Commerce I've been posting stories lately about the customer service I've received in shops. Now 'The Guardian' has written a whole article about the subject -- specifically how knowledgable the staff in book shops are. Ooh look it's my current place of word worship, Waterstones on Deansgate, Manchester:
""I really loved The Naked Chef, will I like The Naked Lunch?"
Assistant asks herself if Jamie Oliver did one called The Naked Lunch. Looks on computer, asks colleague.
"We think you mean the novel..."
"Does it have good recipes in it?"
"No, it's about drugs. It's really surreal and it's got giant cockroaches in it. It's completely mental. You have to think about what sort of book you really want, then we can help you find it."
The section about WH Smith is particularly special. I'm reminded of the time I went to the store in Liverpool and asked if they sold any Everton Football Club mugs (they had Liverpool ones). I was taken to the video section and shown tapes with matches on. When I pointed out I';d actually asked for a small cylindrical ceramic thing you drink hot beverages from, I was indignantly, 'Oh we don't have any of those...' [Metafilter]

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