Why do you make it do hard for me to give you my money?
Today, while at an Old Navy store, we noticed that there were no mirrors on the sales floor. That meant that every time customers wondered what something would look like, they had to trot off to the fitting rooms to take a look. Not too convenient -- Old Navy is not a small store. When we asked where the mirrors were, the sales associate told us someone from the corporate office made the decision to remove them "because they took up too much floor space."
Later, we saw a customer at a Hollister store ask to purchase a top that was displayed on a sweater form. The associate told the customer, "Sorry, but items used in displays aren't for sale." The associate went on to say that the particular top in question was discontinued and no longer available in the store. But still, the customer could not buy it.
What's up with these retailers? Forcing a customer to walk across the store the fitting rooms every time she wants to check out a garment is ridiculous. You need more space on the sales floor? Tough. How about making it more convenient for your customers to shop? And not selling display items, particularly discontinued display items, is just plain stupid.
Customers today have too many choices. If they have a bad experience in one store, they can easily leave and shop somewhere else. Or purchase the item on-line. Everyone's time-starved and stressed-out. Both of these retailers could use a good, old-fashioned customer service refresher course.
Today, while at an Old Navy store, we noticed that there were no mirrors on the sales floor. That meant that every time customers wondered what something would look like, they had to trot off to the fitting rooms to take a look. Not too convenient -- Old Navy is not a small store. When we asked where the mirrors were, the sales associate told us someone from the corporate office made the decision to remove them "because they took up too much floor space."
Later, we saw a customer at a Hollister store ask to purchase a top that was displayed on a sweater form. The associate told the customer, "Sorry, but items used in displays aren't for sale." The associate went on to say that the particular top in question was discontinued and no longer available in the store. But still, the customer could not buy it.
What's up with these retailers? Forcing a customer to walk across the store the fitting rooms every time she wants to check out a garment is ridiculous. You need more space on the sales floor? Tough. How about making it more convenient for your customers to shop? And not selling display items, particularly discontinued display items, is just plain stupid.
Customers today have too many choices. If they have a bad experience in one store, they can easily leave and shop somewhere else. Or purchase the item on-line. Everyone's time-starved and stressed-out. Both of these retailers could use a good, old-fashioned customer service refresher course.
