18 August 2009
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About town |
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• According to the 2001 census, High Wycombe has a population of 92,300, making it the largest town in the non-metropolitan county of Buckinghamshire now that Milton Keynes is a unitary authority.
• The name Wycombe comes from the River Wye and the ‘combe’ – old English word for a wooded valley. Wycombe appears in the Doomsday Book and was noted for having six mills.
• In March 2008, a new development in the town centre was completed. Main feature of the development was the Eden Shopping Centre, with 107 shops, restaurants, a bowling alley and cinema and new housing.
• An interesting and individual custom of High Wycombe is that it is the only place in the world that weighs its mayors.
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| Can we tempt you today? |
 AFTER having a change-around in the living room, I was keen to get a slightly bigger TV, so popped into the Sony Centre in the Eden Shopping Centre.
I was greeted by Phillip, the store manager, who asked if I needed any help. I told him that I wanted to upgrade my 32in TV to a slightly bigger set.
“How about a 37in?” Phillip asked. He showed me the entry-level 37in set, priced at £599, which, he said, offered full HD. “This one has a 33,000:1 contrast ratio, which means how much colour it can put on the screen.
“As you move up through the range, we’ve got the W Series, which has a higher contrast ratio of 50,000:1; it also has 100Hz Motionflow, which gives you a really smooth picture, which is really good for fast-moving images.”
I told Phillip that I did not understand, so he took me to another area of the store, where three 40in TVs were lined up next to each other – Phillip asked if I could see the differences between the first TV, which was a 50Hz set; the second, which was a 100Hz set and the third, which was a 200Hz set. I said I could.
“Are you thinking of wall-mounting or a stand.”
I said that I would be tempted to wall-mount my new TV and Phillip showed me two Vivanco wall mounts, both of which were priced at £69.99.
“Could you maybe fit a 40in in your room?” Phillip asked.
I said the room was probably not big enough, but Phillip pointed out that the store had “some great deals” on 40in sets. “For £999.99, you’ll get this,” he said, pointing to a 40in set (40W5710), “and a Blu-ray cinema system.”
I was impressed with the offer. Phillip pointed out that the TV came with a five-year warranty on parts and labour and new-for-old should the TV go wrong. That was an in-home service, he said. We can also offer interest-free for nine months.”
I asked Phillip for some information to take away.
“Are you sure we can’t tempt you today?” he asked.
I said I could not spend £1,000 without running it past the finance manager at home first.
Summary: Phillip was at the top of his game. Not only did he greet me and ascertain what I needed, but he was able to talk fluently about the products – and then throw in the carrot of a bigger TV and a fantastic deal. Plus he attempted to close the sale there and then. |
| Score: 10 out of 10 |
| Bernard plays it cool but efficient |
 MY washing machine had just expired, so I headed to the massive John Lewis Home & Leisure store to look for a replacement.
The department was reasonably busy, with three members of staff serving customers and seven customers browsing.
I spotted two Panasonic washing machines, the 1,400 spin NA14VA1WGB priced at £449 and the 1,600 spin NA16VXIWGB at £529.
While I waited to be served, I noticed a sign titled ‘Connection Service’, which stipulated that John Lewis “will connect any freestanding washing machine, washer/dryer or dishwasher purchased from us for a fixed charge of £24 each”.
After finishing serving his customer, Bernard approached me, greeted me and asked if he could help. He talked me through the Panasonic models, explaining the features and benefits.
Bernard then said: “If you want something to last, Miele is the Rolls Royce of washing machines, there’s nothing better.” He led me to the Miele models.
He pointed out that the Miele machines had been independently tested as lasting 20 years and he added that Panasonic machines would “probably last 10 or 12.”
He said the Miele W562 (£699) came with a five-year guarantee, while the Miele W3204 (£879) came with a 10-year guarantee.
Talking about the build quality of the Miele machines, Bernard said: “You know how washing machines dance around on a fast spin? The Miele doesn’t move.”
I asked for some information and Bernard gave me a copy of the Miele freestanding appliances brochure.
Summary: Bernard’s selling style was cool, but he was very knowledgeable and it was a pleasurable experience being served by him. The industry needs more people like Bernard. |
| Score: 10 out of 10 |
| Spot the difference |
 I HAD been thinking about buying my father a digital SLR, as he already has a film SLR. So I headed into the Jessops store on Whitehart Street to check them out.
I headed to the digital SLR display cabinets and began browsing the products.
Two Canon products caught my eye – the EOS 1000D (£399) and the EOS 450D (£499).
After a few moments, I was approached by Reshma who asked me if I needed any help.
I explained what I was looking for and asked her to point out the main differences between the two Canon models I had spotted.
“There’s not really a lot of difference to be honest with you,” Reshma said, “they offer you the same frames-per-second. There’s not really a lot between them.”
I said that there must be some differences between the models, as there was a £100 difference in the prices.
“The only difference I think there could be,” she continued, “is I believe the 1000D has ‘live view’ but the 450D does not.”
I pointed out to Reshma that, based on what she had told me, I would get a better camera by paying less – she did not acknowledge this point.
Both cameras came with a 18-55mm lens, but she said that memory cards and cases would cost extra.
I asked for some information to take away and she gave me a copy of the Jessops brochure.
Summary: Reshma could not differentiate one camera from the other and got basic product features wrong. The brochure she gave me details the differences, surely it is her job to know the products, too. |
| Score: 0 out of 10 |
| Peter is their Blu-rayed boy |
 WALKING along Oxford Road, I noticed some point-of-sale material in the window of Lakes, heralding the arrival of the UK’s first Blu-ray recorder, so I went into the store to find out more.
Inside the store, Peter greeted me as he finished wiring a system, while another member of staff was serving a customer. I made my way to the TV department and immediately spotted the top-of-the-range Panasonic Blu-ray recorder (DMR-BS850ED-K), which was taking pride of place in a Panasonic display. It was priced at £999.31.
After finishing what he had been doing, Peter joined me and asked if I needed any assistance. I explained that I had seen the poster in the window and thought I’d find out a bit more about it.
Peter said: “Panasonic has two Blu-ray recorders, this one is the top-of-the-range model with a 500GB hard drive. The 250GB model (DMR-BS750EB-K) is £799.31.
“They have Freesat tuners, so you’ll need to connect it to your satellite dish and have two feeds coming into the box, which will allow you to record one programme and watch another.”
Peter said around 140 channels were available on Freesat, including high-definition content from the BBC and ITV.
Peter pointed out that by using the box, I could record the BBC and ITV HD content, and that I could record the BBC HD content onto a Blu-ray disc, only once, but that I could not do the same with ITV HD programmes.
I said I did not have a satellite dish.
“We can arrange that,” Peter said, “it’ll cost £90 for a standard satellite installation, which includes the dish, feeds and everything. The only extras would be if the dish needed to go in an awkward position.”
Peter showed me a recording of the recent Wimbledon tennis tournament, which he had recorded from the BBC HD Channel.
I asked for some information to take away with me and Peter gave me a copy of the Panasonic brochure. I thanked him for his help and said I would return to make my purchase.
Summary: Peter knew the Panasonic Blu-ray recorders and Freesat inside-out and was able to talk me confidently through them. One point was deducted, as I felt he did not make any attempt to close the sale. Otherwise, it was a pleasure to be served by Peter. |
| Score: 9 out of 10 |
| Didn’t know his DAB from his elbow |
 I WANTED to buy a digital radio as a gift, so went to see what I could find in the House of Fraser store in the Eden Shopping Centre.
Inside the store, I headed to the electricals concession on the first floor, which is run by Tec7.
I began browsing the digital radios on display and was approached by Steve, who asked if I needed any help.
I explained that my sister listens to the radio regularly, but only on FM, and that I would be keen to get her a digital radio.
I pointed out that I was under no real price constraint and I asked him to show me some products, ideally for the kitchen or bedroom.
“Has she got an iPod?” Steve asked, and I confirmed that she had.
“You can get radios that have iPod docks,” he said. He showed me the Roberts iDream (£80.99) and the Pure Digital Chronos iDock (£88.01).
I asked what the main differences were between the two products he had mentioned.
Steve looked unsure, so picked up the two price tickets to glean some information.
“I think because they’re both sort of different brands, they’re just basically the same, but with different sizes and sort of different looks.”
Referring to the price ticket, Steve said: “This one (Roberts) says you can save sort of 20 radio stations on it, but I presume maybe this one (Pure) does, but it doesn’t say.”
Looking to another display of radios, Steve said: “They’re a bit more money.”
I asked for some information to take away and Steve gave me a Pure Digital brochure.
Summary: Steve did not listen to me. I said I wanted a digital radio and that price was not an issue. His lack of product knowledge was disappointing to say the least and he could not differentiate one product from another.
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| Score: 0 out of 10 |
| A complete washout |
 I WAS looking to buy a new washing machine after my current model gave up the ghost, so I headed to the Currys store on London Road to price up a replacement model.
On entering the store, I was greeted by a female member of staff and I made my way to the home laundry department.
I began browsing and was drawn to a display of LG washing machines.
I liked the look of two 1,400 spin steam washing machines – the 8kg (F1406TDSP) in black, priced at £749, while the 9kg (F1402FDS5) in silver was retailing at £699.
A poster informed me that all LG washing machines came with a free two-year parts and labour warranty, while the company’s Direct Drive motor came with a 10-year parts warranty.
A salesman walked straight towards me and then headed off into the stockroom, totally ignoring me as he did so.
I was also shocked to see three female members of staff huddled together chatting by the tills, directly in my line of vision – all three ignored me.
I picked up a copy of an LG leaflet and made my exit. I walked right past the three members of staff who were still chatting, but they completely ignored me.
Summary: The Currys store visit started well, with a good greeting, but that was as good as it got, sadly. How do stores expect to sell anything, if they totally ignore their customers? |
| Score: 1 out of 10 |
| Ten staff but no service |
 DRIVING along London Road, I pulled into the Wycombe Retail Park. Looking for a new vacuum cleaner, I headed into the Comet store.
I counted 10 members of staff – two customers were being served, while the other eight members of staff were wandering idly around the store.
I found the floorcare area of the store and began to view the products on display.
Two Dyson models appealed most to me – the Dyson DC23 Animal cylinder was priced at £299.61 and the upright DC14 Animal was £261.99.
I noticed that just behind where I was standing, three members of staff were chatting in the cooking area, but I was still ignored.
While I waited to be served, I looked at the products again, but no approach looked likely. Thoroughly disappointed that some eight members of staff had ignored me, I left the store.
As I headed to the exit, a salesman smiled at me and said: “Have you found what you’re looking for, sir?”
Thinking I had gone into the store to discover customer service, sales skills and product knowledge, I replied: “No, not today, thanks.”
Summary: Being ignored by staff is not just frustrating for us mystery shoppers, it is a fundamental problem that needs to be addressed. Staff in the Comet store just seemed to want to chat, rather than to serve customers. Isn’t that what pubs are for after work? |
| Score: 0 out of 10 |
| Why don’t you try Currys? |
 ON THE Wycombe Retail Park, I was very keen to find out more about satnav, so headed to the PC World store.
I was immediately drawn to the TomTom Go 940 Live (£349.99), as I do a lot of driving in the UK, Ireland and Europe, but I also holiday in the USA and Canada.
After around two minutes of browsing, Rod joined me and asked if I needed any help.
Rod said he did not know much about satnav products, but added: “I know Navman are the most basic, but I can’t say too much about them as I know we haven’t got any of them in stock.”
I told Rod that I was keen on the TomTom model.
“If you want just the UK and Ireland, it’s going to be a bit cheaper, around £149.99. If you want it to do all of Europe, you’re looking at about £170.”
I asked Rod to explain the differences between the model he quoted at £149.99 and the one I liked at £349.99.
He asked his colleague John, who was already serving a customer. John said the higher-priced models had more functions, but did not say what they were.
I asked Rod for some information to take away and he returned with printouts of the first model I had seen and for the TomTom XL IQ GB and Ireland, which clearly only covered the UK and Ireland.
Rod added that the TomTom Go 940 Live was out of stock, but he advised me to go to Currys.
Summary: Neither Rod nor John could make any sense of the satnav products or their features. They seemed quite happy to palm me off with printouts, including one that was totally irrelevant to what I wanted to buy. |
| Score: 0 out of 10 |
| No marks for Marks |
 AFTER reading so much in the national press about Marks and Spencer moving into technology products, I headed to the store in the Eden Shopping Centre to see what I had been missing.
Inside the store, I took the escalator to the first floor, which was where the technology department was located.
I immediately spotted a Sony hard disk recorder (RDR-HXD995), which was priced at £269.
With no staff around, I began to read the product details on the box.
According to the box, the Sony product had a 250GB hard disk drive, which could hold up to 710 hours of recordings.
I continued to stand reading the box for several minutes, when I noticed a sign that said if customers needed any assistance, they should go and speak to a member of staff in the neighbouring homewares department.
Feeling somewhat disappointed by my first experience of the M&S version of electrical retailing, and with no staff on hand to serve me, I decided to leave.
Summary: I was genuinely looking forward to experiencing the Marks and Spencer approach to selling technology, but alas I was left disappointed. With the department stocking brands like Sony, how can M&S expect its technology departments to succeed if they do not have dedicated, knowledgeable staff on hand to deal with customers properly? |
| Score: 0 out of 10 |
| Hello and goodbye |
 HAVING just bought a new high-definition TV, I was keen to buy a Blu-ray player, so headed to the Currys.digital store on the high street.
As I entered the store, I saw two customers being served, while five others were browsing and a third salesman, Ralph, was wandering around the store.
On my way to the TV department, I noticed a Sharp Blu-ray player (BD-HP21) on the end of a gondola, which was priced at £169.99, a saving of more than £70 on its usual price.
Next to the Sharp model, was a one-metre Belkin HDMI cable, priced at £39.99.
Further down the store, I located more Blu-ray players, eight in total, from Panasonic, Samsung, LG, Sony, Logik and Curtis.
With so many to choose from and so many different price points – the Curtis (DVD1100UK) was priced at £49.97, while the Panasonic (DMP-BD80EB-K) was retailing at £329.99 – I hoped that a member of staff would approach me and help me to decide which would suit me best.
Ralph was using a computer terminal near to where I was standing and said hello, before going back to whatever he was doing before.
Disappointed at not being served, after several minutes I decided to leave the store.
Summary: With so many Blu-ray players to choose from, I needed to get some help, but none was forthcoming. Ralph could have served me, but chose not to. What more can I say? |
| Score: 0 out of 10 |
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Summary |
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MY team’s day in High Wycombe had its highs and lows and a breakdown of the visits throws up some interesting points.
Three stores – Currys.digital, Marks and Spencer and Comet – all got zero points for the very reason that the mystery shoppers were ignored. That is inexcusable in these recessionary times.
Three stores – House of Fraser, Jessops and PC World – all scored zero points as staff there were clearly out of their depth when asked to differentiate one product from another.
And three stores – Sony Centre, John Lewis Home and Leisure and Lakes – performed very well and deserve the points that have been awarded.
Special mentions, therefore, should go to Phillip, Bernard and Peter at the Sony Centre, John Lewis Home and Leisure and Lakes respectively.
Our industry needs more people like them. All three of you demonstrated excellent customer service and product.
The mystery shoppers in question tell me that they would have had no hesitation in purchasing products from Phillip, Bernard or Peter.
So, Phillip, Bernard and Peter, as you scored more than seven points, you have been rewarded for your customer service with automatic entry into this year’s ERT Industry Awards, which will take place in London on October 15. Well done! |
Top of the Town |
| Independents |
Multiples |
Winner: |
Sony Centre |
Winner: |
John Lewis |
Commended: |
Lakes |
Commended: |
None |
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PREMIER LEAGUE |
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No. of visits |
Total points |
Average per call |
B&O |
2 |
20 |
10 |
Apple |
3 |
25 |
8.3 |
Shop@Panasonic |
7 |
49 |
7 |
Independents |
52 |
341 |
6.6 |
Sony Centres |
18 |
116 |
6.4 |
Richer Sounds |
9 |
45 |
5 |
Currys.Digital |
16 |
58 |
3.6 |
Comet |
17 |
54 |
3.2 |
Department Stores |
18 |
50 |
2.8 |
Jessops |
16 |
36 |
2.3 |
Currys |
15 |
11 |
0.7 |
Marks & Spencer |
1 |
0 |
0 |
Robert Dyas |
1 |
0 |
0 |
PC World |
4 |
0 |
0 |
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