our creative space . . . 'crafty customer service'

Greetings all,

Hmmm . . . i think customer service in craft/ haberdashery/ art supply shops is either - super fabulous with great interest in what you are using the materials for, offering their knowledge, experience & ideas, or . . . like you're at the check out of a super market, beeping the codes through & taking your money, smiles & friendly banter are not included.
I was on a giddy high from the Esprit, Country Road & Trenery sales this morning, shopping up a storm for Summer . . . then i went to Spotlight. 

What can i say??  I dashed in to use the 'spend $100 & get $30' off voucher as i needed some linen, threads & needles.  The linen was 20% off, aces, i can afford an extra metre.  I am served by the lovely Narell who is so well informed & offers excellent customer service, every time . . . only as i got to my last cut of linen, it was her break, nooo, she handed me over to the next sales assistant. 

 I calculated exactly how much i needed to crack the magic $100 mark & had already discussed with Narell that i wanted to take advantage of the $30 discount offer, but had not printed off the email voucher.  She said she had a magic code for people like me. 

Giggles.  Banter.  Smiles.

 I mentioned to the new sales assistant that i had chatted to Narell about the $30 voucher situation - to avoid any end of transaction drama, there was a queue forming behind me - it can get ugly at a Spotlight sale.  Well, you would have thought i had just asked her to stick knitting needles in her eyes & give me 100% off . . . she snapped at me "you need to print it off" & i smiled back with "Narell said you have a magic code".  She must have spent 3 minutes arguing/ telling me off, ME, the always right customer.  Guess what people, she had to move the beeper gun, aim it at a bar code AT THE POINT OF SALE & pull the trigger, click, beep, $30 off.  OMG!!  The huge effort.
Why are some sales assistants so hell bent on spoiling your transaction & experience??  I also said "don't worry about the metres of plastic wrap, kind of negates the no-plastic-bag message" & she said "you'll look like a shop lifter".  So i suggested, with my receipt, i could prove at the door, i had paid.  OMG . . . i had no option, she wrapped it up in the plastic anyway.  Then said "the yellow strip is what they look for" & i thought, well why not just give me that, argh!!

 I didn't care, i got 20% off linen + $30 off the total, i am a normal person with a good attitude, sucks to be her!!  It can never be a bad day when your husband picks up a copy of Peppermint Magazine for you, while you're in the post office, because he heard you mention it was out & you wanted to grab one!! 

Something to offer for our creative space this Thursday - you can win this pencil roll & retro fabric stack, my contribution to the Handmade Market Hamper - via the Canberra Times!!

Now, back to that gorgeous linen, i'm screen printing up a storm, stay tuned, love Posie  

social commentary Sunday . . . 'retail customer service'

Greetings all,

Oh boy, retail customer service . . . i was pondering topics for today's post, thinking along the lines of shops you boycott as they are crappy - service, opening hours, stock levels, proximity, parking - Spotlight sprang to mind as i got there at 4.03p.m. yesterday afternoon, needing zips & i had a 20% off voucher . . . CLOSED, what, don't they know crafters need emergency supplies after 4p.m. on weekends??  Add to that i only had 1 child with me & had coaxed him to let me go haberdashery shopping with a bribe of sushi, his 3 big sisters were out with friends & high tea'ing at the Hyatt.  Argh, he did some air fist pumps when he revealed the doors were locked, lights out & "open 9a.m.-4p.m. Saturdays Mum, let's go home".  Typical male & typical of my shopping trips out of my way (remember me driving 800km to Plain English in Scone a few weeks ago, to find they were closed on Wednesdays!!??)

This morning i ducked into the supermarkets: Woolworths check out boy spent my 5 minute transaction telling me he was tired as he'd been out drinking last night & his mate drove to the coast & back "because he could" & they sped all the way, but it was ok as it was straight roads.  Sorry, but at 9a.m. on a Sunday morning, i am not the 'party hard & drive wreckless' demographic & clearly from my shopping items, i scream 'mother of many'.  I said to him "not only would your mother kill you again if you died in a car accident, you are putting the lives of the other people on the road at risk, they have not asked for some bullet proof high school student to plow into them & ruin their lives".  He looked like he had never been spoken to in this tone or fashion before, so i continued telling him off & i parted with "do not become a road statistic just because you're an idiot & showing off to your friends".  Ha, go me!!  Next up Aldi: all i can assume from the typical unfriendly customer service here is that my check out boy had taken a vow of silence or was a contender for see-how-many-customers-i-can-not-speak-to world champion.  I know it's cheap at Aldi, buying off the pallet & all . . . that's why we go there or we'd all shop at beautiful providores . . . eye contact & smiles were not included.

I'm going to the Handmade Small Business Summit Friday week (win an all inclusive pass here) & simply can not wait.  I worked in various customer service jobs part time while at Uni, i know to say "thank you for your patience", to use open palm gestures like a game show spokes model, engage in appropriate small talk & not unsolicited information . . . i have social kudos & common sense.  I find the customer service at markets (like Rockstars & Royalty) is superior as you're engaging with the actual person who made the goods, they fill in the details & offer amazing ideas on how to use your product.  Brilliant.  I also know some amazing designers who are terribly shy, introverted & terrified of small talk or admitting they made the product people are gushing over, bless them, but they really shouldn't be behind their own stall.  Looking forward to the Summit & brushing up on my customer service snobbery, yes i judge, harshly, i can't stand poorly trained sales assistants or shudder - ones who talk to their colleagues & ignore you.  You should be allowed to shoot them!!

This is gorgeous Vicky from Rockstars & Royalty behind her stall at the Burlesque Bazaar last weekend, she does jewellery to couture wedding gowns, amazing.  She is always happy, looks the part & gives great service!!  Honestly, it's half the sale i think.  I get really put off when shops or markets don't appreciate that you have taken the time to come into their store & how hard is it to say "hello" to indicate that you exist!!??

What do you loathe about retail customer service??  Do you ever feel like you've ruined a shop assistant's day just by bothering them with your purchase or worse, a question about stock availability??  Have you ever had Little-Britain-style "computer says no" thrown back at you without any explanation??  Don't get me started on when a product doesn't have a code to scan!!  Have you unconditionally boycotted a shop on princple??  Have you had over-the-top service which put you off as they were too pushy or friendly??  I'd love to hear it all & pass on some feedback at the Summit.  Love Posie
PS last chance to enter my $500+ Lego GIVEAWAY today, i'll be back after 9p.m. with the winners, good luck!!