MADAM, The experience of shopping in Hereford is a dismal one!
This is not to do with the range of shops or goods, but the service, or lack of it. Last Saturday, my wife and I visited a number of shops, looking for shoes, clothes, furniture and other items.
In most cases we had to approach the shop assistant. There was no attempt to greet-and-meet, or to enquire as to what we were interested in buying. In one shop, I tried on two pairs of shoes which the young girl assistant brought to me without her ever saying a word.
The notion of actively serving customers seems to have disappeared. So, what distinguishes one shop from another? What will encourage a customer go back?
On a recent visit to the USA, the experience could not be more different. If you work in a shop, cafe or restaurant, you are expected to deal actively with customers, make them feel welcomed and valued. Selling is a skill, and this skill seems to be lacking in Hereford shops.
As we take such initiatives as the "Herefordshire link with the USA" - and "City of Crafts" - is there a need to encourage local businesses to smarten up on the way all people are dealt with on a one-to-one basis.
Bob Chance,
Copper Beeches Close,
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