Looks like one Down Under boutique could use some serious etiquette pointers. Last week I read about Gasp, an Australian clothing shop which is making international headlines because of its appalling customer service—which they seem to be proud of!
It all started when a customer wrote the store to complain that she and her friends had been confronted by an overly pushy salesperson, who later made a derogative comment about her weight. The woman had worked in retail for many years and felt it important to share her bad experience with the store’s management team. Surely she did not expect the response she got.
Rather than apologize for the salesperson’s behavior, the area manager defended him and called him a “superstar.” The manager then went on to tell the woman that she and her friends “were a joke the minute you walked in.” He explained that the boutique caters to a more fashion-forward, envelope-pushing crowd, and that it was important to weed out those who didn’t appreciate the value of their unconventional designs.
The entire exchange has since made the Internet rounds, and the manager has since claimed that the hoopla over his snotty response has been great for business. I doubt that. I have no plans to visit Australia, but I would never support a business that takes such an insulting and negative attitude towards its customers. I wonder how long it will be before that manager finds himself without a job.
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