to slightly worship Mary Portas?

[Longstocking2]

I mean she is just wonderful isn't she? Am I alone?

nothing wrong in being obsessed with looks and shopping - most women are ( to some degree)

She's great! Loved the show last night.
I think she's firm but fair.

Dont think she was saying you should be pounced on or followed round the store by assistants (hugely annoying) but rather that a friendly hello/eye contact when you come in and a willingness by staff to help if you need it would be quite easy to achieve and make a HUGE difference to the shopping experience......

I was glad to see this last night as I though it was my age (37, not that old) making me hugely irritated by the appalling customer service in these shops. I personally find River Island the worst offender with staff who can complete a full sales transaction at the till without so much as looking at you , let alone breaking breath to you! It is bloody awful and frankly there is no excuse for that no matter how much they are paid.

Thank you skeptic!

I worked in retail for 15 years from the early Eighties, for companies such as Principles, Richards and Laura Ashley, where the was a huge emphasis on customer service.
Staff were trained weekly and were expected to. Have in-depth product knowledge. We were expected to greet customers, but then leave them alone unless it was obvious they needed help.
There was always someone on the fitting room-in Richards and Principles all staff were trained in style counselling- so ideally could suggest alternate items etc.
I loved the buzz, interaction-shop was expected to be spotless, kept filled up with sizes....and yes we weren't paid enormous salaries, but there was immense job satisfaction.
Bad service pisses me off intensely-one reason why I do not shop in pile it high shops.
I like Esprit- the right level of unobtrusive but helpful service.

I worked 9 years for WH Smiths and in 2000 when i first started we used to have a dedicated slot in the day to approach customers and ask if they needed any help etc so delivering good old fashioned customer service not "in your face" like i think Claires Accessories do! But as the years and managers went by the staff was made less due to retiremnet etc and werent replaced then the customer service dedicated time went then the attitude was "keep your head down working, if customer doesnt actually come over to you and ask let them wander round alone" !!! What a difference and i am sure they lost lots of custom because of their changes. Maybe Mary portas should nip in WHS lol. I taped Mary Portas as i have yet to watch it but i think she is great

M& S service seems good to me.

I liked MP when she got in a verbal punch up with a shopkeeper some time ago.

Am I right in thinking she switched channels?

Oh, damn, i missed it, forgot it, can't even remember what i was doing instead, probably staring inanely at Indiana Jones. Will have to watch on iplayer tonight.

I also like MP but not as much as most of you!

Agree Deadeii - asking every customer "can i help you" is not good service.. you don't have to be obtrusive.

I would hate to work with or for her she has absolutely no 'people skills'.

I met her recently.

She wasn't actually as nice as I expected. In fact I didn't like her very much at all. Personal opinion.

I don't get the Mary lovefest either, Nana. She was very insensitive to the charity shop volunteers and her solution was to employ a manager at £16,000 a year (plus benefits) My DMil volunteers in a charity shop and their turnover is £250k a year, all thanks to volunteers.

Last night's programme was dross. And the reason she won't tackle the retail giants regarding poor pay and slave labour is because they are clients of her consultancy business.

BM; what was she like?

I don't agree that most women are obsessed with shopping, but most of us have to do it from time to time, usually with children in tow. We spend our hard earned money, and shops should acknowledge that they are lucky to get it and treat us properly. I hate being ignored when I walk into a shop, I want the person behind the till to lift up their heads and acknowledge me, and if I have to wait in a queue I want them to do the same. That's all really. Surely people don't need to be trained to be polite and welcoming? Just manners.

See, I hate it when I walk into a shop and the assistant says "hello", or asks if they can help me as I feel under pressure to buy straight away. I'd rather they didn't acknowledge me until I was at the till - then they should smile, say please, thank you and goodbye. End of.

Pastadoble - those are issues that I'd like to see her tackle and give prominence to, but you're right, her empire is built on these clients. She comes across as a bossy, opinionated woman who is pretty far removed from reality - but who gives a good impression of knowing what we want because she's got her eye on her pay cheque from the TV production company.

"but the question I asked was would Mary Portas herself be able to practice what she preaches for a minimum wage .....I think not."

Why not?

I thought she was more bossy and opinionated than on her programmes, and not in a good way (I speak as a fairly bossy and opinionated person myself, but hopefully a bit politer). Wrapped up in herself, somewhat inconsiderate, used people to her own ends.

BTW as I understand it she owns the production company?

Plus interestingly from a physical point on view she had very round shoulders and her clothes hung off her in a really funny way. They were expensive clothes but she actually looked pretty badly dressed - the clothes were wearing her rather than the other way around. You don't see that on the telly.

I dont like her hair now. It's Just Too Much. And I thought last night was a bit dull too. But I love her and want to be like her when I grow up.

I didn't know she owned the production company....all the more reason why she doesn't tackly the bigger issues, I suppose.

I think she comes across in the way you found her in RL Boffin

tackle even!

I love Mary but, I will be honest, I switched that show off half way through. It just didnt interest me, not like the shop makeovers.

respect to boffin for inside track.

but still I love the woman.
men are forgiven more for being assertive.

maybe you have to be a bit unpleasant to get things done at her level?

Not defending it but we don't mind it so much from men do we? I include myself in the subconscious misogyny thing!

We don't mind it from men? Speak for yourself! I don't like bossy, opinionated men anymore than I do women . I think assertiveness and rudeness or being inconsiderate of others often get confused.

Nah, I turn Sugar off as well. I like it in men even less.