Better service - not just a fib, an M&S fib...
At such a challenging time you would think retailers would be bending over backwards to secure your custom. Not so in the experience I am about to outline, which didn't take place in West Sussex, but does involve a company that has several outlets in this county.
While visiting family in Durham recently, my father-in-law, brother-in-law, Mrs B and I hit the M&S sale; dad for his annual slacks and jumpers and my brother-in-law, visiting from Florida, for his fix of shirts.
Mrs B wanted a pair of trews.I was there to confirm her bum didn't look lardy.
They selected their preferred items and off they went to try them on. Only they couldn't.
The changing rooms had been barricaded, according to a notice, 'to serve you better at this busy time.'
A joke, surely? I mean, how can refusing to let people try on prospective purchases be deemed helpful at any level?
We asked a member of staff. No, they weren't joshing and no, she couldn't care less that two of our party had no M&S in their home towns (in brother-in-law's case in his home country) to return items if they didn't fit.
Given the current economic climate, and especially when M&S is making drastic cutbacks, it is bonkers to make it so hard for people to spend money.
Gramps and Little Bruv voted with their feet. No sale. How many other people made the same decision? Judging by the disgruntled chuntering we overheard, I suspect quite a few.
Buying the trews, prepared to return them to Chichester's M&S if necessary, Mrs B popped into the food hall and bought an item of chilled food.
Mindful that to return the trews they needed to be in pristine
condition, she requested a small sandwich-sized bag, to protect the strides.
Both sales assistant and his supervisor refused, very rudely, saying she'd have to purchase a sandwich (as opposed to a child's cottage pie) to qualify for a sandwich bag!
That she wouldn't have needed a bag if she'd been able to try the dratted trousers on was irrelevant to these Jobsworths.
Plenty of shops do provide excellent customer service (ironically M&S in Chichester, where staff are always pleasant and helpful – last week I was offered a sandwich bag for my newspaper!) but those that don't may well lose out when vying for our custom.
Closing changing rooms 'to serve you better'? This isn't just a fib… it's an M&S fib.
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Weather for Chichester
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: North west
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Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 10 C
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