Can companies be service minded during the pandemic?
Consider these two recent retail experiences:
In January 2020, I went with a group of girlfriends to pick out bridesmaids dresses for our friend’s wedding in August. We chose our dresses, paid and were told that we would be emailed when they came in so we could pick them up. Fast forward to the summer of the pandemic, my friend’s wedding is postponed until 2021 and the boutique we ordered our dresses from is closed. We finally got an email informing us that we could pick our dresses up, however they are only offering curbside pick up and you have to book an appointment. This was not a priority for me — the boutique is not close to my apartment so I had to either Uber or use public transit to get my dress, neither of which I was willing to do at the height of the pandemic.
A few days ago, I decided I really wanted my dress and I could hack being on the bus for 30 minutes. My appointment was for 1.15pm, so I showed up a few minutes early and sat outside the boutique on a bench. Around 1.13 I saw a girl exit the boutique, I assumed the girl who had the appointment slot before me, so I went over to the door. Before entering, I took a minute to read all of the many signs on their door detailing their pick up procedures. The sign clearly stated, please call XXX-XXX-XXXX when you are here for further instructions. I called, and the line rang but went to voicemail. I called three times in total, the last time leaving a message, and no one ever answered the phone.
It was now a few minutes after 1.15pm, so I was getting worried that I’d miss my spot. I tried the door, assuming it would be locked but I felt a bit helpless. Lo and behold, the door was open. So I entered, went down the stairs to find the desk, unattended. I dinged the bell several times, but no one came out. I could see my dress hanging on a rack and considered just taking it, but that is just not my style. I called out, hello? And someone finally responded that they’ll be right there. A woman came over, handed me my dress and tried to engage me in small talk, which I couldn’t really manage at that moment.
This experience really bothered me and it kept nagging at my on my bus ride home. But before I get into why, let’s consider a difference experience.
My boyfriend decided he wanted a new guitar during the pandemic. We found a music store that was open and headed over one Tuesday afternoon. He barged right into the store without pausing to read any of the signs that were posted on the door about their current processes. There was an employee near the entrance who stopped him and asked how he could help. We explained what we were looking for and were told to wait in their foyer for a staff member.
After a few minutes, a young woman came by and escorted us to the guitar section. She apologized for the wait, and let us know that due to the pandemic they had certain procedures in place but if we let her know what we were looking for, she would grab two options that my boyfriend could then try out. It was certainly an interesting shopping experience, particularly as we couldn’t really touch anything. The employee who helped us got everything for us — drumsticks, a guitar case, guitar picks. She was super bubbly and friendly and we left in a great mood.
How were these two experiences different? In the first one, the “pandemic procedures” were laid out but not followed. Why have a sign indicating you must call when you arrive at the store, only to have the door open and no one answering the phone? It is confusing to the client and diminishes the importance of rules in general. In the second experience, even though we completely ignored their posted policies, the staff were still extremely accommodating and helped us with smiles on their faces. They followed their procedures while still providing excellent customer service.
After my experience at the music store, I was thrilled to see that retail stores were trying so hard and being so responsive to their clientele. My experience at the bridal boutique made me question this. Perhaps it is a one off, but it makes me think about how tricky it is for stores to balance customer service while also maintaining cleanliness and social distancing procedures. Some stores clearly place more emphasis on maintaining “pandemic procedures” (this story comes to mind) while others likely must consider their business position and the potential for lost sales if they are too aggressive.
Ultimately, I think companies can be service-minded during the pandemic, but they have to want to be service minded. It has to be a conscious decision on their part. I appreciate that this may not always go smoothly but the effort has to be there. Have your pandemic retail experiences been more positive or negative? Please feel free to share your thoughts or experiences! Instagram: @_emartini_
Originally published at https://www.contena.co on August 20, 2020.
