Opinion: New year starts with bad sales experience

It all started when I went shopping in Kansas City with my mother, my sisters and all of our daughters - a girls-only outing just for fun and in pursuit of some great deals.

I only had one item on my shopping list - a new purse. My mother decided that she would help me pick out one, so that I would get one that a.) did not look like an old lady's purse and b.) was big enough so that my stuff wouldn't always hang out, which in particular seems to drive my mom up the wall.

I cram way too much into purses that are usually pretty small (and cheap). So I turned over the purse hunting to my mom and one of my older sisters.

We found one that I loved and that met with Mom's approval. I should note, too, that while it wasn't ridiculously expensive, it did cost, even on sale, about three times what I normally would spend on such an item.

I'd been carrying the new purse for less than a week when one of the brads on the handle broke loose. I could still use the purse, but it irked me that it didn't last longer. I showed the broken piece to my mother - a world-champion shopper if there ever was one - and she said, “Take it back.”

So off I went to the Springfield location of the same big-name retailer where the purse was purchased. And thus began my disappointment.

First, I couldn't find the exact same purse that I was returning. But I found some similar ones, and I thought maybe they'd be able to help me find the one I was looking for. Just to be safe, I chose a different purse that I also liked and took it, along with the one I was returning, up to the cash register.

I pulled out my original receipt, explained that I would really like the same purse, without the broken handle, but was unable to find one. The young lady who was waiting on me never smiled and never offered to help me look. Instead, she looked down at the purse I was returning and said, “What's wrong with this one?”

Patiently, I showed her the broken spot, and the pieces that had come off. Her co-worker piped up and said, “Yes, you can see where it's broken.” My salesgirl noted, a bit huffily, that I could still carry the purse I wanted to return.

She's right, I could have, but I figure if I spend good money on something, it should last longer than just a few days. I again asked if there was any possibility that they would have the same purse in stock, even though I was unable to find it.

My salesgirl pointed “over there,” and said that's where they'd be. But her co-worker, who apparently knows a thing or two about customer service, told me that yes, that particular line of handbags was “over there,” but they did not have the particular style I wanted.

I thanked her and proceeded to complete the process of exchanging the broken bag for the other one I'd chosen. I was a little miffed about the one salesgirl's lack of enthusiasm in helping me but thankful for her co-worker.

Then, when I got to the car, and looked at my receipt, I was really ticked. On the line where it lists the reason for the return, the nonhelpful salesgirl listed, “Customer changed mind.” No mention anywhere about the broken piece or the problem with the merchandise itself. I guess she thought, because I was unwilling to carry a brand-new purse that broke only a few days after I got it, I “changed my mind” about the purse.

She never even thanked me for my business. While technically I did not make a purchase at the local store, I did spend money with the retailer. And I expected common courtesy in return, such as a smile, and a thank you for bringing the problem to their attention. Or even, “I'm sorry that you had a problem, but I'm glad you found another purse that you liked,” would have been nice.

Probably, though, the fact that I wasn't thanked for my patronage wouldn't have bothered me if it hadn't been for Sophie. Sophie's the 5-year-old granddaughter of SBJ Publisher Dianne Elizabeth.

In November, Sophie visited our office with a fund-raiser for her school. Being the sort that loves to shop, I took a look and ordered a few items. Several folks in the office did - Sophie's quite a salesgirl, with an infectious grin and dimples to go with it.

Just before Christmas, Sophie came back to the office to deliver the goods. She brought the items around, and we all thanked her for doing so.

But then Dianne said, “No, Sophie, you need to thank them for their business, and for spending money to support your school.” So Sophie made the rounds again, thanking all of us. The whole exchange took no more than a few minutes, but that's a powerful lesson, and I bet Sophie will remember it.

Dianne could've simply followed Sophie around and thanked us for helping her school. But she used the opportunity to teach a lesson, and it's a lesson that needs to be shared: When you have customers, you should thank them for their business.

Weight loss update

As I promised, I'm keeping you posted on my weight loss efforts through New Images at St. John's.

The bad news: I didn't exercise much Dec. 14-Jan. 6. I gave myself permission to take some time off for the holidays, what with shopping, the kids' class parties and all the hoopla that the season entails.

The good news: I have lost a few pounds. While it's less than 10, I am improving somewhat, having been able to get into pants that were too tight when I started the program. Plus, it's unbelievable how much better I feel. On the days I do exercise - I got back to the gym Jan. 7 - I feel more relaxed, more alert and just more like myself.

I'm still working on refocusing my diet to meet the nutritional standards set forth by the dietician, but even that hasn't been too hard. I find that I'm making more of a conscious effort to limit my portions and choose healthier options, such as a plain baked potato instead of fries, or a salad or soup instead of a cheeseburger. By the time I write again in February, I hope I have some more good news to share. I'll be working on it!

Maria Hoover is SBJ Focus editor.