Hy-Vee's weirdest business decision yet?

[dmclone]

I think people in the Des Moines metro probably have the worst opinion of Hy-Vee. You look at other areas where Hy-Vee is and they seem to be a little more liked.

#1 Corporate headquarters-We hear a lot of the news because corporate is here. People in New Elm probably have no clue that their CEO is a douche.
#2 They always try the dumbest **** in the DSM stores.
#3 This isn't just Des Moines but metro's in general. The employees in the metro stores are not the type of employees you expect from Hy-Vee. Not friendly, not helpful, etc.
#4 We know Hy-Vee's history. We know Ron Pearson. Many of us worked at Hy-Vee.
#5 Hy-Vee is still the big dog in Iowa. We tend to love things until they become too big and then we'll root for the underdog.

 

[Cycsk]

Saw this post on Reddit and it fits pretty damn well...

I thought I just had bad luck at Fareway with workers who try to engage in awkward, overly personal conversations while walking to my car. Are they trained to do this?

 

[GMackey32]

I thought I just had bad luck at Fareway with workers who try to engage in awkward, overly personal conversations while walking to my car. Are they trained to do this?

Unfortunately yes. And a majority of the time, it's high school kids in their first job.

 

[Ms3r4ISU]

Unfortunately yes. And a majority of the time, it's high school kids in their first job.

Most of the time, I start the conversation and it seems to put them a little more at ease.

 

[Cycsk]

I will also add I didn't go to the race but I did listen to the broadcast on Sirius radio while driving back to Iowa from Indiana. The broadcast talked a lot about how much HyVee had done and how they made it an event for all people and not just race fans. They were very complimentary of HyVee.

I went on Sunday. It was a great event and HyVee did a great job of using it for their own branding sake, including huge seating areas on both ends of the grandstands with their logo prominently displayed.

It did seem odd to be pouring so much money into this race after the recent job cuts. However, the race sponsorship decision was probably made a long time ago. It would have been fascinating to listen to the executive conversation about why sponsorship made sense to them.

Also, are they committed to sponsor in future years too?

 

[carvers4math]

I think people in the Des Moines metro probably have the worst opinion of Hy-Vee. You look at other areas where Hy-Vee is and they seem to be a little more liked.

#1 Corporate headquarters-We hear a lot of the news because corporate is here. People in New Elm probably have no clue that their CEO is a douche.
#2 They always try the dumbest **** in the DSM stores.
#3 This isn't just Des Moines but metro's in general. The employees in the metro stores are not the type of employees you expect from Hy-Vee. Not friendly, not helpful, etc.
#4 We know Hy-Vee's history. We know Ron Pearson. Many of us worked at Hy-Vee.
#5 Hy-Vee is still the big dog in Iowa. We tend to love things until they become too big and then we'll root for the underdog.

They have screwed over the rural stores way more. Why do we have shoes and no meat counter or butchers? Prices way higher, always out of sale items. Laid off thirty year full timers to hire part timers. They have less competition and act like the monopoly they are.

 

[GMackey32]

Most of the time, I start the conversation and it seems to put them a little more at ease.

When I first started as a carry out kid at 14, I was awkward as hell with customers. When I got to college and learned how to interact with people, it was a lot easier. Especially when you start logging more hours and get to know the regulars.

 

[carvers4math]

Unfortunately yes. And a majority of the time, it's high school kids in their first job.

When I was actually going in the store, the teenagers were always nice. Maybe kind to the elderly.

 

[Trice]

I thought I just had bad luck at Fareway with workers who try to engage in awkward, overly personal conversations while walking to my car. Are they trained to do this?

I'm sure Fareway encourages it, but let's be honest...Fareway or not, the 14 or 15 year old who can pull off a natural conversation with an adult stranger is the exception, not the rule.

 

[CyPhallus]

I went on Sunday. It was a great event and HyVee did a great job of using it for their own branding sake, including huge seating areas on both ends of the grandstands with their logo prominently displayed.

It did seem odd to be pouring so much money into this race after the recent job cuts. However, the race sponsorship decision was probably made a long time ago. It would have been fascinating to listen to the executive conversation about why sponsorship made sense to them.

Also, are they committed to sponsor in future years too?

3 year commitment. It was an awesome event. The huge suites they brought in on the sides of the grandstand were rented for big $, all major corporations. Hell, the title sponsors of the weekend were Google and Doordash. Thats insane. They didn't lose nearly as much on the race as has been mentioned here.

 

[VoiceOfReason]

While I agree with you that they need to refocus on the core business, the experimenting with other lanes of business goes back before Randy. When the Jordan Creek store opened that was under Ron Pearson. They had a Reichardts Express selling men's suits and dress clothes, and a pet department with live fish. I don't think either one lasted a year. They also tried out the HyVee Gas concept there a couple years after the store opened. That was obviously much more successful.

I also recall one of the Ames stores having an optical department, that was probably in the Ric Jurgens era.

My favorite example of this is them pairing grocery stores with gyms. Who wants to work out in a grocery store?

Obviously, this is a bit tongue-in-cheek because they’re different sections of the building and likely don’t interact much, but I still am not sure why a grocery store chain with expansion aspirations and that already struggles to get people in and out in a timely manner would think that’s a good idea.

 

[BCClone]

When I first started as a carry out kid at 14, I was awkward as hell with customers. When I got to college and learned how to interact with people, it was a lot easier. Especially when you start logging more hours and get to know the regulars.

Telling someone their daughter is hot and then asking if she is single is awkward at any age though.

 

[carvers4math]

I can endure a chatty teenager for a minute or two way easier than a chatty person cutting my hair. Now go to one of my son’s friends for that and she just gets the job done

 

[jcisuclones]

A dumb CS action Hyvee did was get rid of the driveup to pick your groceries up at. You used to be able to do your shopping, check out, then a courtesy worker would take them to a door where you would pull up to and they would load your car for you.

 

[isufbcurt]

A dumb CS action Hyvee did was get rid of the driveup to pick your groceries up at. You used to be able to do your shopping, check out, then a courtesy worker would take them to a door where you would pull up to and they would load your car for you.

when did they get rid of that? They still do it in Newton.

But how hard is it to push a cart to your car and load your own groceries?

 

[IASTATE07]

A dumb CS action Hyvee did was get rid of the driveup to pick your groceries up at. You used to be able to do your shopping, check out, then a courtesy worker would take them to a door where you would pull up to and they would load your car for you.

I'm surprised the smaller, rural stores did away with this.

 

[isuno1fan]

I think people in the Des Moines metro probably have the worst opinion of Hy-Vee. You look at other areas where Hy-Vee is and they seem to be a little more liked.

#1 Corporate headquarters-We hear a lot of the news because corporate is here. People in New Elm probably have no clue that their CEO is a douche.
#2 They always try the dumbest **** in the DSM stores.
#3 This isn't just Des Moines but metro's in general. The employees in the metro stores are not the type of employees you expect from Hy-Vee. Not friendly, not helpful, etc.
#4 We know Hy-Vee's history. We know Ron Pearson. Many of us worked at Hy-Vee.
#5 Hy-Vee is still the big dog in Iowa. We tend to love things until they become too big and then we'll root for the underdog.

This is true. Folks in neighboring states LOVE them.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

A dumb CS action Hyvee did was get rid of the driveup to pick your groceries up at. You used to be able to do your shopping, check out, then a courtesy worker would take them to a door where you would pull up to and they would load your car for you.

That takes me back. When I first started with Hy-Vee at 16, that was gone, but we'd still offer to carry out or have them drive up.

Fast forward to when I stopped working there just a few years ago, the question doesn't even get asked anymore. Most HS kids acted shocked/horrified when I'd ask them to help somebody out to their car. Working with todays youth made leaving that job so easy.

I'm not sure why or when Hy-Vee moved away from the mandatory drive up or carry out model. No money it I assume would be the reason, but then again, Fareway still does it.

 

[isuno1fan]

HyVee Waukee still does drive up but you have to request it. It isn’t offered.

 

[JP4CY]

This is true. Folks in neighboring states LOVE them.

Its fascinating how terrible neighboring State's grocery stores are.
College friend was from the Cities, I tagged along with him to Cub Foods once in Ames, and I'm like "this place is a real ****** Dahls."
I feel like the closest decent grocery chain is Mariano's in Chicago burbs.