My blog shouldn't be a diatribe about my awful customer service encounters. I promise to give credit where credit is due. Funnily enough, I have a great experience to share just one day after I banned Kate Spade from my life! Banana Republic, you are doing it right. Last month, I was a hot mess because of you-- but you redeemed yourself today! I'll keep this one short. Or, I will try...
I got stuck in a Banana Republic pencil skirt. I bought it here in Hawaii probably 6 months ago. Banana separates are my work wardrobe staple. The skirt cost me around $50 or so-- not the most expensive skirt, but also not the cheapest.
I came home from work in July after a long day of meetings and running around in heels. I love coming home and changing into my comfy clothes. Too bad that on this day, I got STUCK IN MY PENCIL SKIRT. You laugh, but it was an awful experience. At the time, I was living alone and had no one around to help. The zipper got stuck completely, wouldn't zip down at all. Ok, deep breaths....
I googled. I used oil. I used WD-40. I used Vaseline. I used pliers. The thing wouldn't go up or down. I called my parents in Japan, total hot mess. They snickered as I explained that it had been 4 hours worth of effort in trying to un-stick the zipper. After a couple glasses of chardonnay and watching the sun go down over the ocean, I grabbed the scissors. Reluctantly and feeling defeated and stressed, I cut my favorite, grey, $50 pencil skirt off of my body. Traumatic. Don't laugh.
The cool part of this story is that the whole time I was stuck, I was updating my social media (Twitter and Facebook). I was flooded with comments and had friends telling me how to get it off, giving advice, support, laughing with me, or telling me not to shop Banana again! The power of social media never ceases to amaze me.
@BRCustServ tweeted at me. previously, I didn't think large companies actually listened and engaged like that?! They gave me a number to call and told me they would take care of it. And that, they did. After a pleasant call with Bryan from Banana Republic, I received a $50 gift card in my inbox, and Banana retained a customer. It's win-win. Bravo, Banana, for not making me argue with your rep or beg for a refund. I look forward to using my gift card this weekend!
I had emotional attachments to my watch. A beautiful, big, gold Michael Kors with an opalescent/pearly face. I bought it in a self-pity-sob-fest as a single woman on a lonely Valentine's Day a few years ago...one of those "I don't need a man" purchases. The watch wasn't cheap, but worth every single penny. It complemented my professional work attire and looked nice when I went out dancing on the weekends. A couple of days before my birthday this month, the watch broke. Like, beyond repair, broken. Sad face. Super sad face.
I was super bummed, but then kind of stoked to have a reason to buy a new watch and mix things up. Always look on the bright side, right? I posted on Facebook about the watch and asked friends to give me suggestions on what kind of watch to get. It ended up being between Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Tory Burch. Being my birthday month, I was thinking a splurge was necessary. I googled my pretty pink nails off, and have been stalking this Kate Spade watch for the last 2 weeks. The pink spade and clean lines had me at hello. The $225 price tag is high for me (living in Hawaii, I don't usually have extra cash to buy expensive watches), but, again, birthday month. But here's where the fight starts...and why this watch is no longer on my shopping list. In fact, I don't even like the watch anymore, how's that!? Yeah, I'm not happy....
I visited the Kate Spade Ala Moana yesterday, ready to try on my "dream watch" and had a HORRIBLE experience. So bad, I won't step foot in another Kate Spade store. And if you know me, that is HUGE. I carry a Kate Spade purse every day (time to change that out), my phone case is Kate Spade. Every Christmas, Kate Spade swag is my go-to gift for girlfriends and my Mom. never again! I was trying on the watch, looking in the mirror, checking out the size. I have really small wrists, so asked if they could take out a couple links so that I could make sure it fit me. The girl looked at me with wide eyes and said she needed to ask her manager. Strange, I thought. But continued to peruse. And not that it matters, but I had come from work, decked out to the nines in J. Crew and holding Nordstrom and Tory Burch shopping bags. If you are a sales person in Kate Spade, I would think that you take note of that. Perhaps I have money to spend? Perhaps you notice that I asked for that very watch specifically, meaning I had done my research and was primed to purchase? THEY REFUSED TO TAKE OUT THE LINKS. Say whaaaa?!? So you are telling me that I have to BUY the watch before you take out the links? Um, why would I buy a watch when I don't know whether or not it fits me? I was so irritated- you have no idea. I asked for the manager and proceeded to pull a "Pretty Woman" (as my friend Farrah cleverly coined it).
Kate Spade, I am breaking up with you. You charmed me with your pretty gold and pink watch and lured me into your store. You then provided the absolute WORST customer service experience I have had at Ala Moana Shopping Center. It felt wonderful to tell the sales girl and manager (and about 6 patrons standing nearby) that they just lost a $225+ sale and loyal customer and that they need to take a lesson from similarly-priced boutiques like Tory Burch, who does customer service right.
Suggestions for Kate: Size the watch if I am seriously thinking about buying it. Why not take out a couple links to make sure the customer likes it? Why on Earth would I buy a watch without seeing if it fits? DUH. Common sense, people.
You know what I conclude? The watches must be cheap and easy to scratch / break if you are so hesitant to take links out.
Also, offer me a seat. Let me put down my other shopping bags. Bring me other watches to check out. Size them, take out links as needed, and make sure I am happy. Bring me a bottled water, a la Tory Burch. Treat me like I am an important customer. Maybe if you had done that, I wouldn't be headed to Nordie's today to spend my previously-Kate-Spade-delegated money in a place with better service and on a watch that fits.
In a competitive marketplace where I have many other stylish options, it is easy for me to decide that you didn't do enough to meet my expectations.
