Now, this is no small decision for me. Pants shopping is probably the one thing I loathe most of all. Since I'm not a slender girl I have to shop at the fat lady stores (get over it, that's who they cater to so lets call a tree a tree, shall we?) So I steeled myself for what is typically a depressing, overwhelming, time consuming farce of me, squeezing into or swimming in, as many pair of pants as I can stand to try on before I give up, in tears, and go home.
I arrived at Fashion Place mall and headed to said store (cough couLANEgh, cough BRYANTcough) with my head held high and little hope in my heart. As I entered the store I was excited to see color - I love it when the spring colors start coming in, it was an encouraging sign. I then realized that I was the only customer in the store - YES! All the help I needed right at my fingertips, bored sales associates ready to trade out sizes and styles until I found just what I needed and they could make a big sale!
I wandered in toward the jeans, expecting to be greeted by a sales associate, but there was no greeting, I didn't see a soul. I began pawing my way through the pile of "blue dot, curvy" jeans trying to find a size I hoped would work. Success! I yanked them from the middle of the stack, sending several other pair flopping to the floor. I looked around, still no sales associate anywhere near - I picked them up and shoved them back onto the shelf and headed for a dressing room.
It was at this point that I was greeted by a sales lady - who asked if I would like a dressing room. I answered in the affirmative, and, thinking she was going to open the room for me, I waited for her to make a move toward the dressing room. But she didn't, she continued arranging clearance items on a rounder, not making a single move toward the dressing area. I was puzzled. In a split second a second associate came from the back of the store - "Hey, Amy, could you open a dressing room for this lady?" the first associate bellowed. Amy nodded and I followed her to the dressing rooms. She didn't say a word to me, no "how is your day?", "did you find what you needed?", not even a smile. She opened a room for me and walked away. I should have left the store then.
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| Lane Bryant Jeans (I should look so good in them...) |
But she just STOOD there. I then asked her, holding my voice and my fists as steady as I could, if she might try and find a pair in the back that I could try on. "Oh, sure," she said, "but you might like these too." She handed me a pair of jeans in my size but different style, "try those and I'll go look." Off she went to the back storeroom and I returned to the dressing room.
The pair she handed me did not only not fit, they were extremely short and honestly - ugly. Again, I waited...and waited....aaaaaand waited. Finally, after about 10 minutes I put my own clothes on and, yet again, exited the dressing room. I found both associates sitting on the floor trying to fix a vacuum cleaner, the one looked up at me and said, "well, did they work?" I told her no and asked if she had found any of the others, in a tall, in the back. "Oh, no..there weren't any."
I just stared at her. She hadn't the decency to come back to the dressing room and tell me. Neither associate had bothered to check up on me as I was trying on clothes, I wasn't greeted when I came into the store nor was I helped as I tried to make a selection. That was it, I was done. I said, "so would it be too much of a bother for you to call your Jordan Landing store and see if they have any?" She looked at the second associate, and said - "hey, will you call for this lady." REALLY????
Amazingly enough, Amy had the presence of mind to be able to use a telephone, (she DID know how to talk) speak to the Jordan Landing store and confirm that they had one pair. I was outta there!
I was not happy.
When I walked out of the store into the mall I was accosted by a dark haired, foreign sounding beauty shoving a small packet into my face telling me about how wonderful this vitamin e rinse would be for my hair. I took a step back and she followed....mercilessly. Was this some kind of cruel joke? From almost having to run the register to make the sale myself to nearly needing to file assault charges on a hair care sales girl??
She kept on me - "here, step over here and let me curl your hair with my fantastic curling iron!" I looked at her.....does this hair -------------------->LOOK like it needs a curling iron???? I asked her as much. It was like I never said anything, she was totally oblivious to the fact that I was even talking.
It was at that point that I put my hand up and said "I'm in a hurry, maybe another time" and started walking away. She yelled after me for another 15 seconds, at least thats about how long it took me to get out of earshot, for all I know she's still talking at me.
What has happened to customer service? What happened to respecting an individual's space? Kindness? Courtesy? Smiling? Being helpful? Opening doors? Taking off hats? Ladies first? Shaking hands? Being Gracious? Saying Thank You? Asking? Listening? Making sure the customer comes first? GAH!!! *deep breath.........
Alright, I'm finished ranting now.....thank you for listening...oh, and yes, I did get my pants. :)
