I've Always Had The Chat

And I am always charmed when someone uses "the chat" on me...but I just don't think that it happens enough!

A return to Specsavers in Ilford turned out to be a pleasant experience and served by the celebrated Una who recognised me and again gave great customer service.

We have been asking ourselves lately, how do we tell the customers about the value behind us as a company. That includes our ethics, our ingredients, who we are and what we stand for.

Defining the value of something that's dear to you is so obvious in your head that you sometimes forget that you have to explain to people outside the inner circle just why you're so great.

I like to put my heart on my sleeve and tell it how it is when I am representing - and of course, I try to give it some chat too...

Mixed Service at Ilford Specsavers

I had a very chaotic experience in Specsavers where I was prepared to spend <£100 if I was provided with good customer service. I *did* get good customer service but this was accompanied by bemusing background chatter and bad customer service.

Three friendly sales assistants approached me when I was browsing, were helpful

THEN

One sales assistant ignored me when I went to speak to her, until I repeated, "Excuse me!" at her retreating back

THEN

I had a great eye test with a friendly informed opticiant who was thorough and also speedy. Very good service here, her name was Michelle and I can highly recommend. One of my best eye tests ever.

THEN

When I emerged to choose frames a lovely woman called Una helped in a very practical manner, so taking into account frame size etc and using her knowledge of the range to advise me and show me alternatives.

THEN

When we went to sit down and choose lenses and get all the prescription paperwork sorted someone came and tried to clean the monitor at the station we were seated at. It was really rude and weird, and Una asked politely if the person could come back when she wasn't with a customer. (Nice work Una I thought!)

THEN

In the background all the sales assistants were having a big old chat about boys, it was at the end of the day - so they were just waiting to go home I guess. They were bloody rowdy though, not hushed tones, looooud chatting so it was hard for Una and I to converse.

THEN

At the till a more experienced Till Assistant showed Una how to put my transaction through but in a really cold way. Not really teaching, just telling her what to press and when. It was uncomfortable. And it wasn't a good tutorial as well because they screwed up my card payment so I had to pay some cash.

THEN

The manager reminded Una to see her in his office before she left in front of us. This made my blood run cold. Oh PLEASE don't sack her. I thought. :'(

THEN

I left.

Confusing huh?

How would YOU have reacted?





What do the discrepancies in levels of service say about the store?

Would you go back for the good service despite the bad?

I twittered the following last night: 

Miramanga: Life is not who fucked up vs who DIDNT fuck up, but our boiler is broken = no hot water or heating and that is fucked up :( 

This morning British Gas responded - they must have been scanning for "boiler"

BritishGasFix: Hi there, if you're having problems with your boiler. Maybe we can help? Please give us a call on 0800 5244860 

Ever so impressed I Tweeted back

Miramanga: wow, what smart marketing! Love it! Someone is calling you now about our boiler, lets hope we can afford you! x 

And they replied,

BritishGasFix: Why thank you, we're glad we could be of help.

This was such an enjoyable experience of being marketed to - entirely novel, a lovely approach and a personal touch through Twitter. 10/10 British Gas!

People Who Work In Record Stores Think That They Are Better Than You

Is it wrong that I get so upset at silly thoughtless customer service complaints? Do I expect too much?

On queueing to pay at a record store I was picking up some additional purchases and looked up to hear a girl at the cash register bellow "WHO'S NEXT PLEASE?". The tone of her summons could only be described as aggressive and annoyed as if by wanting to spend cash with them I'd ruined her life....

On moving over to her till I did comment to the her that it seemed a funny, over the top way to address customers, but she didn't apologise and went on with putting my items through the till.

I was offended at the rudeness shown when I was spending a fair wedge with them - and I wondered what (if any) customer service training the staff had been given. They all looked fairly young. The thing is though - it is exactly this type of boorish service that helps give Retail Staff a bad name. Also, I'm afraid to say that it propagates the myth "Record Store Staff think that they are Better Than You."

How will this staff member cope at Christmas when the tills are three times as busy if she was this rattled on a Thursday afternoon and it was a queue of not more than 5 or 6 people?

Perhaps in times gone by, it behoved record emporiums to hire music specialists as they could advise on the music as consumers didn't have the wonderful resource of the Internet & needed someone standing by in store assisting with info. This is in the past however - the world looks very different now.

Surely in 2009 with all your competition closing down and the Internet aggressively eating at your market share it's time to start looking after customers and engaging their loyalty and appreciating them?

I was very disappointed that I made the decision to shop in store when I could have shopped on t'internet but instead opted to receive grudging and disrespectful treatment. Sales assistants have the power to make our days brighter or grimmer, and my little shopping trip bummed me right out!

Pow Wows so Now..!

I had a big meeting today - for managers who are new to the company and are doing their first Christmas with us!

It was really exciting to see so many enthusiastic faces eager to glean all the information to help them have a successful Christmas.

I tried to encourage a chatty vibe to the meeting and threw lots out for comment and discussion. We had presenters who did groupwork so people were working together in groups and then we finished the day with a pow wow style meeting.

All of us sat in a big circle, sharing what we were excited about and then any worries or anxieties over the upcoming season. Everyone jumped in with solutions or chimed in echoing peoples fears and anticipations. It made us all realise how we're all in the same boat and we can support and help each other to get through the rocky rides.

I look forward to the next new manager's meeting...!