Retail
Many of us like to use locally owned businesses in the belief that in so doing, our dollars are more likely to be multiplied locally rather than in some distant financial megalopolis. That’s why I buy the food for my cats and dog at a locally owned pet store rather than at a supermarket or at one of the national pet supply “chains”.
But ... this locally owned store is not entirely on the ball in terms of customer service. Today, for instance, the young sales clerk was talking to another customer on a mobile ‘phone as he rang up my purchases. He neither greeted me, nor looked me in the eye. He uttered a sotto voce “thank you” after our transaction was completed.
In a previous visit to the same store the manager and a store assistant kept up a long conversation even as the manager rang up my purchases. I felt that I was incidental to them, and that their conversation was more important than my purchases.
I e-mailed the store today, with the gentle suggestion that they would do well to pay greater attention to their customers.
I hope that they will give attention to my e-mail. If not, I will move my business to another local “independent” afore I succumb to the “chain stores”.
The following was posted in error on my Ecuador entry
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
I share your view on tehis. Two recent incidents, firstly I needed some dog treats one rainy Saturday morning,so visted the local shop at 8.50, the opening time being 9.00. I waited a full 20 mins. for the shop to open & was then informed they were out of stock. The second event was yesterday when I used our local family run butchers. Every item I choose was shown to me before it was wrapped, each time I was told the price before it was added to the bill. When I left the shop, at least five members of staff said goodbye using my name. Okay I had to wait in line for maybe 10mins, but so what when you get such good service.