Lidl staff are hostile compared to Aldi?

dohouch

Is it just me or how do other people find the staff in these 2 German discounters?
My local is Lidl and occasionally visit a less local Aldi. There are a few friendly ones at my local Lidl, but the majority, no.
Is it down to more pressure on staff at Lidl and generally less consideration for staff at Lidl?
Is it my paranoia?

_Brian

Don't visit lidl much but it's noticeable how friendly the Cavan Aldi staff are. Professional and polite.

Penny Tration

I go to my local aldi and lidl frequently, and staff in both are generally very nice.

Duvetdays

I've noticed that in my Aldi staff are lovely but in Lidl I find the staff quite surly/rude. Still I'd rather them then the tesco brigade shouting across to the other tills about what their plans are for the weekend as they're serving you.

bigar

In general I see that super market till staff are less friendly in bigger urban areas then in smaller towns. In Dublin city centre as an example, near or on Parnell street there is an Aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Dunnes (in Illac). I find that in all of them staff is quite formal and not chatty, or even a bit grumpy. Go to Ashbourne for instance where you also have all four near to each other and all staff is more friendly.

I think is has to do with the city ones being busier and that city people are perhaps a bit more time pressured and less friendly themselves.

mansize

Lidl staff are fine and helpful

Dunnes staff act like they are doing you a favour where I live...

NicoleW85

Much of a muchness really - depends who is working. I have found that since Lidl staff now wear those ear pieces they are constantly having full blown conversations with a colleague whilst serving you!! That bugs the life out of me as I'm in retail a long time and I've always been told that talking to anyone other than the customer you're serving whilst serving them is particularly bad form!

myshirt

This is a Dublin thing I believe. Never experienced this anywhere in Ireland, bar Lidl across Dublin.

I don't really mind though, but I do opt for Aldi where I can instead of Lidl.

Starscream25

Hostile indeed, I thought the cashier was gonna pull out an ak47 while loading my groceries on the conveyor belt, it's a seriously stressful job and they work you to the bone.
But generally speaking I find the staff in both places pleasant enough.

myshirt

Starscream25 wrote: »

Hostile indeed, I thought the cashier was gonna pull out an ak47 while loading my groceries on the conveyor belt, it's a seriously stressful job and they work you to the bone.
But generally speaking I find the staff in both places pleasant enough.

They work you. Not work you to the bone. Just plain work you. That's the model.

Sometimes that is unfamiliar to Irish people, particularly if they come from a public sector job.

Starscream25

myshirt wrote: »

They work you. Not work you to the bone. Just plain work you. That's the model.

Sometimes that is unfamiliar to Irish people, particularly if they come from a public sector job.

Ok...I stand corrected

Bulbous Salutation

I don't notice that much of the difference. I find Aldi a far better experience in general though.

professore

You're paranoid

Definitely true in Cork.

myshirt

Starscream25 wrote: »

Ok...I stand corrected

Just my view... that's all.

If you think about it, they always paid better than Dunnes or Tesco, so that was the deal, up your productivity, work the full hour, and we'll pay you well.

It is a different offering, and it delivers good product at good price. A true beacon of decency through bad times. Fed many families put to the pin of their collar.

Speedwell

In Sligo town, where the Aldi and Lidl are practically across the street from each other and a Dunnes I have never bothered to go to, it seems to very much depend on the individual, the day, and even the time of day.

rodneyTrotter.

mansize wrote: »

Lidl staff are fine and helpful

Dunnes staff act like they are doing you a favour where I live...

This is so true . Dunnes have been like that for years in my experience . It's not just the check out staff , management can be pig ignorant at the best of times . I rarely go in there now .
Customer service in general in Ireland is shocking
You'd wonder if any staff get any form of customer service training , but if you have manners or brought up reasonably well it should be second nature to be polite at least .
I was in tesco the other day and two lads were cursing at each other as I was walking past .

Aldi and lidl staff are usually polite and professional . They are under a lot of pressure to keep things moving at the tills but cope well.

myshirt

professore wrote: »

Definitely true in Cork.

Really? Which one? (If we can say)

Always found Lidl in Cork grand.

Starscream25

myshirt wrote: »

Just my view... that's all.

If you think about it, they always paid better than Dunnes or Tesco, so that was the deal, up your productivity, work the full hour, and we'll pay you well.

It is a different offering, and it delivers good product at good price. A true beacon of decency through bad times. Fed many families put to the pin of their collar.

Absolutely, many people would bite your hand off for a job at either place.
I have a family member who works as a manager, (won't say which one), but I often hear of the stress experienced and unrealistic expectations of area managers etc, I've little sympathy for that due to the fantastic wages. The cashiers and floor staff on the other hand I'd give a friendly greet and I'm often beaten to it at both branches, I'm friendly enough anyway.
But back on point, I haven't experienced any negative moments around staff there.

Dial Hard

myshirt wrote:

They work you. Not work you to the bone. Just plain work you.

Having worked in Aldi in the past, I'd have to disagree with you there.

Perhaps things have changed since; it was a good dew years ago, but when I was there some of the expectations were very unpleasant indeed and nigh-on impossible to meet.

Cabaal

Find them fine in both, like any company you can meet staff that are unhappy...even in the best companys

French_Girl

I also find Aldi a bit better experience in general.

Mick Murdock

myshirt wrote: »

They work you. Not work you to the bone. Just plain work you. That's the model.

Sometimes that is unfamiliar to Irish people, particularly if they come from a public sector job.

They pay well and expect hard work in return - the Ryanair model. Nobody is forced to work for them so the least a customer should expect is a pleasant, friendly transaction. Of course they can be pressure cookers at times but that's what they're paid for - DO YOUR JOB.

I would say customer service in the UK and Ireland is mostly excellent in comparison to most places I've visited. Only places where people are allowed to get away with it do you receive rude service imo.

L1011

Only ever had issues in Aldi myself. Maynooth is staffed by aggressive idiots. Changed to celbridge

byte

Both seem similar where I live, courteous in both shops.

It's Supervalu I find a pain in the behind, with cashiers being slow and quite happily sit having a full-on conversation with a customer in front of you, for what seems an age, while you stand there waiting as a sort of inconvenience...

Xterminator

both lidl and aldi are nice enough around my area.

i hate shopping in tesco now, 'cause they wouldn't open another till if you were on fire. managers chat; staff stack shelves; while ignoring the 10 minute q's on the tills. and thats not even peak times!

i actually find the staff at my local Iceland are the friendliest. really make an effort.

Lux23

I haven't found staff in any Dublin grocery outlets to be overly friendly, Dunnes are probably the worst in general, but I find the staff in my local Tesco very nice. But they don't stock much at all.

tuisginideach

In my area of Dublin, Lidl and Aldi staff are a billion times friendlier than Tesco. Happy with Dunnes till staff - 'supervisors' could be a bit more pleasant. I agree re Lidl's earpieces being a pain.

pc7

I find the staff in my local Aldi friendlier than Lidl, Lidl always seems busier so maybe under more pressure. As for Tesco, I hate going into it, I don't know what it is about my local store but they always talk to each other over the tills and without being 'fatist' if that's a word or unPC, I'd hazard a guess that at least 70% of the staff are obese. They just seem to stand around chatting. I only go in once a month to Tesco to get things I can't get in Lidl/Aldi.

TeaBagMania

The only rudeness I ever experienced in Ireland was a lady at the Esso station in Galway. I whip’d out a 100 euro note to pay for 40 euro worth of petrol and she went all crazy on me, no worries “how bout a 50?” she was happy

sunny2004

Doesn't this just depend on the individual store, its often down to management style..

Chemical Byrne

Size of urban areas definitely counts.

Ever been to a supermarket in Machester? They don't even afford the courtesy of eye contact, never mind a thank you when you pay. Dog ignorant.