The waiting game

Bay area shoppers' wait times are among the shortest in the country. But what about service?

By MARK ALBRIGHT
Published October 22, 2006

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Customer service continues to deteriorate nationally, but in the Tampa Bay area, at least it’s prompt.

In fact, local retailers rated sixth-best among the nation’s 25 largest metro markets in a scientific tabulation of how long shoppers wait in checkout lines.

The study is based on reports gathered by 10,000 stop-watch-toting mystery shoppers who track customer service for 220 research companies in the Mystery Shopping Providers Association trade group.

Among the findings: It’s not faster up north. Baltimore, Washington, Detroit and New York brought up the rear. Fast food chains were only 12 seconds faster than casual/fine-dining, sit-down restaurants and a full minute slower than convenience stores.

On average, places that offered self-service checkout, gas pumps or ATMs are a minute or more faster than clothing, outlet and department stores.

Department stores were the slowest. “Stores have sped up checkout, but our surveys show that’s not the problem,” said Joe Piloti, vice president of BIG Research in Worthington, Ohio.

“Shoppers blame a lack of knowledgeable sales people, stores being out of stock, poor return policies and just plain rotten service.”