There are many things that I love about this great Country but there are many more that drive me insane!!!! One of the things that I hate is the customer service here and shop assistants attitude in general. Now obviously not every single shop or retail outlet has rude staff but I’m finding more and more that I come across rudeness or just complete indifference, not all of which can be laid at the door of the humble Saturday Girl (or boy)!!!!
For the last few weeks I’ve been looking for the perfect outfit for my Mum’s wedding (only 4 weeks away....eek!!!) without much luck. Last Monday I had a whole day to myself just to shop. Believe it or not this is my idea of hell!!! Because of my size there are very few shops that stock clothes that fit me so I know before I even start shopping that my choice is going to be limited.
So, I found myself in the mecca that is Marks & Spencers and lo and behold they had the perfect white linen jacket. Only mine was the only size that they didn’t have. I was advised to queue at the customer service desk to see if they could order it for me. After 20 minutes of steam blowing out of my ears waiting around it was finally my turn. I explained my predicament to the lovely chap at the desk and the conversation went like this:
Me: Hello. I wonder if you can help me. This jacket is perfect for me but I need something bigger than a size 12. Could you please order me one?
Him: Computer says No!
Me: Erm......ok! Well, will you be getting anymore in?
Him: I don’t know but we are waiting for the winter stock to arrive.
(Sidenote: Winter stock??? Winter stock??? It’s July for fu*k’s sake! I want to buy a summer dress not a jumper!!!! Also if one more person tells me ‘that’s the way retail works’ I shall scream!!!!)
Me: Fine ok. Well could you tell me if any of the other stores within a 30 mile radius might have one?
Him: Sorry we don’t have the ability to do that.
Me: Rightio, I shall take my business elsewhere then. Thanks for your help (NOT!!)
So they can’t tell me if they’ll get any more stock and they also don’t know what stock the other stores have. I may not be a shop Manager but that doesn’t seem like fabulous customer service to me and quite honestly I expect much more from Stuart Rose. Maybe they should’ve let Phillip Green have a go!!! When I got home I had a look online myself and they don’t even stock my size in the white only in the black!!! That may also have been useful information!
I decided to go to the nearest big city where I found a dress in Evans but again they didn’t have my size and I ended up having to order it online. When it came it fitted everywhere but my chest (a surprise, I know!!!) and I couldn’t breathe so took it back to the store.
The Manager looked the dress over and folded it into a pile and then asked me for the paperwork which I duly produced. She examined it and then asked me if there was anything wrong with the dress and I explained that it was just too tight across the chest. At which point she re-examined the chest and back of the dress to make sure I hadn’t split it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I don’t know if I’m just overreacting or if (as was my first thought) that it was just downright rude!! She had already examined the dress and I’m sure she would’ve noticed a ripped seam.
When she had finally decided that my ample bosom hadn’t ripped the dress she asked me for my card to give me the refund and then promptly made a big fuss about not being able to see the signature on the reverse. I was asked for other ID which of course I didn’t have as I’d only nipped into Town to take the damn dress back. I did however get my money back after signing my life away several times and I still have NOTHING to wear!
I would love to say that I will never go back to the shop after this but as it’s one of only two places in my town that sells my size, I figure I’m stuck with the rudeness!! As most of you know I’m quite bolshy in real life but for some reason cannot assert myself with shop assistants. So what do you think? Would you have said something? How do you handle rudeness? Or do you think I’m overreacting??? Comments always welcome!!!
