H-E-B
Reviews and Complaints

I tried to return an item today at the heb in beeville, tx. This is what happened: I did not have my receipt because the item was purchased several weeks ago. The girl at the desk took the item to another room and closed the door. She came out a few minutes later and said that the item I was returning had not been purchased at that beeville heb in the last 2 months. I told her I may have purchase it longer ago or I may have purchased it at another heb in a town near by. She said I could not return it without a receipt. I said I did not want cash back, I only wanted in store credit. She said that was store policy - not to return an item purchased from anther heb. I asked her where this store policy was posted and she handed me a small framed flyer with small print that was hidden from view on the wall behind her. No one would have been able to read the small print from where they had it posted. I began reading the flyer and it actually said that they do give store credit without a receipt. I asked to speak to the store manager fred # and he also said their policy was as she had stated and had been that way for over a year. I advised him that their "hidden" store policy flyer said they do give store credit without a receipt. So he asked to see my driver's license-i'm not sure why, but this made me feel like I was being interrogated. I told him that heb is the only store I have ever seen the product in that I was returning and that I had never had a problem before returning items without a receipt. I have been shopping at heb's in south texas for 30+ years. He finally relented and gave me an in store credit. The whole experience was upsetting and I will be buying as much as I can from walmart from now on as this is the only other choice I have in beeville. At least walmart will return items that were purchased from them without giving you trouble.

Erlene,

Yes, we have discussed issues regarding your location. I am very frustrated. Cashier errors are one factor. But, I still strongly believe your store location has inconsistent good customer service levels. I do not feel we are valued customers. We are not difficult shoppers, but do appreciate maybe seeing a smile or two when we go shopping for everyday grocery needs. I really don't know how much of this is the stores fault or how HEB operates its grocery business. I do believe H. E. Butt did orginally drive its business on outstanding customer service. I am quite aware that the business is successful. But, I do believe service levels have declined. Friendly competition may be needed to drive a business to focus more in its customers vs just being a number. The thought has crossed my mind to address these factors with your CEO. But, I really don't know if my time to do this would make a difference. All I really expect are accountability and a organization that demonstrates true customer service. Its not all locations that don't demonstrate customer appreciation. I shared some good experiences at a Hondo Tx. location with you last time we talked.
We have consistently gone through your produce aisles and find some items not available, incorrectly priced, poor quality produce, and unavailable assistance in that area. Also, the next stop would be the fish market counter. The help in this department does not smile nor appreciate their customers. Our last visit my wife asked for ice for some fish and the unfriendly partner lady reacted like she was doing us a favor. This does not demonstrate good customer service. I don't have to go to a grocery business and be treated this way. The next stop is the meat market. We looked for 85/15 with no additives. The man behind counter paused and hesitated then walked towards me. No sense of urgency. But, I asked him if he had any 85/15 with no additives and he told me yes over in the meat aisle packaged. Well, I thought thanks a lot. I really don't think these employees are happy. This concerns me. I don't want to go into store and deal with unhappy employees.

We continue to the aisles and see many people busy stocking shelves some blocking aisles and some near misses coming around the corner busy to stock their shelves. I very seldom see any HEB partners helping any customers. I very seldom see any smiles. I really thnk to myself. What drives their customers to shop there. Maybe no other real choices but Walmart in the area. But, thnk about this if you had kroger or another chain down the road that really impact your business. Do you think it would be the same? I know we don't live in a perfect world. I do realize there are challenges with changes in society and how employees respond to employers. But, I do believe there are possible solutions. Hold them accountable by observations, secret shops, cameras, recognition events, coaching, teaching, training, corrective action processess, competition, contests, kudos, and the list goes on. Celebrate the successes and coach the one's that need it the most. Also, if you have employees not happy, then find out why and if not improved maybe its not the job for them.
I do want to be able to go to your location and have more postive stories to share. But, it has been a difficult challenge for my wife and I. It upsets me when my wife is upset because she doesn't feel valued when she shops there. I know I don't enjoy it as well. But, I value my wife and it hurts me when she is hurt. I don't want her to be discouraged and frustrated because she can't get help or is afraid to ask because she looks at someone that appears angry or not wanting to help. I do understand that your traffic counts in your store are probably off the wall right now. As we discussed heavy influx of population growth which has caused some of your concerns. But, as we know as business sense people that we must figure out solutions to overcome undue challenges. So, maybe a quicker response in remodel and new store locations would help. Maybe an increase in payroll budgets to hire more experienced staff or coachable staff. Or maybe secret shop service or survey request on HEB receipts to drive accountablility. Or, maybe more face to face interactions from management from your stores to show appreciation of there customers. I have seen some members of management on the floor stocking, not much demonstration of customer focus, unfortunately.

What concerns me regarding the transaction on the grapes is that my wife trusted the gentleman when he assured that those grapes would not be charged. My wife told me that he even demonstrated some sort of entry on the cash register that seemed to her to trust that he did follow throught. But, unfortuantely not, which is sad and disappointing. Remember it always goes back to two things. 1). Hold your staff accountable and 2). outstanding customer focus. Also, to end my feedback regarding your store and HEB. I have know when a visit is occurring from your top level managers or one that is coming. The store does shine on those days but not consistently on any other day. This should not be the case. Yes, the store favors this with store ratings but the customer does not in the long run. Yes, I understand we all have expectations and sometimes demanding upper management or executives wanting nothing but perfect when walking your aisles with the white glove inspection. I have a busy day scheduled tomorrow and I must turn in at this time. But, I hope this information describes my thoughts and concerns.

Heb charges.20 cents to make change. I asked for a roll of quarters in exchange for ten $1.00 bills. The cashier was hesistant to inform me that there was a.20 cent charge for any change requests. The interesting thing is... Heb charges tax on the.20 cents change request fee... Therefore it is.22 cents to make change. When I asked them why are they doing that.. The response was "the bank charges heb to get change." after thinking about the answer (the day after)... It dawned on me.. Heb has a credit union!

I was verbally assaulted and my life was threatened in the parking lot of heb at wilcrest and westheimer in front of a security guard while holding my 2 year old son. The security guard did nothing!. When I left the store, I found that the unstable "woman" that harrassed me had damaged my property by keying my truck.

Calls to the store manager resulted in being told, that essentially, the sercurity cameras were non-operational and that the security office had lied about where he was. Calls to the corporate office were directed to a customer service agent who kept stating she would make sure my complaint was documented "in the report" although I specifically requested to speak to a corporate officer. I guess heb cares very little for the safety of their customers.

Attention mothers with children, park and shop at your own risk - do not rely on their so-called security officers to be on the look out for your safety.

I was verbally assaulted and my life was threatened in the parking lot of heb at wilcrest and westheimer in front of a security guard while holding my 2 year old son. The security guard did nothing!. When I left the store, I found that the unstable "woman" that harrassed me had damaged my property by keying my truck. Calls to the store manager resulted in being told, that essentially, the sercurity cameras were non-operational and that the security office had lied about where he was. Calls to the corporate office were directed to a customer service agent who kept stating she would make sure my complaint was documented "in the report" although I specifically requested to speak to a corporate officer. I guess heb cares very little for the safety of their customers. Attention mothers with children, park and shop at your own risk - do not rely on their so-called security officers to be on the look out for your safety.

02/25/10 I went into the HEB at 2660 Fountain View Dr, Houston, TX 77057. There was a red sign posted above the Hormel Party Trays that they were buy one get one. There were no yellow coupons. The cashier refused to give me the advertized buy one get one. I asked for a manager. a store manager Z not only refused to honor the promotion she brought a totally different product (hot Hormel, not a turkey & ham & cheese party tray) and tried to tell me this other brand item - non party tray items (I believe it was crackers and cheese) was the same as a Hormel party tray item. I did not appreciate her refusal to honor her store's promotion nor the dishonesty of pretending that I was speaking about a totally different product and brand. I showed her the red sign that clearly stated it was for the Hormel party tray with turkey and ham and cheddar and Colby cheese. Still refusing to honor the promotion she went to a lady named A, no badge, wearing a hoodie with hands in her pocked that Z claimed was the head manager of the store. Amanda kept saying she wasn't working now, she just came into talk. She continued to refuse to honor the store promotion. She argued with me and spoke ugly to me until she finally honored it and rung me up. She didn't give me a receipt. A man came, B, who said he was the head manager of the store. He said A is a salary employee and therefore she works when she wants and she had come in but then wasn't feeling well and decided to go home. Well Amanda had already stated eight times that she had only come in to talk and was now going home. She didn’t' say anything about being sick. It took 30 minutes and I had to speak to all these different managers to get a promotion they were running honored. The head manager B or the man who claimed he was the head manager said there were no yellow coupons the product rings up as buy one get one. I had to go through so much to buy a meat and cheese tray at a promotional price they clearly advertised right in the store and no one thought there was anything wrong with the cashier and the two managers’ refusal to honor the promotion. If you don't want to be yelled at and have managers refuse to honor their promotions when buying groceries then don't go to this HEB. I contacted the corporte office and they stand behind what occured.

I went to heb today and too my surpise they no longer accept printed on line coupons. I asked why, an individual submitted a fraudulant coupon for a playstation and they sold it too them. Now we are suffering for someone elses mistake. Its bad enough we only have one grocery store here in corpus chrisit. It is due to alot of favors being done to keep this store open. They claim that they are here for their community, but only when the camera is on. Where the public can see what they are doing. I don't want a hand out, I want to save money and use coupons to buy the items my family needs. I will no longer buy at heb and will go to walmart and though it is much further away from my home.
Heb employees do shop at the walmarts for groceries becuase I have seen them. We need another big grocery store in cc tx.

I ordered a birthday cake for my mom and picked it up on 1/9/10 at 2:30pm CT at the HEB on 201 N FM 685 in Pflugerville, TX.
When I picked it up, the lady in the bakery department was quite anxious about me opening the box and looking at the cake, saying why are you opening it, don’t open it. I thought her behavior was strange, but it didn’t dawn on me until I got home why she was acting like that. It was not only lopsided, but it was not made the way I asked for. The guy in the bakery explained that if they feel there is too much buttercream frosting on it, they would add Elite frosting to even out the taste, without even asking the customer! In my case the entire cake was done in Elite. I called back to notify them of this and was treated like trash by the day manager Steve. For no reason at all, he voiced out loud in front of everyone that he would not give me a refund so that I could go elsewhere for another cake. Without even allowing me to speak, he rudely informed me that I would either need to keep the original cake or have them remake it. Then he refused to even acknowledge that the cake was even made incorrectly. I asked him to try it and he just kept saying I was wrong, ordered the guy in bakery to remake it and then very rudely walked away. He wouldn’t even let me say anything; I was left speechless by this manager’s attitude and behavior! The guy in the bakery department was not adept at decorating cakes as the lettering was all crooked and the flowers were haphazardly added onto the corners in a nonprofessional manner. I was afraid of this and that is why I asked the manager Steve for a refund so that I could purchase the cake elsewhere. I could understand if I went in the store acting like a crazy lady making demands, but I didn’t do or even have a chance to say anything like that. We shop at this store all the time, making a scene was the last thing I would have ever done. Just weeks before this, my mom and I even stood up for this manager as another customer was yelling at him and we felt bad for him. He was so nice and acted very grateful that night. His terrible attitude towards me would explain why he has so many problems with his customers; he is very rude and unprofessional to say the least! I would just like to know what I did to receive this type of behavior and attitude from this manager. It was all very strange and bizarre as was witnessed by many other customers who felt the same way. An explanation and apology is in order by this manager who was obviously having a very bad day and took it out on me and who knows how many other customers he has done this to. He single handedly put a damper on this special day for everyone in our family who was all disappointed by the actions of this store and especially the manager Steve. It seems that if anything is amiss with anything you buy at this store, you are just stuck with it, you certainly cannot expect any type of resolution from the management and that is sad as this was the last good HEB left in our neighborhood.

I was at the self check out after work, I had never used it before . The computer kept telling me to place item in bag . I would scan it place in bag then put the bag in my cart and start a new bag . The manager came over muttered something and walked off . All I heard was "screws it up " So I continued . My last item was tissue paper for wrapping I scanned it placed it in the bag then the cart . The computer kept saying place item in bag, which I had already done . After about 30 times of place item in bag I turned around towards the help desk in the front by the register . There was 4 employees standing there starring at me I kind of put my hands up like what do I do The manager stormed over, i told her I didn't have any more items to place in the bag she then grabbed the bag with the tissue paper out of my cart and yelled at me this is the last item and threw it down on top of the carousel where the bags are, and stormed off I was absolutely speechless That women has no business working with the public ! I will NEVER shop at that store again even though I will have to drive 20 miles to the next nearest store !

I was almost done with dinner... A nice chicken parmegiana and I pour a big jar of the country fare brand of heb, tomato, garlic & onion tomato sauce, a 3 inches odd thing came out of the bottle and I immediately gag... I gave some time and pick up the stuff with a tablespoon, washed it. Oh my! It looks as it was the back of a mouse, fully cooked.
I have the picture, I even have the picture still in my digital camera.
It took me 3 month to eat anything with tomato sauce again and now, i'm doing my own tomato sauce at home.