Frump to Fab 2018 - Fabulous Dahhhhlings

maman

More interesting conversation today.:)


I'm another who isn't satisfied with the hair I was dished out! Is anyone??;) Mine is fine and flyaway and has no body. It looks better straight but is too 'kinky' and not heavy enough to lie smooth unless I blow dry it. I'd love 'wash and go' hair.:(


But I am fortunate that it's not gone grey, responds well to highlights and I have a great hairdresser even if she is expensive.:D


All I'd say about young girls is that it's never too soon to start good habits. It could be luck of the draw but the fact that I've cleansed and moisturised my skin daily since I was 14 that has kept it in fairly good condition. I often see much younger women than me looking very wrinkly. From about that age I always hated the feeling of soap on my face so I've used a cleanser and followed it up with cream.


My trusty Skechers are starting to look a bit worn so I went looking for another pair today. I think I'm going to try the trainer type ones. I went to the Skecher shop but was unhappy with the service. A young woman asked if she could help, brought me the shoes I asked for then dumped them with me and walked off. A young man dealing with a woman next to me noticed I was looking (deliberately) a bit puzzled and asked if he could help. He brought me another pair but then the woman he was serving looked puzzled that he'd left her. When I left saying I needed to think about it I told him that I was disappointed with the customer service with the woman walking off and he said 'that's he way we do things here' :eek: and that she'd asked him to look after me (which I think was a lie). What a pity she didn't see fit to tell me!:mad: I've bought my previous pairs of Skechers online and I think I'll be doing the same this time. They may not be in your class money, but they're not cheap so I expect better customer service.


I did buy more knickers from Victoria's Secret. Good service in there.:)


I've got a massage booked for Friday. Another Groupon treat.:)

humptydumptybits

I had beautiful auburn hair, fine but loads of it. I hated it!


Aren't the young stupid.

seven-day-weekend

I too have fine hair, but it is reasonably thick, and since I changed my hairdresser it is now halfway down my back. I have it died a colour as near to my 'natural' as possible (a mid to dark brown) and have done since my 40s.

I know they say women my age shouldn't have either long hair, nor dark hair, but I think both suit me.

I have not worn make-up since I was a teenager and have always moisturised. Because my skin is dry I do not use soap, usually just water. I do not have many wrinkles for my age and I think it is because I moisturise and have not smoked for over thirty years.

My one main problem as some of you know, is my weight, which I have struggled with since my forties. However I have lost just over three stone, and hope to lose more.

moneyistooshorttomention

I changed my way a few years back now in shoe shops - having realised shop assistants tend to "just walk off" these days.

So I now scout round the shop, pick out all the possible shoes etc I wish to try on at once and then grab an assistant that looks free and request them all in both possible sizes (ie "I'll have these in both size 5 and size 5.5 please") and then they have to get everything I might require at once.

If I see "my" assistant serving someone else and I've spotted another pair subsequently I wish to try - then they're still serving me as far as I'm concerned and I smile but hold out that shoe at them as well and ask for my two possible sizes in it.

I never "counted heads" back in the day as to how many shop assistants are normally on duty in shoe shops - but I suspect many shops aren't employing as many these days and therefore one assistant is trying to serve two customers at once.

So I guess I'm doing "smile confidently" rather than "look puzzled". It's not their fault if the shop isn't employing enough of them to go round. I tend to think it might help pressurise the shop into employing a normal number of assistants if "my" assistant is there for minutes at a time in the storeroom looking out my 2 sizes-a-go of half a dozen pairs of footwear. While they're in the storeroom - they can't be serving another customer as well as me.

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies

And another beautiful sunny day. I've been up since the crack of dawn and already I feel like I have done a days work. I'll be half dead by 3pm. I shouldn't have watched that sleep programme last night. :rotfl:

Retail.....yes I know I have little rants from time to time but Never about the shop assistants. It's not their fault if they "walk off". They have too much to do, they can't be at the beck and call of one customer, hanging around in the hope of a sale.

I love retail but it is not what it was. Now It's all about the bottom line and shareholders profits. Staff are not treated well, they are not trained properly, wages are shockingly low, and don't get me started on zero hour contracts.

My complaint about retail is usually about bad management practices, the lack of business acumen and vision, the shoddiness of clothing and goods, and the mind numbing monotony of our high streets.

I dont think shopwork has ever been a "cushy number' but most shops are now so woefully understaffed the poor shop workers lot is worse than it ever was.

Frustrating for shoppers of course but hell on earth for the shop assistant.

humptydumptybits

Money what happens if "your" assistant was already serving other customer before you came in? Does the assistant have an order she responds to people i.e. she got customer a some shoes, then you asked for some, then customer b comes in. You and customer a both want another pair to try so does customer a get them before you? Does customer b just have to wait. I can't quite work it out. I generally get my shoes at M&S or the Clark's Village and you just help yourself to what you want to try on, it is straightforward and then you just go to the till and pay for whatever you want. The only thing with the Clark's Village shoe shop is don't go at the end of August as it is manic with parents kitting children out for school and they do have fitters for the children so the queues can get very long so lots of people and queues at the till.


I generally know what suits me and can quickly find what I want so the system suits me.

silvasava

Humpty - I'm a 'shoeaholic' and love Clarks village. Have bought some lovely shoes and boots there. I've got narrow feet so often continental makes suit me better. In Italy the shoe supermarkets just pile up all the sizes of a particular shoe with one on the top - bit like Pavers and you just pull out your size, try it and if you want it go and pay for it. Hardly any staff cos if it's not there they hav'n't got it! Simples! TBH I usually know what I want and don't need anyone faffing round me

maman

Interesting about the shoe shops. I've thought about it a bit more since posting.

I thought back through shoes I've bought in the past year or so. Some online as I knew the brand and size. Others from places like TKMaxx so I just try on what they have and take them to the cash desk.

My Fitflops are from Shuropody, my heels from Jones the Bookmaker, others from Schuh or Office. All of these, the assistant stayed with me and just served me.

I think the difference with Skechers is that they have a different business model. It's probably good for sales but not for customer service IMO. They had plenty of assistants so that wasn't the issue. They seemed to be trained to approach customers while they're looking at displays, bring them the shoes and then scoot back to find more customers leaving a very few to 'help'. They are all equipped with radios too, probably to call to the stockroom for shoes so they're ready ASAP. I didn't enjoy the experience.:(

It's been a beautiful day here today. Had a brisk hour's walk this morning in glorious sunshine and beautiful smells and colours of autumn.

Went into the city centre this afternoon to change my phone. Went into H and M as they have a new range based on William Morris designs. I bought a longline navy and white shirt / dress and some culotte type blue trousers. Haven't tried them on yet, will report back.

Massage to look forward to tomorrow.

lessonlearned

Good morning lovely ladies.

I know it's early but I'm awake, lying in bed with an early morning cuppa. I do like being retired!! The whole day stretching out ahead, mine to do with exactly as I please, apart from acupuncture. I'll probably nip into Aldi, only need a mini shop this week, mainly fruit and veg.

Well I now have a study/workroom so I will be able to start some furniture renovating projects in there, probably next week. I've booked to have the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room knocked out next week. Wahoo. It's actually a silly half wall which doesn't really do anything, except form an obstacle course and block the flow of the room. Neither use nor ornament and bad feng shuey.

Also managed to get the tree surgeon booked for 16th November to remove those conifers. So knocking out the wall and chopping down trees will allow the light to flood into the back of the house. Now that will really be house fabbing.:j. Miss Haversham will be well and truly gone. :rotfl:

re the shop discussion. Maman I can understand what you mean about the Sketchers business model not being a particular pleasant customer experience even though it was efficient.

These are my thoughts. Whilst "self serve" shopping is obviously quicker, cheaper for the retailer and generally more efficient - when it works properly - there are times when I feel like I'm being "processed". Of course when it doesn't work properly then it's just downright frustrating and time consuming.

However, This feeling of "being processed" is something I have come to hate. I first really became aware of it in America when we went to Disney. In the likes of theme parks, airports, cruise ship embarkation etc it becomes a very efficient method of safe crowd control. But, increasingly, it's beginning to irritate me, especially when it comes to the shopping experience..

Self serve shopping works well enough for supermarkets, diy stores, clothing etc but sometimes you do need a shop assistants help or advice. I have to say I do loathe self service tills though. I do object to being treated like a robot!!!

And don't get me started on automated telephone systems.......:rotfl:

I know I sound like an old fashioned fuddy duddy at times but I just think that maybe life would be better if there was a bit more human interaction. Personal shopping should be fun or at least relatively enjoyable, not an endurance test.

Having said that I'm just about to be a hypocrite and go online to buy some electrical stuff I need. Saves me a trip to an out of town retail park, quicker, easier, no driving, no queuing. It will probably save me a couple of hours. I'll also stock up on xylitol rather than drag round the chemist or health food shop. I bulk buy it because it's cheaper that way.

I guess I just want the best of both worlds. .

Hoping we have another warm sunny day later. Yesterday was glorious.

humptydumptybits

lessonlearned wrote: »

Good morning lovely ladies.

I know it's early but I'm awake, lying in bed with an early morning cuppa. I do like being retired!! The whole day stretching out ahead, mine to do with exactly as I please, apart from acupuncture. I'll probably nip into Aldi, only need a mini shop this week, mainly fruit and veg.

Well I now have a study/workroom so I will be able to start some furniture renovating projects in there, probably next week. I've booked to have the dividing wall between the kitchen and dining room knocked out next week. Wahoo. It's actually a silly half wall which doesn't really do anything, except form an obstacle course and block the flow of the room. Neither use nor ornament and bad feng shuey.

Also managed to get the tree surgeon booked for 16th November to remove those conifers. So knocking out the wall and chopping down trees will allow the light to flood into the back of the house. Now that will really be house fabbing.:j. Miss Haversham will be well and truly gone. :rotfl:

re the shop discussion. Maman I can understand what you mean about the Sketchers business model not being a particular pleasant customer experience even though it was efficient.

These are my thoughts. Whilst "self serve" shopping is obviously quicker, cheaper for the retailer and generally more efficient - when it works properly - there are times when I feel like I'm being "processed". Of course when it doesn't work properly then it's just downright frustrating and time consuming.

However, This feeling of "being processed" is something I have come to hate. I first really became aware of it in America when we went to Disney. In the likes of theme parks, airports, cruise ship embarkation etc it becomes a very efficient method of safe crowd control. But, increasingly, it's beginning to irritate me, especially when it comes to the shopping experience..

Self serve shopping works well enough for supermarkets, diy stores, clothing etc but sometimes you do need a shop assistants help or advice. I have to say I do loathe self service tills though. I do object to being treated like a robot!!!

And don't get me started on automated telephone systems.......:rotfl:

I know I sound like an old fashioned fuddy duddy at times but I just think that maybe life would be better if there was a bit more human interaction. Personal shopping should be fun or at least relatively enjoyable, not an endurance test.

Having said that I'm just about to be a hypocrite and go online to buy some electrical stuff I need. Saves me a trip to an out of town retail park, quicker, easier, no driving, no queuing. It will probably save me a couple of hours. I'll also stock up on xylitol rather than drag round the chemist or health food shop. I bulk buy it because it's cheaper that way.

I guess I just want the best of both worlds. .

Hoping we have another warm sunny day later. Yesterday was glorious.

We are complete opposites when it comes to shopping. I am much happier mooching about doing my own thing, I hate helpful shop assistants hovering round, not their fault I know as it obviously depends on the shop, but I just like to be left to it. I do want people to be there if I need advice so if I go into B&Q and need some advice I hope there is someone who can help but I don't want advice about my shoes. I also love self service tills. For some reason I seem t attract people telling me their life stories. My husband finds it hilarious but sometimes I'm in a hurry or tired or just not feeling sociable so instead of having a friendly chat with the assistant I do my own thing at self service.


Shows you that it is hard for businesses to know what to do for the best as we are all so different.


At the end of the day I think we all want the best of both worlds we just don't always agree on what's best.