It seems that when I've discussed service levels of global retailer Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) in past posts, comments came flying in from just about every corner of the nation regarding how Wal-Mart associates don't really seem to care about customer service or assisting the customer in stores any longer. I rarely experience this myself as I'm not an avid Wal-Mart shopper, but yesterday I broke my own rule and visited a Wal-Mart store in my hometown to buy a few things. Wal-Mart Supercenters that I've visited are generally so packed with people that it's hard to navigate the aisles, let alone wait a looooong time at the cashier's to complete your purchase. In that respect, thank goodness for self-checkout machines -- but even those are full sometimes.
I had a newly purchased wristwatch with me when I went into Wal-Mart; I was actually planning to drop by a local jeweler to have the band re-sized after my foray into the jungle that is usually Wal-Mart. I packed my metaphorical machete and ventured into the retailer's discount cave.



