I'm all for the general idea, but I don't understand the wireless check out. If you are checking people out in the middle of the store they will just shop lift and the people in the front will think they are checked out. What if they hand you a card with an employee number and you can tell the cashier to add a tip to that number if you want, or file a complaint.

Tips for doing what they are paid for sends the wrong message. You will only train employees to look for the best dressed customers. Gofers from contracting companies will simply be ignored. Now we have customers divided into two: potential big tippers, and not-worth-bothering-with. How insulting to the employer that the only way to get the info you need is to bribe an employee. Train them better, hire more of them, but don't turn HD into Nigeria or Indonesia where bribes are required at every turn.

Lack of customer service reflects lack of employee interest.The best initiative is to pay help an appropriate salary and tell them their job is to be helpful, courteous, and at the service of consumers/clients/customers.Proper employer training should quickly eliminate the clerk who doesn't pay attention to customers.If that doesn't work -tell the manager (politely) an employee was in-attentive to your needs. Businesses are in business to make a profit and are usually interested in how to improve their customer satisfaction.The key is being constructive.

Surely it is for senior management to motivate service staff to give good customer service and thus ensure their profitability...

I think the trend is more leaning towards self-checkout systems, rather than someone checking you out at some random place in the store.

I think your idea is on the right track...with perhaps just a little refinement.

What if, for example, anyone who helped you at HD could give you a number - or card - or some sort of identifier, that would prompt you to rate him/her on the omnipresent credit card touchpads as you were checking out.

Those ratings, including the volume of customers helped per time period (to avoid shirking of customer service), would translate into a direct monthly bonus. Managers could follow up randomly with customers for qualitative feedback.

Terrible customer service is an annoyance, and I think your idea to provide some form of incentive is excellent.

Wireless checkout already exsists.

If you receive bad customer service, you should complain to management. If you receive better than average service from a certain customer service person, you should also let management know. This could result in a raise, better hours, or promotion for the harder working customer service person. And, there's nothing stopping you (in many businesses) from giving a customer service employee some sort of tip or other gratuity. There's no reason for a tip program to be implemented.

I am dead set against additional tipping. Now that the big chains have all but decimated the small and medium retailers, we, the customers, get what we deserve, lousy service. I recommend to support the remaining few of the smaller firms in your community. You'll see the difference, even if it costs you a nickel more. Gordon Max