Poor service is inexcusable

I visited the Mardel bookstore off I-240 in the City today. (Mardel is a regional Christian bookstore chain, founded by the same family who started Hobby Lobby stores. "The City" is Oklahoma City.) Wanted to get a copy of a classic book, The Cloud Of Unknowing.

They didn't have it, or even stock it. A book that has been in print almost continually since the 14th century, and they don't stock it.

What they did have--in abundance--was bad attitude.

I walked up to the incorrectly-named "customer service counter" in the book section. A woman by the name of Amy was looking over special order forms. These are pieces of paper that give the name of a book requested by a customer who is not standing at the customer service counter at the time. As a matter of fact, the customers who were represented on the papers that had Amy's rapt attention were not even in the store. As far as I know, they may not have even been in the same state.

But I was there. At the counter. In the store. In Oklahoma.

My request was simple: "If I were the book, The Cloud Of Unknowing, where would I be? The book is by an unknown author, so you would have to look it up by title." Simple, straightforward. A quick request that required a quick answer. But Amy was busy with her pieces of paper. My question caused her to have to look up from what she was doing, move her hand about eight inches to the right, and flip through her inventory catalog. A lot to ask, I know. She finally got around to doing this after sighing heavily, looking up a couple more special order titles on her computer, THEN looking for my title. Halfway through her flipping through the pages of the catalog--a demanding task, as it is ordered in alphabetical order according to title, and she had to decide if the book I mentioned would be filed under "T" or "C"--she went back to her computer screen to revisit the precious special orders.

After a wait in which I figured the Cloud had probably passed and all was now known, Amy glared in my direction.

"We don't have the book and we don't normally stock it but we can order it for you." Actually, she ran all this together so that it was more like "Wedon'thavethebookandwedon'tnormallystockitbutwecanorderitforyou." And she said this with a very clear tone that let me know ordering this book was the last thing she wanted me to do.

"I'll get it elsewhere, thanks."
"Ok." Back to the special order forms.

I don't ask that clerks in stores line my path with rose petals. They don't have to rush to my side to make sure my every need is met. But civility is expected, and kindness would not be out of line. Rudeness is my cue to take my business elsewhere. Perhaps Amy was an exception. Perhaps. But I have encountered rudeness at other Mardel stores, including the store at 71st and 169 in Tulsa, and the store on Powers in Colorado Springs. So my next guess is that floor personnel at Mardel stores are trained to be rude. Hey--all I have to go on is personal observation. My guess is as good as any.

So, unless there is a great reason for me to enter through the portal of a Mardel--and I can find books many other places (for instance, stores that actually stock a classic book)--I am done with them. Thanks Mart Green for your contribution to my alma mater. Your family's Hobby Lobby stores (founded and owned by your father) have some good deals on picture frames from time to time, so I will continue to shop there. But I am no longer interested in the rudeness your staff shows me on a consistent basis at your Mardel stores.

See ya.