At the end of the summer, I bought a Gucci handbag that is part laptop bag, part carry-on and perfect for someone who spends the majority of their time on an airplane. It was my first large Gucci purchase and a fairly impulse buy at that.
I saw the bag in a Neiman Marcus email promoting upcoming fall trends. I had to have it and within one click it was on its way. Unfortunately within the first month of using it, the seams on one side started to come apart. I was disappointed. I can justify spending the money on premium designer goods because, usually, they’re made to last.
One day while shopping uptown, I popped into the Gucci flagship store on 5th Avenue. I was heading to dinner but wanted someone to take a look at it and tell me what I should do. I told one of the sales associates that “I didn’t buy it here” but he said to just bring it in when I could leave it and they would fix it.
A few weeks later I brought the bag in and was directed to the store’s accessories manager. I told him the same thing I told the first gentleman, except this time I was a little more clear mentioning that by here I mean at a Gucci store. He told me my options. A) he could send it off for 6-8 weeks to be fixed or B) I should take it back to Neiman’s and get a new bag because “this shouldn’t have happened to a Gucci bag.”
Option A wasn’t an option. I needed the bad for my upcoming travels. Plus, it’s a seasonal bag. I didn’t want to send it off only to get it back all patched up with only a few weeks left to use it. Option B was a pain. There is no Neiman Marcus in NYC. Which meant I would have had to drive to Westchester or Jersey OR ship it back to NM customer service involving a trip to the post office during holiday season.
So the awesome Accessories Manager at the Gucci store had me leave my bag and said he would see what he could do. Not only was he timely in getting things taken care of, he actually ended up replacing my bag for me. And when calling me to tell me left me a message with his work phone AND his cell phone number so I could get my bag (either via pick-up or even courier) before the holidays.
Luxury customer service at it’s finest! And now when I spend the extra cash on a handbag, I will buy it directly from the store versus from another luxury retailer.
The Future Of Retail Is Here 