Customer Service Rant

Currently on my worst list....(drum roll please)
1. Walmart
2. (close second) Click Camera

Walmart

Are we (customers) just not important anymore? Is the money that rolls like water, out of our account every week, just not relevant? I think these stores believe, or maybe even KNOW, we will inevitably return next week to load up our carts, deal with sales associates that continue to have little to no knowledge about the product, use the self checkout, and bag out own groceries! Where is the smile from the greeter? Where is the friendly, knowledgeable, sales associate? In every word that person is missing all together. I want to know what happened to the service from these stores? If we are researching the product on our own, checking out and bagging the product all on our own, what is the service we are getting? What is it, that will distinguish this shopping experience from the next? What overwhelming quality will make me choose this store verses the competition?
Is it all price driven? Is the savings really worth it? I am really asking myself these questions and challenging myself. I want to know why I keep going back when I continue to be disappointed.
I wonder if I would pay a fee for a membership to a store if I knew when I walked in that the store associates would know the product and the arrangement of the store? If when I asked for help they would do so with a smile? Would it be worth it if a bagger stood at the end of the isle and carefully bagged my bread and eggs separately? What if I was asked if I needed help out to my car, (which would be nice, considering I usually have both kids with me).
I'm on a mission...
During the next few shopping excursions I am not going to darken Walmart's door. I am taking my business else where and I'm going to blog about it. I am on a mission to discover if customer service can really beat a great price. It seems now days the two do not go hand in hand. I will be comparing the cost of each excursion and the service rating. So stay tuned for my conclusion.

Also, because of lack of time I will not even begin to describe my experience at Click camera, but if you want to know which store location just email me and I will gladly give you that information.