Sue

Feb 4, 2023

Lack of customer service in Chatham

I live in Chatham Ontario. We have two home hardware stores. The newest store being just up the street from my home on grand ave. This became our number one hardware store which we have spent a lot of money at. Staff are friendly store is bright organized and clean. Now this is where as a customer I am extremely upset. I stopped into the store on keil st I was looking for individual k-cups ( I once bought them at a store in Guelph) I was told they only sell boxes of them.I found them seen that all the different kinds where 24 to a box and ALL were priced at $17.50. I decided to go to the Grand Ave store on my way home and buy them. I walked in was greeted politely the display is located right at the cash. When I looked their pricing was 19.99 for the same box that was 17.50 just a few miles away! Not to mention the other kinds all varied in price. I mentioned it to the young lady at the cash she nicely told to go over to the customer service counter and they would help me. I went over and seen Paul a man that has helped me a few times before with finding things. I explained to him about the pricing discrepancy and asked why. He went on the computer to check. Here is another strange thing on the computer they only show boxes of 12.. strange as both stores only sell boxes of 24 but that’s not my issue. He basically told me they weren’t in the computer tried to explain that maybe the other store got them from a different supplier. The difference was 2.49 all I wanted was for him to honour the lower price. I even asked him if he wanted me to call the other store. Nope to Paul the computer was the one that would dictate the price. In all honesty I really don’t care about 2.49 it’s the principle of the matter. Two home hardware stores in a small town with completely different prices. I chose to give my business to the Grand Ave store that day. Two days later I went to the Keil store just to prove I was correct and took a picture. Went back to see Paul politely showed him the picture with the price. Told him I didn’t care about the money it was the fact he didn’t believe me, showed no interest in customer service . The only thing he said was”I am sorry” Well Paul you just lost a customer and if you continue to treat customers that way there will be more. As I said “word of mouth goes along way.” This is something I have never done before. I have never been treated that way in a store before. In this day and age with inflation skyrocketing and consumers watching their money your store can not afford to lose customers over $2.49. Very Sad.