Blog: the good, the bad and the ugly of customer service

The good, the bad and the ugly of customer service

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Apart from the infuriating crowds on Oxford Street in London, the only thing that puts me off shopping in the UK is the appalling customer service.

I've been in the UK for four years now and I am very fond it, but nothing makes my blood boil more than being on the receiving end of terrible customer service, which is a fairly common occurrence here.

More often than not, when I go into a shop I am not greeted by any of the staff, but rather left to my own devices until I get bored and leave.

If and when I do find something I like and then ask one of the sales assistants if I can try it on, I get an annoyed sigh and sometimes even a roll of the eyes.

I understand that for many people a retail job isn't their dream role, but that doesn't give them the right to maintain a surly attitude when they go into work.

I'm not saying every shop in the UK has bad customer service, but in my experience a lot of them do. The worst offenders are staff in large chains and multiples, while the best sales staff are usually those in tiny independent shops.

As retailers yourselves, what do you think of the UK's customer service? Is this something you make a point of working on with your staff to maintain a good reputation?