So many of you may remember the really long "Joann's sucks" thread a few months ago. I had posted about a bad expereince that has kept me away from my local Joann's. I have been driving 30 minutes to another Joann's for a few months now.

Today, I needed to get some fabric for a dog bed and my son was being super cranky. I decided to chance it and go to my local Joann's hoping it would be a quick trip. Much to my surprise, the store was clean and organized. The workers were even.... NICE and efficient!

When leaving the store I ran into a lady I had never seen there before and she was carrying a deposit envelope. I stopped her and asked if she was a new manager. Of course she was... and I told her how impressed I was with all the changes. She proceeded to tell me how she was revamping the store and firing rude employees (hence the price of change). We chatted for a few minutes and she asked me to keep in touch with her regarding my experiences in her store. I am just so excited that someone cares and look forward to shopping there again.

thanks for noting the positive ;-)

Well, I guess having a cranky little one paid off today!

This is good news! I am still waiting to hear of this same change taking place in my local JoAnns.

Maybe I can send her your way when she finishs up here ;)

It's nice that you took the time to tell us of your good experience there... too often we are left with only the negative. I live so far away from any Joann's, Hancock's, and the only quilt store, that I am so grateful when I get to go! Glad your day was better today than last time!

:thumbup: :thumbup:

1) for the improved store

2) for you taking the time to talk to the manager and let her know you noticed and appreciated the changes

We usually make it a point to compliment a store manager on how well their store operates. And we also do not hesitate to speak up on poor treatment.

We had a really bad experience at a national home improvement chain store. We contact the corporate headquarters, and by time it was all over we had the district manager calling us daily for like two weeks. She sent us a $100.00 gift card to spend which we thought was very nice, but we stressed to her we wanted nothing. She sent it as a gesture of good faith.

We will drive out of our way to patronize a store with excellent customer service and avoid those who don't.

When I encounter terrible customer service from employees of a store, I dig in. I make it almost impossible for them to ignore me. I ask as many questions as I can think of, I ask to be shown many many items, I ask about sales, quality, price comparisons, if they can't answer I ask to speak to the manager or ask the manager for the number to the home office. I will make a purchase but only after I have gotten the price of the item in their time spent with me. After a few times of this, I am greeted by name and helped as fast and nice as possible to get me out of there. LOL

thats awesome!

Not to sound mean, but I'm wondering if this has really let them know about THEIR problem, or just turned it into a different one.... "Oh no, here comes that difficult customer. Let's be nice to her and maybe she will leave right away?"

And maybe down my way??? :D

What a nice change. Since hubby works in retail and does nothing but deal face to face with all kinds of people, I know how much it means to him if a customer says something nice, some even write to him or the manager about what a good job he's done. Makes me more aware to do that when I'm out and about. It only takes a few minutes to leave that positive feedback. I'm glad you did and had such a nice experience to share.

My thoughts, too.

Two wrongs usually don't make one right.

In my own Joann's some time ago, I went in to find bobbins for my new Brother, which did not seem to like my Singer ones. I had, of course, put the manual in "a safe place" which is still safe because I can't find it. (Later, much later I downloaded one from the Internet. Why I didn't do that first I don't know).
The young lady who waited on me said she didn't know either, BUT took out her own cell phone, asked my Brother's number and checked with the online Brother site. She got the number of my bobbins and led the poor old lady to where they were located. I was so charmed by her actions I told the check out lady, who handed me a form to fill out about the clerk, which I was glad to do. I hope it went on her permanent work record, it sure did make me feel better. And the Brother has worked nicely since.

I think it is so nice that you let them know. We so often forget the positive experiences until we get a bad one, then that's all we think about!! :D

Customer service is more important than a sale or what's in the store. Also, a good customer. I hate when people come into any business, and no matter what the bad experience, make it worse. I used to think it was just the employee's fault, until I realized once that she had personal problems happen. Still, maybe she should have gone home, or called in. And then, she was maybe needing the pay, they couldn't find someone to work her shift, or something happened that she couldn't leave. Always circumstances beyond what we're knowing. I think if someone is simply grumpy and hard on customers, any business will not keep them around. But I like to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, at least once. Then if I return and have problems again, I'll seek out the manager/owner and discretely explain. If they have a nasty attitude as well, then I'm sorry, but I tend to "warn" friends and family about that business.
I'm glad you returned, even if in need, they got a second chance. We have Hobby Lobby near and the manager there NEEDS to be removed, they have horrible employee turn around, and I reported him to corporate. If they care, change will happen. Sometimes, it's not a good fit, worker and job. I do not buy from Hobby Lobby because of him. I will in other towns, but not here, and yes, I know he's still working. One of my favorite quilt shops also has an owner with attitude, won't return. She actually yelled at a customer, the other 6 customers in store, looked at each other and walked out, me among them, and I wasn't the one being yelled at. "She didn't have time for this lady to make up her mind", the lady had several bolts of fabric...no time? Then what are you in business for?
Customer service IS your business.

That is great news! I'm so glad you let us know about this positive change.

I was just about to start a new thead on stupid JoAnn's cutters. Gal I ended up with the other day doesn't know how to cut. I asked for 1 1/3 yards of the reindeer fabric. I had to tell her 12 inches for a third and then whe started to move to the 12" mark by way of the 36" end of the marker. So I told her that would be 1 2/3. @@ After she finally cut the 1 1/3 yards she moved over to another cutter and apparently whispered how much 1 1/3 was in decimals. I heard the answer 1.33. I just covered my eyes and shook my head.

I will add that this kind of ignorance is rare at my JoAnn's. I've had worse at Wally World when a cutter is on break and you get the underwear girl or whoever is handy. Don't ask. That is a loooooooooong story.

This is way off the track but years ago I was in Target looking for a white Power Range costume for my GS. The gal I got had pastel colored hair, too many earrings in her ears, two hands full of rings ------but the most charming personality. She took me thru the regular costumes and also the boys PJs. We didnt find anything I wanted, but she was an absolute doll and very willing to help. And I told management on the way out, too. I still think of her when someone disses kids with way out clothing and jewelery.

I've had too much bad service at JoAnns and Hancock Fabrics to care what they may think of me as long as I don't get the "UH, I rang up 5 yards because it shows .5 on your fabric ticket" Or "I have to take the 40% off coupon on the item that cost the least, that's what 40% off means" Or the one that really gets me going: "I don't know where that is, go ask that person somewhere over there" and points across the store.

Glad that they changed and that you had a good experience. My Joann's is fine

I am still waiting on that with my local Penney's. After my last horrendous experience, writing corporate twice and talking to many people, it is more systemic than a manager.

hey, that was great. i happened to go back to one i swore i wouldn't step foot in again. but i needed to go to the other store next to this location. this joann's moved all the quilting fabric up to the front of the store in a corner. then put some books and rulers so tightly near by that it is difficult for even one person with a cart to get in there.
why, i don't know! but there is another one not too far from them. i just hope they don't arrange their store the say awful way. (i also gave up on getting fabric. too many customers and not enough cutters).

That is nice!

ha, ha,ha. Bellaboo, i did this with my Bank. they were getting rude and one girl caused me a lot of grief with a cashiers check that got lost.
now they are all friendly with me. and actually some are new workers who are just plain friendly. ah, like the good ole days!! more places could improve though. they will catch up soon when they realize they "need" customers.

I'm really glad you gave the store a second chance. My store in Quincy IL has never disappointed, however, when visiting my daughters in Kansas, I have had issues.

I've always been very happy with the employees at our local JoAnn's. I did purchase a very bad roll of batting there once and complained to the manager about it. She explained there is nothing the managers can do....they just have to accept what is sent to their store. I went online and contacted JoAnn's about the batting and never heard a word back from them. They did change their batting supplier a few months afterwards.

that is AWESOME! maybe when she has your store running smoothly we could borrow her to revamp ours...it sure needs it :thumbup:

yay.. Good for you.. You know have a local place to get your 'fix' now..

I live about 45 miles from my "local" JoAnn's! But, I do shop there every few months and only had one problem with an older lady that worked there ( I would say early 70's). She was just rude! The other associates must have known how she treated people and would be right behind her making sure all was good before I left the store.

I was angry at first until I started thinking she may have lost her husband or she just needed a job to fill the loneliness in her life. I found compassion for her.

When I went back a few months later, I treated her very kind, joking and such, and she had changed! I think the store probably had a talk with her, but when my attitude changed, so did hers.

I am glad that JoAnn's will hire senior citizens and not just "fire" them on the spot. I think this lady was willing to see that she was being rude,and owned up to it.

All in all, I really do like this store and will keep shopping there. Now, if the prices would come down, I would even be happier! LOL

I love your story!! Keep us posted on how the store continues to treat you! I have had good and bad experiences at several JoAnn stores so would be interested in how yours turn out!

Glad to hear that they (or at least that one location) are making positive changes. I like Jo Ann's, I really do...

I have a wonderful manager and staff at my local store. I decided to write a letter to the corporate--using Store # and her name. I printed out a copy for her.

They NEVER let her know about the letter. She has had numerous ones written complaining about something. That really mad me made and I fired off another letter to them. Never heard back.

WEll, now that's great to hear! You gotta wonder sometimes if "corporate" even listens to us. I guess they do. LOL

That is wonderful! I really like my JoAnn's. Especially the smaller store that is the closes one to me. They are always helpful and they ask what I'm making. They chit-chat while they are cutting the material but they don't chit-chat so long that the other customers are just standing around. They are very professional but also very friendly. The bigger store (further away from me) doen't have as much of a friendly atmosphere but they are also very, very busy. I want to add that they are not unfriendly, just busy.

I LOVE to ask to speak to a manager at the end of a positive shopping experience! They ALWAYS think you want to complain - I have my fun in my own little ways! Last time I did it was at Barnes and Noble. Had SUCH good help trying to find a book. So I waited for the manager only to find that the one who had been helping me WAS the manager. We both laughed and he patted himself on the back. I told him to put a gold star on his personnel record.

I second what bearisgray said! Thank you for the time you originally spent complaining to Jo-Ann's headquarters and following through with the new manager. Amazing how fast that sqeaky wheel was oiled. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

May God bless you for your compassion!

amen to that, hawk! before I "discovered" my lqs, I was driving 65 miles, bc I refused to shop where...um, anti-angelic music was being played, and I don't mean rock or heavy metal, either! whoa!
Ambience is everything to me in a quilt store and they LOVE to have me bring my granddaughter in. She loves it there too and always finds the prettiest fabrics for me to see. We never leave without something for her, of course ;-)