My wife came home from one of the Harris Teeter stores that we frequent and handed me a receipt stub that invited us to tell them about the shopping experience. It promised a chance to win $1000 worth of groceries. While this is not the sort of thing we’d readily participate in, given the times and financial conditions I figured it was worth a few minutes time. Here’s a copy of the receipt stub:
I opened up a new tab in Safari and went to HTsurvey.com. Here’s a copy of what greeted me:
Very nicely done. And the start of what would hopefully be a good user experience. Mr. Morganthall introduces himself, thanks us ahead of time for the time and effort we’re about to invest, hangs the $1000 grocery carrot out there, and tells us how they strive to have top quality products and the best in customer service. I was impressed, as I’ve always been with Harris Teeter. As background for those of you not in the North Carolina area, Harris Teeter is a regional grocery chain that has always ranked high in grocery store surveys. The stores are clean. The people are friendly and helpful. The produce is fresh. I could go on but I’m sure you et the idea. The only negative I ever hear about them is that the prices have always seemed a little bit higher than those of the competition but that’s not enough to have ever made us think seriously about shopping elsewhere to compare those prices.
So, I clicked the Start Survey button and was taken to a screen that asked for my entry code. Here’s what that screen looks like:
Again, very nicely done. Nothing too extemporaneous to what was needed. The cursor jumped to each box as I input our entry code. I was impressed. This was looking like a very good customer experience indeed. After completeing my input I clicked the Start Survey button and here’s what I got:
OUCH! That wasn’t so pretty. Could be the browser I’m using I thought, but then again, if there were browser issues with the site surely they would have sniffed that out at the beginning and told me my browser wasn’t compatible or whatever. But since there was none of that I figured I’d just try again. So, I closed Safari, restarted, cleared the cache just in case, and tried again. Got the same opening message, clicked on Start Survey, got to the page where it asked for my entry code, entered that, and I was stopped dead in my tracks. “This code has already been used” or something along those lines. What?!! How lame is that? What was looking to be a great customer experience just headed south in a hurry. Now I felt cheated at not being able to get a chance at those free groceries and I had to start asking the kind of questions about the organization that they’d probably just as soon I not ask. All because of a poor user experience and all more than likely because some web developer or content writer didn’t take the time to test the survey in a variety of browsers.
I figured I’d at least alert them to the problem and give them a chance to respond. I rooted around on their site and found some contact info (that could have been easier to find as well) and I sent an email at 3:23 PM ET on Monday, the 26th. A little tongue in cheek as far as the tone goes chiding them about the experience , but respectful I thought. I also sent along a screen capture of the redirect problem. I ended it with “Best wishes” and my name and sent it along. Now, almost two days later and I haven’t heard a thing.
Nada. And that’s just so hard to reconcile with the experiences we have had in over 15 years of shopping their stores. So, Mr. Morganthall, I have a question for you. Is this really the best in customer service? Do those people in your customer service department answer each and every email as you might assume they are doing? Are your web pages tested in all of the browsers? And for those of you running other companies, are you in tune with each and every place in your organization where customers interact with your business? Every one of those provides a customer experience and the sum total of those dictate how much or how little business a customer does with you.
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SHOPPING IS ALWAYS GREAT!! VERY CLEAN STORE ALL EMPLOYEES AND ALWAYS FRIENDLY . THEY ALL SPEAK AND OFFER HELP.YOU DO IT BETTER!!
They should put you on the payroll Jackie! I don’t know that I could “do it better” but I do know that I could communicate better from a customer service standpoint via email and I know that I could make sure that the survey works across all browsers. And, FWIW, we just got back from there a short while ago.
I’m in Norfolk, VA, and when I tried to take the HT survey, I got redirected to a link stats page! The only other Google entries that come up for this URL are your page and some news stories about a Hindu company call center.
I guess I’m stuck calling the 877 number on the receipt…or maybe this is HT’s way of telling us all that somebody already won the $1000 in free groceries.
Hey Wencypoo,
When I was checking on the link for Mary after seeing her comment I got that same redirect to the stats page. I tried again and got the regular survey page. Very strange. Clearly they have a problem with this. Not the way to foster community that’s for sure.
My husband and I have been shopping at Harris Teeter for many, many years and our saying is once you’ve tried the “BEST”, you don’t want to try others and that’s how we feel about our shopping expierences with Harris Teeter. We firmly believe they are the grocery store to visit.
Thank you Harris Teeter for being there for us.
Deborah & Gene
We have found HT to be our favorite store for grocery shopping. Like all other stores when shopping we look for items on sale , and HT can compete with any.
what’s happening to the web site ?used to get right on now get all kinds junk and noway to take part in the survey or enter contest
Hi Carl!
I assume you mean the Harris Teeter site and not this one. So far, I haven’t heard from anyone who could participate in the survey.
I enjoy the shopping experence I have at Harris Teeter (Shops at Friendly,
Greensboro, NC) but I was disapointed that you no longer carry frozen Quiche
in your store. It is usualy kept with the frozen pie crust.
Susan from Wilmington NC Hi, I shop at Harris Teeter the stores are always clean and neat. All the employees are friendly and helpful and I like buying the sale items , the only thing that disappoints me is that the store I shop does not carry Wise Potatoe Chips and I spoke with the manager about that and he explain that in the past he had some sort of dis agreement with the distributor and they no longer carries them..
My wife and I shop at Harris Teeter in the Belle Hall Center in Mount Pleasant for three reasons:
a) The store is always perfectly clean, with outstanding restoration and decor and very well stocked at all times.
b) The extraordinary quality of the food stock is visibly very pleasing, fresh and healthy to eat.
c) Personnel are consistently efficient, pleasant and concerned in providing
the highest quality of service to customers.
Occasionally featured items are unavailable, sold out because the high quality of products at very attractive price reductions, require Rain Checks and a return to the store a second time.
Notwithstanding, we shall continue to shop at the great Harris Teeter supermarket in Belle Hall. Management and personnel what they are doing. Thank You.
Tried to take the survey for the $1000 free groceries and cannot access the page like before. I guess I’ll try the 877 number and see what that brings.
I am glad someone else had a problem accessing HTsurvey.com. No such animal that I could access and am beginning to think most large companies do not want you to be able to access the carrot that they dangle in your face. I also will try the 877 phone number and see what happens.
Hi Dorothy,
It does appear that way doesn’t it? Everyone has great things to say about the HT stores they shop. There’s just this big disconnect between corporate and the customer (us!).
My husband and I shop at Harris Teeter for the last 6 years. We enjoy shopping
at the store, I leave at lansdowne and your store is working distance to my
house. The staff are always very helpful .
The other day I found Beer Lao (six pack imported from Laos) , I was so
existed , I am from Laos and I never thought that Beer Lao would make to US.
I came to the store at Lansdowne and very disappointed before you do not carry
the product. Do you think you will bring to Lansdowne store in the future?
Sincerely yours,
Ammone ker ,
Today was the first time I visited the new store in Morehead City,N.C. “I was very pleased with the cleanliness, organization of the store, and friendliness of the personnel. I will deffinately make a habit of frequenting this store. The store manager is Johnny Burgess and the very polite cashier is Dana M. My survey entry code is 9060-76270-0511 Thank You for this opportunity. Sincerely,Hazel Bailey
Love your Potomac Avenue store in Washington, DC.!!!!!!
Love the Salad Bar!!!!!!!
Love the Free Food Samples!!!!!!!
Love the Great Sale Items!!!!!
Hated the Fresh Baked Pizza…
not what I expected. Waaay to cheesy and the crust waaay to thick.
Shopping at Harris Teeter is always a pleasant experience. All sales people are helpful and friendly and store is clean. Like the specials and double/triple coupon days.
I enjoy shoppingat Harris Teeter store no. 0328, Rockville,Maryland, because the store clerks there are friendly, helpful, and readily available. They always greet me as I come in with a friendly smile. I am impressed with their willingness to help me find the items I need. Since I am 86 years old I no longer drive; I walk to the store with my own shopping cart. The store clerks help me load my groceries into the cart such that it is well balanced for my walk home.
I have the same comment as many of the others about not being able to bring up anything that resembles a survey which you tout on your register receipts. C’mon Teeter, you can do better than that.
And, while I’m at it, “Why is the HT onion bagel different from all other onion bagels?” Because all other onion bagels, namely the Lender brand, is better tasting than the HT Brand. You sell the other Lender bagels; why not their Onion Bagel. I have to go to a competitor to buy the Lender Brand…
You would think that by now, almost six months after the original post, that they would’ve fixed this.
I was unable to access survey today. I did manage to do it 2 weeks ago but today I tried and just got something else. Will try again later.
Sorry, could not access the survey today. Should I try later or just submit it in writing? Thanks
Hi Leon,
We have no affiliation with Harris Teeter. We all shop there and we’ve all been unable to access this survey. You might want to try writing. Good luck!
Gregg
Gregg, When I tried to access the survey (yeah, I was chasing that $1000 carrot too!) I was sent to your site. Reading your article and all the posts that followed was a whole lot more fun than taking some boring survey!!!!! Thanks!!!
Hi Bridgette!
Who among us has does not want an extra grand? Thanks for the kind words. I’m confused a bit though. The web address on the survey didn’t send you this way did it? I assume a Google search did after you couldn’t access the survey site?
Haven’t tried the survey link yet; just wanted to tell you that you are a breath of fresh air in this messed up society. Thanks for bringing so many people with something to say together!
Gregg – Couldn’t find a link, so I called the number. Guess what? Morganthall HIMSELF is the one who greets you! You should give it a try!
Hi Linda,
I’m not so sure about that, but thank you. And thanks for stopping by. I see from your other comment that Morganthall answers. I’m assuming it’s a recording. How impressive would it be if it was him in person?
I went to you store today and got some good deals with the discount card. When I went to pay, the cashier girl gave me a receipt and told me the come to this sight and fill out the information with a chance to win $1000 dollars in free groceries. So here I am. I am a homeschooling mom of 5 boys and so any extra money would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Shari,
Thanks for stopping by the site but this is not a Harris Teeter site. We are a number of people who have been unable to access the giveaway site and have been using this site to express our frustrations.
Tried to respond to your survey . So glad my local store in Danville, VA is more efficient.
Hi Keith,
Thanks for stopping by. We have no affiliation with Harris Teeter. Like you, we all tried to access the survey and were unable to.
I too tried to take the survey and got the message null. What is going on. I enjoy shopping at Harris-Teeter but this is a little crazy. Oh well doesn’t look like any of us will be getting $1000 worth of groceries. Ain’t that just our luck. Have a great day all!
Hi Cindy,
More than just a little.
Thanks for stopping by!
After recieving several receipts giving me a chance to complete a survey for my favorite and most often used grocery store, I came home intending to take the survey. Imagine my surprise at not being able to acess the survey. Is there a simple problem here? Thanks, Susan
Hi Susan,
Well, this posting and all of the comments started at the end of January and we’re still going so I’m not sure how simple the problem is or isn’t .
ALWAY’S A PLEASURE TO SHOP AT ONE OF YOUR LOCATIONS..
Got my survey receipt Aug.2. Cashier told me to be sure and take survey since not many are given out. He had only seen two that day. Only survey site found was yours. Sure could use $l,000 worth of free groceries.
Hi Debbie,
Couldn’t we all?!! This is not a survey site though. We’re just a few folks who have run into similar problems with the survey. If you scroll down a few comments, you’ll see some from Jennifer Thompson of Harris Teeter. She has provided a link to their customer service folks should you want to contact them. Thanks for stopping by!
What a joke. I also tried to enter the survey but when I entered the survey entry code, a response came up saying that the entry code had already been used. How can that be??? and then when I tried to back up I was kicked out. Waste of time.
Hi Allen,
It’s something isn’t it? Slowly but surely it’s starting to put a dent in their brand.
Cannot enter code
My survey code is 7180-7892-9320-7201
Why bother to even say to do this entry when you can’t even get into your site to write it anywhere. Someone has screwed up
Hi Lorraine,
All of us that have commented here agree. There’s a big disconnect in there somewhere.
Gregg, I didn’t realize you had two blogs going. I apologize for not posting my comments on this page too. To access our survey, you will need to type http://www.htsurvey.com directly into the address bar on your browser, do not use search engines such as Google or Yahoo to get to the survey.
Also, please note that the survey must be taken within 5 days from when you received it in our store. If you are having problems accessing the survey online, describe where you are encountering the problem and any specific error messages you are receiving and send this information along with the invitation code to our Customer Relations department by clicking here. Please note it may take up to 48 hours to receive a response from our Customer Relations department.
I am sorry for any confusion we may have caused and hope the information I have provided will make it easier for our customers to link to our survey and participate.
AUGUST 20,2009
THIS MORING I STOPED BY THE HARRIS TEETER IN VA BEACH (BALTIC AVE) AND PURCHASED 8 CASES OF COKE AND SOME PRETZELS. THE LADY AT THE SELF CHECK OUT WAS SO NICE AND SAID YOU DONT HAVE TO TAKE ALL THIS OUT, I’LL JUST SCAN IT IN YOUR BASKET. WITHI IN 2 MINUTES MY PURCHASE WAS SCANED AND I WAS OUT THE DOOR ZND SHE SAID NOW THAT WASN’T SO PAINFUL WAS IT.? MY EXPERIENCE WAS RELAXING AND THE PEOPLE THERE ARE VERY CARING & EFFICIENT. THANK YOU
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment Robert! I know that Jennifer will enjoy hearing about that experience.
My wife and I have been a HT shopper since they opened a store in our area. The store is always clean. The employee’s are very courteous and helpful , if we need help finding a product. As we are ready too leave, someone always asks if we need help getting our groceries to our automobile. We are in our seventies and appreciate the kindness of all the employee’s. Thank you.
I love shopping at Harris Teeter. It has always been my favorite place to shop. The fruites and vegetables and meats are always fresh. When you pass by the Fish Department, you don’t smell the fish like you do in some stores. I visited the store today and was very satisfied with what I bought. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.
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