It is amazing to me how this place stays in business. When I came to this IKEA, they had a sign stating many locations are under construction. They weren't kidding. As I walked around, many spaces were left open with construction tape along the perimeters especially at the bedding area. Usually, at the IKEA that I go to, office furniture is located on the second floor. After I leisurely browsing through the entire second floor, I realize I did not see any office furniture. My husband wanted to look at desks so we trekked our way back to find an available IKEA employee. We made it back almost towards the front entrance near the escalator, where I can see it in view. An IKEA employee at her station was helping another couple so I patiently waited around for my turn. I didn't find any other employee while walking all the way back so I figured this employee was my best bet for an answer. Suddenly, the IKEA employee started walking away with the couple and told us she had to go and that we can go over to the next station across the room where there was already few customers already waiting for assistance. I quickly told her that I just have a simple question, but she cut me off and repeated that she has to go. This was happening all while she was making a quick getaway. I said out loud to nobody that I was waiting here for a minute. She could have told me right there that she wasn't helping anyone else instead of having me stand there like an idiot. My husband gave her an angry look and she suddenly turned around, head bend forward while her arms opened out (typical black stance) and repeated each word slowly and rudely, "I- HAVE- TO- GO- NOW."
Needless to say, that crossed the line for me in customer service. I am not pleased with going to another station, but it's understandable if the employee's shift is over. I am upset over this employee's attitude. The woman left us there shocked and then hella mad with a bit of embarrassment as this was done in public. I told my husband that this IKEA obviously doesn't need our business and we need to leave the store now. Unfortunately, my husband wanted to buy something there, but I insisted on buying it at the Hicksville, NY location. So, this IKEA employee can just walk all over us and get away with it? I did not get her name, which I feel stupid for because the more I thought about it, the more my blood was boiling, and the more I felt like marching over to customer service to speak to the manager, but this employee practically walked away within seconds. As I angrily made my way across the building to get downstairs, there was another IKEA employee walking around. My husband went up to her and asked where the office furniture was and she quickly replied nicely that it was downstairs. See? Wasn't that easy? We thanked her and continued our outrage over the rude IKEA employee as we made our way downstairs. I was so mad, I had no mood for shopping and my husband didn't either. We even argued between us and made a scene, which embarrassed me even more. I wanted to leave the store while he didn't and didn't want me to lose my mood (which is futile). In my opinion, once a person crosses the line in customer service, I will not care for the business anymore. This woman crossed my personal line of customer service.
I notice there was not any customer service section, so I asked an employee to call a manager at the returns and exchange section. Another stupid thing I did not do was check out which department I was standing in. All I can say is I was near the front escalator entrance. I spoke to the manager, who offered to help me find the office furniture, but I told him I already saw it because another nice employee told me. I told him that he has some excellent employees there, but that rude IKEA employee was not one of them. I mistakenly told the manager that the rude IKEA employee had dreads, but she really had braids on. She was a bit chubby and that's about all I can say.
The manager listened to me and said he will handle it, but I didn't see him write anything down or get my information so I assume he thinks I'm BSing and just need a vent box. I do not want to come back here because of the bad memories. I am evil enough to wish that rude IKEA employee get fired because in this bad economy, so many more people including my father would have wanted that job that this IKEA employee apparently didn't care for.
PROS: It's an IKEA
CONS: Some employees HAVE-TO-GO-NOW read more