We constantly hear about retailers complaining about the new on-line shopping and how they are missing out on huge transactions, but one must also seriously wonder what the executives are doing in some of these corporations, certainly they are not spending time on the floor to see how their staff treat potential customers. And therein lies the problem.

I have written before on this subject, and must admit to being totally amazed at how little attention is paid to this issue. Lots of complaining, virtually no action.

Statistically, the cost of replacing an established, good customer is  extremely high, people are not loyal any more, and life is much more  transient than ever before.

Today is Sunday, it was a beautiful, bright sunny day following a couple of days of horrid weather.

I am in the office working as I have meetings back to back with Senior Executives and this is the only chance I have to do paperwork and  clean up the office before the week starts, as we have some VP’s  coming to visit this week.

Yesterday, I drove downtown in dreadful road conditions to meet a girlfriend for coffee at a high end retailer. Service was lax, although the restaurant was full, prices are high, and there was a queue.

From there we headed upstairs to shop, perhaps I should re-phrase, she accompanied me, as i was in fact the potential client, outfitted  in a silver knee length mink  coat, black cashmere turtleneck, black  Ralph Lauren Jeans, Hermes H Belt, Chanel Glasses, and expensive  jewelry, no handbag.You get the picture, not wearing rags.

We shopped the most expensive boutiques in the store. In at least 2  boutiques, I was totally ignored. One young lady was totally focused  on her social life, another was fawning over a 20 year old dripping  with attitude, in another boutique, one staff member was chatting with  her friend, and they were engrossed in a conversation about how  difficult is is to find a good man.

I was not even asked if there was something I needed. As a 5’10” blond, I am hardly invisible, yet service was not forthcoming or offered.

End result, I spent NOTHING in the store, except for the coffee, and not for lack of interest.

I looked at 3 pairs of shoes, $650 each. NOPE. No assistance, no offer  to see if they were in my size or whether I wanted to try them on.

I looked at belts , $1000 each, in another boutique…….TWICE, and  was never offered assistance.

I looked at handbags, $1000 – 2190.00, you guessed it, no assistance, no offer. no acknowledgement of my existence.

In my jeans pocket was $700 in gift cards for the store left over from Christmas, plus a great deal of cash.

I spent less than $20 in the store in the 2 hours we were there, because no staff member was interested in serving me.

As someone who is visual, auditory, tactile, and extremely attentive, my observations were people being served were for the most part pushy  and arrogant, yet the important fact the staff missed was they had NO  SHOPPING BAGS in their hands, which of course, is the litmus test. how  many bags from which boutiques were in their hands. None. Nope. Nada.  But they certainly received lots of attention.

One extremely rude woman monopolized 2 sales staff while she fussed over pricey silk scarves and chatted with her equally classless  friend. They were loud, they were crass. yes, I have already said that. I entered the boutique from 2 different doors on 2 occasions to  look at belts…….yet they were served by 2 people for a long period  of time. They exited empty handed.So, had they ever intended to make a purchase?  They certainly  received a lot of attention while they discussed the merits of this  scarf and that one. They exited empty handed. Had they been serious shoppers, one of them would have made a purchase, but they were made  to feel ‘special’ with all the attention they received, so they stood there, played with the staff and the scarves, and had a chat.Judging by the quality of their clothes and jewelry, it is  questionable whether they were ever serious, but they were certainly made to feel important.

As someone who travels, and has offices in 2 major cities, both in  prime downtown locations, I am one of those who has many options, in  fact, the world is open to me.

Between major cities around the world and the explosion of high end on-line retailers, there is more choice than ever before for our fashion  dollar. I receive mailings from New York, Toronto, Miami, London,  Paris. and Hong Kong. Some of the things are substantially cheaper than here in Canada.

Today, there are more and more business women like me, earning their own money, and spending it with retailers who make us feel appreciated.

Every time your arrogant condescending staff offend us or ignore us and we walk out of your store empty handed, it is that much harder to get us back in your store.

If you are doing that to people like me, you are MOST CERTAINLY doing it to people who are clearly not well dressed, yet certainly in my industry, high tech, few people are well dressed, and there are lots who  are multi-millionaires. The nerd in the torn t-shirt and sneakers may be worth $50 million. You just offended his girlfriend.

She won’t be back.

The female law student you just offended won’t be back, in 3 years she will be earning well in excess of $100,000.  She has shopping choices too.

Now, what was that complaint you made about the explosion of on-line shopping again????