Service, Self check out, and the lost art of customer care.

 Savoring Simple Daily Pleasures

A brief post today reflecting on several experiences while shopping on our recent trip to Melbourne. 

Here in New Zealand, I actually tend to do most of my clothing shopping on line or sporadically. Being often time pour and living out of the city, I prioritize my limited down time and weekends with walks, time out, family and other interests- so its unusual for me to just go shopping on a whim or without a specific requirement. Even my groceries are usually done on line with a brief top-up stop at a quaint little local supermarket.

Therefore, I am quite possibly a little behind in my discovery of how technology has gained some serious traction in high street retail shopping. Taking into account also that NZ isn't quite as advanced as Australia in these fields mostly as we just don't have the customer base- or population- to warrant these changes yet. 

I am familiar with self checkouts at the grocery stores- although i still find them frustrating when i usually get beeped at for my straw bags or some such- and giant retailers like K-Mart (Shudder) also implement a self check out system. 

But over the course of our week in Melbourne, we experience at least 2 restaurants where ordering was though a QR code on your table- now these weren't fine dining- but they were proper eating establishments, which required booking and a certain amount of dress code and etiquette and fairly substantial bills at the end of our meals. 

At the airport- I went to purchase fragrance and again it was self-check out- including scanning your boarding card, and again at WHSmith for tissues and light reading material. 

What really blew me away was shopping in Zara with my youngest- we purchased a dress for her and a basic tee for me- having tried it on and been warmly greeted by sales staff in the fitting room- we went to pay. What I can only describe as a line on long while butlers sink size troughs lined a wall with screens above them. When I placed the items into the "Basket" ready to commence scanning a bar code or similar and removing hangers- the machine read automatically what our purchases were from the hidden scanner in the "basket" and appeared as pictures and the prices on the tablet. Quite extra ordinary. 

We then had to select a bag, remove the hangers and place them on a rack under the counter and pay on the pin pad. so, from the fitting room to exiting the store we were entirely left to our own devices!

What if I'd had a question about sizes or returns or stock availability? And like wise with our food orders- at one establishment we had too many wait staff check in on us while we ate which was almos comical, having had no help or attention while ordering off the QR code, in the other restaurant even the Maitre D was absent as we arrived to be shown to our booked table, and we had to search several time though out our meal to find wait staff to assist. 

As a teen and in my early 20's I worked in several clothing retails stores and several mid to high end restaurants, then later in an interiors boutique. I loved my various jobs. And what made them all enjoyable and special was the rapport with the clientele! Whether that was pulling a pint of beer and having a little bar banter, or uncorking an expensive bottle of champagne and serving to a table of special guests as silver service, or carefully wrapping someone's new garment in tissue before placing it in a big glossy bag, or giftwrapping a gorgeous piece of home decor- such as Lalique crystal, in thick cream paper and a taupe satin ribbon while chatting with the client. 

Is this a dying art? I do so hope not! Fir me it is part of the experience. In a nice restaurant I value the waiters or sommeliers opinion and recommendations. IN a beautiful boutique I want to talk to the sales assistant, check about size and fit, explain my requirements- in case they can assure me or suggest an alternative. 

It makes me chuckle to myself to think of my Beloved grandmothers reaction to all this if she was still alive today- shed hoot with laughter at the absurdity of it. In her day - even the fish monger would engage in conversation and offer expert advice and tips while carefully Packinging up your dinner. The hardware shop would be a font of knowledge and would know precisely where to find and meet your exact needs. A simple tea shop would take your order and serve you- to have to ask for a teaspoon or napkin would be unthinkable! 

The joy I felt in the more unique shops and boutiques where I was greeted on entry, encouraged to browse, helped when requested and the chatter and glimpse of another person's day and personality is what added the sparkle and individual touch to the experience. 

Dont you agree?

I sincerely hope this doesn't catch on quickly. I know you cant stop progress, and nor should we, but we can encourage service and customer care- face to face.