v rude store manager in LK Bennett

[Whoneedssleepanyway]

I took a cardigan back to LK Bennett today as after one wash it had shrunk badly and some small holes had appeared on the seam near the neck.

As soon as I showed it to the manager she became very hostile and said they are very careful about the stock they display and would not have sold something in that condition and then started questioning me very agressively as to how I had washed it, the instructions said hand wash 30 degrees, I had washed this cooler than 30 degrees. She basically then said very patronisingly please take me through the steps as to how you washed this and then found the holes as I want to understand how this happened, I said "I washed it, laid it to dry on the airer, went to get it to iron it once it was dry and saw it had shrunk and noticed little holes", she then said "so it sounds like it got caught on something", at this point I did say to her "you seem to be implying that I have done something wrong to the cardigan", she refused point blank to give me a refund or credit note, at which point I quoted legal rights to her as a consumer, she then said it was her right as a company to send the cardigan to a technical expert to have it tested to see if it had been washed properly, I said really and then she just said "fine have your money back". I am so cross that she basically made out I was lying to her and treated me like I was trying it on in front of other people in the store. I am not really sure what the purpose of this thread is but am just really annoyed and needed to let off steam.

The staff are seriously snooty. The service, compared to somewhere like Clarks is totally rubbish!!! The shoes however are AMAZING!

I know this is a zombie thread but it's been very educational. I'm going back to work after 2 years at home, I need a whole new work wardrobe. Will be heading elsewhere after reading this - Hobbs, Reiss, Massimo Dutti etc for dresses and Russell and Bromley for shoes. Never read a bad word about R and B on MN...

This is a message for the retail director at LK Bennett. What I don't understand is why, when I go into my local LK Bennett (several times in the last few weeks) there are never any shoes available to try on in my size or the size below it. The (junior) sales assistant told me that they only stock 2 pairs of shoes in each size and that day, they didnt seem to have anything at all above a size 5 or 6. This was quite frustrating I must say! She readily told me I could order shoes in my size and pay there and then the £160 for each pair that it would cost to do so in each style just so that I could try them on and see what they look like/ what the fit is like. She honestly seemed to think this was an ok proposal.

In Clarks, which is obviously not even the same price range, a customer can order whatever pair they like from another store in the UK to try on in their local store WITHOUT having to pay for the shoes first. Up to 9 pairs of shoes can be tried on in this way. For those of us for whom finding well-fitting shoes can be problematic, this is an invaluable service and yet at the top end of the high street, you don't offer this service. I'd like to know why not?

Thank you.

That's really bad - and they'll suffer for it long term.

I was really well looked after by a member of staff at their Bicester outlet store - and I ended up buying two dresses and a pair of shoes, so it is worth treating customers properly.

I definitely won't buy again from LK Bennett. This was my first time to buy a pair of shoes and definitely the last. I bought a pair and I left it at airport to be collected in few days. To my surprise, after I collected the shoes I noticed there were ink marks on the shoes! I sent it back to store within 14 days. It has been 6 weeks and I never got a refund or even a confirmation when I should be refunded. It feels like I am buying from a seller in the street! It is ridiculous that they sell damaged items and not even refund or apologize for the inconvenience. They might have earned few hundreds but definitely they lost much more money they could have earned with such lousy customer service.

I've only ever bought one thing from there...about 5 winters back. It was a beautiful emerald green boiled wool coat and was stunning and warm. However, the lining was absolutely dreadful...thin and cheap, imagine the most flimsy rubbish acetate possible! The lining very quickly ended up wrecked, full of tears and snags! The outside, however, stayed beautiful so I carried on wearing it, but I always had to take it off and fold it very carefully in company so no one saw what it was like on the inside. I eventually threw it away a few months ago. If it hadn't had such a crap, cheap lining I could have just had it cleaned and kept it...I think it would have gone on forever as in all other respects it was so well made and timeless in design.
I don't think, reading parts of this thread, I'd be tempted to buy there again!
I always try to get branded things (Whistles, Hobbs, Jigsaw, for example) from John Lewis (unless the brands themselves are running promos) as their CS is so good!

As a sales assistant at LK Bennett, I'd just like to weigh in on this thread with my thoughts. And @ProtectiveMother - there isn't such a thing as a junior sales assistant, we all get trained, paid and treated the same so I'm not sure what you meant by that.

I'm really sorry that a lot of people on this forum have found LKB Sales Assistants 'snooty', 'snotty', 'snobby' and the like. Obviously these may well be unfortunate one-offs, in which case I would implore you to contact the manager of the store directly about rude assistants. Doing this would help not only the company and your shopping experience, but the worker in question who will be able to improve his or her customer service skills with your feedback.

My main point is that the company lay down rules on refunds etc. that we have to follow. We really don't have the authority nor tangible power to override these decisions through the tills. Sometimes if it has been a very long day it is frustrating for us when we cannot satisfy a customer, and I'm really sorry if this frustration sometimes gets portrayed as rudeness. The fact is that we would be directly disobeying the company if we overrode policy, which would in turn get us into trouble.

One final point: when a sales assistant appears snobby, please remember that he/she earns a modest wage and continues working for the company because they enjoy it. I have never met a fellow SA who thinks they are above our customers. Many people do not believe it, but working in retail can be hard, demanding and tiring, just like any other people-facing profession. As sales assistants, we simply cannot do anything about the returns policy, what comes in our deliveries or final decisions from management.

I really hope that some of you will give our stores another go with fresh eyes, and receive what I consider some of the best customer service on the highstreet.

hmmm. i will think thrice before i shop there again.

Another here who went into battle with LK Bennett and hasn't been back.

Bought some boots a few winters ago for about £150. After two wears the heel came off. Salesperson I saw said I must've "done something" to the boots (er ... yes I wore them) and refused exchange or refund. I stood my ground and made a bit of a scene and eventually got an exchange. New boots lasted five wears. Went back to the store, same salesperson said it was "obvious" I didn't know how to wear boots!!

I don't run marathons in my work wear, I walk to the bus stop in the mornings and sometimes walk up the odd flight of stairs. That's it. Besides, I'm in my 30s and pretty much know by now how to wear footwear and don't tend to have problems. Was very cross, wrote some angry letters and got a shitty fob off in return.

No more LK Bennett for me. Ever, ever, ever.

Sorry marble but your post would put me right off going in. Why would I want to buy from a company who fails to meet basic consumer law (eg items fit for purpose as per Sale of Goods Act) and cites "company policy" as a reason to do so?

It really doesn't matter how lovely, or well trained at applying policy the assistants and store managers are if customers with faulty goods cannot get refunds and are badly treated when they try to. I know some people are foul to retail staff and there is no excuse for that, but neither is there one for shoddy customer service of the kind demonstrated on this thread.

I have had ok experiences at LK Bennett, but just reading your post marble made me never want to step in a store again. The "computer says no" attitude is just so unappealing.

K8Middleton Hear, hear!
I wouldn't shop with a company that thinks it's above the law!

Wow, just read marble's post. So you are actually TOLD to flout consumer laws?? No wonder everyone's getting such crappy service. That is appalling!

Somewhere, a PR for LK Bennett is busy swigging cocktails and having a lovey time, blissfully ignorant of the utter shit storm that is going to unfold when the S&B regs wake up and that post goes viral.

Well I for one hope it does.

I keep logging on just to see if it's still there. And it is!

Marble has been on the blue nun tonight.

I particularly like-

One final point: when a sales assistant appears snobby, please remember that he/she earns a modest wage

*As sales assistants, we simply cannot do anything about the returns policy, what comes in our deliveries or final decisions from management.

I really hope that some of you will give our stores another go with fresh eyes, and receive what I consider some of the best customer service on the highstreet.*

I had a LK Bennett bag which unravelled at the seam. I had a full refund to my credit card with no problem. The price of the bag and the quality of the stitching put me off buying any other items, but I had no problem with the service. (JL concession though)

I never ever buy directly from LkB because of their appalling customer service. Always from John Lewis. Having said that I will never ever buy boots by LkB again. I bought some last winter, and for £345, I repaired the heels about 5 times in 6 months. I bought Aquatalia boots from R&B at the same time, for about the same price, have worn them just as often and they still look new. LkB have had some nice shoes this year but not even tempted!

Oh they are just the worst ever. The shit CS, the upselling of hideous accessories, the snooty assistants (who are apparently absolved by their salary). And marble I think the number of respondents to this thread proves the existence of rude sales assistants goes beyond anecdotal evidence.

Chottie - that's the point though, you bought via JL.

I've got some LKB Shilohs - god, the biggest waste of money every - they are so uncomfortable - the cheapy m&s versions are way better.

Zombie thread.... And I have never been back to lkbennett after they refused to replace my shoes which split as per post above.

Why so many LKB employees showing up to defend the company's rep? How embarrassing, you're sales assistants...LKB really don't give a shite about you! In fact they give you awful policies knowing customers will get pissed off, pay you a pitiful wage and expect you to take the flack.

Not one of those employee posts (including the ones pretending not to be (love them!)) has done the company any favours, it's looks hideously amateur and actually addresses fuck all. Pointless and embarrassing.

I must say I'm a bit confused about the reaction to marbled post, it was just another cringey SA post, she hasn't actually said anything other than they have to uphold policy...nothing about what the actual policies are so no idea why there'd be a 'shitstorm' off the back of that post or why on earth it would go viral :/

Sorry but what's a zombie thread? Does it mean it keeps getting resurrected?