After the ru at Kassia's Onewish1, Michele625 and I decided to take a different route home so we could stop at Logee's(hearing such good things about it and knowing last year's ru was there).
When we walked in sales associate informed us they close in 1/2 hr. Ok, we said and started our very fast tour of the place. Squeezing down the aisles and fending off tendrils of plants we made it thru the long house. Before we turn the corner the sales associate informs us they close in 20 mins. Ok we said, and under our breath-I think we know how to tell time! We get back to the front and once again informed about the time, ok ok we get it. Having a bad day are we?? sheesh. Another lady had come rushing in at 10 of and she was also informed of the closing time, she's like "I know I drove all the way up from NYC, where are your begonias?" Obviously this did not impress the associate.
Well Allison decided to mention that we were from Jersey and are coming from a Dave's Garden RU figuring that would lighten the mood up a little but it was totally shrugged off. Hmmm Well as soon as we walked out the door she closes it behind us and flips the closed sign, my goodness, good thing my butt wasn't bigger because the door def would have hit it.
I was going to post this on watch dog but reading the instructions I figured Allison's post was good enough for all of us, but wanted anyone within driving range to just be aware.
logee's
Send them this...
Rule #1. If we don't take care of our customers, somebody else will.
A Customer.
A Customer is the most important visitor on our premises.
He/she is not dependent upon us-- we are dependent upon him/her.
He/she is not an outsider in our business----he/she is part of it.
We are not doing him/her a favour by serving him/her---
He/she is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to do so
Thirty years ago when my DW and I were newlyweds we went to a 'Finast' supermarket in NYC. This being our first shopping trip after the honeymoon we needed 'everything', even a spatula and a can opener. After loading up the cart with about $200 (it was a lot back then), worth of groceries and still with a few more isles to go the manager came up and told us we had 10 min left before the store closed. My DW looked at me in disbelief. I left the cart right there and walked out of the store, only to have the store manager run after us a block away yelling to us at the top of his voice that we could finish shopping. - I told him "That's quite alright... you close in 10 min". I never walked into that store again.
BTW: We ate Pizza with Sausage & Peppers that night,
- it was very good. ☺
Sorry to hear that, Jen. I told Allison I thought you guys should call the owner. Great story, WC!
That's terrible Jen. I would complain to management about her. Did you get her name?
Good for you WC!!
Jen, that's sad! they got tons of business from us last year... I spent almost $100.00 ! good, so I will not do business with them anymore... if they are silly enough not to know what DG means... they don't need us making special turns to stop at their place!
Last year, I was all excited about visiting North Creek Farm in ME. Made a special trip there, just to come in an not even been greated by the onwer... and this is someone I have talked to many times on the phone before... I got several roses from her, and actually went there to get a rose for Jan (the onwer had to replace a rose she sold Jan - that died!) so she knew I was coming and I spoke with her before I left. When I arrived there she was in the kitchen which was the room next door... and had a half door between the rooms... she never came out even to say Hi... I was not expecting anything but to see her so I could have ask for her autograph in her book I was going to get... well, needless to say I never got roses from her anymore and did not get her book... it was sad because I was under the impression that she was a real nice rose person... she is the first rose person that is not a nice one I have met so far!!!!
I agree... customer service is really key... and DG people have a big mouth... and we enable our friends... so we are the best advertising this vendors can ever get!
Unfortunately I didn't get a name...she wasn't wearing a name tag, she was the only 1 there though, so they should know who it is. Yeah, I'll be sending them a letter.
If she is someone that has worked there for awhile she should know that gardener's spend a ton of $, don't piss off the customers!
Having been in retail mgmt for over 15 yrs, I know rude when I see it, and she was downright rude!
you are not kidding... I was actually shocked over the whole thing
There is a real ripoff, snooty nursery around here. I once asked about a possible end of season sale and was told by an incredibly arrogant woman, practically looking down her nose, 'We don't do sales.' I replied, 'Oh, excuse me. Well you'll never have to worry about selling me anything, anytime.'
Good for you Victor! Not even the wealthiest, most powerful person in the world should be arrogant. That's a vice I just can't tolerate.
I only live an hour or so away and have never been; now I won’t bother. I like the smaller places better anyway. Last year when my favorite little gh was closing for the season I went in for the ½ off mulch bags. He closes early, mid July, very small really nice family run place. I bought the rest of his bagged mulch and asked for a price on a 5’ burg and he said for you 10 bucks, along with that he said take some roses if you want them. Yeah I’m a good customer and spent lots of bucks there but still he made me feel special. Oh yes, my car was fill to the brim and it's an SVU.
It's so nice when you have a connection with people like that. Makes all the difference. I agree, Harper.
I might have the be all and end all retail experience to share involving a box of wine. I had purchased said box of wine in the beginning of the week and stuck it in my refrigerator. At the end of the week I attempted to pour a glass of wine from the box and nothing came out. I was a bit peeved at the whole situation and took the empty box back to the liquor store. The manager gave me a very hard time about it and refused to make good on it because I did not have the receipt, but to add insult to injury he insinuated that I had consumed all the wine and was looking for a freebie. I went home and found all the wine had leaked into the produce drawer at the bottom of the refrigerator. Dug through my pocketbook and found the receipt. I dumped the wine into a bucket, put the receipt into a ziploc and floated it on top of the wine in the bucket. Took the whole bucket with floating receipt back to the liquor store and with a few expletives told the guy that I would never shop there again. I left the bucket on the counter (with a couple of cucumbers that had also been in the drawer) The look on his face as I left was worth millions to me. I do occasioally shop there now, but I did not for a decade. That manager is no longer there. Being in retail myself, there is a very simple rule. If you have no customers, you have no paycheck.
Sounds wonderful Donna. It's always nice to hear about people doing good.
cross posted - Weeze, that story does win all. I love what you did about it!!!
This message was edited Jun 30, 2008 10:32 PM
YOU ARE A JERSEY GIRL.... I am soooo proud of you!!!!!... you brought a tear to my eye
:)
Yeah! Same here from another Jersey Girl!
Oh my gosh, I can't stop laughing!! That is just too funny.
Hey Weeze, Missed you on Saturday.
Yeah, I thought you were coming.
LOL, Allison...sometimes we just gotta stand up! To this day the bucket of wine makes me smile :)
I really wanted to go, but I had just returned from a mini vacation in North Carolina and couldn't take the additional time off from work. But I think we should all put our knoggins together and come up with a little RU in the south of the northeast. Sounds like an oxymoron. I really want to meet everyone in "real time" It's such a great bunch of people!! If we did something in NY, maybe we could coax Victor out too.
Good idea!
The experience w/ Logee's sounds very similar to my experience w/ Mahoney's Rocky Ledge in Winchester, MA. I fell on the slippery floor- several employees saw this and did not help me. I almost got hit w/ a hose; a worker was watering the plants, saw me, and continued spraying the hose in my path, assuming I'd move, which I did. I asked for help on prices several times to no avail. I couldn't find anyone who was willing to work the cash register- they were to concerned as to who was "on break" and who was "covering" to give me prompt service.
I guess they don't need my business!!! They are WAY overpriced to boot.
There is a nursery that is about an hour or so drive from me...so, with my driving, in reality it's probably closer to an hour and a half, or two hours...that specializes in all things perennials. Matter of fact, that is part of the nurseries name, Gibb's Perennials. I'm not bad mouthing the company. The original owner, it was a hobby that grew into a business, passed away a few years ago, and her family has taken the business over. Anyhow, you all know that I am a hosta and daylily nut. I drove up there, and there were 2 teen age kids that were working there. I had previously called and asked if they had specific DL's and hosta in stock, and was informed by a very nice woman, "I'll check...Yep, have them, I'm looking right at them." This is why I made the trip up there. I asked one of the kids where such and such a hosta was, and he looked at me like I had 8 heads. I decided to skip specifics, and asked where the small to medium sized hosta were at, again, looked at me like I had 8 heads. Then he flips his hand, and goes, "All of the hosta are over there." I was like, ok..."Are they in Alphabetical order?"...again, looked at like I had 8 heads. This particular nursery had over 45 varieties of hosta, in 4-5" pots...and had several of each...sometimes 10 or more...not in alphabetical order. Long story short...couldn't find what I was looking for, I was getting more and more frustrated, then he tells me what their hours are/were. I was like, "what the heck?" Needless to say, I left there with nothing.
Sounds sort of like the Logee's experience. I definitely will not be driving up to this particular nursery any time soon.
Great story, Weeze!
Good stories everyone! I have an extensive background in retail and there really is no excuse for some of the rudeness that was experienced. I can tell you though, that there are establishments (not necessarily nurseries and greenhouses) who have very specific insurance policies and must adhere to those specifics. A gift shop where I once worked was in a mall and the mall dictated the hours. We would be fined for opening earlier and staying open later - thus we would have to announce to late customers when we would be closing the door. But we did it nicely. If the manager or owner was there, they could opt to stay with a customer. Another place I worked had a security system that was time specific and EVERYONE had to be out and the alarm set, otherwise the police were notified (after the security co. calling to see if there was a problem). However, all this can be avoided if the staff is nice and tries to accommodate within the boundaries as best they can.