Trip to Colorado - lots of quilts and fabric, and one poor experience
06-14-2012, 04:54 AM
#31
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: PA
Posts: 2,879
I have had this experience, too, but in NH. Ny husband and I took a trip through new England and he was very accommodating and let me stop at every shop I could find. At one very nice shop I went into , the ladies didn't even look up when I came in, didn't speak to me, and kept going with their conversation. They didn't know that I spend a lot of money on fabric and purchased fabric at every store I went to on this trip - souvenirs, you know!! I gave them a good chance to talk to me, by walking through both floors of their store, but still no acknowledgement that I was there. I walked out empty handed, and was very generous at the next store, as they were so nice. I expect there are these shops every now and again, but how they stay in business is a mystery to me!
06-14-2012, 04:56 AM
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Delmarva Peninsula
Posts: 1,151
You were too kind. I would have asked the sales help, if the store was open for business, and if so, I need assistance. Or, I would have asked to speak to the owner. Sorry that this happened, most LQS sales help are very helpful and accomodating.
06-14-2012, 05:04 AM
#33
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southwest Kansas
Posts: 4,820
Originally Posted by annesthreads
I've just got back from a 2 week visit to a friend in Boulder, Colorado. She and the friend I travelled with aren't quilters, but they were very patient and I enjoyed visits to the Rocky Mountain quilt museum in Golden, which had a fascinating exhibition of quilts from Pennsylvania, and several quilt shops. Thankyou to the people on this board who recommended shops when the question was asked a couple of months back. I was VERY GOOD, and haven't bought a lot of fabric, but it was fun to look at the wonderful stocks that shops there had.
I had one slightly "off" experience though. One of the (many) things I love about the States is the emphasis on service, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the people in shops and restaurants. However, one of the quilt shops I visited was the exception. There were 3 or 4 ladies working there, all enjoying talking among themselves. When I'd chosen some fabric and went to pay, the lady at the desk was busy paying for some things she'd just bought for herself, and completely ignored me while she did that. None of the others interrupted their conversation to come and serve me. Then the phone rang, and the lady I was waiting for picked it up and went off to find the colleague who the call was for, even though I'd been standing in fromt of her for about 5 minutes by then. THEN she finally spoke to me, to tell me that that she couldn't serve me until the call was finished! I think she was assuming I'd be using a credit card, though in fact I wanted to pay cash. I nearly walked out at that point, but my friends were looking at books and I couldn't catch their attention. When she finally served me, she didn't know what she was doing and one of her colleagues had to drag herself away from the chat to come and help. Service in the UK is often poor, but this was appalling. Sad, because someone had enthusiastically recommended the shop, and I would never set foot in it again, having been treated with such rudeness. It felt like a club run for the benefit of the employees rather than a business. I must say, though, that it was the only bad experience in the whole 2 weeks - and we visited a lot of shops! Such a shame that it had to be a quilt shop.
I had one slightly "off" experience though. One of the (many) things I love about the States is the emphasis on service, and the friendliness and helpfulness of the people in shops and restaurants. However, one of the quilt shops I visited was the exception. There were 3 or 4 ladies working there, all enjoying talking among themselves. When I'd chosen some fabric and went to pay, the lady at the desk was busy paying for some things she'd just bought for herself, and completely ignored me while she did that. None of the others interrupted their conversation to come and serve me. Then the phone rang, and the lady I was waiting for picked it up and went off to find the colleague who the call was for, even though I'd been standing in fromt of her for about 5 minutes by then. THEN she finally spoke to me, to tell me that that she couldn't serve me until the call was finished! I think she was assuming I'd be using a credit card, though in fact I wanted to pay cash. I nearly walked out at that point, but my friends were looking at books and I couldn't catch their attention. When she finally served me, she didn't know what she was doing and one of her colleagues had to drag herself away from the chat to come and help. Service in the UK is often poor, but this was appalling. Sad, because someone had enthusiastically recommended the shop, and I would never set foot in it again, having been treated with such rudeness. It felt like a club run for the benefit of the employees rather than a business. I must say, though, that it was the only bad experience in the whole 2 weeks - and we visited a lot of shops! Such a shame that it had to be a quilt shop.
So if you had such a great trip why focus on the negative?
06-14-2012, 06:16 AM
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: New Mexico
Posts: 1,275
Originally Posted by Scissor Queen
So if you had such a great trip why focus on the negative?
I didn't "hear" her post as focusing on the negative at all. She shared her experiences shopping Quilt Shops while visiting the states and unfortunately, one of them was not a good one. Thus opening the door for others to share their own similar experiences and how they handled them.
The rest of her post was very positive.....why should she have to censor what she wrote?
06-14-2012, 06:48 AM
#35
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Alabama
Posts: 15,368
I didn't take the time to read all the responses, however I wanted to say this. If this had happened to me, I would look up on the internet the name of the owner of the shop. I would send a personalized letter to them explaining what had happened to me on my visit. One thing I try to do is start such a letter with a compliment i.e., "I wanted to let you know that you have a lovely shop, however, I would like to let you know about my visit. It would be a shame if a lovely shop such as yours were to have to close due to poor customer treatment by your staff." I once had a boss that told me, "You can't make someone care when the DON'T". I am so sorry for your experience.
06-14-2012, 07:44 AM
#37
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Texas
Posts: 243
I have had that exp. also but here in the USA; then in some shops I have found toddlers with sticky and dirty runny noses all over the fabric, I try not to go back to that shop. Once in a while I will if they are having a good sale but come home an put all in the washing machine right then. Then - I found one shop with a sign: All Children left unattended will be sold. Rudness in any shop -- I have been there twice; first and last--including Resturants and stores. Then I might go back a year later to see if its still the same. I spend $1000.00s each year on fabric but I don't look like I have any money, I dress clean and wear jeans being I live in the countryside.
06-14-2012, 11:02 AM
#39
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Pinehurst, NC
Posts: 224
Originally Posted by DogHouseMom
So glad that 90% of your trip was wonderful. Even the tastiest apple might have a worm. Unfortunately, you found a worm.
As a business owner I would not, could not abide employee's ignoring a customer. As a business owner, if I had walked in when that was happening ... I would have happily made the announcement to all that the ladies that ignored you, that they would be donating a 25% discount to you from their pay checks.
As a business owner I would not, could not abide employee's ignoring a customer. As a business owner, if I had walked in when that was happening ... I would have happily made the announcement to all that the ladies that ignored you, that they would be donating a 25% discount to you from their pay checks.
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