this really ticks me off, but this is just one example of how the canadian stores in our area operate. My neighbour purchased a cabinet for her bathroom and it went on sale but by the time she recieved her flyer it was one day past the deadline for the price difference. So, in order for her to get the 50 dollar refund, they want her to rip it down off her wall pack it back into the box and return it to the store and basically rebuy the cabinet that she just spent 3 hours putting together. She has argued with them on this matter, she even told them that she can bring in the box and the reciept, but that wasnt good enough. I think that is disgusting customer service :mad: Im all for supporting our Canadian stores, but i dont understand it...........the Zellers and Canadian Tire in our area has a horrible reputation in the customer service department..........and then they complain when you shop at stores like Homedepot and Walmart.....im not sure what it is like in every city but as a customer in our area unfortunately you are treated much better in the American owned stores..........really pathetic in my opinion!
Just my rant for a hot humid day :eek:
smiles
janetc
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I don't blame your friend for being frustrated. Encourage her to send a letter to top management. CT is trying to upscale their stores right now. Maybe it's one of the private stores like my local CT. Absolutely useless. Nothing in stock. Never respond to a problem. I lived in another town where CT was one of the best stores in town. It was already big and now it's even doing a bigger expansion.
How good a store runs is all about the top management. Ours Zellers is lower end for appearance but the staff are great. I've never met the manager but any mid level decisions are passed up to a manager who has been around for years. I guess because I've been treated well and also because it's a short cut home, I wander in there quite often. The purchases may not be big but everybit helps.
Some of the little stores around give extra friendly service and others ignore you. You know who gets my $$.
I agree that American stores put the customer first. Sometimes I think they go too far. I wear kid's shoes and wasn't sure about buying them. They said I could take them home and return them if they didn't work out. Not just wearing in the hotel, go ahead and wear them outside for the week I was there. She said people will bring back kid's shoes after two months and the shoe's are totally worn out. They get their money back since the people just say they weren't suitable. IMO, that's too much service. Someone else ends up covering the cost of the store buying the shoes.
Just remembered........when I said US retail service is #1. It's true with ONE exception ...... LAZY BOY!!!!!! I won't go into detail again because I have ranted a few times about them in the past. I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH THEM AGAIN!!!!
And I did tell them that I would tell everyone I know and I have stuck to my promise. ONE HORRIBLE COMPANY and HORRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE!
okay there was my rant for the day :laugh:
but most of the banks as well. The customer service leaves a lot to be desired.
Years ago most banks gave great service. Now they appear to want everything done at the ATM machines and online and the fees just keep increasing in exchange for the poor customer service.
I agree the USA box stores always have more staff when I have been in them so there was no lack of people to help if you needed it. Better service and the banks fall all over you to make sure your banking experience is A-1.
Many offer gifts when you open a new account, have free coffee and juice and a play area for kids, The waiting areas look like a comfy living room and there are public washrooms. The staff I have found have always been top notch and the fees are not as high as most banks here.
What I used to see when I worked retail was MBA's or whoever, who have never worked more than 2 hours (if that) in a store, being brought in as management. Of course on paper it looks so sensible to cut the front lines, centralize cash desks, narrow the isles to get more stock in, cut the staff again, raise the prices, you name it that only people who are paper trained would do.
I watched one come on board who told me to pull my staff off the cash desk during a particularly busy period because people wouldn't mind lining up. Yeah right. That's exactly when people like me leave the store and I know I am not alone in that one. It's like they just don't even see what customers are doing or they forget their whole purpose for being is the customer.
Anyway, those MBA's move up and they bring more in and before you know it (the case now 99% of the time) the management ranks are full of people who have never even worked on a floor or talked to a customer so they have no clue. If they would insist that mgnt trainees spend a year working the floor they would get some better managers out there but instead they do what they do, don't look at the long term and wonder why they are losing business.
On the other side, we have a huge labour problem here and every store or business you see has signs out and they still don't get it. If they would treat their staff properly, offer them decent wages, hours, benefits they wouldn't be looking for staff even when there are shortages. None of the good employers are having any trouble finding staff as people will run to be able to get jobs with them.
So it's all possible if businesses would just behave well. I don't know why so many don't get that though.
very true Monday.......... the staff under these managers certainly take the brunt of the bull crap.....
smiles
janetc
bad customer service comes from the top. Staffers get dumped on because they have so many boxes to unpack in a certain time period. If they are helping customers they are wasting time not stocking shelves. Then stores promote/hire idiots as managers who don't know how to train people properly or what customer service is. I'm tired of being silent and just walking away from bad service. Maybe if head office knew what was going on they could jump in. If they chose to do nothing - go out of business. Get the government to bail them out if they have friends in high places. Was that cynical?
i think mangement can certainly make a hugh difference and we are a small city and this manager has really made a name for himself.
DBD...........my feelings exactly..........the blame is always on us for the closures because we chose to shop other than the canadian chains.........well first of all, if they treated me properly i would and they really need to take a look at thier pricing.......a good percentage of what i have purchased at walmart was priced so much higher at the zellers..........well if you dont have to worry about a budget, fine and dandy spend away, but when you are on a tight budget it is only natural that you are going to purchase where the lower price is for the exact same item and get treated better at the same time.
monday.........she just might do that yet...she isnt pleased....
if she had brought in her reciept on thursday instead of friday, they would have done it....but we dont get our flyer until friday, so that is her reason for the one day late.....like she said if a few days past she could understand their reasoning and she did tell the manager that she understands they need polices and deadlines..... but not one day just didnt justify her tearing the cabinet apart just to take it in and rebuy it
smiles
janetc
This is exactly why I don't feel sorry for stores that go out of business. It's not because they are local or Canadian, it's all customer service and the ones that offer it seem to stay around without much of a problem. Probably the business that store lost for the sake of hassling for 50 bucks is going to cost them way more than that. I hope she is telling everyone she knows how they treated her and don't back their prices.
Sure there are some people that will always shop price but even they will not go back if they feel they are not treated right.
What is really dumb about this day and age is how fast word can get out on a store with the Internet. One bad customer experience and they can get out there and tell a whole bunch of people really quickly. As well there is always a way to reach someone higher up now be email.
Oh well, I have hated shopping since I worked retail and I have to say the when the experience starts to get to me in a store I do not go back (and vice versa). Yesterday I hit CT for the second time in a week (a different branch than before) looking for specific things and although that store has been neutral on my list, after this week I will be thinking twice before going in again. I just lose it when isles are blocked, no prices are visible, staff can't find stock they know is there, etc. and so on. Same with HOme Outfitters. I went in yesterday for the first time in over a year and remembered why that was. There was actually a woman in there calling at the top of her best indoor voice for someone to please help her (she sounded so frustrated) and there were a couple of staffers working on stocking shelves not making a move. Something is very wrong when that is going on.
I was only in there because I have had a credit on my HBC card since Christmas and had no incentive to pick up anything in the place it was such a heap. I may just call HBC and ask them to send me a cheque because there is just no way I can see myself going in any of their stores to spend that credit.
Contact the head office and explain how you were treated. Tell them they should save their advertising dollars because it isn't going to work if they keep the customers like that. And be sure to add that you will be telling 2 friends who will be telling 2 friends etc And you are making sure word goes out on the internet. Contact customer service AND Investor Relations.
maybe it is not the chain, but the staff or manager, becasue we always bring back our receipt if we purchased something at full price & its in the flyer the following week. Their policy here is that must have bought in the previous week and all u have to do is bring in your receipt.
Inglewood, they need lessons for sure...........i just spoke to her and she had a conversation with the store manager and reluctantly he did give her back her money but not without rudeness and attitude and he made a point of telling her it wont be done again :eek: ,..........and that is the stinking manager.......sorry, as you can tell i have no patience for horrible customer service, just as i dont have patience for rude customers, i have been on both ends of the stick..........likely why i have gone through so many sofas :D ...........tired of paying money for something that starts to fall apart after 3 months.........just wont stand for that! At one time, i would just keep items and grin and bare it....not anymore!
smiles
janetc
I hear you Janetc! In the US it is all about pleasing the customer. Retailers here need a few lessons.