Rants, raves about lack of service for customers

Here I go again on customer service. After 25 years in retail I can’t help it. Here are my latest findings, most of which are raves.

Raves:

Home Depot Nogales

We recently purchased window coverings for our master bedroom. We placed our order with Ci Ci Martenz who was very pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable.

Huachuca Plumbing

When our on-demand propane water heater blew up, I called Kim at Amerigas in Sierra Vista, the one who installed it for us some 11 years ago. He was not available to do the work, so recommended Huachuca Plumbing. Steve, owner of Huachuca Plumbing, said they had not had good luck with on-demand water heaters. We had been unhappy with ours because hot water to the kitchen sink was often not hot enough.

Within two days we had a new 40-gallon-tank water heater perfectly installed. Now we have lots of hot water to the kitchen sink.

Albertson’s Kolb and Wilmot

The manager of the dairy department was helping several customers. I asked if there was any Knudson cottage cheese in the back. He said he would check. There wasn’t.

He recommended another brand and explained that it was as good and that the company used a packing process that chilled the container before it was filled, which prevented the ring of dried cheese around the lid. I was amazed at his attention to customers and his knowledge.

Home Depot

El Con

I was there to have paint mixed for our master bedroom. I was greeted at least five times before I got to the paint department and two more times on my way out.

Circuit City Broadway,

Craycroft

As I entered the store I was greeted by a pleasant woman who asked if she could point me in the right direction and handed me a Circuit City circular.

Cinnamon Hills Inc.

Owners Fred Sang and Gary Miller recently completed some site work for us �“ retaining walls, concrete driveway, steel carport, and brick-on-sand patios. Both are a pleasure to work with and the quality of their work is outstanding.

Rants:

Albertson’s Kolb and Wilmot

At the checkout stand I was asked if I found everything I was looking for. “No,” I said. “You are completely out of Knudson cottage cheese.” There was no response from the clerk. So I asked, “Do you inform anyone about the fact that the store is out of Knudson cottage cheese.” He looked at me dumbfounded as if no one had ever asked the question and what if anything he should do about it.

Many stores train their associates to ask customers if they have found everything they are looking for but if that is as far as it goes: What’s the point?

This was at least the third time I found the store out of my favorite cottage cheese.

Office Max Craycroft, Broadway

The store was dead. I think I was the only customer there and yet no one greeted me or asked if I needed help.

During a recession and sales are down, many companies work harder to earn your business.

(E-mail Kimball at bob.kimball@hughes.net.)