Where do you receive the best customer service?

A park near us has a brilliant cafe with the loveliest staff... always friendly and the food is great and not too expensive

On my nearest high street I have to say The Works...the staff in there are always so nice.

I always think Holland and Barrett has good customer service too...the staff are really helpful

Received good service at a local furniture store. Only a lamp but the lady put the bulbs in first to see which looked best. I then forgot it so she rang me and came to the door with it as the store is massive.

BT are the worst. Service so dreadful and stressful over the phone words cannot describe it. Overcharging so badly, putting me on hold x5 .

Proper Openreach engineer was good and hardworking but the earlier contractor was terrible, beyond bad. I worry about dealing with them.

Online - cultpens are amazing as are hobonichi (I love stationery). Slightly reluctant to admit it but Amazon have always been very good

In person - the coffee stand at Norbiton Station is staffed by the two nicest people in the world, if it gets taken over by Costa or something I will cry.

Octopus
The Euronics shop in Bishops Waltham
Ultraplan Kitchens (independent and local to me) - so patient and helpful

Special shout out to the lady in next when my little girl was kicking off at the weekend I've just lost my dad and was getting very flustered with everything- she had some a warm way of saying "it's so hard isn't it" (can't remember her exact words) she was likely old enough to be a grandma now but she was so kind even though it was busy and it felt like she actually remembered these days (only reason I mentioned her age - I thought god I wish you were my mum remembering the hard days and a next discount too 😆)

Oliver Bonas had cheery, helpful members of staff in two branches recently.

Mum’s care home, maybe. Those women are so kind, to me as well as mum.

Whoa!!! They have Caramac? Ohhhhhhhhhhhh

Next
Waitrose

It's from more 'one man/woman band' shops - you know, where the owner is likely to be there. Obviously they are much more invested in you having a satisfying experience. In big chains so often the shop floor staff have very little control over what they can do to fix an issue.
Warren Evans though did actually come through and changed their advertising tag line after dealing with my husband!
My absolute worse was Magnet in the 1980s. I took it to the top and still got little satisfaction.

Timpsons for me too. I very rarely have to go in, but the staff remember what they've done for me in the past and check everything is still okay. I think they must be one of the few retail employers who don't just use a box-ticking exercise when they recruit, and invest in training and development of staff they can see the potential in. I'm sure I've read they often give ex-offenders a chance, which I'm all for.

Which has reminded me of another shop which isn't a standard charity shop (they sell only new, branded items, mainly M&S), but they run with the purpose of helping ex-offenders get back to living normally. I don't know which of the staff fall into that category, but they're all always very helpful and polite, and take their time to serve customers properly - two staff on each counter, one concentrating on the till and the other packing and chatting. It's called Rebuild for Hope or something.

The reception team at my GP surgery are incredible. Helpful friendly and patient.

First Direct bank. I'm never disappointed when I have to speak to them.

I've also received fantastic customer service over WhatsApp from Churchill recently. It's was quick, easy, to the point, super helpful, and I had a written record of everything that I said and they committed to.

Pandora over the weekend. Every member of staff made my daughter feel so special. They were all late teens / early 20s but so kind and warm.

Octopus energy are really excellent even if their ads are shockingly awful 🤣

Amazon are always very fair and Costco good.

Local places like independent butcher where you'll get knowledgeable, interested, helpful staff.

I think with big retail then in store it depends who you get. Online they're following a script and generally don't have a clue that's if you can understand what they are saying.

I always used to buy through John Lewis because even if they were a bit more expensive their customer service was excellent however it's gone really downhill so now I shop around.

Argos in Crosby, Liverpool, where I collect my Tu orders. Any problems when confusingly my account wasn’t associated with my order were resolved after extensive help. Wonderful. The service is unswervingly friendly and impressively efficient. Before I’ve driven home refunds are being processed (take note other retailers). In Argos I trust.

Yep, have to agree, never been disappointed or had any problems with aTimpsons and we’ve used a few in different places.

The Volvo dealership at York. We drive 3 hours to take our car there as both our more local dealerships are crap. York staff are awesome.

Timpsons are always polite, helpful and cheerful. And fairly often do things for free.

First Direct always pick up the phone and does their best, though sometimes a bit more knowledge to go with the positive attitude would be good.

Our local deli are so friendly and chatty. Their food is also fabulous

The independent toy shop on the same road - our dc are older teens now so I don’t shop in there as much as I used to but I went to to get some ideas for my charity Santa gifts and the lady owner couldn’t have been lovelier.

Car sales place down the road, again independent. Sensible advice, really friendly and helpful.

In n Out car garage in Cardiff West. They’ve been so helpful over the past couple of weeks, freely offering advice and recommendations and saving me a fortune. I’ve been going there for years and will definitely continue and recommend them to all of my friends!

This week, the Apple Store. Vey patient and helpful

Ocado

My local optician

Robert Dyas - I had a problem with an online order recently and they were amazingly helpful!

My local chemist.
its about a thousand years old, desperately needs a lick of paint and revamp but the lady behind the counter is lush.
She knows customers by name, chats and is just warm and friendly.
She will help you no matter what your enquiry and does it with no fuss or ceremony.
While waiting for my prescription she greeted at least 4 people by their first name.

Stuff like “it’s not ready yet Bill, nip and do your shopping at the Co op and I’ll have it ready by the time you are done” big smile and wave from Bill and off he went.
Asking how another woman’s daughter was doing but not holding up the queue or causing delays.
Gave me prescription with a huge smile and said “see you soon”.
A pleasure to go into that falling to bits little shop.

The obstetric department at my hospital. Everyone there, from the receptionist to the midwives and my consultant are so kind and supportive and provide such good care.

The White Company (this was on my 'which shops make you feel happy' or whatever it was post the other day too 😂)

The coffee shop at our local park goes above and beyond ~ they know DSs name and are always lovely with him.

The little corner shop down the road from my dads place. I like more 'interesting' (very sugary and bad for me! But I don't drink alcohol so it balances out, or so I tell myself!) soft drinks - the American ones or new flavours from here. Any time I go in the guy will appear next to the fridge and show me what they have in that's new. And if it's one that's selling out quickly, he'll have hidden one for me 😅 Now reading this back, it may be less good customer service and more that I'm keeping them in business with fizzy drink sales 🫠