Shopping Problem

[addicted]

I shall shortly be going out in search of a new oven and shall hope to find a sales person who has some knowledge of the product they are selling. While thinking about this and how difficult it can be to find a salesperson who has the faintest knowledge of the product,  I was reminded of an incident  that occurred  2or 3 years ago when some friends acquired a new boat for which they needed a new T.V. and  the four of us duly presented ourselves in the relevant department of John Lewis,  Norwich. After looking around for a while and finding nothing on display that seemed to fit the bill, we sought the assistance of  a salesman who it turned out was the department manager. We asked him "do you have any AC/DC portable. T.V.s  in stock"? At this he went very pink and became extremely flustered, replying that they certainly didn't sell anything of that nature.  It took a few seconds for it to dawn on  us that he thought we were asking for a T.V with flexible sexual orientation.! You couldn't make it up

[grendel]

my parents gas oven broke (they smelt gas and it was condemned by the gas board) so they had to get a new one, like you they found it difficult to find someone with the correct knowledge, then it took a week to have it delivered (they dont own a microwave so it was their only method to heat food, I ended up lending them a camping stove) and when it was delivered they found it needed to be wired into the electricity to power the igniters, which considering my father had asked whether anything else was needed was rather poor service / knowledge as they didnt have a suitable socket anywhere near the cooker.

I do find that retail service in the modern day is nowhere near as good as it used to be, when I was younger if you wanted a new cooker, you went to the gas showroom, and they knew all the ins and outs of the cookers they were selling, then they also had them in stock on the premisis, not just display items and order for later delivery. they would usually get it out to you and fitted the next day too, that is if you didnt want to load it up and take it on the day.

thus the advent of online shopping means that nothing is as readily available as it used to be, my parents are old fashioned sorts that want to go and have a hands on look at the item they want to buy.

[addicted]

Your parents sound similar to us. Todays products seem,  to come with  so many bells and whistles one needs a  degree to work them! I just want an electric  double oven that has the usual functions,  that is easy to operate and above all,  unlike my present Bosch is easy to clean. I don't for one moment expect it to be available immediately -  nothing is these days. At present we have a gas hob  and an electric oven a combination that we have found works well - although I do miss my ceramic hob from my old house - so easy to clean. My present oven is so awkward to clean caring for it  is like having a new career!

 

 

Carole

[grendel]

I had to get a new oven about a year back, and as I wanted one on a sunday to cook my sunday dinner in had to go with what they had available to take away, I ended up at currys where the only one they had available to tke away was a narrow one, so we ended up with a 500mm wide oven in a 600mm gap, none of my baking trays fitted either, luckily I do know how to wire up an oven (as i work for an electricity utility company) and have colleagues on call if I need things testing, I did end up going for one with a glass top (ceramic?) it glows when cooking, so it is easy to clean (it needs to be as all but one of our cats tend to decide to sit there, so disinfectanct cleaner to hand before using) the one that doesnt sit there any more made the mistake of jumping up while it was still hot - talk about cat on a hot tin roof, he had tender paw pads for a couple of days (not bad enough to need vet attention thank goodness).

[LizG]

1 hour ago, grendel said:

............go with what they had available to take away, I ended up at currys .........

I read it as ended up with a Curry!

[JanetAnne]

In the past the manufacturers would have the retailing staff on product knowledge days in the hope that it would boost sales of their individual product.

Of course now everybody is owned by everybody else so they get the sale no matter which brand name badge you buy meaning no more retail training.

 

[addicted]

Does this account for the all too frequent indifferent service one gets these days  perhaps?

 

 

Carole

[grendel]

no, you can still find some places where the staff have the knowledge, but generally they are becoming few and far between.

[addicted]

Yes that is true of some places but not in my experience of  large stores in general. Often sales assistants there give the impression that one is interrupting their day and they can't wait to get rid of you. I once went  in  to John Lewis to -  a) see if I could get a coffee table to match a nest of tables we had bought there previously and  b) buy a large glass fronted bookcase. the sole assistant was ensconced in his office and reluctant to come out on to the shop floor at all. I enquired about the coffee table to be told  tersely there was nothing like that and before I could ask about the bookcase he had walked off back to his office - I bought the bookcase elsewhere in a shop; that could be bothered to serve me.  That seems to be the general trend I'm afraid and then they are so surprised when the store goes out of business and they are out of a job!

Carole

[Springsong]

Bean counters are to blame for most all of the high street woes. He tells the retailer he doesn't need to carry all this stock leave it to the wholesaler who says leave it to the manufacturer who says bu++er that we will make them to order .

[vanessan]

I was in a large department store waiting to be served and two assistants were deep in conversation, clearly ignoring me. I pleasantly asked if they were serving in that area and eventually one gave in and did the deed. As I walked away I said “I’m so sorry to have disturbed your discussion”. I think the assistant was just about to say “Oh, that’s ok” when she realised I was being sarcastic! 

[grendel]

I was in our local sainsburys at the quick self service tills, and for some reason the machine wasnt playing ball, i waited about 10 minutes for the assistant to notice the unmoving till right behind her, as she chatted to her friend behind me, even better it was captured on the surveillance screen on the machine, my tapping my fingers waiting to be served as the till had had a hissy fit and wouldnt let me continue. then she cleared the fault, it went back to the store service screen and she walked off to help out at another till leaving me logged into the staff assist page, it took me nearly 20 minutes to get through that fast till, all the while their little camera was recording, and as I had held the till up for that length of time I know it will have triggered a 'what was going wrong at this till point that it was locked up by one customer for so long report.

[addicted]

that situation is I think very typical and is exactly the point I  was making. I once had a similar situation while in Boots and the girl concerned was really rude when I suggested she end her chat with a colleague in order to serve me, then realising just how out of order she had been removed her nametag in case  I was tempted to complain to the management - I hadn't intended to do so but I did after she did that!

Carole

34 minutes ago, vanessan said:

I was in a large department store waiting to be served and two assistants were deep in conversation, clearly ignoring me. I pleasantly asked if they were serving in that area and eventually one gave in and did the deed. As I walked away I said “I’m so sorry to have disturbed your discussion”. I think the assistant was just about to say “Oh, that’s ok” when she realised I was being sarcastic! 

 

[CambridgeCabby]

I find a big difference between Tesco staff and those at Waitrose .

in Tescos if you ask an assistant where something is they’ll grunt an aisle number at you normally sufficed with “I think” , in Waitrose the assistant will smile and say follow me and lead you there ; it’s about time these employees look at their badges it says assistant 

def. a person who helps someone to do a job 

or  . a person who holds a less important post in an organisation.

I’m sure if they were asked they would prefer to be regarded as one who helps others as opposed to a less important staff member , and I have asked them exactly this in the past .

 

[addicted]

I have to say that  have  I've found exactly the opposite to that,  In fact I won't shop in Waitrose  as the staff are so "up themselves! Having said that  the floor staff in Tesco are usually more than willing to take you to what you are requiring with a smile whereas the "suited and booted" ones  seem to have attitude.

 

Carole

[vanessan]

It’s really time store managers went back to basics and taught staff the true meaning of customer service. I have always found Lakeland staff good, in store or online. Our local Tesco staff are pretty good at assisting too. The thing that does wind me up is when I have spent a while trying to find an item and eventually have to ask where it is. Invariably the assistant says something like ‘oh, it’s probably down x aisle’ and proceeds to look exactly where I’ve just wasted an age looking. Grrr! 

Earlier this year I bought something for a friend from Roy’s. I thought it would be nice to give her the present in one of their paper carrier bags. The assistant however point blank refused to sell me one, she would happily sell me a plastic carrier but not a paper one. We are caring for forests’ she said...............🤔

[Polly]

My first stop for appliances is ao. They are online but happy to advise on the phone, they are also fast and goods arecompetitively priced..

[CambridgeCabby]

1 hour ago, Polly said:

My first stop for appliances is ao. They are online but happy to advise on the phone, they are also fast and goods arecompetitively priced..

I too use AO , the only downside I’ve found is the numerous emails I receive offering promotions and deals from them 

[Polly]

I clicked unsubscribe.

[CambridgeCabby]

Guess I didn’t , lol