The Rise Of the "Super Nice But Knows Nothing" Employee....

[milee]

Lately, several of the stores I'm regularly in have noticeably increased the number of employees they have to "serve" customers.  Guessing the stores are trying to address ongoing customer complaints about bad service, especially Home Depot and Bank of America. 

Although it sounds great to have these additional employees, the stores are not giving them the training they'd need for the employee to be actually helpful.  Which is really frustrating for me as a customer.  Example - Home Depot now always has one or two greeters and at least one other random friendly person wandering around saying "hi" to people at the front of the store.  But none of these people can tell you where to find a particular part and the departments where you can get specialized help (plumbing, electric) never have anybody in them.  So three separate people want to cheerfully make small talk with you but none can tell you where anything is... ARGHHH!

I just got back from the bank and although every employee there was very nice, I spent over an hour without any of them (including the branch manager) being able to tell me how to economically set up a recurring small payment to a new Puerto Rican supplier.  In fact, even though I had the receiving bank account information and the dollar amount, none of them could even tell me how much example transactions would cost... wire transfer?  Well, that will be either $25 or $45, depending on whether PR is considered part of the US banking network or is foreign (yes, I know PR is a US territory) and we won't know until we do the transaction.  They couldn't even come up with an estimate on how to set up some alternatives (again, possibly complicated by the PR thing, but who knows...)  So after spending an hour there, these super nice people told me basically nothing but to try some different payment methods and then see what the fees are when they are charged. 

These aren't the only places I'm seeing this, just some recent frustrating examples.  Businesses are beefing up the number of employees, but not the number of useful employees.  I don't blame the employees, all of them are unfailingly nice but the businesses just aren't training them.  It's not exactly an issue of "bad" service since these employees are truly pleasant and trying to be helpful, but the end result is still not great for a customer.

Is this regional and a chance thing or is anyone else seeing this, too?

[saveinla]

I know that you can set up a recurring transaction through BOA Online if you have an account number, bank name and Routing number, although I am not sure if you can do it for PR. I have been doing it online to send the rent for the house that DS lives in along with 3 other kids.  It costs me 3$ if I use the 3 day option. If I need to send it same day I think it is 25$.

I would not go to my bank, since they will probably mess it up. Try setting up the account online and when you try to transfer it will show you the rates for various transfer options.

[milee]

Oct 28, 2016 13:57:19 GMT -5 saveinla said:

I know that you can set up a recurring transaction through BOA Online if you have an account number, bank name and Routing number, although I am not sure if you can do it for PR. I have been doing it online to send the rent for the house that DS lives in along with 3 other kids.  It costs me 3$ if I use the 3 day option. If I need to send it same day I think it is 25$.

I would not go to my bank, since they will probably mess it up. Try setting up the account online and when you try to transfer it will show you the rates for various transfer options.

I'm fooling around with that right now, it just irks me that I have to do trial and error like that instead of get a simple answer from one of their employees.

The branch manager even came over to try to help the poor, flustered associate who couldn't help.  I had a list of ideas on how to set it up, asked for a quote on each one.  After 20 minutes, the associate still couldn't tell me how much the very first idea (wire transfer) would cost... branch manager wasn't a lot more help. 

[Deleted]

Yup, I think this has always been a problem and is getting worse. I want to go to a store, pick up what I came for and get out as quick as possible.

Best Buy was always the worst offender for me, I swear 10 people had to ask If I needed anything in 10 minutes. When I bought a computer the sales person tried 5 times to connect personally before I finally said to just ring up my purchase. Now I order online and pickup in store.

I never let them check my receipt when I leave either.

[saveinla]

Oct 28, 2016 14:06:17 GMT -5 milee said:

Oct 28, 2016 13:57:19 GMT -5 saveinla said:

I know that you can set up a recurring transaction through BOA Online if you have an account number, bank name and Routing number, although I am not sure if you can do it for PR. I have been doing it online to send the rent for the house that DS lives in along with 3 other kids.  It costs me 3$ if I use the 3 day option. If I need to send it same day I think it is 25$.

I would not go to my bank, since they will probably mess it up. Try setting up the account online and when you try to transfer it will show you the rates for various transfer options.

I'm fooling around with that right now, it just irks me that I have to do trial and error like that instead of get a simple answer from one of their employees.

The branch manager even came over to try to help the poor, flustered associate who couldn't help.  I had a list of ideas on how to set it up, asked for a quote on each one.  After 20 minutes, the associate still couldn't tell me how much the very first idea (wire transfer) would cost... branch manager wasn't a lot more help. 

One thing I know is not to go to my bank manager - she is the nicest person but does not have a clue to do stuff online. It's much easier for me to mess with it and ask for forgiveness rather than let them do anything to my account.

[justme]

You can't just use bofa bill pay? That's how I send money to my Bros account, they just mail his bank the check.

Also ally bank offers free ach transfers. I don't have any not us bank, but that might be an option.

[alabamagal]

milee....love the post!

Are you in Florida?  I guess that is it's own region.  I live in the South, which is where people are supposed to be more polite.  I am a "Geographic Southerner" because I grew up farther south than just about everyone in the US, but I am not a true Southerner.  I prefer competence over politeness.

If I go to Lowes or HD, I would much prefer the gruff guy who can help me find the item that I can describe but not name.

At my bank if I go to the drive through, the tellers always try to talk through the microphone and be polite.  "Is there anything else I can help you with?".  Well no, I just put a check with a deposit slip, that is all I need.  Just finish the transaction so I can leave.  And then the tellers always handwrite on the reciept "Have a nice day" or some other cutesy saying.

Walmart is back to having greeters, but at the store near me the greeters also pull buggies out of the buggy line for the customers so you are not spending your time trying to get 2 buggies apart.  So they are actually helpful.  I have never seen this at other stores.

I shop at Publix and they famous for their service and carrying out your groceries.  One time I went there to buy one bag a celery and the manager was insisting that she would carry it out for me.  I was able to carry it from the produce section to the checkout, I think I can make it to the car!  I practically had to beg her to just let me have the bag.  Next time I bought 3 six packs of soda and some 12 packs of beer, and there was no bagger, I had to load it into the buggy by myself and take it to the car by myself.  So no help there when I could have used it.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

It's always been a thing.   I don't fault the employees for it.   I feel like the employees are in a no win position, if they aren't super duper nice, people bitch.   If they are super duper nice, people bitch.

I feel like we need to get away from the "customer is always right" motto because it's knee jerk reactions to bitchy customers that result in the super nice but know nothing employee.

I would gladly take someone with zero beside manner but can easily help me find what it is I am looking for.   Unfortunately I think I am a minority in that respect.

[milee]

Oct 28, 2016 14:08:16 GMT -5 @aj said:

Yup, I think this has always been a problem and is getting worse. I want to go to a store, pick up what I came for and get out as quick as possible.

Best Buy was always the worst offender for me, I swear 10 people had to ask If I needed anything in 10 minutes. When I bought a computer the sales person tried 5 times to connect personally before I finally said to just ring up my purchase.

From prior threads, I realize that I  - and it sounds like you - want a lot less social interaction than many other people.  I do just about everything humanly possible to avoid having to go into the bank lobby at all, yet every time we discuss stuff like this there are people who post about how much they enjoy  going in to the post office daily to socialize.    Maybe people that crave that type of social interaction are what this new wave of employees is geared toward?  

(This is my idea of Hell.  I would honestly consider cutting off my own finger - maybe even my favorite finger - and sacrificing it to the God of PleaseJustRingMeUpAndStopTalking if I never, ever had to go into the post office or the bank again.) 

[milee]

Oct 28, 2016 14:13:14 GMT -5 justme said:

You can't just use bofa bill pay? That's how I send money to my Bros account, they just mail his bank the check.

I use and love Bill pay, but it still physically mails them a check which is what they have asked I avoid. For some reason, physical checks are more of a security issue for them and they'd prefer a direct transfer with no paper involved.

[mollyanna58]

I have found that Wells Fargo "bankers" know very little about their jobs.  They usually need to call the operations office to find out how to do anything more complicated than an ATM can handle.

My father passed away earlier this year.  Technically, the bank was supposed to freeze half the assets in my parents' joint accounts until they received a NJ estate tax release form.  In our case, it is a notarized form that states that there is no estate tax due because everything was left to his spouse.  I notified the local branch of his death, and gave the banker the release form.  He glanced at it, handed it back to me, and said I could mail it to the state.  No, dude, there is a big section on the bottom headed "to be completed by the releasing institution".  This is a common form, and he had no idea what to do with it.  Neither did the operations office when he called.  They did not remove my father's name from the account, but they noted he was dead in case a man tried to cash a check on the accounts. 

[midjd]

Oct 28, 2016 14:20:26 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I have found that Wells Fargo "bankers" know very little about their jobs.  They usually need to call the operations office to find out how to do anything more complicated than an ATM can handle.

My father passed away earlier this year.  Technically, the bank was supposed to freeze half the assets in my parents' joint accounts until they received a NJ estate tax release form.  In our case, it is a notarized form that states that there is no estate tax due because everything was left to his spouse.  I notified the local branch of his death, and gave the banker the release form.  He glanced at it, handed it back to me, and said I could mail it to the state.  No, dude, there is a big section on the bottom headed "to be completed by the releasing institution".  This is a common form, and he had no idea what to do with it.  Neither did the operations office when he called.  They did not remove my father's name from the account, but they noted he was dead in case a man tried to cash a check on the accounts. 

Apparently WF employees only excel at opening accounts, not closing them  I'm sorry about your father.

This thread reminds me of when I moved to NYC... after a month or two I realized that no store employees tried to make small talk with me anymore, and it was glorious! I am still north of the Mason-Dixon line but we do the southern (midwestern?) hospitality thing here and it drives me insane. (Especially spending 30+ seconds standing at the checkout waiting for the cashier to wrap up his or her conversation with the person in front of you...) 

[taz157]

Oct 28, 2016 14:20:26 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I have found that Wells Fargo "bankers" know very little about their jobs.  They usually need to call the operations office to find out how to do anything more complicated than an ATM can handle.

My father passed away earlier this year.  Technically, the bank was supposed to freeze half the assets in my parents' joint accounts until they received a NJ estate tax release form.  In our case, it is a notarized form that states that there is no estate tax due because everything was left to his spouse.  I notified the local branch of his death, and gave the banker the release form.  He glanced at it, handed it back to me, and said I could mail it to the state.  No, dude, there is a big section on the bottom headed "to be completed by the releasing institution".  This is a common form, and he had no idea what to do with it.  Neither did the operations office when he called.  They did not remove my father's name from the account, but they noted he was dead in case a man tried to cash a check on the accounts. 

I'm sorry but I did a chuckle out of this.

I'm very sorry about the passing of your father.

[taz157]

Oct 28, 2016 14:26:23 GMT -5 midjd said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:20:26 GMT -5 mollyanna58 said:

I have found that Wells Fargo "bankers" know very little about their jobs.  They usually need to call the operations office to find out how to do anything more complicated than an ATM can handle.

My father passed away earlier this year.  Technically, the bank was supposed to freeze half the assets in my parents' joint accounts until they received a NJ estate tax release form.  In our case, it is a notarized form that states that there is no estate tax due because everything was left to his spouse.  I notified the local branch of his death, and gave the banker the release form.  He glanced at it, handed it back to me, and said I could mail it to the state.  No, dude, there is a big section on the bottom headed "to be completed by the releasing institution".  This is a common form, and he had no idea what to do with it.  Neither did the operations office when he called.  They did not remove my father's name from the account, but they noted he was dead in case a man tried to cash a check on the accounts. 

Apparently WF employees only excel at opening accounts, not closing them  

This thread reminds me of when I moved to NYC... after a month or two I realized that no store employees tried to make small talk with me anymore, and it was glorious! I am still north of the Mason-Dixon line but we do the southern (midwestern?) hospitality thing here and it drives me insane. (Especially spending 30+ seconds standing at the checkout waiting for the cashier to wrap up his or her conversation with the person in front of you...) 

My mom recently closed an account at a local bank she had opened the month before. She said it took the lady 20 minutes to close the account and finally give her the check as the lady was clueless on how to do it.

[alabamagal]

Oct 28, 2016 14:16:55 GMT -5 milee said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:08:16 GMT -5 @aj said:

Yup, I think this has always been a problem and is getting worse. I want to go to a store, pick up what I came for and get out as quick as possible.

Best Buy was always the worst offender for me, I swear 10 people had to ask If I needed anything in 10 minutes. When I bought a computer the sales person tried 5 times to connect personally before I finally said to just ring up my purchase.

From prior threads, I realize that I  - and it sounds like you - want a lot less social interaction than many other people.  I do just about everything humanly possible to avoid having to go into the bank lobby at all, yet every time we discuss stuff like this there are people who post about how much they enjoy  going in to the post office daily to socialize.    Maybe people that crave that type of social interaction are what this new wave of employees is geared toward?  

(This is my idea of Hell.  I would honestly consider cutting off my own finger - maybe even my favorite finger - and sacrificing it to the God of PleaseJustRingMeUpAndStopTalking if I never, ever had to go into the post office or the bank again.) 

My DH is one of those who wants to chat with everyone.  He is good at that and it helped him when he owned a retail business.

I prefer as little chatting as possible.

Let's just say it causes conflict sometime.  I will have to wait on him while he chats.  He says I am rude.  But we have been together over 30 years.

[msventoux]

Oct 28, 2016 14:19:12 GMT -5 milee said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:13:14 GMT -5 justme said:

You can't just use bofa bill pay? That's how I send money to my Bros account, they just mail his bank the check.

I use and love Bill pay, but it still physically mails them a check which is what they have asked I avoid. For some reason, physical checks are more of a security issue for them and they'd prefer a direct transfer with no paper involved.

Can't you set up something like a PayPal account? 

My local Lowe's and Home Depot have always been horrible about the very nice but clueless employees.  It's worst on the weekends and I avoid going there then.  You can't go two aisles without getting stopped, even if you avoid eye contact.  If at all possible I've taken to going there an hour before closing on a weeknight when there's fewer employees and the ones who are there just want to go home. 

[buystoys]

Oct 28, 2016 14:30:42 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:16:55 GMT -5 milee said:

From prior threads, I realize that I  - and it sounds like you - want a lot less social interaction than many other people.  I do just about everything humanly possible to avoid having to go into the bank lobby at all, yet every time we discuss stuff like this there are people who post about how much they enjoy  going in to the post office daily to socialize.    Maybe people that crave that type of social interaction are what this new wave of employees is geared toward?  

(This is my idea of Hell.  I would honestly consider cutting off my own finger - maybe even my favorite finger - and sacrificing it to the God of PleaseJustRingMeUpAndStopTalking if I never, ever had to go into the post office or the bank again.) 

My DH is one of those who wants to chat with everyone.  He is good at that and it helped him when he owned a retail business.

I prefer as little chatting as possible.

Let's just say it causes conflict sometime.  I will have to wait on him while he chats.  He says I am rude.  But we have been together over 30 years.

My DH is also a chatter!  He's learned that if he stops too long to chat, I will go ahead and finish my shopping without him.  Since I drive most of the time, it's up to him to find me before I leave. 

[Lizard Queen]

What do you expect of employees making $8, $10, $12/hr if they're really lucky, part-time with no benefits? And I've discovered bank branches have little to nothing to do with their internet functions. You have to calk their internet people for any help/answers (which would include ACH/wire transfers).

I was an extremely fast and efficient cashier at a gas station. I caught hell because I wasn't bubbly/friendly enough for the owner.

[milee]

Oct 28, 2016 14:34:22 GMT -5 msventoux said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:19:12 GMT -5 milee said:

I use and love Bill pay, but it still physically mails them a check which is what they have asked I avoid. For some reason, physical checks are more of a security issue for them and they'd prefer a direct transfer with no paper involved.

Can't you set up something like a PayPal account? 

My local Lowe's and Home Depot have always been horrible about the very nice but clueless employees.  It's worst on the weekends and I avoid going there then.  You can't go two aisles without getting stopped, even if you avoid eye contact.  If at all possible I've taken to going there an hour before closing on a weeknight when there's fewer employees and the ones who are there just want to go home. 

Yes, could do something like PayPal, but there's a fee with that and on a $10k monthly payment, I would like to know if how that fee compares to what it would cost to wire transfer for example. I'm not set on any one way, just want to know what the alternatives are and what they cost so I can choose.

I hear you about trying to avoid eye contact, but these people are really persistent in their cheeriness! 

[alabamagal]

At one point some of the stores would try to thank you by name if you paid by credit card.  I guess this was back in the day when you had to actually give them your card.

My last name is not easy to pronounce.  It doesn't really make me feel any better when you look at my card and say "Thank you for shopping Ms. ~~~~".   Most people actually pause and try to figure it out.

Also I used to deposit checks into a joint account that I have with my college age son.  I did not change my name when I get married, and my son has DH's name.  DS checking account has his name, then my name.  When I deposited checks the teller would thank Mrs. <DS last name>.  Umm, that is not my name.

[Wisconsin Beth]

My Home Depot will call someone on those phones/walkie talkies they all carry if they can't help me. 

[Lizard Queen]

Oct 28, 2016 14:56:40 GMT -5 alabamagal said:

At one point some of the stores would try to thank you by name if you paid by credit card.  I guess this was back in the day when you had to actually give them your card.

My last name is not easy to pronounce.  It doesn't really make me feel any better when you look at my card and say "Thank you for shopping Ms. ~~~~".   Most people actually pause and try to figure it out.

Also I used to deposit checks into a joint account that I have with my college age son.  I did not change my name when I get married, and my son has DH's name.  DS checking account has his name, then my name.  When I deposited checks the teller would thank Mrs. <DS last name>.  Umm, that is not my name.

They used to do that here too. Sometimes they'd use your first name. I dislike both ways. Just thank me and don't act like my new BFF.

[milee]

Oct 28, 2016 15:05:42 GMT -5 Wisconsin Beth said:

My Home Depot will call someone on those phones/walkie talkies they all carry if they can't help me. 

I would be incredibly happy if they did that here. Instead, the cheerful employee will continue to make small talk and often get stuck in the loop of default phrases like, "anything else I can help you with?" Which is pretty irritating since they didn't help me to begin with and no matter what else I ask, they won't know... pretty much if you need any "help" other than mindless small talk banter, then no, they can't help you.

[rob base]

There is a reason most of these people are doing making low wages at minimum wage paying jobs.

[engineerdoe]

I was curious about this and love a good google topic so my search revealed that ACH is preferred as a wire transfer could cost on both ends of the transaction and the $25 to $45 is about right.  Not all US banks will allow ACH to PR though.  Also google brought up using PayPal and it seems to not have a fee to send money to PR.  You have to have an account and your vendor has to have an account.  Easy Peasy.

[Shooby]

  Nobody wants to hire "Negative Nancy" now.  So, we have a workplace full of "Happy Peppy Puppy People".  As a result a lot of businesses now do not function very well because every idea is now a Great Idea!  No matter how stupid, inefficient, costly, etc.  You don't dare be a Negative Nancy now and point that out.  Soooo, now we have a lot of happily brain dead people running things, lol.

[whoisjohngalt]

Oct 28, 2016 14:39:07 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

What do you expect of employees making $8, $10, $12/hr if they're really lucky, part-time with no benefits? And I've discovered bank branches have little to nothing to do with their internet functions. You have to calk their internet people for any help/answers (which would include ACH/wire transfers).

I was an extremely fast and efficient cashier at a gas station. I caught hell because I wasn't bubbly/friendly enough for the owner.

I am so so so tired of that logic. 

So, at what point should we expect an employee to do their job well? 

I would have loved to know that when I was making $6/hr as a teller I didn't have to worry about doing anything right bc I wasn't getting paid that much

The only negative comment on my reviews as a teller was that I wasn't very friendly to our customers.  Thankfully, my manager promoted me anyway. 

[Lizard Queen]

Oct 28, 2016 16:58:55 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

Oct 28, 2016 14:39:07 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

What do you expect of employees making $8, $10, $12/hr if they're really lucky, part-time with no benefits? And I've discovered bank branches have little to nothing to do with their internet functions. You have to calk their internet people for any help/answers (which would include ACH/wire transfers).

I was an extremely fast and efficient cashier at a gas station. I caught hell because I wasn't bubbly/friendly enough for the owner.

I am so so so tired of that logic. 

So, at what point should we expect an employee to do their job well? 

I would have loved to know that when I was making $6/hr as a teller I didn't have to worry about doing anything right bc I wasn't getting paid that much

The only negative comment on my reviews as a teller was that I wasn't very friendly to our customers.  Thankfully, my manager promoted me anyway. 

Well, you can think of it this way: that level of compensation does not encourage people to stick around long enough to learn much more than how to be really nice and friendly.

And I imagine that all the internet banking brings a lot more complication to the job of teller. From my experience, the banks treat the 2 areas as very separate entities and don't encourage the branch people to venture there, other than to encourage their customers to use their internet services. If they need help on the internet side, call this 1-800 number. That's just my experience with it as an individual and business customer.

[Tiny]

Oct 28, 2016 17:10:19 GMT -5 Lizard Queen said:

Oct 28, 2016 16:58:55 GMT -5 whoisjohngalt said:

I am so so so tired of that logic. 

So, at what point should we expect an employee to do their job well? 

I would have loved to know that when I was making $6/hr as a teller I didn't have to worry about doing anything right bc I wasn't getting paid that much

The only negative comment on my reviews as a teller was that I wasn't very friendly to our customers.  Thankfully, my manager promoted me anyway. 

Well, you can think of it this way: that level of compensation does not encourage people to stick around long enough to learn much more than how to be really nice and friendly.

And I imagine that all the internet banking brings a lot more complication to the job of teller. From my experience, the banks treat the 2 areas as very separate entities and don't encourage the branch people to venture there, other than to encourage their customers to use their internet services. If they need help on the internet side, call this 1-800 number. That's just my experience with it as an individual and business customer.

I beg to differ, I think there's some new "culture" of saying "yes! and being nice and positive" which overshadows all else.  

I had a change in management and apparently 'mission statement' because now it's more important to say "Yes! We Can!!!" even when we can't.   Saying "No. we can't do that." is UNACCEPTABLE.    Not everyone has the tact/cleverness to tell someone "no" without actually saying "no".  And not every one is bright enough to figure out that the creative answer that gave them a feel good and sort of sounded like a "yes" was actually a "No".     I'm not sure why management meant to add in a layer of obfuscation - but that's what's happening.  

I think what management really wants is for people on both sides to be willing to compromise when the answer is "no"   instead we are being forced to say "Yes" no matter what.   The "yes" thing is being re-enforced with our performance goals and any time it comes up there's a reminder that it would be best if we said 'yes! we can do!".     It's getting really stressful and we're having more problems than before the "just say yes!" campaign started.  

We are all highly compensated professionals who provide a service to other departments. 

 

[MJ2.0]

Oct 28, 2016 13:50:21 GMT -5 milee said:

Lately, several of the stores I'm regularly in have noticeably increased the number of employees they have to "serve" customers.  Guessing the stores are trying to address ongoing customer complaints about bad service, especially Home Depot and Bank of America. 

Although it sounds great to have these additional employees, the stores are not giving them the training they'd need for the employee to be actually helpful.  Which is really frustrating for me as a customer.  Example - Home Depot now always has one or two greeters and at least one other random friendly person wandering around saying "hi" to people at the front of the store.  But none of these people can tell you where to find a particular part and the departments where you can get specialized help (plumbing, electric) never have anybody in them.  So three separate people want to cheerfully make small talk with you but none can tell you where anything is... ARGHHH!

I just got back from the bank and although every employee there was very nice, I spent over an hour without any of them (including the branch manager) being able to tell me how to economically set up a recurring small payment to a new Puerto Rican supplier.  In fact, even though I had the receiving bank account information and the dollar amount, none of them could even tell me how much example transactions would cost... wire transfer?  Well, that will be either $25 or $45, depending on whether PR is considered part of the US banking network or is foreign (yes, I know PR is a US territory) and we won't know until we do the transaction.  They couldn't even come up with an estimate on how to set up some alternatives (again, possibly complicated by the PR thing, but who knows...)  So after spending an hour there, these super nice people told me basically nothing but to try some different payment methods and then see what the fees are when they are charged. 

These aren't the only places I'm seeing this, just some recent frustrating examples.  Businesses are beefing up the number of employees, but not the number of useful employees.  I don't blame the employees, all of them are unfailingly nice but the businesses just aren't training them.  It's not exactly an issue of "bad" service since these employees are truly pleasant and trying to be helpful, but the end result is still not great for a customer.

Is this regional and a chance thing or is anyone else seeing this, too?

Welcome to my life for the past year. We hired an internal employee to replace someone that left last August. She has been with the company 14 years, but most of that time was in the retail stores. She is perfect for that because it's just greeting customers and folding clothes. When it comes to actual administrative or office work, she actually makes more work for us because she usually messes up what she does and we have to fix it.