Have you ever heard of customer service? I'm fed up with being ignored or looked down on when I come to try your products.
Does it take much to give me a little smile and ask if I need any help? I know we all have bad days but some of you seem permanently angry.
I've had it all: I've been ignored, you've pretended I wasn't there to continue your conversations with your colleagues and most amazingly of all, one of you walked away for your break whilst I was halfway through a foundation match, leaving me alone with a semi-made up face.
And hey, if I ask you if you have a sample of something to try at home, it's not because I'm trying to scam you out of product. It's because I actually have an interest in it and want to try it myself before handing you over my hard earned money. So how about you just smile and give me one instead of giving looking at me like I killed your puppy?
I know you aren't all bad, in fact some of you are amazing, but the grumpy, rude sales assistants are on the rise. How about you drop the attitude so we can just talk about makeup instead?
I stood at a dior counter waiting to pay for a good ten minutes before the girl stopped just looking at me like I was a stalker and asked if I wanted anything. She then put my purchase through as quick as she could & made it plain that I was inconveniencing her for daring to purchase. There is little point in going to a counter if they are like that. I may as well buy online.
ReplyDeleteThat is so rude!! Because obviously wanting to spend money with them is such a hassle...
DeleteI work in Paperchase & they're so hot on customer service.
ReplyDeleteI think this just sounds so rude!
You should email the company and let them know.
It's also horrible the other way around when you get really mean shoppers who are rude for no reason.
I think everyone needs to be politer to eachother, it doesn't cost anything and makes your day go better
Kelly | My Blog: Day Dreams & Daisy Chains | Bloglovin' :Day Dreams & Daisy Chains | ♥
I agree - there's no reason for either party to be rude x
DeleteI hate it when beauty counter staff act like this, it's not exactly difficult to be polite to customers, especially when they're looking to buy from you. Luckily most staff I've come across have been really helpful, although sometimes you get the other extreme when they won't leave you alone haha xx
ReplyDeleteha ha - i've had those too. sometimes they seem to chase you around the counter ;)
DeleteHate it when staff are like that! At my workplace, they are also really hot on customer service and you may be amazing at it but the one time you don't ask, that will inevitably be the mystery shopper and you will get reprimanded. Can't understand brands and shops that don't seem to invest even the smallest amount of time in customer service, its awful!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean though, I've had people walk away from tills whilst I'm waiting to pay, others chatting away until I had to alert them to my presence - and just the other day, being followed around Superdrug like I was a shoplifter!!! Crappy customer service really gets my goat!
Xx
It's good to hear people are hot on CS. It's so nice to get a smile when you're being served x
DeleteI don't know about make up counters, but I work for several mystery shopping companies and have been amazed at the sometimes shocking levels of customer service.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's also interesting to know what passes as a company's "acceptable level of service" because crazily, that changes from store to store.
Ooh, I bet that must be really interesting! I'd love to hear more about your mystery shopper adventures x
Deletesomeone left you with a half made up face to go on their break? That's terrible! I always get a bit nervous buying from high end counters because some of the girls working there really do seem to look down their noses x
ReplyDeleteyup! it was so bad! some of them do give a bad impression which is a shame x
DeleteGreat post lovely! I walked up to a teeth whitening stand at the Ideal Home Show last month but carried on having a conversation and ignored me. Another customer then walked up next to me and they promptly stopped to serve them. I was angry but went to walk away as I hate saying something. My mum was with me and confronted them about it. They said they did ignore me on purpose as they saw I had braces so I couldn't have it done. If they'd actually spoke to me they'd have realised I know that! I'm not stupid! I was actually going to ask for my best friend. Their loss of business but totally unacceptable rudeness x
ReplyDeleteThat's so rude! Definitely their loss x
DeleteI hate this! there's certain places (MAC I'm looking at you) that I find do this a lot to me. Like I don't look the 'type' that can afford their products, leaving me standing there like a twat.
ReplyDeleteI work in customer services and I know if I ever acted like that I would be out of a job. It's not hard to smile at someone and talk to them nicely surely?
exactly! that kind of attitude annoys me as if i go in the shop, it's usually because i plan to buy something. Never assume who can/can't afford the products x
DeleteAs you know I've worked in retail for 10 years & it costs nothing to be nice to customers. though i will be rude if the customer is. pet peeve.
ReplyDeleteIf their bosses knew how rude they were being they woukd hit the roof. they are meant to be there to sell things not scare customers away.
xx
I bet! I want to come to your shop so you can serve me with big smiles x
DeleteThis why I shop online lol x
ReplyDeleteha ha - it's no wonder people are shopping online more x
DeleteAfter getting a foundation match recently and asking for a sample, she told me 'we are trained makeup artists' we know how to colour match......I had to explain that I wasn't questioning the colour I would just like to try it over a few days so make sure it doesn't make my skin react. She then put the smallest amoun, less than a full face, into a little pot and made a point of letting me know 'I'm not really meant to do this', as if it was a massive favour!
ReplyDeleteThe samples thing really bugs me, if they are rude to me in one store I'll just find another that's nicer.
x
it's so rude! We all know they have samples, don't act like you're giving away gold or something ;) x
DeleteIt's not just a reaction, surely you want to know how it wears, it might look fab 5 minutes after she's applied it, but how are you to know whether it have turned nasty or disappeared in a few hours??
DeleteLove this post! I worked in Next last Christmas and worked for Woolworths for 4 years before that and I know how much a difference being polite and helpful can make. It works both ways: if a customer sees a friendly face then it makes them feel more friendly and chatty too.
ReplyDeleteWorst culprits I've found are Space NK Edinburgh and MAC Glasgow - always get the same dirty looks, which makes me so annoyed. My money's as good as anyone's and I work hard for it, so why the problem?
Enjoyed this, it's a great discussion point!
Christina xo
Oh my god the sample thing was something I experiences last night! I went to a Clinique counter and asked for a sample of the new CC cream (I'm not going to pay £28 to find out I hate it) and although she gave it to me in the end she was really, really hesitant about it. She even gave me the wrong shade.
ReplyDeleteIn the end customer service is what determines a company's reputation and it should be upheld!
To expand on another experience:-
DeleteI received a bunch of Clinique stuff (coincidental?) for Christmas 2012 and in there was an anti-ageing cream (or similar) that at 20 I wasn't going to use. It was worth £40 so I thought I'd take it back to a Clinique counter for an exchange. I'd been to a Debenhams, House of Fraser and Fenwick before I ended up in a John Lewis who were happy to exchange.
I also hate when I barely walk into a store (usually LUSH) and four different shop assistant are asking me if I need any help.
ReplyDeleteMademoiselle-Lala.com
ooh yes, that's really annoying too! x
DeleteThere is a shop I use to go to regularly where the sales girls will happily stand in the middle of the shop using the testers to do their makeup, oblivious to any customers.
ReplyDeleteomg, that's awful! x
Deletelove this!! at the same time, i also hate it when they are over pushy or try and pressure you into buying to quick, i just want to swatch first thanks without you breathing down my neck!xxx
ReplyDeletedefinitely - we need a good balance! x
DeleteAgree with this! It makes me reluctant to spend my money, I'd rather shop online and avoid the bad service. I worked in LUSH over Christmas and I think their customer ethos is second to none, although I admit some of the staff can be a little too pushy, the thought behind it is great! x
ReplyDeleteI agree - they're really friendly but can be a tad pushy x
DeleteThe girls on the Dior counter at my local Debenhams seem like they're being held there against their will. They all have a face like a slapped arse and the personality of a brick. I usually find Estee Lauder & Benefit counters really nice to go to but Dior is a no no.
ReplyDeletexo
ha ha - we must be visiting the same counters ;)
DeleteI work in retail as well and at my job, they push customer service like no other. Seriously, sometimes I hate it because then the customer gets angry that we're being too pushy. I get talked to about it from my manager because I don't follow them around like a puppy. I'm still nice and I smile and ask if they need help, but if all they say is "I'm just looking," then I don't bother them. I especially hate going to the makeup counters where I work. They either never want to help at all, or they practically shove products down your throat hoping you'll buy something. Retail isn't fun alot of times, but being flat out rude is just unacceptable. I've even complained about a few people who are just horrible, but management never does anything about them. It's sad.
ReplyDeleteThat's a shame - you'd think the managers would want to intervene, especially when other staff are mentioning how bad it is! x
DeleteWow I can't believe someone left you while in the middle of doing a foundation match, how rude!!!!! I'm the same though, I've encountered so many unbelievably rude assistants, usually they just carry on chatting to each other and ignore that I exist. I mean, hello, what the hell are they paid for? Grrrr makes me so angry.
ReplyDeleteI know, it makes me so mad! x
DeleteI really love reading and following your post as I find them extremely informative and interesting. This post is equally informative as well as interesting . Thank you for information you been putting on making your site such an interesting. I gave something for my information. Mystery Shopping
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