Some may remember last year when I wrote my state representative a rather direct email about my feelings on some state law. Chad happened to know the guy; one thing led to another and the representative ended up coming to visit me. The story is here. It wasn’t that I was rude but I never thought I’d be sitting in my living room face to face with the guy.
After the mall incident, I sent an email through the “contact us” form for the mall. I said:
A post you might want to read about my experience at the mall. Though it doesn’t reflect badly on the mall itself, what has happened to customer service in the stores there (and probably everywhere)?
I got a very nice response back. She wanted to know if she could use my blog post at the next merchants’ meeting, but leave off my name. I looked at the signature. I said “Mom, does the girl who was our neighbor growing up work for the mall?” Yes, she’s maybe the manager at the mall! Oh, dear!
So, I wrote her back and let her know that it was fine to use my blog post and then in fine print, I explained to her that we were neighbors growing up.
Maybe I should sit quietly for the rest of my life and never speak my mind!
Suzanne says
The same thing has happened to me…someone knows us thru the neighborhood or Church or the School or a sports group(Hubby is a teacher/Coach). I guess I better follow my Mom’s advice and be a good girl, because you never know who’s watching! LOL!
Judy L. says
That’s for sure! And no one ever notices when I’m doing something good but when I get a little ticked off and speak my mind, everyone notices.
dee says
No, you should speak your mind. You weren’t being nasty and it’s the same everywhere. They whine about it in our village. When you go into the shops you are either ignored or spoken to in that certain voice that indicates that you may not be quite good enough to shop in that store. The mall stores are just like what you described and I didn’t know that you could send anyone in a mall an e-mail. I’ll be looking into that. Several years ago the powers that be in the mall decided that it would be a good idea to up-grade the stores to more high-end stores like Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. The entire mall is filled with high end catalog places like Williams & Sonoma. I can’t begin to describe how snooty they are. The funny thing is that when they behave that way it gets my dander up and I want to say to them “What’s with the attitude, you’re just an employee in a retail store and I don’t have to work. Which one of us needs an attitude adjustment?” Since I spent 14 years in retail where I was really good to my customers I think I can get away with asking that.
I’m going to look and see if I can find an e-mail address now. By the way, all those snooty stores in our village…all but three have gone out of business…big surprise. I don’t care who knows how I feel. I spend money that pays their salary. They should be ashamed of themselves for their crappy attitude.
I run into some of those out of business people now and then and they are always whining about how horrible it is to do business in the village..that’s just nonsense.
Sorry for the novel.
Judy L. says
If you go to your mall’s website, there should be a “contact us” spot somewhere there.
Diana W. says
Should you sit quietly and not speak your mind? NO! That is how things change. It needs to come to the attention of the people who can make sure that the customer service is the priority. Unfortunately, a lot of people that work in these jobs don’t care. If the company they work for STRESSES the importance of good customer service, it becomes a lot more prevalent. I know, My husband and daughter both work for a major grocery supermarket (A competor of Walmart). You are always greeted, not only by the person at the front door but every employee you make eye contact with and every person working there knows to stop what they are doing and help the customer, even if it means walking them to the item they are looking for. Customer service is not dead…it’s just hard to find. Good job Judy. You make a difference.
Pam says
It’s so much easier to get ticked off, let it go and do nothing. It is harder to present the problem to the owners-that-be. Without feedback from customers, management can take a blind-eye to the situation. You gave specifics which is what that manager needed. Never stop speaking up.
Pam
P.S.
It is also appropriate to let management know when you receive really good customer service.
Deb says
Or you could say you are actually making a difference…
Not something everyone who complains does. You go girl, if you know someone somewhere, great, but it IS all about who you know afterall….
Marina says
No, don’t stop, the business owners need to know what their staff are up to – be it good or bad, otherwise service will keep on deteriorating. Be brave and say what you have to.
Lori in MN today says
ROFL–I grew up and live in a little midwest town. My dad always told me to be careful what I said, half the people I was related to, the rest of them we’ve known all our lives. But a carefully composed constructive criticism (your blog post) will help them see it from the other side of the counter! If you are one person shopping, look at all the sales they lost. Think how many times a day that may be happening.
Lilnda says
I tell you Judy, there’s no getting away from people you know. I can’t begin to tell you the number of times I’ve run into people with connections to this small town I’ve lived in for 39 yrs. And in the oddest places too. My daughter was sitting in the Orlando, FL airport when she heard about the death of her kindergarten teacher here in town. The teacher lived a block from us & she heard about it in Florida before I did here. Better yet, she heard about it from some people from Ewing, a little town 10 mi. from here. The world is indeed a small place.
Liz says
We ( mom, sis and I) once went on a castles & gardens tour to England & Ireland. In the middle of a castle in Wales, my sister hears her name. A couple of children from the school where she was a librarian recognized her and just had to tell her everything about their trip. So, it is a small world!
Concerning the customer service issue – I went to Target today to get some small storage tubs. Plenty of tops and 2 broken bottoms. I decided to test the phone system at the end of the row and …. someone showed up within a minute, called the back room to see if there were any, the back room guy brought a case of them out and took the broken ones away. While walking to the checkout, one guy’s lane was closed, but he waved me in to check me out. I guess it depends on the city & manager…
Pam in KC says
Well, at least you shouldn’t t have to worry about someone from the mall showing up at your house? Your mom’s maybe…..
Dianah says
That is so funny. I live in a town with close to half a million people in it and constantly run into someone to knows you. Between my sister an dhusband I try not to tell people who I am.