Customer service, or lack of?

[Guest]

Airbrush arrived yesterday, as you may know.

I headed to the local model shop on the way back into town today to get a hose to fit.

"Can i have a hose to fit a Mig airbrush please?"

"We don't sell Mig airbrushes"

"No, i have the airbrush, just need a hose, please"

"The airbrush guy isn't here today, come back tomorrow"

"I just need a hose, 1/8 screw thread"

"I'm sure that he will help you tomorrow"

"Can i have a look, i'm sure that i can work out which one will fit"

"No, they're locked in the cabinet"

"Do you have the key?"

"Yes"

"So, can i look?"

"No. Come back tomorrow"

"No thanks, i don't think i will come back.....ever"

So called Airbrushes.co.uk who hadn't heard of Mig Productions either, but when i told him the size if the thread, was able to send me a hose. Hopefully it'll arrive this weekend.

So it seems i'll remain an airbrush virgin just a little longer!!!

[PJP]

A spotty 12 yera old by any chance?

To an extent, it's your own fault for

a) EXPECTING customer service

b) NOT asking to speak to a grown-up, irrespective of the age of the sales "assistant".

c) Failing to dispense a well earned slap!

Had a very similar experience in my local Halfords several months ago, since when I have only visited to buy screencleaner for thinning acrylics, but then I was well known for assisting people in a sudden unexpected career change.

Regards

Peter

[Guest]

A spotty 12 yera old by any chance?

Actually, it wasn't!!

The downstairs is an art shop, and so this guy is one of the artists that works there. I think that that the models was an afterthought. 2nd class citizens maybe, not worthy of his time. He's no need to worry. I won't trouble him again!!

[stona]

That's a shame bearing in mind the difficulty such shops have in competing with online retailers already. The one advantage they potentially have is a friendly face and a bit of sage advice.

Conversely I popped into a fishing tackle shop today to get some weights for the nose of my latest project. I know little about fishing and nothing about fishing weight sizes. I explained what I needed to weigh down and the chap in the shop could not have been more helpful. All for a couple of quids worth of weights.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

The thing is, the airbrush guy is very knowledgable and very friendle, but boy, does he love to chat!!! He's a true enthusiast.

I'll probably go there again to be honest for some advice from time to time, although it's unlikely i'll make any purchases.

Shame really.

[Guest]

Just as i posted that, an ad for my local model shop appeared at the top of the page in the google adsense box!!! Spooky!!

[Guest]

I have big issues with customer service. In my job, we have 'benchmarks' to meet regarding customer service, even though e don't really have customers, we have clients who have no 'consumer choice' therefore I don't regard them as 'customers'. However, one of the benchmarks we have is to answer telephone calls within a certain time, a certain number per day and ensure that the call does not exceed so many minutes (otherwise the second benchmark was impossible to meet). So long as these statistics are met, management (The Government Ministers) are happy. The fact that when they take the call and pass the query onto a processing section where no one is working because they have to answer the phones counts as nothing so there is no customer service.

I no longer expect it because if there is a pretence of it, generally it is because the employee has to make some false effort to ensure they don't get the sack for not matching figures.... Do I sound a tad bitter? Well that is because I am.