Maybe there needs to be a quilter out there that does like they do on the show "Tabatha's Salon Take Over". If you ever watch that show, that woman goes in there and sets everyone straight! LOL

In this economy, you better have a good staff or you will lose business. With the costs going up, I want very good customer service. I don't care if you have every bolt of wonderful fabric, if the staff isn't friendly, you will lose sales.

Maybe we should send out "secret shoppers" to these local quilt shops and post reviews. I would say you have to visit twice in order to be fair. Then let the store know we will be posting our results on this board. Give them a copy of what we liked and didn't like. Tell the stores somebody will be back in a month to see if things changed and then the review will change.

Think it would work?! LOL

It may. I don't visit a local shop ( Joanna's ) , only if I really need to.

I know what you are talking about.

There is a quilt shop in my area, the daughter of the owner is always crouchy, rushes you to check out, even though I'm the only one in it.

The mother is a little bit better, but not much. The only friendly thing in it is the dog Maggie. Always wags her tail and wants to be petted.

I don't understand why people have to be this way, otherwise would be so much better, it would attracked more customers too.

This sounds like a FABULOUS plan! Are you offering to do this or wanting volunteers to do this all over the states, lol!!!

the other thing we can do is to let the shops know when we appreciate the service. The other day someone commented positively on the service in a shop and I copied the comments...without names...went to the shop's website and forwarded those comments to them..again, no names.

When real shoppers get poor service, the first thing they can do is ask for the shop manager and give them immediate feedback (actually do it for good service also)...with immediate feedback, managers can more easily nip the problem in the bud, or get good info for the employees on duty.

Well, I only have 1 local quilt shop around here within a 50 mile radius, so I can do that one! LOL

Maybe everyone needs to post the pros/cons of their shopping expierence of the stores they visit. It doesn't have to be just LQS, but JoAnn's or other places.

This way, we could see who is nice and who isn't before driving so far to a shop. I know with gas prices, I am not going to drive too far for bad service! LOL

I think this is a wonderful idea. I know that I won't shop any where that has snotty snippy employees. I can go somewhere else and spend my money. I refuse to be treated that way by any store.

I agree, we can spend our money at the bar instead.......LOL

The last time we got bad service, the regional manager of Home Depot sent us a $100.00 gift card. I usually call the corporate office if the company has one. Our I find out who is the head boss of the store and talk with them.

I went to one in Champaign Illinois and was treated HORRIBLY. So I left without buying a thing. The next day I went back, walked right up to the woman and said, "I was in here yesterday and you were nasty to me. Obviously you were having a very bad day that had made you mean and hateful. I came back today to give you another chance to wait on me. Hopefully today you'll be nicer." She waited on me and was better but I never went back after that. The store closed.
Our other stores are friendlier, even our Joanns but it's beginning to get worse. Threads of Time in Danville, Il is one of the most well-staffed, helpful, friendly stores I have ever been in. If you're ever in the area and don't stop in you'll really be missing a wonderful store.

The last time I got really bad service was at the quilt shop I bought my sewing machine from. They didn't fix the problem right away, it took me 5 times of taking it over to them, a 40 mile trip one way, and getting the information off the internet myself telling them what to fix!

I did get 1/2 yard of free fabric for my time! GRRRRRR! I honestly believe we need a review of shops before going to them. A review by other quilters so we know what to expect.