slightly floored…

Since I was 16, I’ve worked in various customer service roles, I’ve been a cashier in a supermarket, been a waitress for a catering company, been a advisor for a safe manufacturer, even my current role involves some customer service along the way. I’ve always been some what aware of good customer service and bad customer service. One time I was in the supermarket I used to work for and someone mistook me for being an employee, I explained that I didn’t work there but could still answer their question, I had a similar experience in a store that know for selling car accessories and parts – I’d been in the queue at the parts desk waiting to ask if they had particular part for my Fiat Seicento (I used to drive a sunshine yellow one!) while I was in the queue the lady either behind me or in front of me commented how she just needed one part and it was ridiculous having to wait this long given the number of staff on the shop floor. I’d happen to already seen the part and offered to point her in the right direction.

Why am I talking about this, well today Chris and I had two really amazing experiences of good customer service.

The first one was while we were out for the day. We popped into the M&S in Wigan for me to get my bra remeasured (I know TMI but it does make sense if you just bear with). I’m one of those girls who leaves it too long between being measured and is often wearing the wrong size (unless I’ve just been measured!). I left the boys downstairs in the Food Hall and headed up to the Ladies department, I found the current size and style that I’m wearing and went to the changing room, I got there but there was no-one attending, I spotted a customer service person who was putting stock back on the racks, so I asked her politely if there was someone around doing measuring. She said yes and then took me back towards the changing rooms. When I’ve been in the past to the Bedford or Milton Keynes store I always feel like I’m a nuisance and causing issues but this lady was so lovely and so helpful. She measured me and said that although I was measuring at a smaller size it might be worth trying on my current and the smaller size. I think in the end I tried on like 4 different bras in two different sizes but she was so helpful. I tried on the second one and she pointed out that although it was an okay bra it didn’t really have the support, how about I try a different one. She popped off while I changed and came back with a particular one to try. She also came back with another one, she said “I don’t know if you’re kind of thing but thought I’d bring it anyway” – it was a really lacy one, I pointed out that the problem with those ones is that you end up with a pattern to your t-short even when you don’t mean too lol.

I’m telling you all this because she genuinely did want to help me, she didn’t make me feel like a nuisance and she went above and beyond, she must have been back to the shelf like 3 or 4 times and the particular ones I was trying on were the furthest from the changing room! She brought me that lacy one, which she didn’t have to do but she chose to, it made me feel cared for in a way.

For dinner we went to a pub/restaurant called The Bowling Green (it’s part of a chain called Crown Carveries). It’s local to where we are staying. As I’m on Slimming World having all the bits I would normally have wasn’t going to work, I had resigned to just giving in, eating what I liked and then dealing with the consequences tomorrow. Chris on the other hand wouldn’t take that defeatist attitude and created a list of what I could have. Actually once we plated it, it wasn’t that bad and I was full up. Our Sidekick and Chris went up to get their food while I guarded our stuff. I was a little disappointed as it wasn’t clear about whether we had to wait to be seated or park ourselves. Chris reappeared with his food and was really excited. At the counter the first thing they asked was “Would you like a Yorkshire pudding?” Well Chris can’t have them as he’s gluten free, he said no and explained why to the lovely lady serving, she turned round and asked Chris if he’d like her to tell him what he can and can’t have to avoid the gluten. One of the things on the can’t have list was cauliflower cheese because of the gluten in the sauce, she explained this then explained that the chef was just making some more so she’d try and catch the cauliflower before it got the cheese sauce on it if Chris would like some. He’s a dustbin when it comes to food so he said yes please, he came back to the table with a plate full of Carvery and a separate bowl that contained the cauliflower without cheese.

All in all it was a good day, it had started off quite lazy given how late we actually arrived at the hotel, actually having a sort of lazy day was really good. Between all the crazy this last week I really needed just to chill and not charge around like a headless chook!

One comment

  1. Rickie says:

    Interestingly, the best bra fitting I’ve ever had was in Bedford M&S. I remember it being a Sunday, close to closing time but the lady said ‘we’re not leaving until we find you one that fits!’ and I ended up with 2-3. I always find M&S to be good (but then I rarely shop anywhere else now. Beales used to be good in Bedford). Although i bought a couple in M&S Bham recently and they had a sign up saying all their fitting appointments were full for the day. I guess they must just get really busy! Good job they fitted (wearing for first time today – TMI!) anyway.

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