.service without a smile.

I didn’t want this blog to be a ranting place because my fear was coming off all Bridezilla-y. However, it’s been plaguing me about some of the craptastic service I’ve encountered so far in my planning.

We will start with the dresses… When I booked my ticket to the East Coast in March, I immediately contacted a few stores to set up gown appointments. The week before my appointments, I called to confirm my times and voila! One place did not even have me in their books. I kindly explained that I will be traveling across the county and have a very tight schedule so this appointment needs to happen. It was a no-go. So I told her to fuggggeddaboutit and moved along. After jostling my schedule they call back saying “ohh we had an opening!” Yay. Psh. So like a sucker, I took it.

My next dress gripe was follow up. Only once, yes, one time….wait, I lied, twice, has a store called to follow up on my visit. If a bride cries, wants to take photos or calls her BFF and her parents while she is in a gown in your store, chances are you can sucker her into buying it. No, really, you probably can. Of ALL the places I’ve visited and filled out a customer card and they’ve written down the dress that brought me to ear to ear grins, only two ever called to check in on me and see if I was still interested.

Maybe my business skills are of a different set than others, but customer service should always be the prime goal, correct? This should be your goal, regardless of what state the economy is in. However, in this especially solemn economy, one would think that service standards would be stepped up a bit? It is a battlefield for business right now, isn’t it???

Lately, I’ve been having issues with my reception venue. Emails aren’t being returned and when they are, they are cold and hard. I had requested a time to come in and show my parents the venue, I said that my schedule is open but need something later in the afternoon, like 4 or 4:30. Recalling that they shut down and the coordinator was less than enthused to ever work up until 5 pm, I tried to squeeze out the latest appt possible. Today, I feel combative with our reception contact. She point blank said, “My office closes at 5 pm. I do not schedule appointments that late in the day.” Maybe she has afternoon recap meetings? Maybe afternoon tea or a nap? I’m not sure how one can read an email and respond with that and not even say, “Let me check, maybe one day I can adjust my schedule to accommodate that.” As an event planner myself, there are days when I come in early to accommodate event set up for a regular client. There are times when I am here on a Saturday at 4:30 in the AM for a charity walk. It ain’t pretty, but our clients are satisfied and that is what matters.

I called the community and found someone who is willing to help us out! She has asked that we forward the emails from our coordinator that say, “My office closes at 5 PM and I will not take appointments that late.” Since when is 4 pm late when your office closes at 5??

Stay tuned for the update.