Customer service...and no name tags? (shops, reviews, deal, expensive)

[TKramar]

You know, I have some GOOD things to say about my experiences in a store...but almost none of the employees are identifiable to me because few of them wear a name tag or other identifying information. The one guy did...and I'm going to mention him. But I had to ask for the names of a few people the other day, and I'm probably going to get the one guy's name wrong. It sounded like she said that his name was Makhto, Mahktor, something like that. I have no idea how to spell it. I was thinking Afghani, Pakistani, Turkish...something of that area. Another person told me it sounded Polynesian to them (Pacific Islands). Either way, I'm sending in the notice to the company because I liked something they did for me, and I'm probably getting that name wrong.

Isn't it the norm for customer service people to wear some sort of nametag, or have a nameplate on their desk (for those cases)? Dang!

[mchelle]

Coming from a customer service background, I know that in most stores employees are supposed to wear nametags at all times. Unfortunately, people can be lazy or forgetful. I used to work at Target and my co-workers would sometimes take a fake nametag out of a bin that we had in back and wear it around all day - Ex. a guy named Alex would wear a nametag that says Patricia or something like that. I think that it comes down to employees simply not caring, which is a shame in a situation like this where it really would have helped them to have remembered it.

[TKramar]

I worked in retail for years. Still do--I just don't really have customer interactions; most of my work happens when the store is closed. Sometimes, wearing an actual nametag gets in the way, or they break or whatever. I understand that. But it's still customary. Not wearing it prevents you from getting any negative feedback, but it also keeps you from getting any positive feedback. Some people wouldn't have made the effort to find out.

As a matter of fact, when I asked her what her name was--she might have thought it was an unsubtle way for me to hit on her, when that wasn't my intent at all!

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Sometimes there will be a cashier name printed on your receipt from larger stores.

[Gue]

Sometimes in a more expensive store the cashier asks who helped you with your purchase?

Well, how do I know...I'll just look & point randomly so someone can make their sales quota..

[ColorsOfMe]

Originally Posted by Gue

Sometimes in a more expensive store the cashier asks who helped you with your purchase?

Well, how do I know...I'll just look & point randomly so someone can make their sales quota..

Which brings up a whole 'nuther problem (service expecting the customer to do the work) that I won't touch in this thread.

[Sloaf]

Back in the day when I worked retail as a part-time extra job, our nametag was part of the requirement. Also, we had Secret Shoppers that would evaluate the store and our interactions, and that was one specific thing they looked for (we got points off if we didn't have it on). If you had a number of bad/low shops, you could be let go.

[ColorsOfMe]

I think the whole secret shopper thing is a cop out for bad employers. If an employer is that good to work for (pay is decent, work environment is pleasant, standards are high), then secret shoppers aren't necessary. In my experience these reports only generate more tension, and tell management what they should have already known.

[car54]

I wouldn't bother writing the company, if it's a big chain....they couldn't care less. And if they get a chance to screw that helpful employee, they'll jump on it.

Whenever a customer service person really goes out of his or her way to help me....I slip 'em a 20.

[TKramar]

Well, that sounds like a good idea...I gave an approximation of the physical address of the store, but when I did the "Store Locator" thing, it did not find it. And it's not that new of a store! Maybe the whole place is operating undercover :-)

I had a cooler bag, and the zipper broke on me, so I thought I'd ask if they sold them there at that store. She said she would check--but I didn't have time that day. She followed up on it and asked me twice more if I had gotten around to getting a new one yet--over the course of a few weeks. That's following up...and remembering a customer. So, in one way, it's not a big deal--because you'd expect to get good service like that--but you usually don't.--so then it IS a big deal. I've gotten good customer reviews when I worked days, so I figured it was time to return the favor.