Friday, July 13, 2007

How I Feel About Dillard's

A tiny blurb in the Construction Permit section of the local paper says that http://www.dillards.com/index.html is doing 15M in repairs on the hurricane damaged store here. Great.

Dillard's is an o.k. department store. It carries a few nicer brands that we are unable to get down here, pre- or post-hurricane. To find Cole-Haan, Eileen Fisher or a big cosmetics counter, I went to Dillards.

I'm angry with Dillard's. It's been almost two years since Katrina. The big store was damaged. Do you think that Dillard's had the marketing sense to contact it's Gulf Coast customers? Nope. Nada. Why haven't they attempted to keep our loyalty or interest? Did they send updates on their rebuilding progress? No way.

We Gulf Coast customers are nothing to Dillard's. Otherwise, the store would have reached out to us with coupons to use in Mobile, Jackson, etc. or contacted us about SOMETHING.

On the way to Atlanta, I stopped at the Oxford, Al. Quintard Mall Dillard's. This was early in the day on Monday. A good saleswoman helped me in the Eileen Fisher section. Later, I stopped at another Dillard's, right off 1-20 or 1-85 (can't recall), and wandered through the shoe department. No one spoke to me the entire time I shopped.

When the 15M Dillard's opens, I'll think long and hard about shopping there.

St. Casserole

P.S. Perhaps this dept. store rant has no place on a wildly serious blog like mine, but SOMEBODY should tell Dillard's that they are careless with customer loyalty. So, I just did.

8 comments:

Cathy said...

and stores wonder why they lose customers.

I am amazed at the times I go into a store and NO ONE asks if they can help me. They don't even greet me. I would like to hear a response from the headquarters on this!

PPB said...

I think you should write them this letter. At least you could say you tried.

And I agree, Dillards is sort of a southern institution. They should try to keep their base.

Jody Harrington said...

It's a pretty common experience in many major department stores these days, though. Most aren't training or emphasizing good customer service with their employees.

Big exception: Nordstrom's. They manage to be attentive and helpful without being annoying. Sorry they don't have a store near you.

SEAWITCH said...

I found out about Dillard's plans to rebuild in December of 2005. How? By asking a sells lady at McRae's/Belk's!

I never liked Dillard's. The people at Belk's are always helpful. The reason I asked about Dillard's was because I was curious.

Princess of Everything (and then some) said...

And I think you did a very good job of telling them.

1-4 Grace said...

Belk has kept me as a customer b/c they still sned me sales papers here and anytiem i am in my sate of birth, I go to get a Belk fix. I wore my cool shoes to see my therapsit. I bought them at Belk for $6...they were clearnce, 50%, plus extra 30%, plus half price b/c I got two pair that day.
They are Dr. Schols, slip on sneakers with pink and grey stripes and they are so comfty.
Dillards owes you an apology and needs to seek you out as a customer.
Belk kept me, i even look at sale paper and if there is soemthing I relaly want, I call my folks and they go on Tuesday for the senior discount.
I buy wedding gifts from their 50% off table and get nice stuff.
And they do speak to me. That is jsut rude that they didnt say anything.
Cass, you are my kinda travel buddy...stop at the stores. I jsut have to do thrift stores for fun too!

Anonymous said...

QG is right - my money is at Nordstrom's - I think they are the most consistent with helpful, cheerful and honest salespeople (and great with catalog/website shopping and returns) - just very recently got a Belk's - had never heard of it before so now I need to go check it out -

St. Inuksuk said...

Only wish I could afford Eileen Fischer. Tried on a lovely black knit dress at Nordstrom's around Chicago - Ohhhh, it felt so lovely and comfortable. But $268.00 for a black knit dress? Yikes!
I got a better deal at Talbot's Outlet store - $8.25 for a pair of jeans, $9.52 for a cotton skirt, and $15.76 for a summer sweater.