Fantastic Customer Service Post Reply

[apple]

Hey lets all support our local independent businesses and tell some great stories about customer service, not bad ones, anyone got any great stories?

[ellta]

Might sound ridiculous but Argos in Balham- they are always lovely, happy to help and polite. Really like it, and the fact that you can pay and sit down while your item is brought to you (or near you, I can cope with walking to a counter!) is inspired!

[2009Kat]

1. Luciano cycles on Battersea rise. Nice chap helped me with buggy tyres.

2. Not local but Brabantia. Bought a bin 7 years ago and the lid broke recently. They replaced it with a new one, no quibbles and no request for a receipt (which I don't have anyway). Also v efficient. Fabulous service (mind you products ain't cheap!).

3. Veg stall on northcote road.

[Batsneedfriends]

The lovely van driver from Keen Cars who lugged two massive Parker Knoll chairs down our evil stairs without complaint: and lugged them all the way back up when they came back from the upholsterers.

[juliantenniscoach]

I'll second Luciano's. And Palmer's Menswear and Tony's.

[EmmaVictoriaID]

Re. Customer service in general, in my opinion great customer service should be the norm not the exception, and as much as it's a bit on the negative side to flag up the bad I am pleased that users of NVN have been doing it. Quite frankly I am so sick of being mistreated by shops who take your money and then once it's in the till show little regard or respect for you after the sale, and in some cases pointed out here are just plain rude because they can't muster up the energy to be polite. It's good there are finally consequences to it. I can't count the number of times I've encountered terrible CS and just had to write it off, knowing some other poor chump would experience the same thing.

That said on a more positive note, I found the service in Byron to be very good (took coffees off bill without prompting after we were kept waiting) as well as that new Austrian coffee place up by Marsh and Parsons, though can't remember the name, though it's not often busy which seems a shame.

[Tealover]

Not local, but a company most mums have used...Phillips Avent. The tongs that came with my steriliser broke in half one day and I checked boots and a few pharmacies locally with no success. Next morning I emailed Phillips customer service to find out where I could buy a new set of tongs and the following morning, a package arrived in the post with 2 new sets of tongs and a very apologetic letter!

[KiwiAmanda]

I'd like to second Balham Argos and add a vote for Balham Boots. I go to both regularly in the 6 months we've lived and Balham and always been struck by how friendly and helpful staff are.

[supergirl]

I vote for waitrose in CJ (amazing people - was very embarrassed one day when u realised at the till that i had left my purse at home. They let me took the food i needed for the evening and kept te rest until the morning after plus they are always smiling) and Tamra in northcote rd. Last thursday a lady and her daughter came in, looked around and came out. Then they come back and the lady ask if she can buy smthg to eat at the breadstall and come back there to eat so she can have a tea... Although i found that the lady was cheeky to ask that (it was sunny, she could have sat outside at starbuck), i was positively amazed when the manager said yes!

[jafina]

The Des Lys Cafe on Bedford Hill (opposite Harrisons). Lovely coffee, gorgeous pastries and really friendly owner who doesn't mind small children!! Plus because it's round the corner it doesn't tend to get as busy as Bertie and Boo or Cafe Nero. And it's cheaper!!

[EmilyCakes]

Cooker solutions

When the oven element broke on my oven I found a company called Cooker Solutions.
I think they are based in SW16 and I was in SW4 at the time but they came out the same day and replaced the element straight away.
The man Michael, is knowledgeable friendly and polite.
Since then I have used them again as when I moved house the oven I inherited needed some TLC.
They remembered me and gave me a small discount for my loyalty. They followed each of my visits up with a courtesy call the next day to check all was well.

Obviously its not often you need an oven repaired but I would highly reccommend them should it be a service you require.

[kiwimummy]

the new ish cycle shop on lavender hill is fabulous. http://www.getagripbicycleworkshop.co.uk/

they fixed our buggy wheels, and they're always really nice and smiley. when my daughter was scared to get on a balance bike, the guy who runs the shop did (on the tiny balance bike) to show her how it was done. a great addition to our local shops!

also, lavender hill siam beauty. no frills, but also in my experience, never any waiting, good therapists and open late with lots of appointments.

[Batsneedfriends]

Gotta love 'em. Snow chaos, non-gritted road, ice-covered exterior stairs - nothing stops Ocado man. Full delivery, no substitutions, on the dot at 9.30am this morning.

[ckwmum]

Oh yes, Ocado definitely get my vote too. Nothing seems to be too much trouble for them and on the rare occasion anything has gone even a little bit wrong, I've had a voucher and sincere apology.

Waitrose in CJ too, as above - they've been so brilliant and always so lovely to my son.

Adding to the Lavender Hill love-in (there are just so many good businesses there!) the people at Cake Boutique are so lovely and accommodating, plus they sell cake - what more could anyone want?

Opposite that is Duke's Dry Cleaners (I hope I've got the name right) - the guy in there is possibly the friendliest person I've ever met and they do clothes alterations etc too.

Tarragon restaurant on the corner do delicious Persian food and are really lovely along with it.

Then further up, next to the wine shop and opposite the police station is a dry cleaners and shoe repairers - the guy there is so nice and has fixed up much loved shoes of mine that I thought I'd have to throw out. He always brings the price down a bit if he can too.

And away from Lavender Hill, I absolutely love Recipease. They have the most amazing food, coffee is lovely, the breakfast is great and the staff are amazing. You can tell they all love working there. I've even done a cookery course there which was brilliant.

I've done a post before called "I love where I live" and it's clear to see why!

[NPMum]

Bolingbroke Bookshop on Northcote Road - they've stayed open to let my daughter choose a book, other shops would have chased us out. They are also very friendly and will order any book for you.

I also like the staff at Oddono's on Northcote Road, always service with a smile (but who wouldn't smile in a shop filled with delish ice cream!)