Menards — Local services in Independence

Store is always clean and prices are great but the customer service needs work. It’s never been stellar when my husband and I have needed something, but it’s never been bad enough to review. However, my mom and I had a terrible experience there on 6/7/18 that I feel I need to share. Lots of teens were there working their summer job, which I always allow grace for, but these employees were downright rude, and unprofessional. Literally there was no standard of ethic in how they represented the company they had been hired to work for. When we first came in, we went to customer service to ask how to pick up a special order of tile that had come in. There were two people working the counter, one was busy with a customer. The other, a teen, who looked at us but never acknowledged or offered to help us. Then, another customer came in, cut in front of us and was immediately helped by the teen. After helping the other customer, the teen looked at us again and walked off. Then while attempting to pick up the tile order in the back of the store, 5-6 teens, males, were working the special order pick up with one adult female. They were all congregated together and all seemed to try to do the job that only required one of them while talking to us. We weren’t getting anywhere with our pick up because they all kept trying to take control and would banter back and forth with one another, without doing anything remotely productive to actually helping us, until one, who seemed to be the ring leader, took over, all the while acting annoyed to be having to do his job, checked the computer and got us going with our pick up. His cronies then immediately took on his air of attitude and kept standing around us for whatever reason versus helping other customers, leaving the female scrambling around answering the phone and trying to help other people. After finally confirming the order number, and that it was there, we were told to drive on around back and they would go get the tile ready to bring out to us while we checked out with our other items and drove around. We drive around and then walk in to let them know we are there and every single kid who had been “helping us” disappeared. We waited 30-40 minutes while multiple customers who had come in after us were helped and sent on their way. I went in to check how much longer it would be after about 20 minutes and was approached by an older male employee asking what I needed. The words, “we are waiting on a tile order to be brought out” were barely out of my mouth before he interrupted and said “oh, I don’t have anything to do with that” and walked off. Finally, the female employee working by herself came out with the tile order and proceeded to try and load it by herself. My mom helped her since the teen employees initially helping us and who said they would help us load (I am 9 mos pregnant and my mom is tiny) were NOWHERE to be found. Older men employees were busy moving around other supplies, except for one who just watched my tiny mom and female employee load this heavy tile by themselves. I then heard him say “I was gonna help but it looked like you got it”. We were then told that the teen employees have a tendency to run off and hide in the material yard to hang out and often leave minimal staff hanging to do the work. I am all for places hiring kids to work for the summer, but Menards, please get it together with your customer service in general, but especially with these kids. Every single encounter with their summer staff, 6-7 young men, were rude, unprofessional and seemed either or annoyed or petrified to work with customers. I was also shocked at the behavior of some of the adult employees. My husband and I shop Menards almost every weekend and love it, but my husband knows his way around the store and so we usually don’t have to ask for employee assistance so I was floored by this experience. We recommended my parents use Menards for their bathroom remodel needs and needless to say, they will never be back. I was embarrassed to have given the...

This will be a bit long.. I ordered the materials online and requested a delivery date the following day.  The rep called me within a couple hours to schedule a time to deliver..  I asked if it could be delivered in the next 48 hours?  The rep said the earliest would be on Saturday afternoon.  I explained that wouldnt meet my expectations could you cancel the delivery and I will pick it up in the store Friday after 6pm. No problem there.  I asked if they could pick the items lumber and 3 items in the store before I showed up.  The rep told me know b/c what if i didnt pick it up or show up.  I explained again that I would be there after 6pm Friday and dont want to be there forever.  He said no again, and went on to say what if someone else wants to purchase what you are picking up.  I said they shouldnt since i had already paid for it.  He said sorry nothing we can do.  Friday at 607pm I call the store and speak with someone and explain the story, she transfers me back to Emery.  I explain to him I am going to be there in an hour, picking up a truck now, can you please start pulling the lumbar and items.  He said he will try to get his guys on it.  I explained that I do not want to be there forever so any help would be appreciated.  I show up to the store at 649pm go to the front counter and speak with an African american woman about refunding the deliver.  She calls over a manager who puts it back on my card.  I explained again what I am trying to get done with them.  The African american lady went above and beyond.  She wrote down the isle numbers for all 3 items that were on my online pickup for me to go get myself.  She and the manager were great at getting me in and out..  After I found the items I was walking out by the rebate counter and the manager saw me and asked if i got everything and need anything else.  I asked her if she could let Emery know I am on my way back to pickup the 45 pieces of lumber, which she did. I now pull into the back of Menards at 713pm and go to the bay the security guy told me to find Emery.  I find him and state I am Darren who called you over an hour ago on picking up the 45 boards that you all were going to pick.  He states we havent started picking them but i will have my guys meet you at the lumbar barn to help you load.  At this point I am getting a bit upset.. everything went so smooth until now and he is the one i called over an hour ago about this.  I take the my father inlaws truck over to the barn (i am by myself as well) to load up.  I sit by the truck for 10 minutes  no one shows up.  I then say okay I will start searching for my own order.  I am loading for about 25 minutes and no one shows up to help.  A forklift driver flew by me loading 2 times during this period never stopped to help or ask any questions (he was wearing full body camo).  I decide to call the store at 750pm since it is 40 degrees out and no one has came to help or spoken to me.  I get Emery on the phone and state this is Darren the guy you were to pull the lumber for, I have been in the barn for over 30 minutes and no one has shown up to help.  He states sorry we got busy I will send someone.  About 10 minutes later 2 guys show up on forklifts and help with the last 12 boards.  After loading the remaining boards with him and fastening in I didnt leave the store until 820pm.

So this is my experience at the Independence Menards on Friday 11/10 from 6pm to 820pm.  The ladies inside were great and made the experience better but once I hit the lumbar yard and had to deal with Emery the experience was terrible and unacceptable in my eyes.  There was not another person or truck in the yard that I could see.

Below is the response I get from Ray when I write about my experience.

I'm very sorry, but we are unable to further discount our already low prices. Thank you for your patience and...

All I wanted was a shed....

Started going here a few months ago, was always a Home Depot person but wanted to check it out. Found I really liked the prices and loved the lumber department. Had a few things I didn't care for when returning lumber, had a lot of hoops to go through but hey they had all the lumber I needed and in stock and no place is perfect, so stuck with them. Have bought lights, and other household items there, spending $400-$800 over that time and had no issues. Was needing a shed for the house and looked around a few places and found the one I wanted at Menards, order process was easy and fast, paid for it that day- all is good.

This has all changed now after ordering the shed 3 weeks ago. Ordered the materials to be delivered, was informed 2 pieces needed to be special ordered and the rest was in stock so once those 2 items came in would receive a call to set up delivery. Order placed on 07/07/17, special ordered items came in on 07/12/17 per a email I got to confirm ready for pick up. Did not pay much attention to email date as I assumed they would call me that week to schedule a delivery, I thought wrong. I contacted the store (Independence) to find out where the order was. Talked with a GM, who will remain nameless, no reason to trash the person. "Looks like the order just came in and someone will contact you Monday or Tuesday (07/24-07/25) to schedule a delivery.

So Lie #1: came in on 07/12/17 and on 07/22/17 when I called "it just came in sir". As you may have guessed no phone call on Monday, Tuesday, or even Wednesday. Went to the store to find out W T F is going on, spoke with a helpful delivery manager and appears the GM that took my original order did not submit it right and the order was set to pending and NEVER processed correctly. Let him know needs to be in my driveway tomorrow Friday 07/28/17 by mid day so when I get home from work I can start building the shed. Looked at the delivery manifest and was third in line to be delivered between 7am-12 noon. Was upset a bit but good to go this weekend to build the shed so all is good. Received first phone call from delivery manager at 11am Friday "order should be there in a few hours, driver has 1 more stop to make then will be there." Next phone call was at 4 pm, something about driver being pulled over, DOT issues and jammed up for hours, and the store knew nothing about this or that's what I was told. I then called store back at 5 pm to speak to them as to where my material was. "Sir the driver is on his way back to the store from the first delivery in KC and once he gets back he will be to your home." Lie #2 when I scheduled delivery the manifest had Blue Springs, Oak Grove, then me (not KC). So at this point I lost my cool a bit, not good on my part but I do not like being lied to. Oh meant to throw this in earlier "Miscommunication from so and so" was the main reason for all this, heard that multiple times from a few folks.

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