Call me archaic, but the new world of retail and shopping causes me anxiety for many reasons. They range from the reduction in the number of physical shops making finding and getting there a challenge, to dealing with ill-informed associates focused on personal devices, to a feeling of judgment and trespassing while in the store, and to staff who aren't empowered to resolve issues without a manager. Customer service is now a trait possessed by a limited number who consider their job more than a stepping stone.
So upon walking into the Washington, D.C. Bo Concept store, right at the moment they were about to lock the doors for the day, my anxieties of personal shopping slowly began to evaporate. The staff greeted me with a sincere appreciation of the time I took to go there. The environment was contrary to what I've come to expect, underscored by their sincere greetings and personal attention to me that I've essentially resigned as a lost art in retail since the onset of e-commerce.
I was openly welcomed by Cecilia. She didn't tell me to leave or that they're closed. She invited me in and offered her help and told me honestly to take my time. I was put at ease by Cecila's congeniality, help and knowledge of the products. She informed me of their sample floor sale, took the time to show me options throughout the entire store, a time consuming endeavour, and even contacted a client who put items I wanted on hold, to see if they were still interested in them. This completely stunned me. My entire visit was not only painless from shopping, purchasing, follow-up and delivery, it was most enjoyable and quite memorable. Cecilia occasionally contacts me to make sure everything is working out as I had hoped; something that many bricks and mortar stores don't bother to do.
As an architect, interior designer and discerning shopper, having the ability to see, touch and experience products accompanied by professional, friendly and knowledgable staff is more valuable than any online fire sale. This traditional way of shopping, in my option, results in happier and satisfied customers, a lower probably of returns and in the end, a personal advocate for the company - the best marketing any establishment could hope for. I left the store so happy and with a feeling of complete satisfaction. Thank you Cecilia and the associates of BoConcept for keeping alive the art of personal shopping.
joel Meneses San...
Read moreTwo big thumbs-up for BoConcept, and Tim.
The first thumbs-up is for the furniture itself. We purchased several Mariposa chairs and a Granada table. We have absolutely loved them both! They are probably our favorite pieces of furniture. The table is incredibly easy to expand and contract, so we actually do it all the time. (The mechanism is kind of fun to use, so I actually like doing it, rather than dreading it.) And the chairs are beautiful and comfortable.
The second thumbs-up is for their service. We had a problem with one of the chairs almost five years after we purchased it. The warranty had long since ended, but I contacted Tim (who wasn’t even the owner when we purchased the chairs) to ask about it. He concluded that the problem shouldn’t have happened, so he offered to fix the chair for free. That involved replacing a substantial piece of the chair - which couldn’t have been cheap for them. And they did the repair in about 15 minutes at their warehouse while I waited and chatted with the lovely repair people.
I guess you can tell that I feel pretty positive about BoConcept, but...
Read moreSeriously, the best customer service EVER!. We bought a couch and a rug here and Tim is so expeditious with his replies to anything we needed. There was a little piece of fabric that was sticking out after we got it delivered and he came right away to fix it. The delivery was also the BEST delivery experience I have ever had. SOOOOO OD professional! The inside of the moving vehicle was even cleaner than my house! Definitely NOT a 3rd party delivery service and fake white glove delivery. They wore booties when they came into the house, came within the time frame of said delivery, and gave 20-25 mins notice as promised. I would DEFINITELY recommend them to ANYONE! Superb 5...
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