Who's running Amtrak f&b!?

[Lonestar648]

Norstrum does not have the best customer service. My bag got shipped to the opposite side of the country, so I had to quickly purchase full dress business attire since I was in jeans and a sweatshirt. The men's department staff informed me as I walk over to start looking that the clearance racks had been cleared that I should go across the street to their discount Store. Contacting the store manager was a waste of time, since he told me to make an appointment next week if he was free. I didn't go across the street but went to Dillard's instead. Their men's department was polite and very helpful, even having the tailor drop what he was doing to get me dressed for my meeting. I wrote a letter to Norstrum corporate that was never answered. I have never returned to Nordstrom.

 

[ainamkartma]

Norstrum does not have the best customer service. My bag got shipped to the opposite side of the country, so I had to quickly purchase full dress business attire since I was in jeans and a sweatshirt. The men's department staff informed me as I walk over to start looking that the clearance racks had been cleared that I should go across the street to their discount Store. Contacting the store manager was a waste of time, since he told me to make an appointment next week if he was free. I didn't go across the street but went to Dillard's instead. Their men's department was polite and very helpful, even having the tailor drop what he was doing to get me dressed for my meeting. I wrote a letter to Norstrum corporate that was never answered. I have never returned to Nordstrom.

I don't know when your data point was generated, but according to theacsi.org (The American Customer Satisfaction Index), in 2015 Nordstrom _did_ have the best customer service, with an industry-leading rating of 82%. In 2016, however, they slipped to 80%, behind industry-leading Dillard's and several other players. Still above the unweighted industry average of 78%, though.

Ainamkartma

ps Interestingly, theacsi.org does not appear to rank Amtrak in their travel report

pps Oops, should have said "customer satisfaction", not "customer service". Of course, customer service is just one element of customer satisfaction.

 

[Ryan]

I don't know when your data point was generated, but according to theacsi.org (The American Customer Satisfaction Index), in 2015 Nordstrom _did_ have the best customer service, with an industry-leading rating of 82%. In 2016, however, they slipped to 80%, behind industry-leading Dillard's and several other players. Still above the unweighted industry average of 78%, though.

You highlight the important distinction between anecdotes and data.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Is there a Nordstroms or Dillards type store that makes a genuine attempt to appeal to male shoppers? Seems like most department stores only cater to half the population anymore. Every mens section always looks like a boring random afterthought with a tiny selection to choose from and no reason to linger a single minute longer.

 

[ehbowen]

Is there a Nordstroms or Dillards type store that makes a genuine attempt to appeal to male shoppers? Seems like most department stores only cater to half the population anymore. Every mens section always looks like a boring random afterthought with a tiny selection to choose from and no reason to linger a single minute longer.

Simple. Women spend the money; men just make the money.

[Ducks and covers!]

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Is there a Nordstroms or Dillards type store that makes a genuine attempt to appeal to male shoppers? Seems like most department stores only cater to half the population anymore. Every mens section always looks like a boring random afterthought with a tiny selection to choose from and no reason to linger a single minute longer.

Simple. Women spend the money; men just make the money.

[Ducks and covers!]

I had a minor disagreement with a coworker a while back. I claimed that whenever a man wore certain types of clothing he was inadvertently admitting that he had given up on dressing himself and regressed to the point that his erstwhile lover had become more like an overbearing parental figure to him. To this day whenever we've taken the time to ask it's always been true. Even when the subject in question initially claims otherwise eventually the truth comes out and they admit that their wives chose their clothes for them like they were little boys.

 

[dogbert617]

Speaking of this topic, I found this article to be very interesting, and an appropriate one to link to. The comments section even was too, to my surprise had a lot of things I learned for the first time(i.e. Amtrak once considered Subway for providing cafe car service on certain trains, but never did so). This was written back in April 2015, when Joe Boardman was still Amtrak president. And yes, it does talk about the dining car cuts to the Silver Star, Cardinal, and City of New Orleans. Does sound like from reading this article that the food service cuts to SS seemed to be a little worser, vs. the cuts on CONO and Cardinal. Anyway:

http://cs.trains.com/trn/b/fred-frailey/archive/2015/04/13/food-service-on-amtrak-ouch.aspx

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Is there a Nordstroms or Dillards type store that makes a genuine attempt to appeal to male shoppers? Seems like most department stores only cater to half the population anymore. Every mens section always looks like a boring random afterthought with a tiny selection to choose from and no reason to linger a single minute longer.

Boscov's has a pretty well managed and stocked men's department. My wife has never given me fashion advice- it's not her area.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Forgot to mention Sears, which has always been geared more towards men. But it's a dead store walking.

 

[Steve4031]

Jos A Banks is good.

 

[VentureForth]

When my brother passed away in Japan two months ago, I had to take a whirlwind trip there and back. Only spent 48 hours there. Just about ANY department store I walked into had from one to nearly a DOZEN employees who were available, on hand and ready to help in any way possible.

When I walked into Best Buy the other day, they also had SEVERAL Blue Shirts standing around. Only difference is that they did everything possible to not make eye contact with customers and actually perform a revenue generating function.

 

[VentureForth]

Norstrum does not have the best customer service. My bag got shipped to the opposite side of the country, so I had to quickly purchase full dress business attire since I was in jeans and a sweatshirt. The men's department staff informed me as I walk over to start looking that the clearance racks had been cleared that I should go across the street to their discount Store. Contacting the store manager was a waste of time, since he told me to make an appointment next week if he was free. I didn't go across the street but went to Dillard's instead. Their men's department was polite and very helpful, even having the tailor drop what he was doing to get me dressed for my meeting. I wrote a letter to Norstrum corporate that was never answered. I have never returned to Nordstrom.

Nordstrom has an 80% satisfaction rating, not 100%. Sorry you were caught up in the 20%, but chances are your next experience will be better.

You highlight the important distinction between anecdotes and data.

Generic cloud data doesn't obfuscate the real experience of one. Nor does the experience of one invalidate the claim of the data.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Chris:The Mens Wearhouse is also good for Affordable Business "Executive" type Clothing, and the San Marcos Outlet Malls are full of Upscale Mens(and Womens)Clothing at Discount Prices.

Good point about Married Sheep letting "The Boss" pick out their Clothing.

Also,have you ever noticed how most "Executive " types look like Clones when it comes to Clothing whether Business or Casual wear?

 

[A Voice]

Simple. Women spend the money; men just make the money.

[Ducks and covers!]

Even when the subject in question initially claims otherwise eventually the truth comes out and they admit that their wives chose their clothes for them like they were little boys.

It's not about being little boys, but rather most men don't like to shop. The stores and departments are geared towards women because they are the ones who spend time there, browse, and then spend the money. You can't sell more stuff to a man who thinks he is supposed to just run in, get what he came for, and leave.

Wives buying clothes for their husbands is rather common, which is perfectly fine unless you enjoy trying on clothes or something.

Forgot to mention Sears, which has always been geared more towards men. But it's a dead store walking.

I am frankly surprised Sears hasn't been able to turn things around. We constantly hear about how more people are shopping from home (online), and Sears once wrote the book on the concept (literally wrote the book - the Sears catalog). The name alone should carry some weight. But they simply aren't competing in that market, and the stores are mediocre at best. .

 

[jis]

Welcome to Department Stores Unlimited

 

[railiner]

Also,have you ever noticed how most "Executive " types look like Clones when it comes to Clothing whether Business or Casual wear?

I think you can say that about any element of society....go into a country music bar, or a hip-hop bar, or a coffee house, etc., and see how their respective crowds are dressed...

Following the trend's is what drives the fashion industry.....

 

[Lonestar648]

Some of that is the official or unofficial "Dress Code". Ours was dark suit, white shirt, dark tie, dark single color shoes. Really tough when we would meet these millionaire Ranchers at their 20,000 acre ranches during the Texas summers. Large corporations used to dictate their image partially with a very strict dress code.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yep, "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" and IBMs Famous Dark Suit and Tie, White Shirt and Black Lace up Shoes "Uniform" from the 40s and 50s was the Best Example of Corporate Cloning!

Of course EVERY Job has a "Uniform", but things are much less Formal than in the Bad Old Days, especially in HOT Climates and in Hi-Tech jobs!

 

[Lonestar648]

Add the 60s, 70s, and 80s. I think finally in the 90's there was some relaxing like Fridays when you could come dressed business casual.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I am frankly surprised Sears hasn't been able to turn things around. We constantly hear about how more people are shopping from home (online), and Sears once wrote the book on the concept (literally wrote the book - the Sears catalog). The name alone should carry some weight. But they simply aren't competing in that market, and the stores are mediocre at best. .

It's because they have not been trying to do so, starting maybe a year after the merger. Lampret is perpetuating one the most drawn out and effectctive liquidation in history- and a lot of money is splashing on him along the way.

 

[Lonestar648]

Sears has sold off all their valuable assets (i.e. Craftsman Tools) so now they have nothing to leverage for future loans. They close more and more stores which lowers revenues but long term lowers costs. I would think the Sears Corporate Office complex outside Hoffman Estates, IL must be getting close to a ghost town,

 

[jebr]

The only time I've been in Sears the last few years is to go to the DMV that's on the second floor of the St. Paul Sears. Sometimes we'll look around while we're there but we've never bought anything there (other than our DMV transactions.) I'm pretty sure there's more foot traffic in that store for the DMV than there is for the rest of Sears!