Shop warning.

[Corso]

And noone was the least bit outraged at 25k for a handbag

go figure.....

 

[sandbender]

And noone was the least bit outraged at 25k for a handbag

go figure.....

Jeez, think how many Alan Wood Woodlores that would buy.

 

[northumbrian]

i bet you she would have got a belter tip off oprah if she had not been so snotty with her !

 

[johnnytheboy]

You know something I think this is just out of order going online and moaning about something like this! especially naming the business!

One day all of these small businesses will go under due to "Trip Advisor" helpful people and we will all have to suffer traveling to the nearest big Megastore that's miles away to receive the "Have a nice day" corporate BS!

Did you ask a shop assistant for help?

 

[Old Bones]

I work part-time in retail, and I'm expected to acknowledge a customer within two minutes of them coming to the department. If they say their fine, thats OK, but it drives me nuts to see staff chatting when people are looking for help. Even if someone is after no more than some advice, or something small, they need help, and you never know what they might buy next time they come in (and of course they might be one of the richest women in the world!). Just saying hello is often enough.

On the other hand, British people do seem to hate asking for advice. I work in a place which is known for customer service, and yet people (OK - blokes) will wander around the place looking at all the TV's we have, from the 32in to the 55in (unless you buying five at a time, its one or the other), having said 'We're fine/ I know about these, etc' when they patently don't have a clue (they will often be a couple, with the wife having a terrible fixed smile of despair). I'm paid to advise people, and I actually like helping them, yet there customers who would rather die than talk to you, or get angry if you point out in passing even the most basic information. They they come out and moan to everyone they know all about the terrible service...

If you get bad service, complain (not winge). If you get good service, tell us, its nice to hear it.

 

[Dogoak]

Personally I would have done the same. It's very rude to totally ignore a customer and if I was the boss I wouldn't be very happy. As my old man used to say 'good manners cost nothing'

 

[demographic]

On the other hand, British people do seem to hate asking for advice. I work in a place which is known for customer service, and yet people (OK - blokes) will wander around the place looking at all the TV's we have, from the 32in to the 55in (unless you buying five at a time, its one or the other), having said 'We're fine/ I know about these, etc' when they patently don't have a clue (they will often be a couple, with the wife having a terrible fixed smile of despair). I'm paid to advise people, and I actually like helping them, yet there customers who would rather die than talk to you, or get angry if you point out in passing even the most basic information.

IF I need it I have no problems whatsoever asking a shop assistant for help, nor do I have any problems saying "NO thanks, I'm just browsing" when I have to peel an over eager salesman off my skin.
Then if I decide to buy something in that shop that day I'll make sure the sale goes to the staff member who gave me the breathing space and time to look at things myself.

 

[British Red]

It is a tricky one in retail - the balance between "pouncing" and "ignoring" and I must say I have found gun shops to cover both extremes of service. We have four within 30 minutes drive - one (that is acknowledged as carrying the best range of air rifles and knowing most about them), I think is awful. It seems everything is hard work to the guy. I describe it as "service with a sigh". I don't need to use air rifles much so I avoid the place. Another is frankly just grubby. Nice enough people, but lots of worn guns. The other two are great, one is very "country sports", but will happily get me anything I want and offer proper gunsmithing on the premises. My "shotgun and ammo" shop. The other is my go to place for rifles, scopes and reloading. Both are happy to chat and discuss things, let me "tyre kick" new and second hand guns.

In both, I am on first name terms with the owners and staff and they "look out for" guns I may be interested in. I make a point of getting to know their names and chatting about what I am "into". If I was stuck with the "bad" shops I would be cross like mentalnurse. Generally I vote with my wallet.

 

[Old Bones]

Then if I decide to buy something in that shop that day I'll make sure the sale goes to the staff member who gave me the breathing space and time to look at things myself.

I have no commission, which makes life easier for everyone!

one (that is acknowledged as carrying the best range of air rifles and knowing most about them.... I think is awful. It seems everything is hard work to the guy. I describe it as "service with a sigh

- Yep, sounds like a lot of places, which is really annoying, because they could be so much better with very little effort.

Guns are something where its really important to know your customer, and for the customer to get to know what they should be looking out for. They are not cheap, and a mistake can be a costly one on both sides. Rapport is really important, and simply blanking someone isn't just bad manners, its bad business.

 

[demographic]

I have no commission, which makes life easier for everyone!

Indeed, that's often the driving factor behind staff being all over customers like a rash.
I have heard that customers are rated like traffic lights, with Green being the ones you can sell anything to.

If that's the case then I'm a Red and being pushy is likely to result in me never not being too keen on going in there again. Acknowledging my presence is good but after that I'm happy enough to catch the eye/speak up when I need to.

 

[bikething]

I once had the pleasure of seeing the response of one of the high-ups of Exxon Mobil when told by the barman in a hotel "Could you just wait while I finish this?". Ten fiery minutes later he had his drink, the barman had a very red face and all the customers had had a practical lesson in assertiveness.

So, was the barman allowed to finish what he was in the middle of? or did the exec' just bully his way to the front of the queue ?

 

[Dave-the-rave]

I'm pretty intolerant of shops where staff can be more focussed on something else while serving me. You know that thing where someone's chattin on the phone or to a colleague and simultaneously serving you, but not really paying attention? Quite often in London I'll walk up to a counter and they'll put their hand out to take my money without realising I haven't asked for anything yet. I've often considered just giving them a tenner just to see how they would react.

A mate of mine years ago would deal with it by buying something, paying with a tenner then insisting he had given them a twenty. Because they weren't paying attention they genuinely wouldn't have a clue what he had given them or what they had put in the till, so he often got change from the non existent twenty. I deal with it by walking out the shop.

Impartial advice is also on the decline I find. Quite often I find a staff member trying to push a product or brand because they have an agenda. I went on the hunt for a motorcycle helmet last year and every shop in London was trying to sell me the same range of helmets. Those helmets were on sale in every shop and they were clearly trying to shift non selling stock. Their advice and sales pitch was seriously flawed and definitely not impartial. I had the same experience buying a TV. The TV on sale in 3 different shops wasn't selling. I knew it had a fantastic HD display but the built in Freeview receiver was pants. The picture was terrible. Three different shops all trying to pam me off with an inferior product.

We seem to have moved from 'The customer is always right'' to ''The customers are all mugs''. I'm happy to support a businesses with good customer service and ignore those without.

 

[digitracker]

"We seem to have moved from 'The customer is always right'' to ''The customers are all mugs''". I will second that sentiment, we seem to be dealt like cattle waiting to be milked nowadays, shopping is becoming a quite unpleasant experience unfortunately.

 

[sandbender]

"...shopping is becoming a quite unpleasant experience unfortunately..."

I have recently become a fan of 5.11 trousers (I have worn their shirts for years), the only place to buy 5.11 gear here in Hungary is a small(ish) warehouse type internet shop with an even smaller retail place for walk in customers. The service is quite frankly fantastic, quite surprising for Budapest where almost all retail shops (other than the remaining small family owned ones) offer the 'service with a sigh' mentioned by British Red as standard.

I would also give a big thumbs up to my butcher, service with a smile every time.

So there are a few places still worth the trip.

 

[British Red]

That butcher looks fantastic!

I'll offer up "Rumblin Tums" café in Boston...like a time warp back in time - with prices to match! Their full cooked breakfast (with fried bread and bread and butter and big pot of tea) gives change from £4! Happy, quick "bustling" service from lovely women and my favourite "caff" in the world

https://www.facebook.com/RumblinTumsCafe

 

[santaman2000]

My dentist offers a smile for his service.

 

[sandbender]

That butcher looks fantastic!...Their full cooked breakfast (with fried bread and bread and butter and big pot of tea)..."

They are, butcher shops here are like the ones you remember from your childhood, sawdust, half pigs hanging in the window, chicken feet in box. However as good as the meat here can be sometimes I really miss a good old fashioned full cooked breakfast (the Scottish version with a fried tattie scone).

 

[santaman2000]

There are a few butchers here who travel to your site to slaughter and butcher your animal for you. They generally have a mobile butcher's shop set up in a stainless trailer.

 

[santaman2000]

They are, butcher shops here are like the ones you remember from your childhood, sawdust, half pigs hanging in the window, chicken feet in box. However as good as the meat here can be sometimes I really miss a good old fashioned full cooked breakfast (the Scottish version with a fried tattie scone).

I understand missing the breakfast---up to a point anyway. That's to say I understand that you can't find it out in restaurants. But why can't you just cook one at home? Are the ingredients not to be found?

 

[sandbender]

I understand missing the breakfast---up to a point anyway. That's to say I understand that you can't find it out in restaurants. But why can't you just cook one at home? Are the ingredients not to be found?

Not the authentic ones, I do make a mean tattie scone, but 'sliced sausage' (which isn't what you think it is), proper black pudding and fruit pudding would be much harder to make.

There are a few butchers here who travel to your site to slaughter and butcher your animal for you. They generally have a mobile butcher's shop set up in a stainless trailer.

Things over here are a little less controlled, in the case of pigs anyway you can slaughter and butcher your animal at home, it is a big family and friends event and a great deal of work for everyone.