Customer Service and Seniors

fureverywhere

fureverywhere

beloved friend who will always be with us in spiri
Location
Northern NJ, USA
Has anyone noticed the change in salespeople? I mean it was gradual and new generations won't even know the difference. But you know when you went into a store and had virtually a personal shopper? The sales people might know what you wanted before you said a word. They might bring clothes to the dressing room till you found the right thing. If you were looking for an item they walked you there.

Last night a fifty-something customer walked up to a fellow salesperson. She asked for a specific product and he waved his hand towards the back of the store. That isn't right and the customer was livid. But this young man didn't even notice. When she came up to my register I agreed he should have shown her exactly where the product was.

She really was a nice lady, she just wanted good customer service and we talked quite awhile. Or when I was at the tattoo place. The first guy I talked to drew up a design I wasn't thrilled with. He was trying to excuse that he didn't know fine point work. He didn't realize I've had enough tattoos to know the difference. I'm also not some kid getting their first piece. I might not have a bunch of years left, I want exactly the art I want.

The second artist knew I had changed my mind with the first guy. He went out of his way to make me happy. I think he also used it as a way to experiment with technique. I can sit there a long time. He added shading and the most incredible detail. I mean down to whiskers and eyelashes he did a real work of art. I will praise him on Yelp and other sites, word of mouth, and he got a $40 tip. That is what excellent customer service is.
 

I feel like there's always been businesses who don't prioritize the importance of great customer service, and those that do. I don't understand how some businesses stay in business without great service, but amazingly some do. I think it's important to speak up to the business owner about a bad experience, whether that's via the customer service website for a corporation or via a phone call to a smaller business. Personally, I vote with my dollars and a bad experience will turn me to the competition. If a business doesn't understand senior purchasing power, then I won't buy there.
 
I think it's just a change in attitude as well. Kids that have grown up in the techy age are used to communicating with screens and keyboards. I've seen exchanges at the electronics stores where customer and salesperson will both be holding their electronic geegaws and comparing screens. A world where the screens will become the sales help.
 

It's definitely changed over the years. My dad worked for JC Penney in the 1960's. All employees practiced the store's credo: "the customer is always right." When I worked at KMart in the early 2000's, only the older workers knew how to treat, greet and help customers. Maybe that's part of why I like to shop Amazon now. It's much easier to find information about products, comparisons, reviews, etc. online than in a store.
 
Sears is a good example. Back in the day, you could go up to Sears and not only would they very kindly help you find what you wanted, they would help you figure out what you needed, like in their tools department and with lawnmowers and appliances and stuff like that. My son worked for them back in his 20s and he took great pride in knowing what he was doing and how things worked and helping customers figure out why something wasn't working right, as did most of his cronies. People would go up and wait to see a particular person because they knew he would help them out. My dad swore by Sears and wouldn't shop for tools, appliances, etc., anywhere else.

Then, somewhere in the time my son was there, they started treating the employees differently, and quit making them feel appreciated and acknowledging them for doing a great job, and started cutting hours, commissions, etc., customer service went to hell in a handbasket and the good folks quit. Nowdays you are lucky to find a human being in there, much less someone who knows anything or even cares at all. I haven't been in there in a long time.

I think it has a lot to do with why Sears and other big stores are failing. I know the internet has a lot to do with it, but why would you go to a store where nobody is willing to help you?
 
90% of the time I go into a department store, I cannot find a salesperson when I want to pay for my purchases, much less if I actually need help. I buy nearly everything except groceries and household supplies online now because of that.

A few months ago, I wandered around an entire floor of a department store in a heavily populated urban area, and saw no one else ... employees or customers.

Our Sears closed this summer, and it should have done so years ago. It had been a wasteland for a long time.
 
Yeah Sears, that brings back memories. It was the place to go for everything for a long time. A few years ago I went to one with the intention to buy a well-rated Kenmore vacuum cleaner and was willing to spend $500 for a good one. After 20 minutes couldn't find anyone to help, so I left and bought a Miele instead at small, local vaccum store, and haven't returned to a Sears since.
 
We were at a shopping center a few days ago, and while the wife was shopping, I wandered over to Sears, That place was deserted, and I only saw one or two employees in the entire store. I compared the prices on a few things I was interested in, and all of them were substantially more than prices I've seen in other stores...and Way more than similar items online. It's no wonder that Sears is closing stores all over the nation.
 
Customer service and plain old courtesy is a lost art in many stores and chains. I was in a big chain store a few years ago, it was early evening and I heard a cluster of employees talking and one said "I hope we have no customers tonight"-Hellooooooo. Customers are your reason for being, your paycheck-dumb butt. Part of that is the failure of management to relay that message to them.

In the day and age of computers and streamlined "efficient" corporate structures the training or lack there of new employees get is astounding, they actually over complicate it with computerized training and/or how-to scripts. Customer service and treatment of people is easy. Just like the movie Roadhouse where the bouncer(Patrick Swayze) tells bouncers in training. Simple rule "Be Nice", always be nice. The customer service agent is paid to be nice which gets lost in sales quotas or tasks to be completed.
 
It terrible. It's soured me on even going into stores, unless I know what I want and exactly where it is.

Last week, I went into a local discount store to get the calcium (1200 mg with Vitamin D 1000 IU) supplements I like that they carry. I couldn't find them. I had to hunt for a clerk and when I found one, she looked like she was barely out of her teens. She was bent over a shelf, so I asked where the calcium tabs were. She just stuck her thumb out over her shoulder in a general directions while snapping her chewing gum and not even looking up. I said I knew where they were SUPPOSED to be, but you obviously are out of stock (I noticed how empty some shelves were). Sighing, she hoisted herself upright and went over to the shelf. I pointed to the empty place on the shelf. She then proceeded to put another bottle of supplement in my hand. She thought this should satisfy me. but it wasn't what I wanted.

I then asked if there were a manager in the store. She led me to another 20-something girl who didn't seem to know any more than the first one. She went a looked at the shelf. I asked her what was going on with all the empty shelves. She said "We're in transition", whatever that means and suggested I keep checking back. I haven't had my calcium in several weeks and my back is starting to hurt.

I could go on and on about disappointing customer service - this was just the latest. Seems to happen more when young people have to deal with seniors. They only seem to relate to others in their age group.
 
debodun said:
It terrible. It's soured me on even going into stores, unless I know what I want and exactly where it is.

Last week, I went into a local discount store to get the calcium (1200 mg with Vitamin D 1000 IU) supplements I like that they carry. I couldn't find them. I had to hunt for a clerk and when I found one, she looked like she was barely out of her teens. She was bent over a shelf, so I asked where the calcium tabs were. She just stuck her thumb out over her shoulder in a general directions while snapping her chewing gum and not even looking up. I said I knew where they were SUPPOSED to be, but you obviously are out of stock (I noticed how empty some shelves were). Sighing, she hoisted herself upright and went over to the shelf. I pointed to the empty place on the shelf. She then proceeded to put another bottle of supplement in my hand. She thought this should satisfy me. but it wasn't what I wanted.

I then asked if there were a manager in the store. She led me to another 20-something girl who didn't seem to know any more than the first one. She went a looked at the shelf. I asked her what was going on with all the empty shelves. She said "We're in transition", whatever that means and suggested I keep checking back. I haven't had my calcium in several weeks and my back is starting to hurt.

I could go on and on about disappointing customer service - this was just the latest. Seems to happen more when young people have to deal with seniors. They only seem to relate to others in their age group.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure it's just with seniors -- the kids "working" in stores don't seem to relate much to anybody. I've seen them treat younger customers just as shabbily. They just don't care whether you shop there or not, and as a matter of fact, I think most of them just wish you would go away. If I were managing one of those stores and saw that, I'd have a FIT. A good bit of the reason people shop one place or the other is customer service, and nobody wants to give that any more. SO, I buy many, many things online now, too. I can get better help online than in one of those stores.
 
They make you feel like a mental cretin and that your bothering them if you ask for help. Maybe they get the idea that working is what they see on TV sit-coms, where everyone just stands around the water cooler and tells jokes. If they'd get their heads out of their Ipads or whatever is the cool gadget these days, they'd realize there are other people on this planet. I wonder who hires these people? It seems that a mature manager is never around, or they might show some enthusiasm. It's like a bunch of toddlers running the store. That store I mentioned, I never see the same clerks twice when I go there. They must have a big employee turnover.
 
Are you being served?

Aybs1981.jpg


Things have definitely changed over the years.

I believe that the biggest change is a lack of strict training and performance standards in all areas of customer service.

We have raised a couple of generations that have been allowed to "slide" in many areas, the kids that get a cookie and a trophy for just showing up.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that most young folks do not know how to count back your change when you make a purchase, most of them just cram the money and receipt into your hand. I'm even beginning to see this at the local bank when I cash a check or make a withdrawal, the teller just shoves the pile of money forward without counting it.

I'm starting to sound like an ornery old geezer ranting and thumping my cane! ;):rolleyes::)
 
When I was young, a long while ago, anybody who got a job
in any shop, was trained from the start.

The first thing they were told every day was:

"The customer never interferes with something that you are
doing, the customer is your reason for being here"!

Any new sales person who didn't jump to help when needed
by a customer, was soon looking for employment.

Mike.
 
This is all relative to where you live and shop, obviously.

It all depends on the sales person you get. Makes no difference

whether it is an independent family or 1 man store or a corporate
franchise. Sometimes the corporate stores are friendlier and have
better service than some 1 woman owned store! I have had awful
experiences in privately owned places! Tailors, cleaners,book shops, etc. They grimace, look annoyed,
and act like they don't want my business.
I actually prefer shopping at corporate stores--the people are nicer often, if theyare trained.

I worked in retail, so I know. Sometimes the help just does not know. They have not been trained.
(Don't be too hard on them!)

A car dealer has this motto: We don't hire people we have to tell to be nice---we hire nice people.
 
I don't even expect excellent customer service in a discount store like Walmart, Target, etc. I don't think it's ever been any good to begin with.

Better department stores like Macy's, Nordstrom's, at one time Sears etc, gave the great customer service, but many are closing, Macy's are closing another 150 stores I've heard.
 
I think back in the day there was more demand that if you worked in retail you knew your stuff. If it was hardware you knew your wood, plumbing, electric and tools. Clothing and you knew labels and latest styles. A department store and you knew your department upside down. It's not like that anymore. Part time warm bodies that can work a cash register.

One of the worst environments I worked in for awhile was a Petco. The store manager would mock customers under his breath. He thought they were crazy spending so much on animals. One manager and a cashier were having a hot romance...favoritism much? The fish guy didn't bathe. The dog trainer was afraid of every creature except dogs. Retail insanity...
 
Victor said:
This is all relative to where you live and shop, obviously.

It all depends on the sales person you get. Makes no difference

whether it is an independent family or 1 man store or a corporate
franchise. Sometimes the corporate stores are friendlier and have
better service than some 1 woman owned store! I have had awful
experiences in privately owned places! Tailors, cleaners,book shops, etc. They grimace, look annoyed,
and act like they don't want my business.
I actually prefer shopping at corporate stores--the people are nicer often, if theyare trained.

I worked in retail, so I know. Sometimes the help just does not know. They have not been trained.
(Don't be too hard on them!)

A car dealer has this motto: We don't hire people we have to tell to be nice---we hire nice people.
Click to expand...

I've always found the opposite to be true -- better service in smaller operations.
 
I'm with Fur on Petco, although it's a chain and I'm in a different state, their employees are clueless. I'll never go back. In this case, our smaller, local pet store is much better. They know their stock.
 
Aunt Bea said:
Are you being served?

Aybs1981.jpg


Things have definitely changed over the years.

I believe that the biggest change is a lack of strict training and performance standards in all areas of customer service.

We have raised a couple of generations that have been allowed to "slide" in many areas, the kids that get a cookie and a trophy for just showing up.

One of my biggest pet peeves is that most young folks do not know how to count back your change when you make a purchase, most of them just cram the money and receipt into your hand. I'm even beginning to see this at the local bank when I cash a check or make a withdrawal, the teller just shoves the pile of money forward without counting it.

I'm starting to sound like an ornery old geezer ranting and thumping my cane! ;):rolleyes::)
Click to expand...

Years back, salespeople often worked on commission. Then, they were up your butt, remember? It was helpful though, they used to hang things up or run and get a different size for you. They probably are not instructed to help people today. They would need more employees. You're lucky to find one. A couple weeks ago I was in Penneys and could not find anyone at a register. Finally, I did but I was ready to give up! Retail pays peanuts today. They expect an awful lot out of them. Not to many years back my son worked for a dept store and they promoted him to supervisor. No more money, just a title. It meant he was responsible for a lot more, including staying on if someone fails to show up.

Loved that show, Are You Being Served, it was quite funny!
 
Here commission sales is makeup or cars. Otherwise it's the best you can do...
 

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