redundant with fastlanes that dont work.

Ru

matt-dublin wrote: »

someone's a dutch gold fan!!!!

Damn.......... my secret is out!!!!!!!!!!!

Hammiepeters wrote: »

I told them that the only good thing about the place is the staff and SQ appear to be trying to make them redundant with fastlanes that dont work.

Staff are never to blame... it's the administrators/managers fault if a business is not running well...

If it was the staff, they'd be sacked.


I'd just like to point out that i worked for Superquinn for 3 years (13 years ago!) and the staff were treated very well and the place was run very well. Superquinn select looks more like a franchise run by a couple of "investors" looking for a quick and easy profit.

wait a minute!!!

Superquinn IS run by a few investors making a few quid!!!
Any loyalty I've had as an ex employee with some genuinely good memories, or loyalty in buying from an oirish company are gone out the window. Fergal Quinn COME BACK, they've fcuked up your 40 years of good work

ian_m

Im not sure the staff in there care how bad it is but i know its not the worst supermarket in the world. I know some staff do care. A good supermarket is needed in the area. This supermarket could be alot better.

matt-dublin

Ru wrote: »

Damn.......... my secret is out!!!!!!!!!!!

so ur the one who's been buying all my beer forcing me to have to go to tesco with warm beer!

TnJ

Sounds like the manager is an Idiot alright!!!

I tired of going over there and the items that i'm looking for not being in Stock. It's happening on a more frequent basis now.
Also has anyone noticed the overpricing of items at the tills, for example items on special offer nearly always haven't been marked down on the system and so you end up paying the full wack irrespective!

Perhaps we should start a petition?

matt-dublin

TnJ wrote: »

Sounds like the manager is an Idiot alright!!!

I tired of going over there and the items that i'm looking for not being in Stock. It's happening on a more frequent basis now.
Also has anyone noticed the overpricing of items at the tills, for example items on special offer nearly always haven't been marked down on the system and so you end up paying the full wack irrespective!

Perhaps we should start a petition?

if thats the case, you should tell them. they have to give you the price advertised

Hammiepeters

matt-dublin wrote: »

if thats the case, you should tell them. they have to give you the price advertised

In fact if you complete the transaction. Go to customer service and get a full refund. It's the policy. Have taken them for 3 dozen or so bottles of wine in the last couple of years. Not at Charlesland but SQ in general. If they have products marked at a price. They must sell at that price. Otherwise; refund.

Wineman

matt-dublin wrote: »

if thats the case, you should tell them. they have to give you the price advertised

Technically they dont. The price advertised is what is known as "an invitation to treat", once the manager points out that the item is incorrectly priced then they are within their rights to sell it to you at the correct price - say for example a car was missing a zero off the price card, they are not going to sell it to you for €1500 instead of 15,000 cos you caught them out on the displayed price.
Superquinn do have a policy though that they give you a full refund if a product is wrongly priced. Take advantage now as that policy will not last and the idiot who suggested it at a sales meeting probably will not last either.

Hammiepeters

Wineman wrote: »

Technically they dont. The price advertised is what is known as "an invitation to treat", once the manager points out that the item is incorrectly priced then they are within their rights to sell it to you at the correct price - say for example a car was missing a zero off the price card, they are not going to sell it to you for €1500 instead of 15,000 cos you caught them out on the displayed price.
Superquinn do have a policy though that they give you a full refund if a product is wrongly priced. Take advantage now as that policy will not last and the idiot who suggested it at a sales meeting probably will not last either.

As I said above, this policy is still in place and has been for years.As is Tescos. However you must pay first and then query the receipt. Invariably they will try to refund the difference until you mention the policy. Sometimes they will then say that the policy changed with the new owners over a year ago. Tell them thats BS and get a refund. One particulr SQ was in the habit of floor stocking wines emblazened with the special offer price well after a special had expired. Trick was to buy one and check receipt. Go back buy a dozen. Then make a complaint. Get a refund. Free wine and stick it to them for possibly dishonest practice. It's your right.

Hammiepeters

Okay, I agree with all the above. As a last minute select supermarket they more often than not are out of stock and take 2 weeks to get it back. So are you supposed to wait two weeks to finish that recipe? or go to another not so select supermarket down the road? My 8 year old could run a stock control system better. And they have a huge delivery bay so have no excuse.
But the worst of it is The Donuts.
I have developed a system of reaching below the icing and giving a little poke, becuase 5 times out of ten they are yesterdays donuts. And Yesterday the one I picked up could have given me concussion if I banged it on my head. I looked to see which managers were on and then decided it wasnt worth the trouble as "if I had a girlfriend she'd kill me" was there. Walked out.

But I usually have a system. If the first donut feels okay, I take a bite, if it is stale I walk over to the bin behind the deli counter and pitch it in from 2 yards away. Then go back and try again. I do it in full view of staff.

The question is, at some point each day, The new donuts come in. Why do they try to mix them in with 1-2 or even 3 day old ones? Because the new donuts will soon become old donuts. And anyone foolish enough to buy them, won't come back.

I was once in the one in Bray, on Halloween as it happened and the bakery manager was systematically clearing the shelves at the end of the day, he approached me and asked if I wanted it. I love a donut and I hate waste, so I accepted the very large plastic sack of pastries and if you came trick or treating that night, you got a donut!
The staff of any store would also find takers for that days pastries, and it would mean all new stuff every morning when you just want your coffee, and something sweet. Not a conversation about stock management with someone in a hairnet.

Ditch the old food Substandard quinn.

Ru

If we want anything to happen, let Superquinn know your opinion.

Click here, fill in and make sure you point out that it's the charlesland branch.

fishdog

If we want anything to happen, let Superquinn know your opinion.

I did, here is the reply:

Daer XXXX,

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail us your comments.



Sincere apologies for the experiences you have had with us of late.



Our Charlesland branch is now under new management, Chris Monaghan is out new branch manager. I have informed Chris of you comments. If you would like to ask for Chris the next time you are in store, he would love to meet with you face to face to discuss this further.



Regards

Gráinne





Gráinne Kelly

Customer Service Co-ordinator



QA Department

Superquinn Support Office

Lucan

Co.Dublin



Tel: 01 6302136

---

joeybloggs

Sorry for not responding to this early,only saw it now.

As a Superquinn employee I feel I should give a little insight to the Charlesland shop.SQ is far from perfect, so for those who were unable to acquire their products,apologies and to those who had trouble with staff,again,apologies.Mistakes happen.

The simple fact is this.SQ Charlesland has changed its Main mangers so many times since the summer.Since May there has been 4 different Mangers. This might seem like nothing but those in management themselves will know that different people will all have different styles and it does take time to adapt to this.(At this point i would like to say that Two were moved to a bigger shop and the other left for personal reasons)
But thats that, i won't defend the main mangers past that.I stand by my work(packing jams may not be pretty but somone has to) and i expect them to stand by theirs.
As for the Floor managers,probably the ones everyone are referring to,well they should stand by there work to.
So, if you were unable to obtain Balsamic vinegar on a number of occasions,then look towards the person who orders the stock - Store manager.Believe me if we have it in store we would get it for you,but the correct ordering is essential.So please don't disgrace the whole SQ name or all the mangers( some do actually work!! ).
astrofluff , I totally agree.Superquinn Bray does rock,i worked there last year (mighty craic).They had the a real Bakery too......oh the smells.....sorry im trailing.
Hammiepeters, Im sorry if the dounuts were not of standard,but lets face facts, those icing dounuts don't really have standards anyway(they probably weren't defrosted properly anyway),there fairly dirt.Try the cookies instead;)

p.s


Thanks anyways to all you nice customers out there.Having nothing in a shop is annoying for you's,telling you that theres nothing in the shop leaves us angry and scared(of your reaction that is).Patience is a great thing.

matt-dublin

can you get them to up the order of dutch gold?

MuffinsDa

matt-dublin wrote: »

can you get them to up the order of dutch gold?

and milk, if possible at all!!!

joeybloggs

Theres usually milk.........usually.However Dutch Gold,not a favourite.I'd say we will stop selling that ' beer 'soon.Not enough sales and it attracts the riff-raff,no offence.

matt-dublin

not enough sales?

it sells out every weekend!!!

actually its usually all gone by friday at 8pm

Charlie-Bravo

@joeybloggs...you are a good example of how decent the staff are in Superquinn Selecta.

Apart from the managers leaving for their own reasons, it might be fair to say that Superquinn Charlesland is the 'training' shop for the managers for the big shops!

@ Matt & Muffins: which is cheaper? Milk or dutch gold?

ian_m

astrofluff wrote: »

@ Matt & Muffins: which is cheaper? Milk or dutch gold?

and which tastes better on cornflakes?

The Yipper

fishdog wrote: »

I did, here is the reply:

Daer XXXX,

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail us your comments.

Sincere apologies for the experiences you have had with us of late.

Our Charlesland branch is now under new management, Chris Monaghan is out new branch manager. I have informed Chris of you comments. If you would like to ask for Chris the next time you are in store, he would love to meet with you face to face to discuss this further.

Regards
QUOTE]
Seems like fairly standard fare. I got the EXACT same reply. Thanks for taking the time to use the same auto reply for, I'd say.... everyone who complained!!

All the same, Joeybloggs, fair play for getting your reply in here. Hopefully you'll be the one to get the things running properly. Best of luck with the new job.

matt-dublin

dutch gold is cheaper and tastes better on cornflakes

Ru

The Yipper wrote: »

Daer XXXX,

I received the same poorley spelt reply!!!

Hammiepeters

Lots of passing customers looking into empty croissant baskets this morning. Silly stuff. On closer examination, they were hidded out the back of the bakery kithchen. Normal service resumed.

foxcoverteddy

It is now three days since I queried the price of stork margarine in foil wrapper, price shown and charged 89cent 20 cent more than supervalue, staff running the dairy counter had bno idea why it had gone up probably didn't care either, customer services were even more dense had to email Dublin it appears all superquinn shops could be over charging is there a way we can stop blatant rip offs, yep come back Fergal

TnJ wrote: »

Sounds like the manager is an Idiot alright!!!

I tired of going over there and the items that i'm looking for not being in Stock. It's happening on a more frequent basis now.
Also has anyone noticed the overpricing of items at the tills, for example items on special offer nearly always haven't been marked down on the system and so you end up paying the full wack irrespective!

Perhaps we should start a petition?

LEIN

This thread is over 3 years old.

Start a new one if you like but this forum is for Greystones and Charlesland issues only.