So this may seem truly bizarre for someone who has haunted YLF off and on for nearly a decade, but I was a Nordstrom virgin until this very day. Much of this stems from the fact that the forum's favourite hangout had no Canadian locations until the past couple of years....but that still leaves a couple of years unaccounted for. I have no defence and will not offer one. :p Today, however, I have remedied this and just need to rave about something.
I was starting to question the much-vaunted Nordy's customer service experience based on recent tangles with the website, which is both more annoying for Canuks and more inaccessible for screen-reader users. This was getting on my nerves as I had found a silver satchel available for half-price and wanted to snap it up. After numerous abortive attempts, I finally called the international division. I was all set to order the stupid thing and pay to have it shipped from the U.S., but fortunately had the wherewithal to ask them to check the location that's walking distance from my office (insert giant red danger sign here). Turns out the bag was available and I was encouraged to call the store. Fine. And here's where it gets good.
So I speak to a lovely associate in the handbags section who confirms that they have it in stock and puts it on hold for me. I start to ask her for directions, explaining the fact that I'm blind, will be coming with a guide dog, and need really detailed guidance when navigating department stores or malls (this obviously goes double for department stores within malls). Lovely SA apologizes for her lack of directional aptitude but offers to get the information for me. A few minutes later she calls back with someone from store concierge. He provides great verbal instructions, then does one better by offering to come meet me anywhere I like at street level and making sure I get where I want to go. I graciously accept, we swap phone numbers, and I tell him I expect to be there sometime after 4.
So 4:30 rolls around and I am just preparing to leave work when my phone rings. It's Helpful Concierge Guy gently inquiring if I'm still planning to come and asking if I need any assistance. I tell him I hope to be there in 20 minutes or so. This plan goes off without a hitch, and thanks to his instructions I manage to get within a third of a block of the door before calling him to arrange a meetup. He's out there tout de suite, all friendliness and charm, and takes me straight to the handbag counter with promises to return when I'm done.
I connect with Lovely SA and acquire my silver satchel (see below and weigh in if you like). I then decide to take a peek at the neighbouring jewelry counter, where two delightful women instantly start cooing over Revie and collaborate to help me out. Between the two of them they find this suuuuuper versatile necklace (see below again, I got it in the silver). Throughout this experience we start chatting about all kinds of things like the tech I use, plus-size shopping spots in the city etc. One of them, Nicole, offers to help me out any time I want, either in the store or elsewhere in the mall, and insists I take her personal cell number so I can get in touch if I want to arrange a shopping spree.
So once I pick my jaw up off the floor and pay for the necklace, Helpful Concierge Guy is right back over lickity split and escorts me back out. He volunteers to walk me to the bus stop I'm headed for, which is only half a block away but still! While en route, he tells me that the store has a delivery service and that in future he'd be happy to arrange for things to be brought to me at my home or work.
So yeah, ladies, I finally believe y'all - Nordstrom is 100% where it's at!! Canadian gals, I think I'll have a suggestion for our next conFAB.