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The Kooples Saga - The Finale

Wednesday 19 March 2014
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The Kooples Hooded jersey biker jacket (runs slightly big) and  Boxe sweat pants

Perhaps you've read my previous spiel about The Kooples here? After sending an email, dialed their main customer service line 20 times rather unsuccessfully, asked a SA to send yet another email, and finally, what tipped me over - Mr C @BromptonCross aka "I'm the assistant manager. I'm just the store. I'm very busy."  I was ready to surrender. Hence, the rant via the blog to release some steam (with my keyboard taking the brunt of my anger).

Fortunately for me, help came by way of The Kooples' community manager via Twitter a couple of days later. She assigned a customer care manager to me who made things happened quicker than I can blink. I like that they didn't try to make excuses for the mistakes that had occurred nor the inadequacies of The Kooples returns process. They listened and worked to resolve the issue as efficiently as possible. I was offered a £100 store credit as a gesture of goodwill which was extremely generous of them. Furthermore, one of the two managers organized to have shipping refunded and the correct item all packed and ready to be shipped to me from Paris.

They acknowledged that The Kooples have an issue and are in the process of modifying their returns process over the next few months to make it easier for their customers. After dealing with mostly inept staff, to say that I was relieved to get some help was an understatement. Whilst the two ladies have been absolutely fabulous to deal with, I feel that the same can do attitude and efficiency should be the norm within the company, not the exception to the rule.

I'll be honest, shopping at The Kooples can be a bit like....... as Forrest Gump once said, opening a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get. Some days I walk into the store and there's only me yet it can be a rather comical process trying to get their attention. Meanwhile, they're all crowded around the counter gossiping or pretending I'm not there. Or perhaps I must've worn my invisible cloak. However, once in a while, the service is fantastic. Faultless.

I'm very pleased that they're listening to their customers. Finally.  However, there's a lot of work to be done especially their front line staff as well as their systems and processes (none of the staff I'd talked to at the various stores understood the website returns process nor how to get hold of their head office). What I'd love to see is the kind of service I'd received from the two ladies replicated throughout the company.


34 comments:

  1. So glad you got your issue resolved Marlene. It is amazing how bad CS can be in this day and age.x

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  2. It's good to hear that things were sorted out for you but yes good customer service should be the norm not the exception to the rule. It might be interesting to see what customer service is like if they were on commission. That might ramp things up a little.

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    1. Actually, that's an interesting point you've raised there, Sue. I wonder if they're on commission because that may make them hustle a little more. I must say the service at Maje or Sandro is generally better.

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  3. I have only ever ordered one thing, a pair of trainers from them and luckily they did fit so didn't need to return but hearing this story does make me think twice about ordering from them again. Out of interest how does their clothing sizing run and what size track pant's did you take? I do like the look of them but I am not sure what size I would be. Thanks.

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    1. With their blazers, I just take my usual size - 36. The pants run true to size. So I needed a S. As for the sweatshirt, this one's a little slouchy. I could easily go down a size but I prefer the oversized look.

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    2. Thanks for replying..this info is really helpful as I am seriously considering ordering the track pants. By the way I love reading your blog and always love your style and fashion picks and agree with all your readers that you always look great in your outfit posts. Sorry to be anonymous but I am a complete techno phobe and have no idea how to set up any of those accounts!! I will have to get my daughter to do it!! Thanks again.

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    3. My pleasure! Aww....thank you! I'm pleased to know that they're many just like me who prefer everyday practical wear. That includes track pants too. These ones are a little more dressy. I can see this being paired with a blazer. Bet no one will know you're wearing track pants.

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  4. Blimey - £100 and hand holding is amazing but I bet you're nervous about spending that JUST IN CASE it happens again! Boden and ASOS should run training courses on good customer service!

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    1. I was going to get the jersey biker hoodie but I had a feeling that I should just test the waters first. Anyway, I used the store credit to get it in the end and the transaction was smooth and fantastic.

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  5. At last you got the kind of treatment you deserve Marlene! There is just no excuse for shoddy customer service for anything these days....it is not on! So glad it has been resolved for you and that The Kooples realise there is a problem and are working towards sorting it out for good! x

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    1. The global playing field is so competitive now. And customer confidence is everything.

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  6. Coming from a country where customer service is virtually non existent I do have to admit am a bit envious of you lot. The fact you can order online, receive it the next day and return it for free... yup, that goes right over my head :)

    My mum has accused me of turning into an English person (her exact words :) because a) have started taking stuff off shelves and returning them back unfolded (shock horror!) and b) have been known to school SAs if they are rude (how dare I? :) I guess the whole concept of customer service/sales staff being there for you, rather than the other way around is just a bit foreign to us. Still :)

    Then again... this is the same woman who went to Primark for the first time and started folding stuff that was scattered all over the place and putting it back on the shelves :)

    Haven't had any experience with Kooples, but had an ASOS parcel gone missing recently (ordered a lovely jacket during the sale). This has never happened before, but I got in touch with them via facebook and to give credit where it's due, they were super helpful and super fast to respond. Offered to send me another jacket, but since it was sold out by then, they refunded it immediately. Now I'd imagine ASOS has a lot more transactions than Kooples and if they can react promptly... And especially if it is a high end store, you'd think they'd have it sorted.

    I have to say, love the jacket! Also saw this today and thought of you :)

    http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304017604579445140870078088

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    1. R, I always look forward to your insightful comments. I had a good chuckle reading this. My friends incidentally Parisians laughed at me when I told them about the customer service here. They said I haven't seen anything yet.....

      I worked in retail during my summer vacation when I was a student. These days, I feel compel to fold, zip up dresses on hanger properly etc etc. I had SAs who gawked at me. Ahem. Embarrassing.

      When I was growing up in Asia, the service was pretty poor there. I stopped by a Clinique counter and the lady there reached over and grabbed my chin - "your skin is TERRIBLE (never mind, she has a full blown acne). You need this product."

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    2. Thanks for the read, R. Really enjoyed it. It reminded me of what a SA at Louis Vuitton said to me once about their best customers. They're usually so badly dressed (t-shirt, flip flops....).

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  7. Delighted you were finally dealt with. Fascinating though that you got nowhere as a regular customer and yet a bit of publicity suddenly lands you £100! Will we all need to get a blog in order to receive fair customer service? I see the adorable witblog who works for RED magazine has had good service from Vestiaire Collective but several comments on her blog show that I am not alone in suffering at their hands. Even more interesting is that at a whiff of negative publicity VC register on blogger and offer to conduct an enquiry! Specious behaviour if you ask me!

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    1. That's what concerns me. These days, one has to be on social media if you want to resolve an issue. It shouldn't have to be this way.

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  8. It must have been maddening. Glad you finally got some sort of acknowledgement. The biker jacket is beautiful and unique. LOVE the color.... Some modeling shots soon please!

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    1. I'll see if the long suffering husband or child will oblige by taking yet another photo of me (cue more eye rolling - from them)

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    2. Yes, I second the request for modeling shots of these - selfishly because I am considering the jacket in black. The service warning is putting me off being too experimental though! Susan, London

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    3. I don't recall a black but I've tried on the navy. VERY VERY nice indeed. The burgundy shade that I'd bought directly from their website is now 50% off. In any case, if anything goes wrong, let me know. I've got their email addresses ;P

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  9. Yay thank goodness! The outfit looks great (and comfy). BTW did you check out the Ines de la Fressange line at Uniqlo? Super curious about it! S in HK

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  10. Wow, how frustrating. It's just sheer relief when you finally find someone who can help. Glad it got resolved x

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