Nordstrom does a customer good.

Being in Sales and Marketing my entire adult life has made me insanely aware of the importance in keeping your customers happy. If you want to own a successful business, take care of your customer base as they should always feel that their happiness is your life’s goal. Whatever they need - get it. If you can’t, find someone who can. If they reach out to you, make sure you respond in a timely manner. Sure it seems like common sense, but so many corporations lose sight of this as they watch their bottom line and focus solely on the creation of new customer accounts. They wake up one day realizing too late that their existing customers needed love too.

Nordstrom has taken this philosophy and one-upped itself. They are truly ‘in the zone’ when it comes to customer satisfaction. It has taken me a few years to learn this, but sometimes it is worth while to pay a little more for an item as you know you won’t have a problem if you need to take it back. Class act they are. Thank you Nordstrom – hopefully corporate America will catch on one day that you can treat your clients with love and respect and still make money too…

Then there are the others…I have had some really wretched customer service experiences, and most of them with Marshalls (discount clothing store). There is a corporation who needs to take a step back and rethink their business model, as I am sure I am not the only one with this complaint. There can be 10 people in line waiting for customer service/or to do a return and one person in the purchase line, and all their focus is on the one purchaser. Sure, I understand. Help the ones spending the money, not looking for money back. But what a sour taste you leave in my mouth. Because I have experienced this more times than I cared too, they have officially lost me as a customer. Maybe I deserve shotty customer service as I chose to shop in your store knowing I would spend less for an item than I would have at a Nordstom.

Is that true? Do we always need to pay premium for an item in order to receive good customer service? If so, there goes the days of my shopping sprees as Lord knows I can't afford my own taste at regular retail prices. Or is it simply a staffing issue, good training -vs- no training? Hmmmm....I will have to start making mental notes when I am out and about. My gut makes me lean towards the latter - but I think I need to do some more shopping, I mean research, before I can be sure.