I need a desk and a chair for my home office!
So…what have I done about it?
Nothing.
Like a dragonfly darting after a mosquito on a bright summer day, I’ve been chasing planes as I’ve been criss-crossing the continent on business and holiday over the past month or so. Now that I’m back on the ground, though, it’s time to get down to brass tacks.
I’m no stranger to home renovation. I guess you could say that I’ve done my homework when it comes on sourcing furniture stores in Vancouver…and…it hasn’t been the easiest task.
Before I get to the heart of this thing, allow me a second to put the Vancouver housing/condo market into context (for those of you who aren’t familiar with the ‘scene’) along with a smattering of Economics 101:
- There is a boat load of residential properties in Vancouver (particularly in the downtown business core – condo central)
- Vancouver is host to the Olympics in 2010 (read: demand is high)
- There are a lot of furniture stores in Vancouver (read: supply is high)
- The Vancouver market is one of the most expensive and fastest growing in North America (and perhaps the entire planet) with some of the newer properties retailing for $700 per square foot!
- There still are a lot of furniture stores in Vancouver (read: supply wants a piece of that demand…so would I!)
- Product quality and customer service experiences at furniture stores in Vancouver can range from a Holiday Inn lounge act in rural Minnesota to the London Philharmonic Orchestra in New York City
So, there’s your frame of reference. Put simply, you’re likely to experience a few misses before you have a hit.
Now, let me hog-tie my latest ‘swing-and-a-miss’ experience at eq3 Vancouver and explain why you need to know about it. What I’m not going to do, though, is go into the whole eq3 Palliser Furniture connection…I’ll let them do that here.
I’m generally happy with eq3 Vancouver and their selection, store layout, and accessibility (Granville Street and Yaletown locations are both close to me). But, when I finally got some time to meander down to their store this past weekend, not only did I not find what I needed (or find someone who could help point me in the right direction), I experienced something that totally turned me (and my credit card) off.
What’s that, you ask? Here’s what I overheard whilst waiting for one (or three) of the staff members to try and source my desk and chair from their inventory (which I thought would be a fairly simple task…umm…no).
Other customer: Excuse me miss…
Miss: (frantically trying to search for my items on her computer, catalog, warehouse phone, stapler)…Yes?
Other customer: (smiling pleasantly) My wife and I just were curious as to what eq3 actually stands for?
Miss: (flustered from what should be a fairly simple task)…I don’t know.
Other customer: (deer in headlights look) You don’t know?
Miss: (in a tone that made me want to say something to her in the same vain that my mother used to scold me for not eating my peas at dinner)…No, I don’t know.
Other customer: (in a state of shock and probably disgust…no longer smiling)…Umm…ok.
Miss: (continues to bash and thrash at her catalog, computer, other staff members only to give me an answer that didn’t suit me or my time frame)…We don’t have it here. You’ll have to go to our other store.
Other customer: (leaves the store…potentially never to return…and they actually did look like they were there to buy)
Me: (having already been to the other store and not getting any help there and after witnessing this train wreck unfolding with the other customer) …That doesn’t work for me. Thanks. (we leave)
Now, don’t get me wrong, I could have gone BACK to the other store and tried to find more help AGAIN, but to be honest, why should I? It would be a huge pain in the a$$.
Plus, I believe that the way staff treat their customers (or potential ‘other customers’…witness the exchange above) is a huge part of the sale and the engagement of the hearts and minds of their audience (the consumer!).
What’s scary is that this encounter reminded me of another exploding grenade customer service experience that I jumped on earlier this year.
If you stop and think about it, how hard would it have been for the eq3 Vancouver staff member to actually know a little about eq3 itself? It’s interesting information to the consumer (who could potentially do some free advertising for them after she/he leaves the store by passing it along to others who are curious) and shows some level of interest on their part, at least. Hey…I want to know what eq3 means now!
Seth Godin actually made a really good point the other day about how he’s witnessed a disconnect between staff and management in some instances and how it can impact a business. After seeing what I saw at eq3, I felt like the chicken from the slaughterhouse in the Bronx that he makes mention of in his story…yeah, not very comfortable.
So you see, customer service experience led me (and the other customer) away from a sale and toward the door. I doubt I’ll be back soon as I think a certain level of professionalism should be maintained when you’re dealing with big ticket purchases.
I know this guy felt the same way about eq3 Vancouver as I do now, unfortunately he was led all the way down the garden path…to a swamp.
Choose wisely…and if you happen to bump into any nice desks or chairs out there, I’m all ears!
T&D Rating: 3 desks (out of 5)
I am terribly sorry you were witness to the exchange you wrote about in your blog, and I’m also sorry that we did not have items in stock for you at the time of your visit. EQ3 is a growing company, and one area where our growth directly affects the consumer is that our Vancouver stores are now under corporate ownership (as opposed to being a franchise as was the case prior to Nov.1, 2007). Our aim is to give all customers an enjoyable shopping experience. We hope the next time you are searching for furniture or accessories you will give us another try!
Veenu Sandhu
Manager
EQ3 Granville
thanks for sharing
i love the selection at EQ3. i think that the furniture is great and the prices are affordable.
my husband and i went in to the Yaletown location a month ago and loved a rug that wasn’t in stock but was ordered for us. Initially i thought that the service was great and, even though i was disappointed that i had to wait a month for my rug, i left happy.
HOWEVER, when the month passed, we called the store and asked if the shipment was in. i was assured that the carpet was in but that i could only pick it up between 12 - 4 monday thru friday. not only that, but i was told that i should call an hour before i was going to pick up the item so that they could get it ready for me.
i was really put off.
i have a job and those are impossible stipulations to follow through on. after a couple of days i called the store and told them that i would be there when i was off work (6pm). the representative didn’t comment, but i felt as though i was impeding them.
ridiculous.
i went tonight to pick up my rug. when i got so the store, i walked past two people smoking cigarettes. i walked aroung the store for 15 mins. looking for an employee to help me but there was no one around. finally, i realised that the smokers were the employees so i ‘interrupted’ them to go and get me my rug.
what a gong show.
my husband and i have been looking for a couch - but you’d better believe that we will not be returning.
i am curious to see what the manager will say to this.
I am a former employee and I can tell you what it means.
EQ stands for emotional quotient (like IQ). 3 is for community. (1 is single, 2 is a couple, so 3 is a community). Together they celebrate the idea of good living for all. That’s a pretty basic summary.
I certainly would not treat customers like what you witnessed at that store. I find that today’s culture and society in general has lost some of the politeness and graciousness that our previous generations exemplified. I’ve seen this kind of carelessness at my local EQ3 store, as well as other retailers. It doesn’t stop me from visiting because I hope that the few unhelpful, unknowledgeable staff get replaced.
It’s a shame that you were turned off because EQ3 has nice stuff. My whole house is furnished by EQ3 and I even look forward to giving them away as hand-me-downs when I’m ready to buy new pieces from EQ3 as I move forward with my career and in life. There aren’t any other furniture retailers in my city that offer the same modern style without a $10,000 price tag.
thanks, rob.
not even the manager of eq3 replied back (even though she posted) about what eq3 meant.
nice to see that some people pay attention to detail!
i don’t think anonymous one will ever go back; i might.
To clear up any confusion, I did not respond to Anonymous One’s e-mail as it did not concern my store. I manage the Granville location, not the Yaletown one and therefore cannot speak to the daily operations at that store.
I’m still wating for my rug which was suppoed have gotten here days ago and the wharehouse is not calling me back after two messages. I think Im calling the store and getting a refund. I will send their head office a long email. I bought this rug from the Granville Street store and their service was actually great. This EQ3 business is ludicrous. They are not going to make it.