Scott's Web Log

Science News May 26, 2007 has a note about increased incidence of nail-gun injuries. It reports that between 2001 and 2005 roughly 37,000 people annually were treated for injuries from pneumatic nail-guns. "Nails driven into hands or fingers accounted for two-thirds of the wounds."

Figures for "weekend carpenters" increased from 4,200 in 1991 to nearly 15,000 in this latest period. The article notes that most such accidents occur among professionals but that "their mishap rate has held steady since such data on workers' injuries were first collected in 1998".

Science News cites:
Lipscomb, H.J., and L.L. Jackson. 2007. Nail-gun injuries treated in emergency departments—United States, 2001–2005. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 56(April 13):329-332. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5614a2.htm

I can well believe this as I spend a fair amount of time working in the "tool corral" at my local Home Depot and I've sold alot of nail guns and compressors. More than a few customers don't know what nails to load the guns with let alone have experience using them. They just want to put that molding on as fast as possible. I guess it's quicker to shoot your thumb with a nail gun than it is to hit it with a hammer.

I have not tried to track product satisfaction or return rates. I do work the "Tool Corral" and am called to verify returned tools. This includes air compressors and other power tools. This recent blog entry points out an not uncommon phenomena. I know we try to avoid restocking faulty merchandise by RTVing (Return to Vendor) but this is not always the case. I can't comment on quality control practiced by vendors or on how Home Depot may or may not enforce quality control requirements. I do know that quality control issues can and do arise from almost all lines of merchandise whether or not they are exclusive to Home Depot. I believe that most of us over 50 have noticed a general diminishing in quality of consumer goods over the years.

Signs of hope from Atlanta. The New York Times, this morning, has an article on the new CEO of the Home Depot, Frank Blake. The upshot is that he is considering selling off, or at least de-emphasize the wholesale supply business and returning emphasis to the retail business, ie the stores. On the surface this sounds encouraging. Time will tell if the environment for floor employees improves. It's my opinion that employee morale must improve if quality of service is to improve. Wall Street analysts have pointed out that the store performance must improve if stock value is to improve.

It's only been a couple of weeks since Nardelli left the depot and there are no apparent changes on the floor in terms of operational policy. A few days ago, however, the "new guy" was supposed to drop in for a visit. It was rumored around the store that he was currently in Hollywood and would be arriving shortly. All resident assistant store managers were running around with brooms and mops. The place looked quite polished. I'd "closed" the night before and was back again in the morning and I must say the place was clean. My department was nice and tidy at the time I'd left after closing so there wasn't much change there aside from some down stocking. He never showed.

I still have customers that think I'm just fantastic because I know what it is they are looking for and where it is, and, I still get customers that curse and yell because I don't. Oh well....

I have recently come across a blog that has stirred up quite a bit of interest in regards to the Home Depot. The site is Mary Schmidt's Blog. Her site says she is a Business Developer and Marketing trouble shooter. There are two posts I've noticed with a number of comments. This material is well worth considering when trying to evaluate the Home Depot and possibly compare it to other big box "hardware" stores. The first post is Home Depot's Real Problem and the second is Wacky Idea: Talk to the HD People.

I'm not in management and it's doubtful I ever will be. I work the floor providing customer service, maintaining the aisles and restocking merchandise. Often times it seems I'm the only one in my department (and sometimes adjacent departments) but I do what I can. It's been my impression that most of the employees try to do the best job they can, too. Morale, however, does remain an issue. One point I haven't seen mentioned in all the comments is rude customers. You know the ones, "I've been waiting here for half an hour...". It's too bad we all can't be helpful and supportive of each other.