infuriatedThis is the letter i've submitted to Walmart.com in addition to a call to the store, 1-800-WALMART, and to the district manager (i will be calling him momentarily).
Marion, Ohio Walmart
Store Mgr: Ron W*****
Dist. Mgr: James M*******
On 7/30/10 i was in the Marion, Ohio Walmart. While I was shopping a "Code Adam" was announced over the loudspeaker. I am aware of Walmart's policy concerning missing children: all floor associates are to block the exits and look for the missing child. When this announcement came over the loudspeaker I was standing in the aisle between Automotive and Sporting Goods. During the entire time that the Code Adam was in effect not one person went to check and block the door leading outside in the Automotive department. In fact, the entire department appeared to be deserted. There were 3 or 4 associates working in the Sporting Goods section, however, not a single one of them stopped what they were doing to assist in the search and lockdown of the store. Thankfully, the child was found within a matter of minutes, but that does NOT excuse the fact that the associates in that store did NOTHING to comply with store regulations on the alert.
When I arrived home I called and spoke to an Assistant Manager named S****** who was able to tell me what the policies were but was unable to explain why there were areas that were not covered but the associates. She gave me the name of the store manager and district manager and also advised me to call 1-800-WALMART. I have called and filed a formal complaint there. I was also given the number to call James M******* directly & I will be doing so this afternoon. In the span of those 3 minutes that the little boy was missing it would have been all too easy to walk past those associates and right out the door and no one would have been the wiser.
I didn't make a scene at the store only because i was so furious that i knew it would end with yelling & tears...and as i was alone with my 3 children i didn't want to go that route. I tried to be precise in my retelling of the incident but it is a very touchy subject as i do have 3 (under age 10) of my own & had that been one of mine that was missing....yeah
What infuriates me the most is that this is NOT just a case of "watch your children better" it only takes a second for someone to snatch a child. Just the length of time it takes to sneeze & that child could have been gone forever.
