What happened to customer service at Nordstrom?

 

The customer service at Nordstrom used to be amazing. They were the gold standard. What happened?!

A few days ago, I was doing some shopping for a client. One of my stops was Nordstrom Walnut Creek. I stopped in the shoe section on my way to dresses to buy a pair of shoes I have been drooling over. I waited, shoe in hand for 20 minutes, right next to the register and stock room, watching employee after employee and no one helped me. Strike one.

I put several items on hold for my client and returned the next day for her to try them. When I went to the register where I’d placed them on hold, I kid you not, the woman looked at me and said, “You have items on hold…here.” I am 5’9″ and a size 18. I understand her confusion but her behavior was unprofessional and her obvious disdain, unnecessary. My client, who was with me, is a size 0. Her mouth dropped at the woman’s behavior. Strike two.

We decided on a stunning, floor length, ball skirt. The event is during the day, so I asked for a basic, white, fitted tee in an XS to make the look a little less dressy. The salesperson found exactly what I wanted with no problem. I thought the situation was improving. The look was amazing, all we needed was a statement necklace. Since the skirt didn’t come in a 0, the seamstress came to pin the skirt for alterations while I trotted off to grab a couple of BaubleBar necklaces to try. When I returned to the fitting room, I hear two women laughing and making rude comments about my client. I turn the corner to find the saleswoman who was helping us and the seamstress. Strike three. We’re outta there!

We headed to Neiman Marcus where were treated with the highest standard of customer service. The staff didn’t blink and offered me a fitting room as I held size 0 dresses up to my size 18 frame (my client and I are the same height so I used myself as an easy reference for length). My client spent the money she would have spent at Nordstrom on a fantastic pair of Christian Louboutin shoes for her new Elie Tahari dress, both from Neiman’s. We have a winner!