And the award for Best Customer Service goes to.. ?

[*Bob*]

Seeing as I'm such a misery-guts (and there's been lots of bad-mouthing on't forum of late) I thought I'd try and make amends by starting a thread simply bursting with positivity, goodwill and general bonhomie.

Which ED establishment represents the very embodiment of good customer service?

Myself?

Winner: William Rose

Runner-up: Dulwich DIY

[bawdy-nan]

I absolutely love Pretty Traditional - especially when I get Chris

[blinder999]

Great idea *Bob* - all that negativity makes me feel ill.

My vote goes to the wonderful Mr Banfield (wood merchant)

[Parker's Folly]

Mon Petit Chou - always friendly to me.

[Ko]

Hope and Greenwood were absolutely lovely when I went in last week. Very friendly and they were giving away leftover easter eggs.

[*Bob*]

I haven't been in 'Banfield' yet..

I hope it'll be less humiliating than my last (and first) visit to a wood merchant. I asked for some WOOD of a certain size, and they all sat smirking behind the counter - "sorry sir, we don't have any WOOD" - because, you see, it's called TIMBER.. see?! Oh.. how we laughed!

[louisiana]

I vote for two at the Plough end:

- the Sri Lankan lady in Val's. Yes, she fears for the constitution of Western stomachs consuming habanero chillies, but she's ace and a natural.

- Plough DIY. All staff always friendly and exceedingly helpful.

[Mark]

Dulwich DIY for me too, friendly, helpful and they always seem to have everything I need

And the "supermarket" place opposite the East Dulwich Deli, just a nod to say hi is all it takes to make you feel welcome in a shop. And they're helpful too.

[blinder999]

Plough DIY - yes they are great in there. I also like the Mon Petit Chou staff.

[ben]

I'd vote for Plough DIY or Dulwich DIY - both are extremely helpful

Have to mention Ralon stationers in dispatches - such an odd shopping experience but always very courteous

[bawdy-nan]

I second the vote for the lady in Val's - its an absolute pleasure to go in that shop and always worth asking if you can't find something. Despite her chilli fears she once went into her own house to get me a one because the shop had run out and didn't charge me. If she has unusual fruits on the counter she'll often hand a couple over for my children to try ...

[georgia]

The staff in Tandoori Nights are always very friendly.

[capt_birdseye]

AJ Farmers - nuff said.

[Xanadustar]

Cheers anyone? I do love those boys.

[SeanMacGabhann]

Great thread - and I agree with most of the above posts - although Mark when you say Dulwich DIY "too" you aren't confusing it with Plough DIY are you? Dulwich DIY are down near Green & Blue. I like both and Plough DIY is nearer to me but Dulwich DIY pips it fo me because they are always that bit more friendlier and even once drove me home with some large quantaties of planks - he even took his car speakers out - true gent

I see Nisha (again sorry if spelling is wrong) in Vals every day and echo the support of her but want to add the young (late teens early 20s?) guy who works in Badger Bakery when I go in for weekend bread - really nice guy

Who else?:

Kate and crew in Green & Blue

Several of the bar staff in various bars - they can often change employers tho

I would have said Nathan in Liqourish but he moved to Nottingham

Has no one yet mention Tandoori Nights - the managers and staff are unfailingly ace -

The guy behind the Cheers shop - don't have cause to go in there much but whenever I do..

Others - but I've used up all my goes

[Recuerda]

The Never Ending Story Bookshop were extremely helpful finding something for my niece. Not a huge fan of many ED children "Torquil, leave the fennel alone" so the very kind lady searched amongst the rugrats for me and found the perfect gift. Which was my niece's favourite present. So I win at being the best Uncle with little effort on my part. I'll definitely go back there.

[louisiana]

bawdy-nan Wrote:

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

> I second the vote for the lady in Val's - its an

> absolute pleasure to go in that shop and always

> worth asking if you can't find something. Despite

> her chilli fears she once went into her own house

> to get me a one because the shop had run out and

> didn't charge me.

This is quite funny. She does the same for me (especially when I'm buying coriander for guacamole). She gives away free chillies yet fears for the consequences :)

She's always also interested in knowing about things you're looking for that they don't have, and discusses this with her husband.

With the hours she works, it's amazing she can keep happy the way she does. I remember when she started out and her English wasn't so good and she was clearly a bit shy, but she's really come into her own.

[cookie]

Got to be the guy in Cheers for me. Always cheers me up when I've had to pop to the shop to pick up something I've run out of.

[bawdy-nan]

She and my husband swap culinary tips all the time. There was once much discussion about the purpose of bay leaves - were they for making tea, she wondered...

[ivemet-jimmy]

Crstal Palace Tavern Staff!! :)-D

There the reason I take a regular 20 min walk!

[kingtubby]

The Garden centre on Uplands road. Helpful, cheerful, great value stock and a right pair of geezers.

[Xanadustar]

Yes, the CPT staff are ace as well, bless their little Aussie hearts.

[mockney piers]

The chaps in Dulwich Carpets are a great bunch, and mairead's little southern irish lilt always melts their hearts.

The lady in the jewellers was very attentive to mairead.

Will second Green&Blue and William Rose

The current crop of EDT staff are a good bunch, after Justine and co left it took a couple of years to sort out a good bunch, but I think they're finally there (even the bouncer always has a smile and a welcome for us).

Goes without mention that the CPT staff are ace .... doh!

[Ant]

The CPT staff are great.

Plough DIY are always very friendly and helpful.

The Badger Bakery lot have always been very good to me.

The woman in Never Ending Story is ace.

The guy in Spot Dry Cleaners at the corner of LL and Landells is really good.

But my one vote for absolute, beats-all favourite has to be Val's. Even though I don't know her that well (only know she's called Nisha from reading it here), she's just... great. Always so happy! It's infectious. And the quality and range of her veg just keeps getting better, or so it seems to me.

[bawdy-nan]

Don't know if they still do it, but when I loved on Bawdale Road, about 5 years ago, the people in Cheers would make season appropriate mini-scenes on the counter with small models of people ... do they still do that?