Lane Bailey blogged about the same thing yesterday.  I feel the same way you do.  Problem is, it just isn't a priority. 

Welcome to my world!  I feel as you do...I've actually had items in my hand, looking to pay & leave & can't find anyone to help me. OFten I've thought that if I tried to shopift the items, I'd be caught immediately.  But trying to get help when needed, good luck!

Sometimes not getting attention is not good, but sometimes getting too much attention may mean that someone is trying to "sell" you something.  I guess it depends on the the circumstances.  In department stores, I would guess, you would need to get attention for customer service points.

Yes I get that a lot.  People are just not customer oriented.

There is nothing more annoying than this! I feel your pain....unless you're somewhere that the employees work off of commission you get no help!

I feel your pain. They are there to make their minimum hourly wage with a minimal amount of work. Exceptional customer service - like Nordstrom's or even Starbucks - is very hard to find these days, even in the real estate industry! :-)

Has your mindset of "no one ever greets me..no one ever helps me " become your really world .

Try this .. next time you pull into the parking lot to go shopping .. take 2 1/2 mins and say .. this is going to be a great experience shopping will be pleasurable  today service will be availablele le as I need it..

You will have sales clerks jumping out of the wood work to help you ... I know this to be true.one day as I just in play as we walked up to the front door of the mall started playing like I was a celebrity .. left my sun glasses on ect... well next thing I know I had great service people are  acting like they knew me and wanted to go out of their way to help me.

Ahhh....customer service, ain't it grand? I love when you finally track someone down for assistance and they act like you're keeping them from something more important.

Bo, I didn't see Lane's post yesterday - honest. This is independent. As for priority - it should be. I will never go back to a couple of the stores, and I've told others the same thing.

That always happens to me when I want help.  If I don't want any help, it's a different story.  Everybody comes up to me and asks if I need help.  It's kind of funny...  :)

Dalia, isn't that a sad way to run a store? Retailing used to be such a great enterprise. Thanks for your story.

Dennis, I agree that there are times when you really don't want any help, but let's face it, we're on their turf so they should at least talk to us.

I see you!  I must say that is a pet peeve of mine as well.  Although I think I am wearing my invisible clothes by mistake :)

Sonya, thanks. I agree that retailers don't trach their people the art of respecting and dealing with the public. Perhaps the whole hiring paradigm is at fault.

Kristen, thanks for your comments. I feel we are all being shortchanged by retailers who expect us to spend money in their store but don't have the decency to hire courteous people.

A happy medium is nice.....don't want the clerk following me around, but I do want them to ask if I need anything.

Exceptional customer service....where???

Kristi, I totally agree. The customer just doesn't seem to matter - if you stop and think about it this is a classic oxymoron - retail sales with no interest in the customer.

Eric, I appreciate your enthusiasm and your affirmation, but if I did that at some stores I doubt anything would change - especially at the stores I no longer will shop at - it's not in their nature to be nice or care.

Jim, thanks. I love that, too - or they act insulted that you think they should actually know the answer to your question or that you would even want this information.

Debi, thanks for adding that - you're right. To be overly helped is annoying - to be ignored is maddening and inexcusable.

Dawn, thanks. I love it also when I'm standing there near someone else, and the clerk walks past me (totally ignoring me) to help the other person - I must be invisible. :)

Linda, you pose a great question about exceptional customer service. In many stores, you can't even get mediocre customer service.