STICKS AND STUFF, OXFORD, ALABAMA
I worked for years in retail and retail management. I prided myself on costumer service and DEMANDED that all my employees treat ALL costumers with respect. In fact, the first thing I told all employees on day one was this:
TREAT EVERY COSTUMER THAT COMES THROUGH THIS DOOR AS IF THEY SIGN YOUR PAYCHECK...BECAUSE THEY DO!
I am well aware that things sometimes happen, things go wrong and get screwed up...that's life. How a store or district manager handle these boo-boos can say alot.
My daughter and her husband were looking to buy a new mattress. A friend, recently bought some furniture at Sticks and Stuff, was pleased, so, I suggested they try there first.
My daughter found a mattress she liked, was told it wasn't in stock, would be ordered and would be in the next week.
Next week:
Ooops...so sorry...forgot to order it...will be in next week.
In the meantime, their old bedroom suit has been sold.
Next week: Number 2
Ooops...sorry again...didn't order it...will be in next week.
Next week: Number 3:
DITTO.
By now they are sleeping on an air mattress.
Next Week: Number 3
The day before leaving for vacation, THE day the mattress was promised to be in, thinking there is no way, for 3 weeks in a row that a bumbling idiot of a store manager could screw it up, son in law takes his truck and goes to get the mattress...only to be greeted with...
Oops...Sorry...Forgot...AGAIN...to order it...
Taking a play from his mother in law's (ME) playbook, based on 2 other incidents at Babies 'R' Us, he asked the store manager for the phone number of his district manager. Imagine his surprise when informed that, "We don't have one."
Well...as soon as this MOTHER was informed, I said, "B.S.I'll get you the district manager's phone number." Which I did, by calling another store.
Long story short, the store manager at that store, took my son in laws phone number and did call him. Though, according to son in law, he didn't seem a bit concerned or phased at all by any of it. Not even the fact that one of his managers had LIED about having a district manager.
Having been a store manager myself, I know the last thing you want is an unsatisfied costumer calling and talking to your DM. That is why, I always tried to settle things as best I could on a store level. But to LIE...@!!!
They FINALLY did get the mattress.
So, after following their experience at STICKS AND STUFF, it was a no brainer that when I decided it was time to get a new pillow top mattress...I DIDN'T go to STICKS AND STUFF. I went to their competition...showed them what I wanted, told them how much it was at STICKS AND STUFF, asked if they could beat or match the price, and they did.
The whole STICKS AND STUFF incident, just proves what I always tried to teach my employees;
DON'T MAKE THE COSTUMER FEEL YOU ARE DOING THEM A FAVOR...
THEY ARE SHOPPING HERE...SPENDING THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY...THEY ARE DOING US A FAVOR.
It seems STICKS AND STUFF would do well to enforce that in their employees. At the STORE and DISTRICT level.
THEY ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THIS...WORD OF MOUTH...