Had a truly horrendous customer service experience here. Below is the complaint I sent to Winners at their "feedback" link. Nobody in the store would give me an email contact to management or head office even though I specifically told them I felt a written record was essential to regaining my goodwill.
"It is truly a shame that one person feels so embittered by her job that she needs to undo the hard work and dedication of thousands of TJX employees across North America. My own customer service employment has taken me from Vancouver to Toronto, New York to LA. I have worked behind the till, and shopped in front of it. Customer Service is hard; I get that.
That said, NEVER before have I experienced such an awful treatment at the hands of an employee; not at Winners, not ANYWHERE. In fact, just yesterday I shopped at a different location, where Daniella told me it was her first day, and I had a pleasant chat with a few staff members about my purchase. (Store#0316 / Trans#104269) I wasn't able to find what I was searching for, so today I decided to try visiting Edmonton's City Center Winners location, a place I have shopped on numerous occasions. After today, I will not be going back.
I am a conscientious person, and from my own history I know that we are all human. I am the sort who tries to engage staff, or at the very least shows gratitude with proper manners. I am also the sort who always brings my own bags, and tries to make things as easy on staff as possible. Ironically, that was the start of my trouble today.
I was glad to have found variety of merchandise. The fitting room attendant was helpful, and I narrowed my selections to about a $300 purchase. At about 11:30AM (September 26th/15), I brought those items to Anita C. It gave me pause that she seemed to be disgusted just touching something I had touched, but I decided to ignore it. I chalked it up to the customer beside me who reeked like urine and looked as though he'd been living on the street (who incidentally received FAR better service than I).
I told her I'd use my own bag, and after she scanned the items I reached to help fold them and tuck them away, at which point she SNAPPED - "I'm not done yet!"
I thought she was probably having a bad day, so I attempted to make eye contact and smile, my way of saying, "hey, we're both human beings."
Anita C seemed to disagree. Instead of returning my gesture, or hiding behind the default mask of PROFESSIONALISM one ought to have, this woman felt it her duty to stare me down and purse her lips into the most condescendingly malicious parody of a smile I have seen in a VERY long time.
I said, "wow." I was completely floored by this. Thinking about the indignity, I said, "You know what..." and gestured that this transaction could be aborted.
She didn't need me to finish the sentence, haughtily saying, "I'm fine with that."
Confronted with yet more snark, I looked around to see if her fellow employees were aware. Knowing what I sought, she said, "my boss is right there." She didn't care in the LEAST.
Saiyad, who I later found out was the floor manager, had been less than three feet away this whole time (dealing with the aforementioned other customer). I expressed my dismay. He apologized, as he ought to have. I left.
Still in the mall, I decided that a perfunctory apology was not satisfactory, and I went back to ask for the staff member's name, as well as the store manager and head office info, so I could follow up.
It was at this point that I spoke to Victoria about the issue, who listened sympathetically. As I was vocalizing my complaint, I happened to glance over at Anita C. Not only had no action been taken to remove her from further damaging your reputation, she was staring me down, smirking and nodding along. SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE!
I'm sure the seriousness of this DOUBLE infraction will not be lost on those who have worked so hard to make Winners a welcoming shopping experience. Within less than thirty minutes, ONE staff member has so alienated a regular Winners shopper that it cost you a $300 purchase, and will have repercussions exceeding the abject callousness of her irresponsibility.
This person should NOT be allowed to represent your interests. As I said, I won't be returning to this location; and I will seriously reconsider giving your business any of my money in the future. What you should be worried about, having already lost my business, is that none of your other customers are faced with the same risk.
I would like to know that appropriate action is being taken about this matter."
It's the same day, so I don't expect to hear back by Monday at the earliest, but I'm still gobsmacked that anyone thinks this is appropriate; whether staff or fellow citizen of a city we call home. Unacceptable. read more