May 11, 2009 01:07 PM
6613 Views
This specific review is for the Reliance Fresh store on Range Hills Road, Pune.
I have been shopping here for a few months now and I think its time to share myopinions on the store.
Lets start with the parking:
One word: Non Existent. People have to park their vehicles on the road obstructing the flow of other motorists generally causing a big mess. If you ever walk near the Reliance Fresh store at say 7 PM. on a weekday, you will know what I mean.
Ambiance:
Not bad if you compare with a neighborhood kirana shop, but if you compare with shops like Pune central etc, Reliance Fresh pales in comparison. It has aslightly downmarket feel and what is worse, it is cramped with very less space between the aisles. Maybe cost compulsions and the need to yield a particular Rupee amount per Sq. Foot has made it so.
Choice:
Again, if you compare with a neighbourhood kirana shop, you will feel thatthere are lots of items. But just go to Pune Central (5th floor) and you willrealize what Reliance Fresh lacks
Value for Money:
Very good value for money with various deals going on and products are oftenavailable below MRP. We often forget that MRP stands for MAXIMUM retail priceand the retailers can and should sell items below MRP. You will never have aneighbourhood store sell you items below MRP.
Customer Service:
Pathetic, Atrocious, Horrible, Nightmarish, Indifferent - I ran out ofadjectives, but I guess you get the general idea. The staff manning the tillsare the worst. They are not bothered about what the customer wants and have noidea on how to treat a customer who is paying for the items that he is buying.
I have never seen the "Manager" of the store and he /she seems toprefer hiding in some inside room during rush periods rather than activelymanaging the store. Repeated complaints too dont elicit any response. Theresalways a shortage of change at the tills, or bags to put the items in.Sometimes, there seems to be a shortage of staff to man the tills leading tolong lines and frayed tempers. Granted, some of the customers seem to think itstheir prerogative to throw their weight around and be rude with the staff; butthe staff should be trained to handle such difficult customers with tact anddimplomacy.
Overall, it doesnt feel as if the store is well managed at all - be it the lackof parking or be it the way goods are stacked, or the quality of many of theitems, or the most glaring example of all - the customer service.
Something as simple as the checkout counter can be redesigned to be morecustomer friendly.
My advice is – don’t go there unless its an emergency and you have run out ofsome grocery or produce or you enjoy standing in line because of some disputein front of you or because the person handling the till mysteriouslydisappears, or if you are a die hard value for money fan!!
