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So I pull into my usual pet supply store to get cat litter. The two people I've done business with in the past are both gone -- one moved out West and the other decided to retire, I believe.
I walk in, wander a bit, don't see any staff, get a big sack of litter and plop it on the counter. Still no staff.
Wander around a bit more. A friend has a dog; I look at possible doggie gifts.
Still no staff. No sign on the counter telling where they are (i.e. "We're out back unpacking stuff; please yell if you want something!") or when (or if) they'll be back.
Wander around literally the entire store, just to make sure somebody isn't (very, very quietly) stocking shelves somewhere. Even peek into the darkened grooming room.
Nobody.
Go play with the little kitties up for adoption. Little black kitties. One wanted to chew on my fingers, the other was a bit shyer. (I was totally ignoring the sign that said 'Please don't stick your fingers into the cage.")
No staff.
I didn't have a watch but I'm guessing I was there for at least 5 minutes, possibly closer to 10. Finally start to walk out. Just as I open the door I hear a voice from the back of the store. Keep walking. Get to my car and I hear, "Hey, miss? Miss??" I turn around. It's a staff member, standing in the open door. "Is this your litter?" I wanted to say, "Not anymore it isn't" but settled for "No thanks," got in my car and drove off.
So I don't know if this makes me a bit of an SC or not. Aside from the poor customer service issue, you'd think they'd consider the bloody security issue -- I don't know what kind of in-store security they've got, but somebody could've easily come in and walked off with half the store (I have no idea how long they'd been in the back).
I'm new to retail so I'm wondering: am I overreacting?
(On the bright side, if the staff had shown up earlier, I might now be trying to figure out how to explain to my brother on his next visit -- in two weeks -- why my two cats have suddenly morphed into four ...
)
I walk in, wander a bit, don't see any staff, get a big sack of litter and plop it on the counter. Still no staff.
Wander around a bit more. A friend has a dog; I look at possible doggie gifts.
Still no staff. No sign on the counter telling where they are (i.e. "We're out back unpacking stuff; please yell if you want something!") or when (or if) they'll be back.
Wander around literally the entire store, just to make sure somebody isn't (very, very quietly) stocking shelves somewhere. Even peek into the darkened grooming room.
Nobody.
Go play with the little kitties up for adoption. Little black kitties. One wanted to chew on my fingers, the other was a bit shyer. (I was totally ignoring the sign that said 'Please don't stick your fingers into the cage.")
No staff.
I didn't have a watch but I'm guessing I was there for at least 5 minutes, possibly closer to 10. Finally start to walk out. Just as I open the door I hear a voice from the back of the store. Keep walking. Get to my car and I hear, "Hey, miss? Miss??" I turn around. It's a staff member, standing in the open door. "Is this your litter?" I wanted to say, "Not anymore it isn't" but settled for "No thanks," got in my car and drove off.
So I don't know if this makes me a bit of an SC or not. Aside from the poor customer service issue, you'd think they'd consider the bloody security issue -- I don't know what kind of in-store security they've got, but somebody could've easily come in and walked off with half the store (I have no idea how long they'd been in the back).
I'm new to retail so I'm wondering: am I overreacting?
(On the bright side, if the staff had shown up earlier, I might now be trying to figure out how to explain to my brother on his next visit -- in two weeks -- why my two cats have suddenly morphed into four ...
)
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