Shame on this Dublin department store

SueWho

Not sure if I can/ should mention the name of this store- well known Dublin department store in the city centre.

I went into the underwear dept. There was only one other customer in the place and there was a staff of 6. The group off staff were gathered around gossiping loudly and one bragged that she had sold the dearest bra in the shop to a man the day before. Another said "yeah, that's the way to go when they come in and need help; bring them straight to the most expensive section". They all had a great laugh and sneer at the stupidity of these men. They were blatantly laughing at their own customers for taking advice from them!!!!!

Now I am not so naiive that I think this type of selling doesn't go on when one requires help from shop assistants but I thought it was truly appalling that they would stand around shouting out loud laughing at the customers who pay their wages and keep them in jobs.

I thought that shop assistants manners and service would improve in Dublin because of the rescession but I'm not seeing it yet!!

I was in Belfast recently and the level of service and friendliness in shops and restaurants would put Dublin workers to shame.

soc

That's horrible! Poor guy was probably in buying something nice for his partner for Valentine's Day.

I certainly hope you lodged a complaint with someone in charge in the department store! I'd even go as far to contact Head Office... that's dispicable behaviour from sales staff!

SueWho

I didn't really think about contacting anyone senior and reporting it although I'm sure they'd be interested! I just decided never to shop there again; God knows if I did and I needed a little help (as one often does in an underwear dept) I wonder would they be sniggering at me as I leave the shop!

Phsyche

Yeah. lodge a complaint with the manager of the store or department. They need shaking up sometimes. I don't know how many times I've spent waiting to be noticed at the till while they're standing right behind it gossiping. Usually a loud HI! CAN I PAY FOR THIS NOW?! works.

Latchy

Behaviour of the shop assistants might be due in part to the Irish psyche .

jim o doom

latchyco wrote: »

Behaviour of the shop assistants might be due in part to the Irish psyche .

That doesn't excuse ignorant behaviour.

SueWho

The more I think about it, I think I might write a letter or email to them. I know if I owned or managed the store I would want to know if that kind of craic was going on and I'd be horrified if I found out that it was happening too!

paddyb125

I'd definately contact the manager.

ejmaztec

On the other end of the scale, I almost collapsed with shock in a Tralee shop last week when an assistant asked if I needed help. Perhaps he'd been on a course.

SueWho

Well I sent an email describing the whole even to their customer service email address. I specifically asked to receive a response to see what they have to say on the matter. I didn't add in the original post that I ended up being totally ignored when I went to the till to ask about the price of an item- they were all too busy oooooohing and aaaaaaahing over the child of someone they all knew who had come into the store. They could all see me at the till but just ignored me for ages. One eventually came over and was less than helpful. I will let you know what they say when they respond to my email.

Is there any reason for me not to name the store? Mod?

Del2005

SueWho wrote: »

Well I sent an email describing the whole even to their customer service email address. I specifically asked to receive a response to see what they have to say on the matter. I didn't add in the original post that I ended up being totally ignored when I went to the till to ask about the price of an item- they were all too busy oooooohing and aaaaaaahing over the child of someone they all knew who had come into the store. They could all see me at the till but just ignored me for ages. One eventually came over and was less than helpful. I will let you know what they say when they respond to my email.

You should have just left the item at the till and walked out, and as you pass say that's €xxx over to the competition now, you aren't paid to stand around waiting for them to serve you. That's assuming you can get it somewhere else, or just go back a different day if not, but let them know they lost a sale.

GavinZac

Before you go writing a letter, how sure are you that they weren't joking? I mean, its not like they mugged someone.

Phsyche

GavinZac wrote: »

Before you go writing a letter, how sure are you that they weren't joking? I mean, its not like they mugged someone.

???

00112984

Why are we asuming the man was taken advantage of when the OP didn't encounter the exchange between him and the staff member?

Maybe he walked in and said "I want to buy my wife something nice, money is no object. Show me something that any woman would kill for"? Anytime I've heard a man in the lingerie section, it's been along the lines of "I want something very nice as a present in the €X to €Y price range". What if the man had come in asking to see stock priced up to €100 and he walked out with a bra for €80? Wouldn't he be happy?

Everyone is presuming that this was some clueless man who knew nothing and was lured in, had a gun pointed to his head and robbed. Most likely, he walked in knowing what he wanted to spend, told the assistant and she, as she is paid to do, took him to see the best range they had. In fairness, it's not like he walked out after just seeing one bra.

ChickCool

but if the above was the case why would the sales assistants been gossipping about it and laughing at the man buying something?

id like to know what store it is.at the very least it shows how terrible the service is that all 6 assistants are gossipping not working and ignoring the op

SueWho

To the previous poster: point taken about the man who was sold the bra the day before- I am not complaining about that event. What annoyed me was the mocking of the "customer who needs help" that I witnessed and the fact that this was being done for all to hear in the shop. I am not one to get on a high horse about things in general but I really felt that the staff were letting their employer down the way they were talking.

Look at it this way, if you owned the shop would you be happy with your staff rubbishing customers like that in front of other customers?

It can be embarassing enough buying underwear without staff laughing at you.

robo

The attitude of the sales staff is awful - not great for customer services that they stand around joking and laughing about "ripping" customers off.
But, I would imagine that their managers know that they upsell as much as possible. I doubt that they are the only shop that when asked for suggestions, would try to sell the most expensive item where possible.

I know when I worked in retail, and if asked for suggestions, I was instructed, by managers, to sell the more expensive items where possible. But always take into consideration if you have an elderly customer or someone who may be seen as someone who is not be able to afford something so expensive.

krudler

Dear god, to the highest court in the land this should be taken! staff having a joke about something innocent proving that people who work in shops are in fact....people? for shame!

Christ almighty has this country disappeared so far up its own arse that everyone has to take offence to everything these days?

the groutch

1 customer and 6 staff

sounds like debenhams