ED ? joyless shopping

[enjoy]

Everybody knows that the economic climate isn't the best at the moment, so I am wondering how it comes, that I have been ignored in so may shops around LL.

On Tuesday morning I was the only customer in most of the shops and every time I entered one with a friendly ?hello? or ?good morning? I was greeted by silence.

Nobody paid attention to my appearance.

Sometimes staff has been busy chatting (ED), or at Mrs Robinsons, a lady was decorating the window and arranging clothes. But, no time for a hello. Or, ?may I help you??. Or ?was it any good?? after my visit to the fitting room.

Pure silence.

And don?t expect a ?good bye? at the end. This was the situation in nearly every shop.

Unsurprisingly I haven?t bought anything. And next time I?ll go Oxford Street with all the high street chains and I won?t miss a friendly hello, because I don?t expect it there.

[Sue]

That's interesting, because I know someone who works in a shop on Lordship Lane, and she says that the customers come in and completely ignore her, hardly ever a "hello" or a smile, which she finds very dispiriting.

ETA: I personally don't like over-friendly shop assistants, particularly in clothes shops, because it feels like I am being pushed into buying things.

I'd rather they ignored me unless I approached them for help.

Each to their own, eh?

[the-e-dealer]

I don't like being hassled by shop staff. Silence is Golden. Go to Gap for Geetings!

[enjoy]

Hmm, l don't like these over keen helpers either.

But if there are only two people in a room, it feels strange not to say a single word.

But everybody is different, l guess.

[genwilliams]

Agreed. A quick hello is fine but beyond that I'd rather be left to browse until I request some help (at which point, attentiveness is appreciated!)

[puzzled]

at our LL shop our girls are required to say say "hello" to everyone who comes in. all our customers get "thank you, bye bye" when they leave. we do not hassle them at any time. your correspondent was obviously shopping in the wrong stores.

[maxxi]

I suppose what you really want is for them all to bid you 'Have a nice day!' yes?

[the-e-dealer]

Oooh! it will be just like living in America.

[swagstar]

No on wants to be followed around endlessly by anyone in a shop, but a quick acknowledgement isn't really going to kill anyone is it? I am sure some customers can be rude and not say anything back, however isn't the point that they are are the customers and the shop worker should (shock horror) actually provide some customer service (if they are really uncomfortable with that they can even see it as taking the higher ground). Certainly some shops on Lordship lane (or rather some of the people who work there) seem to think they are doing you a favour by 'letting you' shop there - eg the staff at ED's who seem to think you actually going up to buy something isn't important enough to break the conversation they are having behind the counter... That said, there are some lovely people about - one lady in Mrs Robinson offered to entertain my 6 month year old child so I could have a browse. Now that's customer service...

[Alan Medic]

puzzled Wrote:

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> at our LL shop our girls are required to say say

> "hello" to everyone who comes in. all our

> customers get "thank you, bye bye" when they

> leave. we do not hassle them at any time. your

> correspondent was obviously shopping in the wrong

> stores.

You don't run Dulwich Dollies by any chance?

[MrBen]

I love the obligatory and courteous "bonjour m'sieur dame" from all customers on entering a local bakers in France.

Try walking into Iceland at 9am to get your loaf of white sliced with a loud "GOOD MORNING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!" and see what happens....?

[Moos]

But you don't get a bonjour in a French hypermarche either, M. Ben..

[the-e-dealer]

Dulwich Dollies?

[Twirly]

Have to say that I agree with Sue about not liking over-friendly shop assistants, but it does depend on how it's done. If someone comes up to me when I enter the shop, make eye contact and says "Good morning, can I help you?", unless I want help, I'm quite likely to scuttle out as soon as possible as I fear a hard sell. But a cheery "Morning, let me know if you need any help" whilst the shop assistant carries on with whatever s/he is doing is fine. They've acknowledged my presence, let me know they're there to help should I need it, and, most importantly, let me get on with my own thing.

But in the instance of the OP, s/he had actually issued the greeting, so I agree that it was incredibly rude of the shop staff to just ignore it.

[Ted Max]

Many's the time I've had my baguette stuffed in an unfriendly manner into its crinkly bag by an unsmiling French madame.

[JimmyMc1311]

I've always found that on the whole, the staff who work in Lordship Lane are really nice and friendly. Special mention to the girls in White Stuff who are always smiling. But then again I always come out of that shop about a hundred quid poorer which is why I'm probably greeted with big, white, shiny molars.

[katie1997]

enjoy Wrote:

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> Hmm, l don't like these over keen helpers either.

> But if there are only two people in a room, it

> feels strange not to say a single word.> But everybody is different, l guess.

I agree with that, it definitely feels strange to say nothing when there's only a few of you in there.

Whilst I have mostly had good, friendly service on LL, I did have a recent 'bad' experience in a small shop where there were only two people behind a counter and me, the sole customer. I said hello when I walked in and they managed to look up from their phone/computer/whatever they were doing. I then spent aaaaages trying to decide what bottle of wine to buy (their selection is rubbish). Did either person offer to help? No. I stupidly bought from there anyway, said goodbye on my way out. One of them at least had the grace to mutter a goodbye.

It wasn't the french place either - there's always a pleasant welcome and offer of help there, in my experience.

But generally, I don't mind the quality of service in LL shops at all.

[Asset]

Ted - you're going to the wrong establishments methinks *snigger*

[i*Rate]

A little comment on ageism in Lordship Lane shops.

My wife (of a certain age) found it quite hard to communicate with the young girls in the Mrs Robinson shop clothes shop, she did get the impression that they were embarrassed to have someone like their mum or gran in there.

However, to prove the point, when my wife did buy something they actually asked her if she wanted a bag. Has anyone heard of a fashion shop that does'nt want it's name being carried around the street to advertise it? Only if it's not keen to have the 'Old Dear', M&S image put about. I've also found the girls in ED a bit embarrassed to serve me.

However, top marks to the most polite and cheerful young black woman who serves in the greeting card shop in North Cross Road. Plus, nearly all the cards are made in Britain and printed on sustainable-sourced paper; always a pleasure to shop there.

Cheers.

[KalamityKel]

What has asking the customer if they want a bag to do with "ageism"?

I fail to see the connection. I also fail to see, unless there was some obvious bright colouring, giggles and OTT shyness how one could think the shop assistants were "embarrassed" to be serving someone much older than themselves.

IMO Mrs Robinson isn't exactly aimed at the young and trendy really...

Find a better example *sighs*

I don't think the lack of communication from seller to customer and vice verser is just a local thing happens in many other places too.

[foxtailandfern]

i*Rate Wrote:

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> However, top marks to the most polite and cheerful

> young black woman who serves in the greeting card

> shop in North Cross Road.

She's lovely, I also have to agree with the cards - best cards in East Dulwich for me.

Oh, & KalamityKel - I guess only your opinion counts. How obnoxious. People like you bring this forum down.

[KalamityKel]

foxtailandfern Wrote:

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> Oh, & KalamityKel - I guess only your opinion

> counts. How obnoxious. People like you bring this

> forum down.

people like me? Care to clarify? I don't recall saying anything obnoxious at all! Or does pointing out someone elses rather limited view of the world count? :-s

[DulwichFox]

When it comes to being approached by a sales assistant, it really depends on the type of shop you are in.

If for instance you are Browsing in a clothes shop, you probably want to be left alone unless you require

assistance to ask if want you like is available in your size. Espescially in a shoe shop.

If you are in an Electrical shop say looking at TVs it is likely you may require assistance, so a friendly

'Can I help you' would seem appropriate..

If in a shop, Counter Service, I would expect some element of conversation. Politeness.

Apart from Pubs and restaurants and food outlets, I seldom shop in other shops. Well there isn't that many

other shops to shop in...

Fox

[the-e-dealer]

If I go into a TV shop I want to be left alone to browse.

[Sue]

foxtailandfern Wrote:

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>

> Oh, & KalamityKel - I guess only your opinion

> counts. How obnoxious. People like you bring this

> forum down.

xxxxxx

I thought KalamityKel made fair points quite reasonably, and was certainly not obnoxious.

Your post, however, came across as quite nasty, foxtailandfern :-S

Pots and kettles spring to mind.