Image: www.tiffany.ca
I had two very different retail experiences today. One at IKEA and one at Tiffany's. "Really?! ", you're sarcastically saying to yourself. But, I've found little correlation between quality of service and exclusivity of products. Often they are inversely related.
Today IKEA mistakenly charged my bank account twice for the same dollar amount. The IKEA computer terminal "froze" mid-transaction and it was "re-entered". I returned home, checked my online banking and confirmed. my suspicion. When I telephoned IKEA, I was instructed to return to the store to receive a refund. You know where this is going.
After having a very one-sided interaction with the IKEA "customer service" people, I was informed that:
1) I was correct. My bank had been charged twice.
2) The money would be returned to my account within 7-10 days. If not, "here's a number to call."
It was Sunday. At IKEA. I took my "handy number" and left.
With home organization procured, my sister and I moved to the fun stuff - clothing! Being in downtown Vancouver, we wandered into Tiffany's on Burrard Street. There we received charming, attentive and unpretentious service. Clearly Tiffany's didn't go head hunting at Holt Renfrew to staff their new store.
As we made our way through the boutique, each sales person greeted us and asked if we needed assistance. The Tiffany's employees genuinely made us feel welcome. When I asked about the timepiece charm (above), the Tiffany's associate was a great help. I felt guilty leaving the store empty handed! For real.
I love that good service still exists. Love that we enjoyed it without spending a cent.
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