[Blindtlk] A Horrible Experience at Kmart

Thu Jul 16 03:58:48 UTC 2015

Hello Charlotte,
Sorry to hear you were treated so appallingly.
If you really want to follow this incident through to a satisfactory 
resolution, I suggest that you document your complaint in writing and send 
it, priority mail, to corporate complaints department. This way you will be 
able to keep track of dates. It is important to get the names of those to 
whom you spoke on the phone when you called corporate complaints. When you 
write to them and you require a receipt from the postal service that proves 
the letter was delivered, and it lists when and to whom, you can build your 
case, showing how they  continue to ignore you and to do nothing about the 
unacceptable behaviour of their store manager. If they do, in fact, ignore 
several letters, then you can decide whether you would like to make a 
complaint to one of the government entities. Or, you might decide to take 
your story and complaint, and your carefully kept evidence, to your local 
newspaper or television news producers, to warn everyone in your local 
community about how K-mart allows some of its store managers to treat 
shoppers with special needs.
I hope you do decide to put your complaint in writing and follow it up. It 
may take some time and effort but this is the only way we achieve change, by 
individuals insisting on incremental changes.
Warmly,
Heather

-----Original Message----- 
From: Charlotte via blindtlk
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2015 10:02 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Cc: Charlotte
Subject: [Blindtlk] A Horrible Experience at Kmart

A few days ago my best friend and I were talking about the good deals
she got while at Kmart with another friend of hers. They had sales on
swimsuits, clothing, shoes, etc. and I was looking to purchase some of
these same articles. She said she'd like to go back as well so we
planned a trip for Friday, July 3, to go to Kmart on paratransit to get
the items we wanted. I told her I'd call ahead the next day and let them
know we were coming and that we would be there quite a while as we were
two blind women, one in a wheelchair, looking for clothing and
accessories. The next day I called to let them know. I spoke to the
manager on duty. He assured me it was no problem. I didn't feel very
satisfied with his brush-off quick response and told my husband about
it. He then called again and spoke to a customer service lead. This time
he, too, was assured that it would be no problem. He gave the times we'd
be there and she said she'd get it taken care of and leave a note at the
service desk so they could get someone in ladies' clothing or a similar
department to help us. We again told her the length of time we were
looking at and that there would be two of us. We arrived at Kmart Friday
and I went to the service desk. I again said I had called ahead and
spoken to two people and told them we were coming and that my friend and
I would need help shopping. Not only were my two previous calls ignored,
but we were given a male cashier who knew nothing about clothing. He, as
an employee and a person, was fantastic. But I did not feel the most
comfortable shopping for intimate apparel with a male not related to me.
We proceeded to begin shopping and purchased some shoes, swimsuit, and
were looking at pants. We had been shopping for about 2 hours. My friend
and I were in the women's fitting room trying on clothing. All of a
sudden there is a loud bang on the door. In a raised, scathing tone, the
general manager of the store inquires how much longer we intend on tying
his employee up. I again explained that we had called twice in advance
and that I had indeed spoken to a manager on duty. I explained this in a
calm tone, only letting a bit of my growing frustration show. Dan, the
store manager, then proceeds to publicly, loudly berate me in front of
the other customers and employees and tell me how unappreciative and
ungrateful I am. He said I had tied up an employee for 3 or 4 hours. We
had begun shopping at 11 and it was just after 1 when the incident
occurred. He said that from now on they are putting a 30 minute maximum
on any assistance because of my extreme attitude. I tried to reason with
him as did my friend and say we were not being extreme. We'd tried to do
the responsible thing and if we'd come separate they'd have had two
employees tied up. It really hurt my feelings and upset me very much to
be publicly humiliated and berated in front of the other customers and
employees, and while I was trying on clothes in the women's fitting
room. I came out of the room in tears. The gentleman helping us was
appalled. He profusely apologized for his manager's rude behavior and
said if he were us he'd just put everything back and walk out. I said
I'd love to do that but with my transportation limitations, that wasn't
an option for me. We did get checked out and went to wait for our ride.
When I got home, I immediately called the corporate complaint
department. The gentleman who took my call was also appalled by the
classless behavior of the manager. I am still waiting to hear the
resolution of this complaint. I will never set foot back in that store
again unless that manager is no longer working there or at any store. He
is rude, unprofessional, and according to the employee helping us, he
treats his employees the same way. I've been verbally abused before and
that was exactly what this experience reminded me of. My friend said he
was accusing us of having an extreme attitude, when he was actually the
one acting extreme. I would not recommend any person with a disability
to go to Kmart. You will be treated as less than human and given the
complete brush-off. If you go to the store on Lake St. Dan will impose a
30 minute maximum on your shopping time. This is not legal by ADA
standards. He feels that we are taking advantage of a system and so I
feel that he doesn't want us there or our business. Let Dan, the Kmart
manager know what you think of what you just read. I have an update to
this story. It is now July 15, and I still have not heard any word from
corporate of any kind. I called twice and both times was told someone
would get back in touch with me promptly. This has not happened.
Apparently Sears and Kmart do not care about whether or not their
customers are treated in a dignified manner.
Charlotte

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