Customer Service...or Disservice!

by Maureen

As someone who spent most of my adult life as a retail manager (and all my life as a consumer!), customer service is near and dear to me. And DISSERVICE is even closer.

We all know the economy is heading further down the tubes as we speak...but do the retailers bear some of the responsibility? I think so. In years past, when the economy sucked, the stores I managed always continued to make sales goals. Why? Because my staff and I held the same beliefs regarding Customer Service. We made our customers WANT to spend their precious dollars with us. We greeted them when they entered. We talked WITH them while they shopped. We listened to them. We developed a rapport with them. We let them know we appreciated them.

As a consumer, I rarely see that in stores I visit...even if I am only looking...I am watching and taking mental notes!

Just the other day I was at the gross-ery store. I know that is basically a self-service shopping adventure, but when aisles are blocked by stock and employees have no idea where items are located is not conducive to shopping. On this trip I wanted to buy a pound of deli ham. I went to the deli counter and stood there...alone...no employee to be seen. I stood a bit while other employees of the store passed by and never offered to find the deli clerk. I left and picked out a couple of other things I needed and returned to the deli counter. Then I saw it...the deli clerk was sitting in the back room TEXT MESSAGING! I coughed loudly and she looked up. She didn’t approach until she completed her text! Gggrrrrr. Then I told her what I wanted...1 pound of ham. She took out the ham that was already sliced and it was just about a half pound. She then moaned and groaned about having to slice the remainder...WTF????? I told her to forget and just give me what she had on the scale. What is wrong with that picture?

A week or so before, I had gone into Walgreen’s. I needed a couple of things and found a couple more things that I could live without, but thought I would get while I was there. As I shopped, I realized I had to use the restroom. I couldn’t find anyone in the store, so I went to the check out and asked where the restroom was. I was told matter of factly that I was not allowed to go unaccompanied to the restroom and she couldn’t leave her post! Ummm, could you call someone else to accompany me????? That apparently was not an option, so my option was...LEAVE THE CART OF MERCHANDISE AND LEAVE THE STORE! I guess Walgreen’s business is so good they can allow people to leave without purchasing!

I know we have all had horrible experiences at the hands of rude, absent or just inexperienced sales associates...wanna share yours?

Maybe I will write a follow up blog about GREAT service I have gotten...maybe!