Cheaper shops have poorer customer service?

[Whitehorses67]

Yesterday I had to return some items to three different shops.
I don’t make a habit of returning things but I am disabled and mostly housebound so sometimes things arrive and aren’t right.

First shop was Waitrose. Excellent service from a very polite and friendly member of staff even though I couldn’t find my receipt. No issue exchanging for a more suitable replacement.

Second shop was Boots. Very friendly member of staff and again no issue exchanging one product for another (I had my receipt this time) and even offered to go and find the required replacement for me as she could see I was disabled. Not patronising, just polite.

Third shop was Superdrug. Disinterested member of staff who exhaled when I said I wanted to return and exchange a product.
Didn’t speak to me or look in my direction and instead picked up the phone and told her manager there was a return wanted.

Then told me to move to the side so she could serve other customers. No please or thank you.

I stood waiting about five minutes by which time I was really struggling to stand (I am on crutches so pretty visible) so I asked if I could sit on a chair which was positioned where they pierce ears.
It had stuff stacked on it but nobody using it.
Member of staff grunted Ok. She wasn’t serving anyone but didn’t offer to move the stuff off the chair for me.

Manager eventually appears. Doesn’t say Hello, just asks for my receipt which I hand over.

She looks at it and elbows the member of staff saying to her look at the date.

I ask if there is a problem and she tells me I am one day over their return period.
I explain that I don’t want my money back, I just need to swap it for another variety of the same product at the same price.

Much tapping on her screen without speaking to me.

She then says she will allow it on this occasion as a gesture of goodwill.
Tells me to go and find the replacement so off I hobble and bring it back where she scans it. No please or thank you from her either.

I thank her politely and leave. Seeing as she was the manager there seemed little point in commenting on the rude manner.

Goodwill my arse. I was made to feel like a criminal trying to scam them.
It will be a cold day in hell before I buy anything from Superdrug ever again.

It left me wondering, Superdrug is quite a budget shop more so I would say than Boots or Waitrose.
Do we get what we pay for with customer service? Or was I just unlucky with these two?

Well it was a goodwill gesture if it was outside the stated timescale for a return or exchange. She could have refused to exchange the item.

My point is the manner of communication.

It's been my experience over the years that if I enjoy good customer service in the store whether it be a big box store or a supermarket or a pound shop, that it is the manager of the store who sets the terms and the even the mood of their staff.
If they are a good manager and good with their staff: understanding and nice, often times the staff will be well trained and pleasant.
If the manager is crap, snarky, and lacks care and understanding and doesn't train staff properly, you get a similar lack of good service as a customer.
If a manager is a good one they won't put up with staff who are rude or unpleasant to customers.

I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the cost of items from the store, just that some people have worse customer service skills than others.

We had issues with Argos & Flannels earlier this year. Flannels is by far the more expensive shop but is also by far the worst customer service I’ve ever experienced- both in store and online.

I don’t like Superdrug but the staff in the Poundland near me are lovely. They’re all in their 50’s and super friendly.

I've had wonderful service in Flannels especially Liverpool & Leeds & I have had dreadful service in there (Stoke).

Varies.

I sometimes find in high end shops they can be very snooty - and in places like The Works where everything costs about £3 they’re lovely.

Probably comes down to company ethos / managers : individuals!

I think the point about top down culture is right. I’ve certainly seen this in one of our local gp practices where the senior partner is infamously rude.
I do wonder if some shops put more emphasis on customer care although tbh I think the Superdrug manager I met was just naturally ignorant.

Customer service is very important to any store, it's the front line that anyone who has a problem with the product deals with.
If the customer service is rude or unpleasant that sets the tone for the rest of the store.
I've been in a supermarket where the manager is not pleasant he does his job he answers your questions but there's something about him that makes you feel he doesn't really like doing it.
The cashiers are not friendly they do their job, yes, but that's it, and the customer service people are wary and make you feel you're in the wrong when you have a problem with a product.
Then there is another supermarket by the same name and I go shopping there because the cashiers are friendly and helpful you're not afraid to ask anyone for help and as a result,they get better online reviews too.

Complain to Superdrug online. You shouldn’t have been treated that way