One heeled lady hobbling down Lordship Lane

[NorthernTrix]

Although I read this forum on most days I haven?t posted anything yet, so here goes?

Just under two weeks ago I had a pair of boots which desperately required heeling, so working locally I popped over to Merrifields at 42 Grove Vale. A nice chap and the cost was ?7 I think. All happy?

Today I've put my boots on to find one of the heels had come off? Not a problem, things happen so, I popped over to Merrifields and showed him my heel.

He said ?well, you must have caught it in something at it?s ripped out?. I said ?erm, I don?t think so I would have noticed and think it?s just been loose and come out?. He continued to tell me I had and gave me a quick verbal lesson on how he heels boots. I really and truly had not caught the heel as I had only warn them twice and would have noticed if I had caught the heel so bad it had ripped out the heel tip?

Not really getting anywhere, I just said ?OK, but could you please just pop another one on as you only did them over a week ago?? I was extremely shocked when he said ?well I can love but not for free?. I couldn't believe it!? I said ?surely as a gesture of good will you could pop one on for me?? He point blank said no and I would have to pay!

To be honest I was so shocked, I said he was unreasonable, I worked locally and I would tell my team back at the office. I know it?s something minor and I don?t know why it?s made me so angry (maybe the inconvenience). Surely a new heel would cost him about 50p at the most?

So now, I?ll have to hobble (not to spoil the heel) down Lordship Lane on my lunch to find somewhere who will repair it at another cost to me.

Thanks for reading so I can vent

Best

Grumpy?

[Robert Poste's Child]

Not surprised you're annoyed. He's a bit short on the spirit of customer service; not sure how they keep going as it can't be good for repeat business. Next time, there's a Timpson's at Sainsbury's two minutes further on and they're generally good like that.

[Indiana]

I've always experienced good customer service from him - including some free advice and thread on how to fix some shoes (he said I could easily do it myself).

To be fair, the guy has to earn a living...

[Jeremy]

?7? At those prices he probably can't afford to do it for free!

[hannahleone]

NothernTrix, there's a great little cobblers inside the agora on rye lane, next to the pet shop. The man is lovely, prices are really reasonable and all my shoes he's fixed have lasted really well!

[NorthernTrix]

Update ? I hobbled over to Timpson?s at Sainsbury?s (thank you Robert Poste's Child).

I explained very briefly what happened and he did it for free! On the promise I would return my business (of course, no brainer!) How lovely is that!? Nice Timpson man :)

[Robert Poste's Child]

They're great like that. Very sensible as it makes you want to go back.

[Growlybear]

It's so easy to catch a heel in paving and dislodge the heel tip - I've done it so many times and not realised at the time. I'm afraid that I think it's the OP whose being unreasonable in this instance not the man in Merrifields. If the heel tip was in place when you left the shop, then he only has your word that you haven't caught your heel, and quite frankly, for the sake of ?3.50, I would be far too embarrassed to make such a fuss and would have paid for a new heel rather than risk damaging my boots.

[Calsug]

I'm going to stick up for Merrifields, have been using him for a few years now and his service is great and the prices he charges very reasonable. He made me a leather belt last year and cost half the price of a designer belt and has lasted exceptionally well.

Maybe you caught him on a bad day and okay that doesn't justify what you perceive to be poor service but from my own personal experience I will carry on going back to him whenever I need shoes repaired and belts made!

[Jennys]

Merrifields have done small jobs free for me before. Perhaps you caught him at a bad time. He recently sewed a strap back on a laptop bag for us and did a beautiful job. The nice man at timpsons told me at the time that timpsons doesn't do sewing.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Have to say I tried Merrifields a couple of times and copped a load of attitude so haven't been back, but maybe, as you say, I caught whoever it was on bad days.

Love Timpson's, though. Not only is the customer service usually excellent, they employ ex-convicts to help them get back into normal society, which adds a pleasant frisson while I wait.

http://www.timpson.co.uk/blog/article/79/john-timpson-we-are-making-a-difference-to-the-lives-of-ex-offenders-

[pipsky2008]

hannahleone Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> NothernTrix, there's a great little cobblers

> inside the agora on rye lane, next to the pet

> shop. The man is lovely, prices are really

> reasonable and all my shoes he's fixed have lasted

> really well!

I would certainly recommend him also. I have used him for years. Always good workmanship.

[NewWave]

I use the Chinese shoe repair guy more or less next to The Energie gym on London Rd near the bus stop.

He put some soles on a pair of Church brogues for me, sewed them and did a beautiful job.

Wont go anywhere else now.

[mrs.lotte]

I found Merrifields unbelievably rude. I highly reccomend the cobblers in rye lane arcade. Great customer service, excellent workmanship and very very reasonably priced

[aquarius moon]

Heeling?!

Never done that. Just wear mine til they are worn out then put them in the bin.

[sillywoman]

NewWave, where's 'London Road'? Am usually pretty good with East Dulwich geography, but that's a new one on me?

[Convex]

I go to the guy in the dry cleaners next to the post office on lordship lane. I've had several airs done and all have lasted well.

[dimples]

I go to the one in dry cleaner too , always great

[bornagain]

Another no for Merryfields. Have had a couple of visits when he flatly refused to do something - rude and unreasonable. The last refusal was replacing a zip in my boots. I took it to the repairers next to the post office on LL and they did it very quickly and well. You can't tell that it is not the original.

[intexasatthe moment]

I'm afraid I'm in the thumbs down category .

Had expensive Swedish wooden clogs that needed a few nails replaced where the leather was attached to the wood .

Complete failure .

[TheWinterBones]

Growlybear Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> It's so easy to catch a heel in paving and

> dislodge the heel tip - I've done it so many times

> and not realised at the time. I'm afraid that I

> think it's the OP whose being unreasonable in this

> instance not the man in Merrifields. If the heel

> tip was in place when you left the shop, then he

> only has your word that you haven't caught your

> heel, and quite frankly, for the sake of ?3.50, I

> would be far too embarrassed to make such a fuss

> and would have paid for a new heel rather than

> risk damaging my boots.

My thoughts exactly.

& I don't know why OP expects free service elsewhere??

Everyone else who walks in with a damaged heel is going to have to pay. Why are you the exception? :S

[rodneybewes]

He can be fairly uncompromising so I could see how the conversation went south quickly. I kind of like his quirky style of customer service which is a bit of an antidote to the usual bland, saccharine approach you often get.

Normally I find he does an excellent job and is very good value but that doesn't negate the op's heel experience of course. He does well respected orthotics I've been told.

[Robert Poste's Child]

> & I don't know why OP expects free service

> elsewhere??

> Everyone else who walks in with a damaged heel is

> going to have to pay. Why are you the exception?

> :S

If you disagree with what the OP said, why not argue with that rather than exaggerating it into something she didn't say? It's not particularly demanding to expect the heel to last.

[Henry_17]

Rodney,

Couldn't agree more.

Henry

[Sue]

Indiana Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've always experienced good customer service from

> him - including some free advice and thread on how

> to fix some shoes (he said I could easily do it

> myself).

>

xxxxxxxxx

Same here, he also gave me free waxed thread to fix some sandals I think it was.

And I've always found him helpful and friendly, though of course anybody can have off days.

And repairs he has done for me have always been excellent.

I can't really see how a heel which had just been replaced could suddenly fall off unless it had been caught on something? How could it?