Exceptional customer service seems to be a rarity these days, so whenever I have the privilege and joy of experiencing it I like to call it out. Such was the case with a recent online shopping expedition for the elusive bit of fragrant glory known as ‘Portrait of a Lady’ – a search that brought me to a fortuitous sale and a brush with the kind of detail-oriented work and care that is largely missing from much of the world today. Fragrance rarely goes on sale in the fancy department stores – it’s usually the first thing listed in the fine print of any such percentage off – so when there’s a beauty sale it’s a big deal. Couple that with a generic gift card I’ve had since Christmas, and it seemed a good time to splurge on something I’ve been wanting for at least a year, and if it’s still haunting you after a year you know it’s not a passing whim.
After attempting to use the gift card online in addition to my credit card, it wouldn’t allow the transaction to go through, so I made a call to their headquarters who indicated that I’d have to do it in person with the store. Recalling Andy’s similar situation with a rush order for Tom Ford’s ‘Our Minerale’ before our vacation to Maine, I got in touch with the Bergdorf Goodman store in New York and was told someone would call me back.
Within an hour I got a call from Jason, who helped me out with the transaction, making use of the gift card, the sale, and the friendly guidance of a seasoned professional. It was quick and easy and quite more enjoyable than the frustrating online system – a testament to the power of simple old-fashioned customer service, human to human. At a moment where that feels uncommon and unexpected, such service and support carries its own sense of rarefied glamour, setting a store like Bergdorf Goodman apart from all the rest.
Yesterday, the package of ‘Portrait of a Lady’ arrived, and with it came the goodie bag of all goodie bags, which included a sample of the new Tom Ford Private Blend ‘Tubéreuse Nue’ that I’ve been dying to try, and a quartet of Creed samples that will accentuate the bottles of ‘Aventus’ and ‘Royal Oud’ that currently line my top cologne shelf. The care that had been taken to provide such a happy treat did not go unnoticed, and thanks to Jason and his efforts I feel an allegiance and gladness in returning to Bergdorf Goodman for future fragrance desires.
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