It makes me so mad when a store can not even pretend to have good customer service. I went back to Eddie Bauer, this time I went to the outlet that is next to our Target, and when I say next to, I mean across the parking lot. I didn’t have my husband with me which was a big mistake, but my kids were being good.
I didn’t let them destroy anything and they didn’t unfold any of the clothes. They were playing with their cars and actually being very quiet. I was very impressed with their attitudes and managed to pick out quite a few items.
Then my daughter says, “I need to go potty”.
Yikes, any mother knows that when they say this they need to go! She’s pretty good at holding it but I didn’t have time to check out. I asked the associate if I could use their bathroom and she said, “we don’t have one”. I said, “yes you do”. Then she says, “it’s for employees only”. I asked her if my daughter could use it, she says, “the closest one is in Target”.
I was so mad because she didn’t do anything to help me. I still had my hands full of clothing and she didn’t offer to hold the clothing for me while I ran over to target with TWO children. She didn’t offer to ring me up, she did NOTHING!
I had to ask her if she would hold my clothing for me while I took my daughter to the bathroom across the parking lot, and she still didn’t take the clothing from me. She said, “you can bring them over here and put them right here on the counter.” I was so mad.
I threw the clothing on the counter and left the store. I was grateful that there was a Target shopping cart for me to put my kids in so we could get across the parking lot faster.
Why can’t stores pretend to care? I used to work in retail. I managed a store, I know what good customer service is and how to do it and to at least pretend to care. She couldn’t even smile at me or act like she had any feeling for me or my kids. I’m not going back to that particular store again. I understand why they don’t want customers to use their bathroom, believe me I understand, but she could have acted like she cared in the slightest bit.
That sounds frustrating! I have been in stores that say “no public restroom” but have allowed me to take my children in them. I guess it’s either that or they can pee on their floor. 🙂
I don’t particularly understand why some places (very few that I’ve seen) do this, but whatever.
No it’s common decency and courtesy that this employee was lacking. I can’t believe that she didn’t offer to help. I understand their policy since they don’t have public restrooms, if they let one customer do it they’d have to let everyone… but she could have handled the situation better and been much more helpful.
I don’t appreciate the no public restrooms at stores. I know that it can be a pain, but there are a lot of folks with various problems who need to go when they need to go. I have a family member like that – she likes to be out and about and not sit at home, but sometimes an immediate need happens.
You are totally right that even if it was their policy she could have at least said let me take those things and hold them for you and say I’m sorry about the policy. I mean after all, it’s not her personal policy.
I have noticed a lack of customer service lately, and it really just turns me off from a store. Maybe you should include a link to this post in an email to the manager or the “top dog” in the company – they need to know.
It is SO HARD to shop with little ones, and sometimes they cannot hold it. Stores should at least let kids and others with possible health problems go. I mean, especially if the store was not bustling – it wouldn’t have been too hard to let her go. She should have helped you too. And a smile is always a good thing…I get so frustrated with this!
Oh that would have made me mad too. Especially when they happen at stores that sell kid products.
That is so frustrating! I sort of accept the “no public bathroom” policy but not for young children! And the least she could have done was grab the clothes for you. Yikes.
I’m sooo glad you didn’t go back there! That’s ridiculous!
I remember when my daughter was very little. We were in a store that was ’employees only’ for the washroom. I understand, truly I do. But again, sometimes there are circumstances. While my daughter was jumping from foot to foot I smiled really big at the employee and said, “Doesn’t bother me in the least. She pees on the floor I only have to clean her. You have to clean up the mess plus the mess of her as she walks down the aisle. Don’t forget if she touches any of the merchandise”. The manager suddenly appeared annoyed, but trying to make it right since I had a few other customers around who were listening. (How dare I make a fuss in front of other customers?”), held my purchases, and let me take me daughter to the washroom…….it’s funny what we do when we have kids and how we push the bar on other people….
Oh, I forgot to say that the employee was lacking her her customer service skills. It was sorta the same situation as you.
They won’t make any improvements unless you contact them. If you don’t want to call, write a brief e-mail or letter (letters are so “20th century” that people actually take notice now) and explain, concisely and unemotionally, the issue. Copy the store itself and corporate. I don’t have kids needing to “go,” but I have had results this way for other issues.
On the flip-side, if someone does something especially awesome in customer service, note who they are and go out of your way to tell management. So few people bless others like that when they’re going above-and-beyond!
That’s ridiculous, when my daughter was little I never had any store refuse me use of their facilities if she needed to use it, and not just when she was a toddler either 🙂
I’ve never understood cashiers who think it won’t hurt the store’s bottom line if they tick off a customer. Most if not all unsatisfied customers will take their $$ elsewhere, and the self engrossed employees don’t even realize they are to blame.
I’m convinced that most people are idiots. I had this same thing happen to me in a store near here. Like they don’t have a bathroom. Right. Give me a break. Perhaps I can train my kids to eliminate on the store floor so that they don’t get their clothes wet.
I hope you have many more instances when people surprise you with their kindness than times like this one.
I remember when my youngest son was about three years old….not quite fully experienced, or finished, with the whole “potty training” thing. We were downtown, running errands, and all of a sudden he tells me he has to go potty. I went into the restaurant we were in front of, (it was a choice between the restaurant, or a pizzaria/bar). I asked to use the bathroom, and she said it was for customers only. I told her I’d sit and have a cup a coffee and share a piece of pie or something, but explained that my son needed to use the bathroom, NOW. She repeated that the restroom was for customers only…in the meantime, my son is dancing around, crying that he has to go. I looked at him and told him to go…right there, that he wasn’t allowed to use the bathroom. The hostess looked at me with daggers in her eyes and pointed out the restroom. He made it to the restroom. If I remember correctly, I was sorely tempted to just walk out without ordering anything as I promised. But we did sit down, he had a chocolate milk while I had a cup of coffee…… then we left. We received no apologies, and we never went back in there again. I also understand why businesses have a “No Public Restroom” policy, with people trashing them, but when it comes to small children, they better rethink that policy.
Maybe there should be a campaign started where stores have to have a customer restroom available at the front of the store. I can understand why they don’t want them at the back because they don’t want people shoplifting, but one at the front of the store should stop that.
That is horrible!! I am huge on customer service. When businesses with whom I am willing to spend my hard earned dollars do not have any it is unacceptable. I agree with you, she could have at least faked it!! Why is it so hard for some businesses to teach their employees what customer service is? I learned about it before I worked my first job and never forgot it. In my eyes customer service is number 1!
Ugh, how frustrating! I’d make sure that I didn’t go back there, that’s for sure!
Well, no need to get upset. There’s karma.
I am so sorry you experienced such terrible customer service. I agree that you should write to corporate and relate your experience. Be sure to include the location of the store and the time that you were there.
Businesses are aware that it is much less expensive to retain current customers than it is to recruit new customers. Unhappy customers tell everyone they know that they are unhappy and why and business do not want this kind of publicity. However, they cannot fix the problem unless they are aware that it exists.
Good luck and keep us posted!
I personally hate taking my boys to stores with no public restroom. I think every store should have a restroom as a courtesy to their customers.
As far as customer service goes I think that employers either aren’t training their employees or the employees just don’t care anymore. It’s sad.
Ugh. Customer service really stinks these days!
Totally you need to let the manager or higher know about your experience. That is just rotten of them.
That would make me mad, too. Isn’t it a law that there has to be restrooms in the building for customers?