How often have you entered a retail business and had zero, zilch, nada in the way of customer service? Maybe I'm visiting the wrong stores, or asking the wrong person for some assistance, but it continues to happen. This trend in retailing is disturbing in a generation where the Internet continually takes market share from retailers. You would think a retailer would want to make sure their employees are trained properly to answer questions, and lead the consumer to the product or products they are seeking. I am continually surprised when a sales associate seems "put off" when asked for help.
I remember a situation that recently occurred at a nationally known electronics store:
After searching the Internet for a Sony MP3 player and finding the best price online, I decided to visit an electronics retailer that advertised the item on their website. I didn't want to wait for the unit to ship, so I thought I would find it locally. When I entered the store, I found the location of the MP3 displays but could not find the particular style I was looking for.
Seeking assistance from a Customer Service Associate, I approached the counter and asked the associate if they had any in stock. She asked me if I looked in the MP3 aisle... (Duh). I told her it didn't appear they had any but was curious if they had any in the backroom. Seeming quite put off by my question, she said she didn't know, and told me I would have to talk to someone on the floor. She said in a very snotty tone, "would you like me to find someone for you?". I replied, "No, it seems like it's quite a burden to get some help, so I'll just leave".
I ended up ordering from an online competitor and have not been back since.
I'd like to hear your customer service horror stories.
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