Customer service, good/bad in Limerick.

Comhrá

A few years back, I started a thread asking about people's customer service experiences in and around Limerick. I thought it time to give it a spin again.

I'll start the ball rolling by saying I was with Limerick Travel in Bedford Row recently when I was finding it hard to book a specific hotel in a specific sun resort with daytime flights.

The staff I met in Limk. Travel spent a lot of time with me and eventually after a lot of searching, they found exactly what I wanted. Very friendly, helpful service over four visits, from all the people I met there. I was very happy with them.

celligraphy

My great experiences are .
Dragon phoenix Chinese in raheen- great staff ,friendly and always chatty
Both of the smyths toy shops - helpful staff


Bad experience
River island in town and crescent - uninterested, bored staff
Life style sports In the crescent - makes me feel like I'm ruining the staffs day if I ask for any help

Mc Love

Good experience - LaPiccola Italia, Khing Thai, Widdess Pharmacy,

Good and bad: Some staff in Dunnes on Henry st are nice, others are just there to pick up the next cheque and dont even bother acknowledging you, even if you say hello.

bigpink

Good veg stall in the maket new urban farm or something like that

Bad River island cresent seem to hire horrible female staff

black & white

Best for me in retail would be Schuh, River Deep Mountain High, Sexton for Men and Elverys. BT's can be a bit hit or miss with usually better service in the menswear department than the rest of the shop.

Most bars/restaurants seem to have good service nowadays, I'm trying to think about anywhere that I'd avoid going and I can't at the moment anyway.

Could be improved (not quite bad) Debenhams , Shaws.

Over the top (Would you ever f off and leave me alone and I'll call you if I need help) ? Mike O'Connells menswear on Catherine St.

dashoonage

http://www.limerickpost.ie/2016/09/15/expansion-for-limerick-citys-largest-electrical-retailer/

This reminded me.


Jack Fitzgerald...Absolutely fantastic. I brought my aging mother in to get a new fridge freezer. They were great helping her pick out what she wanted and getting warranty setup etc. ( the didnt push the extended warranty it was something she wanted)

Didnt stop there though.

The delivery driver arrived installed the fridge, took away the old one and all the packaging etc. they even provided an extension lead that was needed.

This is how it should be done lads and ladies. Easy to see why they are expanding.

Jofspring

dashoonage wrote: »

http://www.limerickpost.ie/2016/09/15/expansion-for-limerick-citys-largest-electrical-retailer/

This reminded me.


Jack Fitzgerald...Absolutely fantastic. I brought my aging mother in to get a new fridge freezer. They were great helping her pick out what she wanted and getting warranty setup etc. ( the didnt push the extended warranty it was something she wanted)

Didnt stop there though.

The delivery driver arrived installed the fridge, took away the old one and all the packaging etc. they even provided an extension lead that was needed.

This is how it should be done lads and ladies. Easy to see why they are expanding.

On the flip side of that I ordered a fridge for work. Told me I would have it 2 days later. Friday afternoon came, no sign so I rang. Was told it's not on the delivery order sheet but not to worry it would be sorted ASAP and I would have it the next day. Next day came, getting close to closing time and I rang again. Once again not on the order sheet so not on the truck and they didn't know why. Said again they would sort it ASAP and definitely have it the next day. Next day we find out there is a delay and we wouldn't have it till it came back in a few days later. Had to ask for money back, went elsewhere and had a fridge bought and delivered the next day.

RhubarbCrumble

black & white wrote: »

Best for me in retail would be Schuh, River Deep Mountain High, Sexton for Men and Elverys. BT's can be a bit hit or miss with usually better service in the menswear department than the rest of the shop

I said Ken Sexton's on that old thread as well and I'll still stand by it too. I'm female, but was in there just last week with my other half because he was buying something and the lads there are very nice. Really helpful and easy going but not pushy or OTT.

Cherrycoke

The ladies in Carlton Coffee, always in great form, and remember your order if you're a regular

vkid

+1 to the lads in sextons. Great little shop.

phog

Good
Noel Andrews men's clothing on Thomas St
Neville's Shoes on O'Connell St
Future Sound & Vision on Upr William St & Soundstore in Ballysimon
Barry's Hardware Store on High St

Poor
Lana - staff were poor at dealing with a complaint
Argos on Cruises St - no idea how to deal with a queue


+ 1 for Widdess' it's not my normal pharmacy but if I ever call there for something the staff are brilliant.

Mc Love

Noels menswear in Bedford row and their original shop on Wickham st (i think) - they are all very helpful in there and not pushy at all.

topcat72

Good - Sage cafe on catherine Street, always on the ball
The florist on Roches street - Lawless's
Ryan's Locksmiths on Upper William Street - some of the soundest I have dealt with. Knowledgeable.

Not so good - My ultimate pet hate - people that follow you around and pounce on you as soon as you walk in ( Brown Thomas )- I only go about once a year at Christmastime , and I know they are trained to do it, but, STOP it already. The key is to be available when needed, not to pounce when you are not.

Comhrá

topcat72 wrote: »

Ryan's Locksmiths on Upper William Street - some of the soundest I have dealt with. Knowledgeable.

Def. agree re Ryan's Locksmiths. Also, I've always found JJ Kenneally Jewellers a pleasure to deal with,with nice friendly old-world service and advice.

Sully777

topcat72 wrote: »

Good - Sage cafe on catherine Street, always on the ball
The florist on Roches street - Lawless's
Ryan's Locksmiths on Upper William Street - some of the soundest I have dealt with. Knowledgeable.

Not so good - My ultimate pet hate - people that follow you around and pounce on you as soon as you walk in ( Brown Thomas )- I only go about once a year at Christmastime , and I know they are trained to do it, but, STOP it already. The key is to be available when needed, not to pounce when you are not.

Once a year??? But if a stretch to call it a pet hate. 1st world problems?

seachto7

Sully777 wrote: »

Once a year??? But if a stretch to call it a pet hate. 1st world problems?

It's the reason I don't go in there. Very off putting

vkid

Don't find BT too bad, buy sweet mother of god Harvey Normans staff are brutal for that stuff. Go away...I'll find you if I need to thanks

Bored_lad

I don't think I've ever had a good experience with BT staff especially in the menswear department, they put you off shopping there and I've taken to avoiding shipping there and if I need to I order it online and get it delivered or collect in store.

panda100

Paul in Moviedrome is just a perfect example of great customer service. Always friendly and happy to help.

I think Rene Cusacks on the Dock Road are excellent, not so much in the Milk Market.I actually have found them to be quite rude in the Milk Market especially on a Saturday morning.
The family that run Sadliers are lovely and always so helpful, even when I ask the most stupid fish-related questions

Reputable Rog

Garvey's Supervalu Grove Island- left standing at the Deli/Bakery counter for 10 minutes on Saturday, completely ignored whilst assistant had a lengthy chat with a customer and then proceeded to serve someone else ahead of me despite me being ahead in the queue.
The idiot manager was standing there watching all this and wouldn't intervene, just kept saying that someone would assist me in a minute.

riverrocked

Reputable Rog wrote: »

Garvey's Supervalu Grove Island

Completely agree with this, customer service is not something that is a priority in there at all. The staff seem completely disinterested. I have been left waiting at tills as the cashiers wander off mid-service or chat to each other.

Mc Love

riverrocked wrote: »

Completely agree with this, customer service is not something that is a priority in there at all. The staff seem completely disinterested. I have been left waiting at tills as the cashiers wander off mid-service or chat to each other.

It's the exact same in the one in Dingle too. Rather unfortunate

Mc Love

Mc Love wrote: »

It's the exact same in the one in Dingle too. Rather unfortunate

Their old SuperValu in Newcastle West was the same too. I remember posting something about it here when they shut down.

unichick

Good: Subway at Groody Roundabout, Copper & Spice, Annacotty, Texas Steakhouse, Bella Italia.

Bad: H&M, the crescent, Harvey Norman, Supervalu, Castletroy

Swiper the fox

Bored_lad wrote: »

I don't think I've ever had a good experience with BT staff especially in the menswear department, they put you off shopping there and I've taken to avoiding shipping there and if I need to I order it online and get it delivered or collect in store.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, I shop a bit in the menswear and I find them grand, Oscar (the shortish Spanish guy) is sound and an excellent salesman, the others are grand, it's generally lads that are there all the time and the girls seem to change quite a bit, there was a really lovely girl (30s) there for a long time with blonde hair, was going on maternity break last I saw her, hope she comes back.

topcat72

True, hardly a crisis. But my point was I might go in there more often if I was not hounded as soon as I made eye contact with anyone. It might not bother some, but it does get annoying.

Poxyshamrock

Swiper the fox wrote: »

I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, I shop a bit in the menswear and I find them grand, Oscar (the shortish Spanish guy) is sound and an excellent salesman, the others are grand, it's generally lads that are there all the time and the girls seem to change quite a bit, there was a really lovely girl (30s) there for a long time with blonde hair, was going on maternity break last I saw her, hope she comes back.

Totally agree about Oscar. A complete gentleman and always there to give a helping hand.

Exeggcute

It must be a real struggle for some people to say "I'm fine thanks."

topcat72

Yes, good point. but then you walk somewhere else, another two people approach you, the same thing occurs, you go elsewhere in the shop and it keeps on happening. The potential customer/buyer ends up saying NOOOOO I'm feckin fine! Shag Off! ( perhaps in his or her own mind, hopefully). Some bigger shops don't do this, some do. There is a way to be available when needed, and to know when to leave people to browse.

panda100

topcat72 wrote: »

Yes, good point. but then you walk somewhere else, another two people approach you, the same thing occurs, you go elsewhere in the shop and it keeps on happening. The potential customer/buyer ends up saying NOOOOO I'm feckin fine! Shag Off! ( perhaps in his or her own mind, hopefully). Some bigger shops don't do this, some do. There is a way to be available when needed, and to know when to leave people to browse.

The trick in BT's is to look as shabby and unkempt as possible. Then they will think you are poor and won't go anywhere near you. Works for me.

Comhrá

Any place where the staff say "Are you ok?" really gets under my skin.

That's fine if you're after collapsing, or banging your head or getting sick all over the floor but as an opening greeting to potential customers , it's pretty poor imho.

'Hi' 'Hello' or 'Can I help you' sounds so much more friendly and professional.

Maybe I'm just gone too old and grumpy?