The Customer Service representative sitting behind the desk at the front ofthe store has a wellspring of knowledge and services available for you to tap into. And though some of the assistance they provide may be obvious, such as helping customers find where we stock coconut milk in the store, there may be some services they provide which you aren’t aware of yet.
Membership
The Customer Service Representative has access to the membership database and that allows them to do much more than sign up new Owners. You may wish to make changes to your existing membership such as adding, changing or removing a secondary Owner; your CS Representative can assist you with that process. If you have moved recently and are not receiving the Willy Street Co-op Reader, stop by the desk to be sure that your address is correct in the system. While you are there, update your phone number and email address so we can contact you if you forget your gloves or leeks after your transaction at the register. If you are concerned about the privacy of this information, you can rest assured that the Co-op does not give out Owner contact information.
Temporary Membership Card
This is the time of year when you are likely to have out-of-town visitors; did you know that they can shop at the Co-op for your household using your Owner number? We allow visitors and guests to use Owners’ numbers with the understanding that sometimes sending Uncle John to the Co-op to pick up the butter when in the middle of cooking a family dinner is more convenient. Even better, give the Co-op a call ahead of time and ask the Customer Service representative to have a temporary membership card ready when your guest arrives at the Co-op. Having your guest present a temporary membership card at the time of checkout will make the transaction at the register quick and smooth. This service is not limited to holidays and can be very helpful when you have visitors any time of year.
Gift Cards
In addition to out-of-town guests, this is the time of year for giving. A Co-op gift card makes a terrific gift for everyone on your list: friends, teachers, college students, hairdresser, dog walker or anyone else whose healthy eating choices you want to support. Consider stopping by the Customer Service desk and having the representative load up a few gift cards for you. Gifts cards can be made up in the amount of your choosing, making it easy to customize your gift. We can also sell gift cards over the phone and mail them to you or to the recipient if you are not able to come in and make the purchase.
Transportation
The Willy Street Co-op is a Madison Metro Sales outlet and the CS desk has a variety of bus passes available to suit your needs. The representative can also loan you our paper copy of the bus schedule to ensure you hop on the right bus at the right time.
Bike trailers at East
Some services are only available at one location; one option that is unique to Willy East is the bike trailer and hand cart rental program. This popular program was instated in response to the Williamson Street road construction. The response from Owners has been positive so Willy East will continue to offer this option, including during the winter season. The East CS desk can get Owners signed up for a free 24-hour rental and give you more information about the program.
Class sign-up and Community Room
You may have noticed the calendar of classes listed in the Reader. If one of these has piqued your interest, consider signing up at the Customer Service desk. The classes are discounted for Owners and focus on a wide array of seasonal and topical subjects, as well as repeating popular offerings.
You might also have poked your head into the Co-op’s Community Room. If you’re interested in using it as a gathering space for your group, talk to the CS representative about details for Community Room rental.
Help in the store
The CS representatives have their fingers on the pulse of the Co-op. If you have a specific Co-op question, a representative is likely to have the answer and, if not, they can direct you to the department and person who can help. For example, if you need a 50-pound bag of flour or you go through yogurt by the case, Customer Service can help you place an order for those items. If you would like the instructions to make your favorite Deli item, Customer Service can request the recipe for you; or if you have a bag of mystery flour in your cupboard that only has PLU 2443 as its identifier, we can help you unlock this code to discover that it is spelt flour.
Need answers to other questions?
- How do I get to somewhere? We can provide you with driving, biking or walking directions to your destination.
- Where should I take my in-laws for dinner? We can help you find a nearby restaurant.
- Did I leave my umbrella at the Co-op? We can check our lost and found bin.
- What proportions of water to brown rice should I use? We can also give you cooking directions.
- Anything else? Give the Co-op a call or stop by the Customer Service desk. We are happy to help!
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