I have been on both ends of the customer service spectrum this past week. What do you want first, the good or the bad? Well, since I can’t actually hear you and this is my blog, let’s get the bad out of the way first—shall we? I’m sort of like George Costanza these days, wanting to go out on a high note I guess.
So I know this is totally my fault and I am out the $60, but here’s the scoop. I shop. A lot. Patrick’s mom used to tell me I had a problem. I used to argue that until it negatively impacted some part of my life it isn’t a problem. After this issue, which has now used up FAR too much energy and time and it’s officially in the way. It’s a problem and I have promised to quit this particular store if the outcome is not what I wanted. So here’s the story…..
I went shopping back in July for some dresses for work. I love dresses and wear them basically everyday and all year long and I wear the ones I love until they fall apart. I was at the store that we will call the Apple Dictatorship for the purposes of this blog. I shop there a lot. I’m embarrassed to look up how much I spend in this establishment in a given year, but let’s say it’s enough to get me the fancy store credit card. So I get three dresses and I believe Patrick was rushing me out the door to go do something trivial like buy a wedding dress or baby-sit a child or something. I didn’t try on. There I said it. I just bought. Now this store is out near where our parents live and NOT near our home. It’s about an hour away and I should have taken that into consideration. Apparent Fail. I end up hating one of the dresses that cost about $60. I put it back in the bag, with the receipt and toss it in the car for the next time we are in the area. Unfortunately, that wasn’t until this past weekend….nearly four months later. I didn’t really think much of it since I’ve never had a problem at this store, and I took my bag in and shopped around. I picked out a dress (shocking), a coat and a top. The total was nearly triple the price of what I was returning. I knew I wouldn’t get cash back, but maybe some store credit. I had the receipt and tags were still on the dress after all.
Not quite how this went down. The cashier wouldn’t even look at the receipt and the store manager was flat out rude. They wouldn’t take any of it back—no exchange, return, refund or partial credit. Do not pass go. Do not collect two hundred dollars. Do no even think about asking for anything. So, my mom and I walked out leaving my *adorable* about-to-be-purchased items on the counter. Confession: I’m still dreaming about the dress. It was darling. Back to reality: I was very mad that even though I spend enough money to clothe a small country with this store, the couldn’t even look at me and try to work something out. I worked in retail. I know it sucks a lot of the time, but hit that price over-ride key and give me SOMETHING back if you know I’m telling the truth. Or at least pretend to try.
Needless to say I called the customer service number where I was told that they could in fact do that, but that the phone reps honor what the store decided. Ummm? How about this customer is about to rip you a new one and then cancel my card with you? I pay on time, in full and shop regularly. Do I need to remind you that it’s a recession? And the customer is always right? Well this customer is right….right about to walk out the door and forget about the darling ensembles of the Apple Dictatorship for life. I crafted a lovely note of eff you to headquarters and mentioned that I will be terminating my love affair with their stores in one month if this situation is not rectified.
I’ll keep you posted.
On the amazing end of things, Patrick and I had two really really really fantastic experiences this past weekend. One of those weekends where we got so excited to be getting married and going through all of these steps and surrounded by people (strangers not our family and friends) who are genuinely excited to help us out in their respective areas.
First, we took a second stab at registering. We had done the store with the triple B name, and honestly were not that excited. It was hot and stressful and ugh. Don’t get me wrong—we need things. We understand that it’s easier to shop for us for birthdays, Christmas and showers when we make a list. That store just did not excite us. Well, we still had quite a few things to get so we took several people’s advice and headed to Macy’s. Yes, I’m writing the actual name of the store—it was that good. We visited the branch near our families on Long Island on Saturday morning and had our list ready to go. We met with Nina (real name) who was *awesome* and got us totally hooked up with the macy’s list, the rewards programs and the incentive plans. We chatted and got to know her and easily fell in love with our new BFF in the registry department. She sent us out on our own to explore, shop and scan away. We had an absolute blast. The funniest thing is that we were shopping for easily the most boring things of life. A vacuum. China. Glassware. Tablecloths. Flatware. Luggage. Snore-city, right? For some reason it was so much fun. We picked our patterns and told Nina when she checked in. We came back for a rest to the little table in the Registry Department, and she had set the table with our selections so we could see what it would look like in our home. We got more tips, chatted, rested our tootsies and went back out. Frames. Cookware. Gravy Boat. Beep. Beep. Beep. Finally when we just couldn’t walk around anymore, we went back to see how we’d done. We got high-fives from Nina and she printed out our info. We took a look and approved it and she set us up with the books, bags and gear that is given to new registrants at Macy’s. She told us that we get these awesome rewards when our wedding is over and that she personally will call us and our parents when there are good sales or specials on what we’ve selected. We walked out of the store basically floating and wondering why the first time was so sucky compared to this go. It was delightful and we are sure it’s because of the exceptional customer service that we received.
After that successful day, I was happy enough to just call it a weekend and do some fun things with my mom on Sunday. Manicures, Shopping, Wine…Whatever. Patrick was playing football at noon and then working so we had it all worked out to just go our own ways and regroup on Monday night at home. (This is typical.) So Sunday morning rolls around and I get up and eat with my mom. We decide to go to the flower shop and then get manicures. As we are getting our nails done, I mention a restaurant that Patrick had thought of for our rehearsal dinner that’s two towns over. We decide to go on a hunt with some of our day and try to find something that we can all agree on.
It’s not that we weren’t trying. I had been to a few places and just wasn’t finding what I wanted. It’s a really tough thing to do when you get into it. We have 20 people in our wedding party. Plus dates. Plus family. Plus seven children. Every other place we looked either had a crappy room, or was going to charge us the full price for a child, or smelled funny, or I hated the salesperson. We actually laughed in a woman’s face in another restaurant when she said the room holds 30. I can’t even fit my immediate family in a room for 30! Needless to say I was getting a bit nervous that we’d end up eating McDonald’s the night before our wedding.
My mom and I headed to the steakhouse that Patrick had thought of with no real expectations after the things I had seen in what I considered other great spots. To be totally honest, we ate there as a family a few years back and it was pretty much just okay. My dad ordered a vodka and it was poured through a Crème De Menthe pourer. It tasted like we were drinking toothpaste vodka. I had been to the bar before and liked it enough to keep going back, and can’t remember any other snafus. It’s also exactly perfectly located for the hotel, the church and the reception site. My mom and I go in and ask the hostess if we can see their room for private parties. She takes us up and we immediately fall in love. It’s the perfect size, it’s upstairs, and it has a bar, bathroom and balcony—just for us. The price was right and kids under 12 are half price, 5 and under are free. Score. [I love them but I’m not paying several hundred dollars for the kids to eat chicken and fries or two bites of steak.] We head down to the bar to look at the paperwork and I tried to reach Patrick. He had just left football and was on his way (dirty uniform and all) to check it out. Babs and I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine while we watched the Giants game and waiting. I was tapping my feet and so excited. It felt like I was booking the reception all over again. Patrick got there, looked for all of one minute and asked if I put the deposit down yet or did I want his card. WOOHOO!!
The hostess is actually the events manager and she is awesome. She made changes to the menu, she added things that we may want, she answered ALL of our millions of questions, she is having the kitchen make special meals for some of our guests on dietary restrictions….I could go on and on about her. She’s great and made the whole experience one of the most fun days so far of our wedding planning journey. [I will post the name of the restaurant after our wedding.]
Needless to say I will be writing letters of appreciation to both of these companies to thank them for their amazing help and outstanding employees. I think a lot of the time it’s so easy to get hung up on the negatives in life and sense of entitlement that people like the two women we worked with this weekend are underappreciated. I have a totally renewed excitement in our wedding planning journey…but you can bet your butt I won’t be wearing anything from the Apple Dictatorship to that dinner.
