The Disaster That Is Lotus Tesco

[Jimbo551]

Lotus Tesco on Samui reportedly has the highest turnover per square metre of any Lotus Tesco in Thailand. Yet it has the most dismal service record I have ever come across anywhere in the world.

Examples:

Trying to sell electrical equipment without boxes, connecting wires, cd's and manuals;

Not selling the last item on the shelf - because it is the "last one" and then finding a Supervisor who checked and found three more in the store;

Unhelpful staff - I wanted a PC - I knew what I wanted and only had to point to the boxes for assistance in moving them. Eventually had to get a Supervisor to deal with it. The staff immediately went back to playing computer games;

Broken products left on the shelf for months - December through to February for one item I wanted to buy and which I had reported broken in December;

A non-existant stock control procedure - products on the shelf one week are not there for the next three to four - examples Weetabix, Heinz salad cream, Colemans Mustard, Cheese. Walkers Crisps made a brief appearance never to be seen again. At one time they did not even have Coke on the shelves!

Fresh vegetables - frequently cannot get potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, yet these are available in Laem Din.

So why do I shop there? Mainly convenience of location and there really is no competition with the range of products (when they have them!).

Blowing off steam I know but the great news is that Makro have broken ground opposite the Shooting Range on the main ring road. The sooner they open the better and may Big C and Carrefour follow soon then Lotus Tesco may wake up to what service is all about.

[sriracha john]

Several each of Lotus, Big C, Makro, and Carrefour stores throughout the island would be ideal.

[OlRedEyes]

We buy mostly at small mom and pop shops. Tesco's quality is no better, and prices are same or higher. Rather support the locals. I've often wondered how come they're not a lot cheaper than the small local store, with their buying power. I'm glad they aren't, rather see the small store owner survive.

This goes for most goods I find.

[taxexile]

tescos seem to have gone downhill everywhere lately , poor stock control , poorly trained staff etc.etc.etc.

carrefour offer a better range of foodstuffs in nicer surroundings

[tornado40]

tescos seem to have gone downhill everywhere lately , poor stock control , poorly trained staff etc.etc.etc.

carrefour offer a better range of foodstuffs in nicer surroundings

I have to agreee - just come back and thought that the overall quality was down. I could not relate it to the building work going on for the expansion - but I guess that may say this is the reason.

Imho its the quality of the fish counter that sets the benchmark for the store (at least cheaper than the UK!)

[Jimbo551]

tescos seem to have gone downhill everywhere lately , poor stock control , poorly trained staff etc.etc.etc.

carrefour offer a better range of foodstuffs in nicer surroundings

I have to agreee - just come back and thought that the overall quality was down. I could not relate it to the building work going on for the expansion - but I guess that may say this is the reason.

Imho its the quality of the fish counter that sets the benchmark for the store (at least cheaper than the UK!)

Nothing to do with the building works. They have had these problems for months and months. I am amazed that the Big Boys in Bangkok (and possibly even the UK) have not realised this yet.

[The Vulcan]

You forgot to mention about blocking the aisles with their tolleys whilst stacking the shelves in the busy period, noboddy working the checkouts, cluttering the walkways with cheap t-shirt stalls etc etc. And have you ever tried to return something under warranty? Their stuff is so outdated the manufacturers warranty has long expired. What you get is their own 3 months "back to base" warranty. Try explaining to them the difficulty in returning a large fridge to them when you're on a motorbike! Incidentally their new "comrade in arms" Homepro is pushing them for service quality! Everything they sell is on 3 weeks delivery from Bangkok!

But will the new superstores be any better? Doubt it as I reckon the current Tesco staff will be relocating to them!

[limbos]

How about their new parking lot where motorbikes park just all over the place, where ever they feel like and empty trollies block many parking spaces?

Restocking has been a problem since day 1.

[Rooo]

3 times lucky I am. Bought fish there , got it home in a cooler box & guess what ? Out in the bin it went ,stank to high heaven.Now you might think it's the type of fish lol,it was red snapper.

With the home pro stock supply, they only hold 3 to 4 of a particular item,I went to their big store in Bangkok, i was lucky got it within 2 days,here as mentioned 3 weeks.Also beware of advertised specials eg: tiles.After spending a considerable amount of time choosing, to be told several days later CAN"T supply, so why advertise at all, why not just say run out-stock.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Rooo

[steverino]

Please go to the Tesco Lotus website and complain through their customers comments area. I've already done it....Christ you'd think the stupid <deleted> who designed the car park would have thought about a trolley storage area on the end of the rows.....morons

[Rooo]

Please go to the Tesco Lotus website and complain through their customers comments area. I've already done it....Christ you'd think the stupid <deleted> who designed the car park would have thought about a trolley storage area on the end of the rows.....morons

ahmmmmmmmmm Steverino,you will need a trolley storage bay next to every car parking spot. LMAO.

Edited June 8, 2006 by Rooo

[LaoPo]

Please go to the Tesco Lotus website and complain through their customers comments area. I've already done it....Christ you'd think the stupid <deleted> who designed the car park would have thought about a trolley storage area on the end of the rows.....morons

I second that.

Please go there and talk to them. If you don't...... NOTHING will EVER change!

http://www.tescolotus.com/company/talktous.asp

LaoPo

[taxexile]

source...daily telegraph

Campaigners against Tesco's dominance of the high street have found a terrifying new recruit to their cause: Minnie the Minx, from the Beano comic.

In a forthcoming adventure, the flame-haired troublemaker single-handedly revives Beanotown's moribund high street by driving customers out of the thinly disguised "Toscos" and back to their small local shops.

The Beano denies that Minnie's stance against supermarket power is political and says she is simply causing mischief.

However, the strip could prove to be an embarrassment to Tesco, which sells the Beano in most of its larger stores.

Minnie's foray into retail politics is not the first time the comic has courted controversy by jumping on fashionable bandwagons. This year there was a mild outcry following the introduction of a strip called The Neds chronicling the adventures of a family of slobs named Ned, Nedette, Asbo and Chavette.

In Minnie's latest adventure, which appears next week, she is caught short in Beanotown high street but is unable to find a lavatory because all the shops have been driven out of business by an out-of-town retail park.

After attending an emergency meeting of small shopkeepers, she visits Toscos, where she becomes covered in flour and frightens away the shoppers who think she is a ghost.

As a result, Beanotown's sweet shops, barbers' and pie shops begin thriving once again.

Minnie's war against Toscos chimes with worries that Britain's love affair with supermarkets is destroying town centres.

It also follows a long-running campaign by magazine and newspaper publishers, including the Beano's publisher D C Thomson, to stop supermarkets squeezing out smaller newsagents and niche titles.

Under the current system of magazine and newspaper distribution, publishers can sign exclusive regional contracts with wholesale distributors. In return for a local monopoly, distributors are obliged to supply every retailer in their region.

The industry believes that, without those contracts, supermarkets would step in to create their own distribution networks, threatening thousands of small newsagents.

This week the Office of Fair Trading sided with the large retailers and said that local monopoly deals could be harmful for consumers.

Alan Digby, the editor of the Beano, denied an ulterior motive for the Minx's campaign. He said: "This is not political. It is just an example of Minnie picking up on an opportunity to cause havoc anywhere she goes. This week it is mobile phones that she objects to. She uses a situation to exploit it for her own mischief."

Minnie, with her black and red striped jumper and missing teeth, first appeared in the Beano in 1953. With the long-running Dennis the Menace and the Bash Street Kids, she is one of the comic's most popular characters. Yesterday Tesco appeared to be unruffled by her latest adventures.

"It is just a harmless bit of fun," a spokesman said

[stevehaigh]

i wanted to buy a box of beer in there the other day, it was about 3pm, they said i couldn't buy one box until 6pm but if i buy two boxes i can take them now. go figure that logic!

BTW, i love the now home pro, already emptied out my bank account in there.

[Jimbo551]

Please go to the Tesco Lotus website and complain through their customers comments area. I've already done it....Christ you'd think the stupid <deleted> who designed the car park would have thought about a trolley storage area on the end of the rows.....morons

I second that.

Please go there and talk to them. If you don't...... NOTHING will EVER change!

http://www.tescolotus.com/company/talktous.asp

LaoPo

I did that two years ago - letter to head office in Bangkok - meeting with the manager here in Samui - result - zilch. They just do not care and the sooner the competition get up and running the better.

[poorfarang]

"Nobody trys harder for customers"

[Rooo]

i wanted to buy a box of beer in there the other day, it was about 3pm, they said i couldn't buy one box until 6pm but if i buy two boxes i can take them now. go figure that logic!

BTW, i love the now home pro, already emptied out my bank account in there.

One large case of beer constitutes 10 litres...........? Back to school I go.....The law says if you buy 10 litres it's whoelsale or bulk.Then you can buy outside the trading time.

[poorfarang]

The thing that I hate most is that the employees are so quick with the "No have"

I have never actually seen an employee go look and try and find an item in the back for someone...

[jdinasia]

i wanted to buy a box of beer in there the other day, it was about 3pm, they said i couldn't buy one box until 6pm but if i buy two boxes i can take them now. go figure that logic!

BTW, i love the now home pro, already emptied out my bank account in there.

One large case of beer constitutes 10 litres...........? Back to school I go.....The law says if you buy 10 litres it's whoelsale or bulk.Then you can buy outside the trading time.

think it is by alcohol content too ....

it's been that way in BKK and PTY and HKT too .... 1 case of wine ... 2 cases of beer ... and I forget how many bottles of liqour (less than a case ... maybe 3?)

[Boltd]

Hello All,

We all know Tesco and its services in Samui as being very poor and the staff not so bright ( This goes for HomePro too ), well I found a place which offers a great choice of fresh produce and all the goodies you would find on the shelves back in your home town supermarket – The name of the store is TOP and you’ll find it by Samui Night plaza.

Who do other people rate TOP???

RGS,

BO

[Jimbo551]

Hello All,

We all know Tesco and its services in Samui as being very poor and the staff not so bright ( This goes for HomePro too ), well I found a place which offers a great choice of fresh produce and all the goodies you would find on the shelves back in your home town supermarket – The name of the store is TOP and you’ll find it by Samui Night plaza.

Who do other people rate TOP???

RGS,

BO

Correct to a point but more expensive - but I suppose you get what you pay for. We often go there after Tesco and Laem Din and end up spending more on fewer items - but at least we can get them. However, they do have their own supply chain problems and often have items missing from their shelves on a regular basis. Nevertheless you are right and it is a good option. Specific things you can get there and not in Tesco are Lemons, Avacado, Humous, quality jams, new potatoes and quite a few more items.

[Samui Coconut]

Agree ! Top's has a good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, unfortunately supply is very inconsistent. Sometimes have rocket lettuce, sometimes not, sometimes have new potatoes (very good really), then sometimes not. Only let-down is the meat section. Fresh beef is never available when I want some and their pork needs to be checked before purchase. I always ask them if I can smell after I bought 5 chops the other day and discovered that they were rotten by the time I arrived at home......

[Samui Coconut]

Sorry, forgot to mention that Lotus is opening another branch in Nathon by early next year.....so no need to drive half way around the island to get bad service !

[poorfarang]

What a joke Tesco is.

I went in there yesterday to buy a fax machine and couldnt get any service because all 5 of the employees in that section were huddled around one of the Pc's playing a computer game.

I wish I got paid to stand around and play games all day...

[sbk]

I don't shop there much as I don't live on Samui but I have found a tap on the shoulder and an "Excuse me but I need some help here" said with a smile usually works quite well.

[Jimbo551]

I don't shop there much as I don't live on Samui but I have found a tap on the shoulder and an "Excuse me but I need some help here" said with a smile usually works quite well.

Not in Tesco it doesn't! Do that and the staff have an amazing inability to speak English and tend to wander off as if they are looking for someone who can and that is the last you see of them. The staff in the electrical department are past masters at that. Even my Thai wife gets frustrated with their attitude but being Thai, avoids confrontation and would rather walk out without what we came to buy than pursue it. But then that is what we will be able to do once Makro opens. Sadly I suspect we will face the same problems there.

[sbk]

I bought a fax machine there about 6 months ago and even got the guy to help me carry it to the counter.

But I am a farang female speaking fluent Southern Thai on an island where that matters, so, perhaps that is why I didn't have any problem getting help.

The novelty factor I present usually bowls people over

[poorfarang]

I have the same communication problem in Tesco.

I can speak a *little* bit of thai. Even when I ask them specific questions in Thai they automatically walk away to find someone who can speak english (or are they just going to find another pc to play games on?)

Nevermind the fact that I asked them the ###### question in thai! If a farang speaks thai to a thai person isnt it assumed that they should respond in thai? I know that they understood me because everywhere else outside of tesco seems to understand me when I speak.

[John 1]

Why go on complaining, yes it might get better, if you are not happy there is more one shop to buy a fax machine or some pork chops, so shop around.

[tornado40]

For information - the TOPS supermarket I believe is a joint venture with Waitrose also available in the UK. Waitrose is more upmarket and expensive, but the quality is very good. I shop Waitrose in UK and TOPS in Samui

Tesco has become a bit of a nightmare imo