FEATURE | ARE YOU BEING SERVED?

I'm afraid to say folks that this post is a bit of a rant, because oh yes Britain I'm ranting on behalf of you, on a matter that has long been buried under the sand for too long! Well not anymore: I'm talking of course about bad customer service.There is nothing worse in my opinion than going into a shop, handing over your hard earned cash, and receiving bad customer service. But why do we just put up with it, shaking our heads, tutting, rolling our eyes and yet still going back to the same stores even when we've been treated like shit?

Mary Portas (or as I call her Queen of the high street) is someone whom I have watched on TV for many years and who's career I have admired in a huge way. Her passion to revive not only the high street, but the way in which consumers treat their customers when shopping in their stores is inspirational. She's gone out of her way for years helping all sorts of people and businesses including charity shops, mobile phone brands and high street retailers in making sure that their customer service is one that's worth going back to their stores for. She's recently opened a premium clothes line for high street giant House Of Fraser which in her words is "a shop for women by Mary Portas". She's also introduced a line called 'Kinky Knickers' a line of knickers that were made, manufactured and sold by British people on British soil, which again in her words are "turning the lights back on for great British manufacturing".

Working in retail can be tough some days (I worked in retail for over three years) so looking at it from both perspectives is something that's easy for me. I personally have a big passion for customer service and I love helping people, making sure they're finding everything they want, dealing with problems. But the best thing to do if you're not receiving the service you want (and I can't believe I'm about to say this) is complain: simple as that, don't just stand there rolling your eyes, arms folded, shaking your head and tutting, find a manager or take it further if you have to, after all, you guys are paying our wages and we wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for you. It's your job to use the tools that are there in that space to help you with anything you may need or want, I mean let's face it, you wouldn't just employ a lion tamer and no lion, that wouldn't do at all now would it.

Where's the worst place you've ever had bad customer service? Let me know in the comments below and don't forget, let's be social: