Tale of 2 Customer Service Experiences

We got a new FABULOUS Bayshore Town Center in our little hamlet of Glendale, WI, full of many big and small box retailers. I love this mall because it's outside, you can walk around all the stores easily, it has plenty of new places we don't usually get here in Wisconsin, and honestly, it's fun to be there. I don't normally like malls, but I love this one.

The other day I went shopping with my wife for a gift card and a book. We decided that buying a gift card was going to take less time than it would to buy a book for me (I love books and bookstores, and it usually takes a few hours), so we stopped in first to get a $20 gift card.

We plucked a shiny new card off the shelves and walked up to the gift counter/cash register where 2 people were actively engaged in conversation. They quickly stopped and asked how much we wanted on the gift card. We said $20, and the nice clerk tried to put $20 on the gift card, but for some reason entered $25 instead. She realized her error without my noticing it, and so she tried to void the transaction and re-enter it. No luck.

She tried again. Still no luck.

It was Saturday morning, the line was growing behind us, and now we have 2 cashiers trying to void and re-buy this $20 gift card.

Having worked in retail in the past, the easiest thing to do would have been to write a note, take whatever you have, and ring in a new gift card. Gremlins happen. I understand. 10 minutes for $20 is too much time to spend, especially with a long line growing. No dice. More attempts, longer line growing, still no gift card. Finally, the more senior clerk decides to go looking for a stack of gift cards to try, oblivious to the other clerk pointing out the gift cards were right next to the register. After 20 minutes of fumbling around, we got our gift card purchased.

Uploaded by mestes76

On the next store.

Next up was Barnes & Noble, and I had no idea which section the book I wanted was in. I asked the clerk at the counter about the book, she asked me the author and the title, she typed the information into her computer, and lickety split, she found my book. Then, she floored me.

She asked me "Would you like me to show you where the book is?"

"Heck yeah!" I thought. I have no idea where this section is. She walked me to the section she thought she remembered seeing on the computer screen, and we couldn't find the book. Feeling deflated, and expecting her to tell me they were out of the book, I hung my head.

"Sir, let me check my computer. I think we might be in the wrong section." Click click, she found the right section, and walked me right up to the book and handed it to me. 5 minutes total, and I was on my way. MUCH faster than expected.

What a difference of experiences. Thank you Barnes & Noble! I will be back to buy more books soon! Just don't tell my wife :)

[Phil Gerbyshak loves books. Don't look so shocked to read that!]


Technorati Tags: bayshore, glendale, shopping

Comments

[Rich G.]

I try, every time I'm in one of my stores, to catch employees leading customers to what they want instead of pointing. I've got signs that say it at all my registers, "Lead the way, don't point!" It means so many things, and I hope they get it. I'm not saying you went to one of my stores, you didn't, but if you ever do, I hope they lead and don't point! :)

[Becky Carroll]

Great stories, Phil. One of them is focused on the company, and one of them is focused on the customer. A great example of what/what not to do!

[Sean Hackbarth]

I worked at B&N for nearly eight years. That's the service you are suppose to get. Some stores are better than others and some times are better than others. "Placing the book in the customer's hand" was the goal stressed on me all the time. I'm glad the Bayshore B&N accomplished that.