Customer Service

So, Hub and I are in the market for some new carpet for our spare bedrooms. Well, maybe our master bedroom as well, however, I am fine with the flooring we have in their (laminate, wood-looking floor) but he thinks carpet would be "cozier." Another argument for another day, I suppose. Ok, back to looking for carpet for the spare bedrooms. We want something that looks nice, will last until we move out of the house, fairly durable and isn't going to break up the bank. Sounds pretty standard.

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A couple of weeks ago, we visited Lowe's just to get an idea of what we are looking for and about what it would cost. We wondered around aimlessly for a bit and then kind of honed in on some samples we liked. We walked over to the flooring desk where a Lowe's associate was sitting and asked if he would come help us. Now, let me just say, when I go out shopping for something: I. Can't. Stand. Sales People. I know they have a job to do and in some most cases, they are making a commission. I understand that. I just don't like pushy people. So it was completely fine by me that he had given us our space and time to wonder around without him right in our ear babbling about prices and pile (which I still don't really know what this is) and whatnot. We got our information, wrote down some numbers and walked out.

Image (not our living room, just something to allude to carpet shopping)

Hub tells me the other day that he heard a radio ad for Carpet Liquidators. Ok, sure, let's go peek and compare some prices. We walk into Carpet Liquidators and are overwhelmed a bit by the warehouse-feel, rolls and rolls of carpet, hardwood and tile floor samples, etc. Well immediately we wonder over to what appears to be the "clearance" wall with many hideous  interesting colors and patterns and an associate comes over to ask what we are looking for. He had this "hum-drum" tone, I asked how he was and he replied, "Living the dream." Obviously I enjoy my fair share of sarcasm even if it is from people I don't know but then his attitude the whole time was pretty lackadaisical and unenthusiastic. We looked at some different carpet, got a feel for the prices in what we were looking for and he cut off a couple of pieces for us to take home.

Which do you like? Left or right?

We got back to his desk so he could write some information on them and I said, "Why would we buy our carpet here and not at Lowe's?"

"Well, price difference," he replied, "And customer service." 

I made sure I heard him right and kind of laughed to myself. He also went on to say how quick they are at getting out to your house, etc. We finished getting a quote, thanked him and left.

Hub looked at me and said,"Was he serious? Customer service?"

I started laughing and said, "Yeah, that was pretty funny to me too."

I guess customer service, similar to beauty, is "in the eye of the beholder." I could see things I liked at both venues, it was just interesting to have put into perspective what one looks for in sales and customer service. Obviously the guy at Carpet Liquidators thought his style was superior to, say, a Lowe's sales person however, I'm sure there are plenty out there who appreciate the semi-professional and mainstream atmosphere for Lowe's. What do you look for in a sales-person? What bothers you about sales-people? Do you prefer carpet or not in your master-bedroom? (Humor me so I can pass it on to Hubs!)