5 trips between two households and over 6 hours of driving were wasted in just 4 days because of poor customer service.
I work during the day, so between my schedule, store hours, and drive time, it's difficult to get much done during the week. On Thursday, I picked out several outfits for my daughter and asked if they could be held until the following evening when she got off work. It was closing time, so I asked multiple times if that would be okay. I was assured it would be. They asked for her name and sent me on my way.
The next day, my daughter drove there immediately after work. Nothing was held.
I was frustrated, especially because I never saw the employee write her name down. Even more frustrating was being told by staff that the clothes weren't even there when the store opened that morning.
The following night, I went back, located all of the outfits again, and this time I watched the employee write down my daughter's name, the date for the next day, and "Hold Until COB/9pm." I watched them hang the clothes in the designated hold area. Other held items were hanging there as well.
The next day, while attending an event over an hour away, I received another call. The clothes were gone again.
At that point, I left the event and drove to the store. Upon arrival, I asked an associate what the store policy was regarding holds and whether items could be held for 24 hours. I was told yes. I then explained that this was now the third trip involving the same issue and asked to speak with a manager.
What bothered me most wasn't that the items were unavailable. It was the complete lack of accountability, concern, or even a genuine apology. The manager treated the situation as though it was no big deal and asked, "What do you want me to do about it?"
Ironically, the manager then claimed the store does not hold items overnight. If that's true, why did multiple employees on multiple occasions tell us otherwise? Why were the clothes tagged, dated, and placed in the hold area in front of me?
I used to work for this company, so I understand policies can change. What I don't understand is why customers are being given conflicting information that results in wasted time, fuel, and frustration.
The store has noticeably declined since the move. The checkout lines are consistently excessive, making customers question whether their purchases are worth the wait. For a newer location, the store also appears poorly maintained.
To answer the manager's question, "What do you want me to do about it?" I would suggest starting with better training and communication among staff. Acknowledge when your team inconveniences a customer. Take ownership when mistakes happen. Show some consideration for the fact that people's time matters.
Had I known this would become such an ordeal, I would have simply purchased the items and returned whatever my daughter didn't want. Instead, I relied on what your employees repeatedly told me.
Do better. Customer loyalty is hard to earn and easy to lose. read more
