How not to run a store
Or how to torture customers in 10 easy steps
Sportive at CocoWalk has the worst customer service in the Grove.
The kids that work there are too young, so I don't blame them. One looks about 12, another is the spitting image of Adrian what's-his-face from Entourage and looks totally frustrated at having to work there.
The problem with the store is that they don't have anything in stock, and the kids can't just tell you right off, so they have some charade going on of going into the storage room and making believe they are looking for your sneakers. They never come out with what you want and it takes them about 45 minutes to actually tell you they don't have the item.
This has happened every time that I have shopped there, I don't know why I go back, I guess I have been with friends and they wanted to shop there so I went along. I won't anymore.
I saw quite a few confused tourists Sunday. One came in and looked for sales help and started yelling, "Is anybody here?" I told him they were all in the back. He got angry after waiting about 15 minutes and left.
Another tourist was yelling because she got a parking ticket due to their long waits and she wanted them to pay for the ticket. Another tourist, upon hearing this, dashed out to put more money in his meter.
Because of this store, the tourists must have some interesting impression of Coconut Grove.
I waited 45 minutes for them to tell me they didn't have the sneakers I wanted. I asked them many times, "Are you sure you have them? Because if you don't, it is no big deal and I'll look elsewhere." And yet, they proceeded for 45 minutes to tell me they had the sneakers I wanted. Only they didn't. And after 45 minutes the guy said, "We are still looking." And I said, "Should I give up or what? Should I stay or should I leave?" And this rude punk said, "You should leave." The first honest person in that store.
So I left and walked to my car on Matilda Street (the ugliest street), and there was a parking ticket waiting for me on my car. Matilda street got revenge on me from my past story putting her down.
Or how to torture customers in 10 easy steps
Sportive at CocoWalk has the worst customer service in the Grove.
The kids that work there are too young, so I don't blame them. One looks about 12, another is the spitting image of Adrian what's-his-face from Entourage and looks totally frustrated at having to work there.
The problem with the store is that they don't have anything in stock, and the kids can't just tell you right off, so they have some charade going on of going into the storage room and making believe they are looking for your sneakers. They never come out with what you want and it takes them about 45 minutes to actually tell you they don't have the item.
This has happened every time that I have shopped there, I don't know why I go back, I guess I have been with friends and they wanted to shop there so I went along. I won't anymore.
I saw quite a few confused tourists Sunday. One came in and looked for sales help and started yelling, "Is anybody here?" I told him they were all in the back. He got angry after waiting about 15 minutes and left.
Another tourist was yelling because she got a parking ticket due to their long waits and she wanted them to pay for the ticket. Another tourist, upon hearing this, dashed out to put more money in his meter.
Because of this store, the tourists must have some interesting impression of Coconut Grove.
I waited 45 minutes for them to tell me they didn't have the sneakers I wanted. I asked them many times, "Are you sure you have them? Because if you don't, it is no big deal and I'll look elsewhere." And yet, they proceeded for 45 minutes to tell me they had the sneakers I wanted. Only they didn't. And after 45 minutes the guy said, "We are still looking." And I said, "Should I give up or what? Should I stay or should I leave?" And this rude punk said, "You should leave." The first honest person in that store.
So I left and walked to my car on Matilda Street (the ugliest street), and there was a parking ticket waiting for me on my car. Matilda street got revenge on me from my past story putting her down.
posted by Tom Falco at 7:46 AM
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20 Comments:
It's hard when you love the Grove, and the Grove doesn't love you back.
I know I'll probably get retaliation for what I'm going to say but say it I will. Customer service in Miami is sorely lacking. In fact, its a misnomer! There are customers but no service. You get to the cashier, and he/she isn't there and if they are, they're talking to each other and discussing their plans for the evening or the birth of a little nephew. Many times this conversation is in Spanish and while I speak it, I feel that people who don't, probably feel annoyed. This happens whether you are in a clothes' store or the supermarket. There is no training of any of these employees and while one might think "oh well, they get minimum wage what do you expect!" you also have to consider that ANY job is worth doing well and is what you make of it. I have been treated respectfully and efficiently by many people who get minimum wage. Attitude is a plague here.
And I agree with you that Sportive is dreadful. We just have to cease and desist going there... that's all.
elena, your concern about retaliation suggests that you must be new to Miami. Trust me: You haven't said anything that any resident of Miami hasn't said or heard a thousand times!
The only customer service experiences I've had that could compare with Miami were when I lived in Eastern Europe in the early 90s. But while things over there have improved dramatically in the last 15 years, things here have not.
I am really tired of businesses complaining they are not doing well and then you walk into their store and they walk into the back room. Then when they finally acknowledge you they ask you in Spanish fist if you need help. How about if you ask a question then they call over another employee and both of them speak Spanish in front of you and you have no idea what they are saying - the could be taling about what they did last night. There is no better business than when an owner is present.
The Spanish thing is extremely rude and disrespectful in my opinion and thats all I will say on that topic.
Miami doesnt have bad customer service. Its impossible to have "bad" customer service when said customer service is nonexistent. Its funny that a city that relies on tourism for revenues has an attitude that sucks ass.
Sportive is a horrible store. I bought tennis shoes there years ago and it was a total pain in the ass, pretty much exactly like you described. They have floor samples of shoes but when you ask for a pair to try on they never have your size. That and half the kids that work there are stoned. Id much rather shop elsewhere than deal with those boneheads.
Allow me to mention some GREAT customer service experiences that I have had: Shell Lumber, SubWay on U.S. 1, General Sign Co, Cefalo's, Jenny Craig (yes, I lost 15 lbs in 2 months), Dry Clean USA, Smoothie King, Joe's Stone Crab, Ritz Carlton, Cassola's, Miami Express Couriers, Quizno's on 17th, ... and a plug for my company, Tigertail Realty.
Hate the woman that takes the money at Quiznos. She never smiles, is nasty and always in a mood.
blind mind,
I don't think it's rude or disrespectful. It would be if the comment wasn't true. I'll use Macy's at Dadeland as an example. Nearly every time I go there I am approached in Spanish. The customer should not be addressed in Spanish until after they have first been addressed in English.
I won't work with a sales associate that can not accurately or effectively communicate with me. That's part of good customer service, communication.
If I gave it the effort, I could learn Spanish. It's my fault that I haven't. I admit it.
I agree that we need to learn Spanish, but the fact we don't know it shouldn't be used against us. I work in a volunteer group with a woman who apparently doesn't like me because she will be talking and switch to Spanish in the middle of a sentence. When I remind her (again) that I don't know what she's saying, she repeats in English. And, it's usually important information.
Now, transfer that thought to ads on tv, or even in stores. If I hear Spanish in an ad on my English channel, I assume that it is information that they don't want me to know. Since I don't know what they said, and they don't want me to know what they said, I simply don't shop there. (Comprende Public Storage?}
As far as someone in a store approaching you in Spanish, odds are in their favor that they are speaking the correct language for the customer base. A quick correction is usually replied with a "Sorry", and we continue. We are at least a two language city, and the majority do speak Spanish. Waving the one language American Flag around will get you no where.
I'm reminded of the joke about the newly-arrived British official who was introduced to his house boy in India by his Indian assistant:
Official: Does he speak English?
Assistant: I am afraid not, sir.
Official: Well, then I guess he hasn't really tried.
Bad service is bad service in any language. And good service works in every language too.
I once bought jewelry in Tokyo for my wife (I was away during her 40th!!!) and the girl who sold me the bracelet didn't speak a word of English. I only speak about 15 words in Japanese. Yet, her whole demeanor, body language and tone communicated that she was glad she could help.
In the second trip, I spent two days cruising around Tokyo in their subway. Their only words not in Kanji are the names of the stations. Yet, never once did I get lost, I found the subway employees really hepful and had a blast.
Get over the language issue. There's enough bad service in every language to go around. And we seem to have more than our share in Miami.
Sarah,
Thats what Im referring to. Im about as "gringo" as they get and I still get approached by people who initiate conversation in Spanish. That is what I find rude.
Where do you live that you're driving to cocowalk. If you don't live in the grove, stop writing this blog right now, or I will do what I must to discredit it, stop traffic and basically shut it down. If you do, walk, ride a bike or a skateboard or something, but to complain about getting a parking ticket because you drove your fat lazy old ass 5 blocks instead of walking... it's deserved. THIS IS THE PROBLEM. the grove has turned into rich snobs, who often have never had service jobs and expect to be treated like royalty. I'm neither young, nor in service, so please dont' think this a retort of that nature. Rather, I'm tired of spoiled, rich, people of the age that they should no better acting like children.
ps. the beginning of that last message was aimed to the author, the remainder goes to many of you.
Worse than the threats and ignorance of Grove geography is the poster's appalling grammar.
Oh no, don't tell me the "Miami Hater Haters" have invaded this forum as well! Why is it that many of the replies I see in SO many of the Miami forums feel compelled to assault those with a difference in opinion? Only in Miami!
I'm with the rest of you guys: 1)there's NO customer service here (and often my tip to the waiter reflects that) 2)I hate being approached in Spanish, especially when I don't reply but they continue to speak to me in Spanish, and 3)it's my opinion that being an educated, intelligent person ANYWHERE in Miami (even in the Grove) makes you a target of those who are not. It's really quite sad.
Am I the only person who finds the new city campaign "Miami Begins With Me," aimed at making people in Miami 'more friendly' and 'better at customer service', just hilarious? Can you teach an old dog new tricks??? Let's hope so!
Sportive has always been horrible.
I love the Grove. But this customer service issue must be addressed by any business hoping to succeed. I am saddened to see so many store fronts papered over and trash along the sidewalks of the shopping areas, not to mention prevalent "attitude" of store personnel. I have worked in the hospitality and retail industries. I also speak Spanish. I know it's not asking too much for an employer or employee to pay more attention to customer service and the cleanliness of the front of your store. Also, Miami is a tourist destination, and not everyone living here is from outside the U.S.. Please speak English.
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