Are You Being Served? The Decline of Customer Service
February 1, 2011 by Arash Mazinani
Filed under All Content, Ladies, Style Tips
Slightly different slant on this week’s post, I’m focusing on shopping and customer service. The reason being I’m a fan of the new Mary Portas TV show ‘Secret Shopper’. For any of my International readers or those of you that have not seen the show let me explain. Basically Mary Portas has decided that the customer service on Britain’s high street is at an all time low so has decided to go undercover to find out how terrible it is. Each week she picks a different retailer, so far she’s done fashion and furniture stores, then works with them to try and improve their customer service and actually help the customer. Some of the idea’s she comes up with are pretty cool. But this got me thinking about my own experience in retail and the customer service I have received/given when out shopping.
When I first started working for a fashion retailer, River Island, I remember being told to greet everyone at the door. So I did… then I remember my supervisor saying “wow, you actually did greet every single person”. However, when I think about the service I generally receive from high street fashion stores it generally sucks. In fact it sucks even more since the recession hit. Usually my experience goes something along the lines of this…
Mary Portas
Walk into the store and head upstairs….Now I don’t know why but most fashion retailers feel that men should have to work further, but it’s all good I have no issue with that. I’m then usually greeted by loud cheesy club music, bright lights and boring fixtures. I’ll scan the room and usually find hardly any staff on the shop floor. You’ll usually get a person ‘guarding’ the fitting rooms and also a cluster behind the tills. You may have the misfortune of having to rummage through displays that have been destroyed by other shoppers, I don’t know about you but I always try and put things back neatly. If you do find something you like/want to try on then the changing rooms are usually boring. When you make a purchase you’re generally ignored and then have your purchase flung at you.
This is not how it goes down in every fashion store but a lot of the major high street fashion retailers work like that. The designer stores aren’t all that cracking either, while I’ve not experienced it myself I have heard many a bad story about really unhelpful staff.
I guess I’ll explain where I stand on the matter as I’ve been at both sides of the till so to speak. First of all I’m going to start with the retailers, it was highlighted in the TV show that they don’t give enough training to their staff. I agree, other than at Harvey Nichols where the training was decent I received hardly any ‘fashion’ training at River Island. I mean you wouldn’t buy a car from someone who didn’t really know anything about cars?
I remember in my Interview you just had to reel off three of the current trends, which doesn’t constitute as ‘knowledge’. So the majority of staff are starting work potentially with little knowledge about fashion and then never receiving any training on it. I also think that they should be a bit more rigorous in their interviewing in terms of matching the personality of the candidate to their role. I’ve lost count the number of times I’ve met people in retail who just don’t like working with people.
I also think shops tend to look scruffy fast and a lot of them look the same with the same lighting and fixtures.Yeah you may find a lick of paint here and there or some funky looking wall paper but the way the clothes are displayed are generally dull. I recently visited a Hollister store in Birmingham and was really impressed. It was basically like walking into an old house, it was kind of dark inside but then bright spot lights illuminated key pieces. It worked really well and the staff seemed pleased that I had walked in. I think some stores need to be more creative with their whole approach to retailing. Especially as online retailers are taking a chunk of the profit pie now.
Great customer service is all well and good but do people actually want it?
I know from my own experience some times people just want to be left alone when shopping they don’t want to be talked to or bothered. A great example is the store lush that sell handmade beauty products. I like to do my own thing when it comes to shopping and while I don’t mind engaging with the sales assistants, I do prefer to be left alone. Whenever I go into lush the girls in their are crazy, the first thing that jumps in my head is “these girls must be on commission” as they’re all up in my face as soon as I step through the door. To some people they may think that’s good customer service. I’d much prefer a more relaxed vibe where I can leisurely browse and ask someone for help if I need it.
Lush
I’d love to hear where you stand on the customer service debate?
Also I’d love to hear about any particularly good or bad experiences with stores?
Let me know your thoughts by commenting below.
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I’m totally one of those persons that prefers to be left alone when I’m shopping. I just hate it when a sales person comes up to me and starts asking all kinds of things about what I want or whatever. I’ll figure that out myself & indeed, when I have a question, I’ll ask. In general, I think this should be more pleasant for the sales person too, they can do their job more efficiently like this, no? I’m never rude or anything when they come up to me, but just let them know that I’ll ask for their help when I need it.
Urban Outfitters is also pretty cool. I hate fitting rooms with curtains (Mango has those and Zara as well).
I find that there are some stores that have really nice decoration, for instance River Island. The first one recently opened here and the fitting rooms are super pretty!
brunetteblogging.com
I used to work for River Island, their walls are quite funky I just think they could come up with a different way to actually display the clothes.
First of all, I LOVE the catsup and mustard on the table in the photo! That drew me to read this post. I once spent 30 minutes in a restaurant waiting to be waited on and WISH I had thought to be that creative!
As far as service in retail clothing stores, I pretty much like to be left alone when I shop. I hate it when the sales people “stalk” you through the store. That being said, I also can’t stand to see clothes dropped on the floor or stacks of clothes turned into a pile while the sales people stand around chit-chatting with one another, or have conversations with each other at the register while I stand there watching them ring me up. I think the sales people should be out on the floor mingling amongst the customers while putting clothing back on hangers, sorting the sizes, re-folding the mussed stacks. I have actually had other customers ask me if I work in the store because this is what I do WHILE I shop!
Okay – my OCD is NOT the issue here
When clerks are ringing up my purchases, TALK to ME. Mention something about the items I chose to buy, compliment something I am wearing > heck, tell me you like my nail polish or lipstick if you can’t think of anything else to say, but engage your customer!
Just thinking about all of this makes me wish I worked in retail again.
BTW – I used to love the Brit comedy “Are You Being Served?”
Enjoyed this post immensely!
http://www.fashnlvr.blogspot.com
Thanks for commenting I’m glad you liked the article ha ha I think I have minor OCD or it’s years of working in retail but I do tend to tidy up stores with out even realising it!
Definitely an interesting subject! Personally, when I shop, I prefer to be left alone but have a sales associate close by if I have a question. Abercrombie sets up their stores similarly to Hollister (I think they are owned by the same parent company) and I hate it!
I’m more particular about restaurant service. If I get bad service at the same place three times, I usually swear it off for at least a year. I also call to complain if it’s over the top bad service.
It’s interesting that you actually call to complain so many of us just let it go, which means we end up getting more bad service!
You always have great read!! again have to give two thumbs up for this article!!
Anyway I think I love cs in an extent that they greet you up front, can find the store people easily, and nice and friendly environment. That’s all I need, I dont like people asking me, can I help you finding anything? do you have specific item in mind? would you like to try our new such and such? Have you seen this and that?…oh how much I hate that questions, I have my own quirks on shopping, I usually know what I like and go after the rack that fill with my treasures, I dont need people telling me this and that are perfect for you, because that is not my taste!!!
However I do like getting check here and there but not like every 5 minutes. And I completely agree, the high designer store are usually the one that have the worse cs ever, compare to street fashion store. I have to salute ASOS, they so far have the best customer service.
<3
http://reserveradefashion.blogspot.com
I’ve never ordered anything from ASOS so I can’t really comment, I guess I never even considered online retailers as well. Thanks for commenting I’m glad you liked the article.
Yeah, I have been on both sides. I have worked retail and I learned that it is not for me. I am one those people who doesn’t like talking to people. Well, I don’t like pushing people. I like to interact but I don’t like to feel pressured to make a sales goal. I don’t want to follow a shopper around the store or forcing my opinions upon them. Because I wouldn’t want a sales associate to do that to me.
As a consumer, When I go to a store. I like to be greeted. I like to know there is someone there who will help me and offer friendly assistance when requested. But I hate when as sales associate approaches me and follows me around, forces their opinion or just won’t leave me alone. I also hate it when I am completely ignored. I guess I want my cake and I want to eat it too.
I was recently at Anthropologie and I completely ignored. And I actually needed help. This was so frustrating. I had 2 cute skirts and couldn’t anything I liked. Finally, a sales associate finally showed and offered some great options and I spent over $300, Which I might return a couple items because it was to impulsive for this slime to none budget. But then I was at Pier 1 Imports and the ladies there are always so rude. They throw my purchases at me. Never help. I don’t think I will ever shop there again for their over price stuff.
-Madeleine
Thanks for the comment Maadeleine, I’ve worked in stores where you have sales targets and can be hard to not be pushy when trying to meet them.
Honestly, I’m not a fan of Hollister’s stores, because, of the dim lighting and the overwhelming perfume/cologne smell. Now it may just be my eyesight is poor (which it is), but I don’t like looking for clothing when I can’t see it.
I like to be greeted when I walk into a store, but if I say I’m just browsing right now I don’t want you to check in with me every 2 minutes.
Thanks for commenting, Hollister was just an example as they’re so different to the rest of the high street in terms of how it looks.
I agree, I am too one of those people who like to be left alone most of the time. I usually always have an agenda when I go into a store and will ask for help if I need it. But not before that, and it bugs me a lot if people are at my face.
I did notice this at Lush but I go there so often that the sales people know me and know that I know exactly what I am looking for.
And I agree with you again Arash, the Hollister and Amercrombie and Fitch stores are really creative in displaying their merchandise. Also at least in Canada there is a gorgeous and distinctive perfume that wafts out of those stores……just makes me want to go in and stay there a while even if I never shop from there. That is pretty ingenious….no!
Look forward to hearing from you
Love
Tashrin – A Toronto based personal style blog
Thanks for commenting, I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed that about the Lush sales assistants.
I too am one of the people that like to be left alone. I think once I actually left a store because the employees were so annoyingly perky and in my face. But I’ve also been in stores where you can’t get help for the life of you.
But I have to say the most annoying shopping experience is when the employee is trying to control what you’re looking at by a) pointing out that your size is not in that pile or b) asking you what size you are so that they can hand you it directly. ‘sknfdolegbpef let me shop!’ would be a fair reaction. I understand that some people mess up racks, are careless etc. but it’s really bad for business when they expect you to buy by looking at things from a distance. now I didn’t have those experiences in major high-street shops or designer boutiques, but after all they are all trying to make a profit, and it’s not the way.
wow, ranty.
you have a great blog!
Really appreciate you coming through and commenting
when i go in a store where i buy some clothes, i like to be on my own. i don’t like if their eyes are always on me – this makes me feel uncomfortable. of course they can ask me some questions, but not following me all the time.
Yeah you’re not alone chouchou it seems a lot of people prefer to be left to their own devices when shopping.
Arash! The first half of your post I couldn’t agree with more. Customer service in this service is at a low. But maybe not an all-time low because it has always been this bad in my opinion. I also think you hit the nail on the head with the reason. Training. We just don’t take retail sales roles seriously in this country. People think of retail roles as ‘below them’ but then wonder why they get god-awful service. In America, retail is taken seriously and retail staff are properly trained.
But Hollister is too far to the other extreme. Whenever I walk into a shop like Hollister (or Apple) I wonder to myself, can’t the product sell itself? If you have to set up your shop to look like a film set then I have to wonder what is wrong with your product.
Lush on the other hand is my favourite shopping experience. I love the free hand massage I get every time I go there.
Thanks, I also think it’s because the retail sector is so poorly paid as well.
However I disagree on Apple and Hollister. Although the product should be able to sell itself it’s no excuse not to provide a unique or exciting customer experience.
I totally agree that customer service in a lot of stores is very poor. However, I work in retail and although I’m a visual merchandiser and not a sales assistant (although I do still deal with customers), I find the customer service debate incredibly frustrating. The store I work in is CONSTANTLY under staffed, so the staff are spread so thinly they are often expected to manage the fitting rooms, keep and eye on the till, keep things tidy and interact with customers, not to mention the constant pressure to open store cards. It is pretty much impossible on a busy day to help customers as much as they should be. I also agree that the sales assistant are not given proper training, and that some of them may just be lazy and unhelpful. However most of them in my store do care, and do want to help but they just can’t give 100%. I find it unfair that the blame tends to be heaped on them when most sales assistants are over worked and underpaid and used as scape goats, while the only thing retailers care about are profits. Not once did Mary Portas highlight his during her programme and it really made me angry.
I’ve been there.. worked long hours for little pay so do emphasise with you. I completely agree under staffing certainly has an impact on customer service and on the general running of the store.