People who know me, know that I love going to home improvement stores. My favorite used to be Menards. But now it is Home Depot. Home Depot has more of the things I need. Lately I have noticed a big change at Home Depot. I used to be able to walk into Home Depot, grab a cart and wonder the store for hours before having an employee asking me if I needed help. Now they have people lined up at the entry ways asking you if you need help.

During my last trip to the Rhinelander Home Depot (who always have been helpful) I had a list of things to buy. When I walked in the door right away I was asked if they could help me. I said not really I have a list of things I need. She said give me the list. Right away she took me through the store finding everything I need quickly. I was done shopping in a few minutes. Now where is the fun in that! One of the challenges of going to Home Depot is to find things on your own, get frustrated, get mad becuase no one helps you, and then come back a week later to do the same thing over again. I can have people helping me to find things quickly.

Now I thought this might have been just a local things with Home Depot. So last week I went to 3 different home depots. They all have people lined up at the door asking you if you need help. One store was so bad I felt like I was in a scene from the movie "Airplane" where Stricker is trying to get through the Airport where religious zealots coming up to him to talk about their causes, he pushed them to the side or punches them. While walking through Home Depot I felt like screaming "just leave me alone!" or punch a few.

We are speding Easter in Nebraska with Susan's grand mother. We flew in to Omaha and rented a car. While driving to Grandma's I heard the person on the radio talk about how when you walk into any store now a days sales people are lined up to help you. I guess it's the economy driving this change.

I can't wait until the economy gets better so I can get bad customer service again.

Joe