Rude. Inattentive. Unprofessional. Oblivious.
I am posting this feedback here since there is neither a forum to provide general feedback, nor an e-mail address provided on the company web site to correspond with ownership and management.
Our aim was simple: pick up a few items at Snuggle Bugz for our infant son. We dressed him up and headed to the Burlington store. It was a Saturday afternoon, so there were other customers in the shop but it was not overwhelmingly busy. Having collected our items, we went to the front desk to pay. And then ... nothing. We stood there, unacknowledged (despite a sales clerk right there, on the phone and another staff member sorting out empty boxes nearby). Finally, after waiting for several minutes, I called out, "We're ready to pay ... somebody ...".
The clerk on the phone turned to me and was flippantly dismissive in informing me she was on the phone with another customer, scolding me like an impetuous child. Really ... so that's how it is here ...
The other clerk came to the cash desk, and was (to use a polite word) snippy as she processed our transaction. We could have left the items there and shopped for them elsewhere, but still decided to give the store the courtesy of our business.
The failures in customer service here are numerous:
1. Despite the number of staff people on the floor, leaving customers at the cash desk unattended
2. Staff performing tasks not directly-related to customer service not having the awareness to attend to paying customers (especially on a busy Saturday afternoon)
3. That while speaking to prospective customers on the phone is helpful, it is not done at the expense of paying customers in-store
4. Rather than apologizing for the delay, being treated in summarily rude fashion
5. Treating the simple act of performing a sales transaction as an inconvenience rather than an essential function of customer service
The correct actions should have been:
1. Realizing a colleague was on the phone, another staff member should have immediately approached the cash desk
2. Failing that, the clerk on the phone should have acknowledged us and invited a colleague to approach the cash desk
3. Failing that, the clerk on the phone should have apologized for the delay, placed the other customer on hold, and processed our transaction
Perhaps staff feel their time is more valuable than ours. Keep in mind we had our infant son in tow, and this store (of all places!) should know the narrow time window during which parents have to perform these kinds of activities. Therefore, the complete lack of awareness and courtesy is inexcusable.
That we experienced these multiple failures in such a short span, and for such a simple process, leads me to question the business's general competence and that starts with ownership and management.
The remedies are as follows:
1. Evaluate the efficacy of your staff. Labour is expensive and if individuals are not adding value, then they are dispensable.
2. Customer service standards are defined, set, applied, measured, enforced and systematically improved.
3. Staff require certified and demonstrable product knowledge.
4. An anonymous shopper program rates the store and staff on key customer service metrics.
5. Staff compensation is tied to sales and customer satisfaction.
6. Those who fail to meet the standards are terminated.
The solution to both our problems is simple: we will take our business elsewhere. While the store is well-merchandised, all products are available through other retailers--the store itself is not essential. Therefore, we spare your staff the inconvenience of providing meaningful customer service (rather than the superficial assistance we observed and experienced). And we are spared the aggravation (in a baby store, again, of all places!) and waste of time. I will not tolerate rude and oblivious behaviour.
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