Brooks Brothers store annoyances

I've had really bad luck with Brooks Brothers. Here are some of my experiences.

1) Went in six months ago to get some MTM shirts made. I waited 15 minutes for someone to help me out while I asked for help. Finally the manager came. I had a specific request to see if they had the fabric I wanted and she said that she would contact the person in charge of MTM and get back to me. I made an appointment but I told her I would wait for her phone call to see if they even had the fabric I wanted. She agreed to this but ever got back to me and wasn't the nicest person to deal with. She coddled me in the end saying that BB would love to make shirts for me, sensing that I felt that I wasn't treated well.

2) I was looking for some tails. I spoke with a very nice gentleman working there. He told me he would get it in stock in my size and I could come in and try it on. No pressure to buy. I was pleasently surprised and looking forward to it. It took him 2 weeks to call me back, after which I received calls from his cell phone multiple times. I was busy when he called (or asleep) and finally I was free when he called the third time. He wanted to see if I wanted them to get the tails in stock. So much for doing what he told me he would.

3) I wanted to buy a tux from them. I spoke with another SA there and he wasn't very helpful at all. I tried on the tuxes and found a size that would work for me, but they didn't have it in the store. It was a busy day for me and he was particularly slow in helping me. He finally sensed I was in a rush and said that he would call me back in one hour to let me know if he was able to find it in my size at a store. He never called me back. That was about two weeks ago.

The underlying pattern in dealing with BB is that they seem to not take me seriously. I come in always wearing nicely tailored clothing and a willingness to purchase items. Yet, nearly every time I'm there, I either get the cold shoulder, am treated like a kid or they don't respond to my requests. What is the deal with this? Is it because I'm not a 50 year old WASP that they don't take me seriously? I'm in my upper 20s and it's not like I show up in Ed Hardy clothing and ask for the cheapest items in the store. This is the downtown Philadelphia Brooks Brothers. I went to a BB in NYC asking for Black Fleece and the SA there gave me a cold shoulder and, rather than being interested in helping me out, mumbled that I could only get Black Fleece at the other store.

Only once or twice have I been there where they treat me well. Has anyone else had this kind of experience with BB, or is it just the Philadelphia store? Is there something I'm missing? I've been to many other high end men's clothing stores and have been treated extremely well, but it's almost always the same with Brooks Brothers.

tl;dr: BB sales staff treat me like crap. Anyone else?

pretty sure its just you.

Originally Posted by edmorel

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pretty sure its just you.

You're the nicest poster ever.

Originally Posted by musicguy

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You're the nicest poster ever.

thanks, unlike everyone else on the forum right now (and Brooks), I am not giving you the cold shoulder

Originally Posted by musicguy

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I've had really bad luck with Brooks Brothers. Here are some of my experiences. 1) Went in six months ago to get some MTM shirts made. I waited 15 minutes for someone to help me out while I asked for help. Finally the manager came. I had a specific request to see if they had the fabric I wanted and she said that she would contact the person in charge of MTM and get back to me. I made an appointment but I told her I would wait for her phone call to see if they even had the fabric I wanted. She agreed to this but ever got back to me and wasn't the nicest person to deal with. She coddled me in the end saying that BB would love to make shirts for me, sensing that I felt that I wasn't treated well. 2) I was looking for some tails. I spoke with a very nice gentleman working there. He told me he would get it in stock in my size and I could come in and try it on. No pressure to buy. I was pleasently surprised and looking forward to it. It took him 2 weeks to call me back, after which I received calls from his cell phone multiple times. I was busy when he called (or asleep) and finally I was free when he called the third time. He wanted to see if I wanted them to get the tails in stock. So much for doing what he told me he would. 3) I wanted to buy a tux from them. I spoke with another SA there and he wasn't very helpful at all. I tried on the tuxes and found a size that would work for me, but they didn't have it in the store. It was a busy day for me and he was particularly slow in helping me. He finally sensed I was in a rush and said that he would call me back in one hour to let me know if he was able to find it in my size at a store. He never called me back. That was about two weeks ago. The underlying pattern in dealing with BB is that they seem to not take me seriously. I come in always wearing nicely tailored clothing and a willingness to purchase items. Yet, nearly every time I'm there, I either get the cold shoulder, am treated like a kid or they don't respond to my requests. What is the deal with this? Is it because I'm not a 50 year old WASP that they don't take me seriously? I'm in my upper 20s and it's not like I show up in Ed Hardy clothing and ask for the cheapest items in the store. This is the downtown Philadelphia Brooks Brothers. I went to a BB in NYC asking for Black Fleece and the SA there gave me a cold shoulder and, rather than being interested in helping me out, mumbled that I could only get Black Fleece at the other store. Only once or twice have I been there where they treat me well. Has anyone else had this kind of experience with BB, or is it just the Philadelphia store? Is there something I'm missing? I've been to many other high end men's clothing stores and have been treated extremely well, but it's almost always the same with Brooks Brothers. tl;dr: BB sales staff treat me like crap. Anyone else?
I only read the bolded portion and I have to disagree. I have received great service every time. Where they busy when you went in?

Originally Posted by NAMOR

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I only read the bolded portion and I have to disagree. I have received great service every time. Where they busy when you went in?

Not any more than usual. I've been there about 7 times. Could just be the Philly store.

How old are you?

I've had similar experiences at certain BB stores on occasion. I couldn't help but think it was due to age as well (I'm in my late 20s). BB definitely has older sales associates than most apparel stores. Some are nice and incredibly helpful, others seem bitter and stuffy.

Originally Posted by musicguy

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Not any more than usual. I've been there about 7 times. Could just be the Philly store. How old are you?
Hrmm, maybe. I am 24

Originally Posted by MidfieldMan

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I've had similar experiences at certain BB stores on occasion. I couldn't help but think it was due to age as well (I'm in my late 20s). BB definitely has older sales associates than most apparel stores. Some are nice and incredibly helpful, others seem bitter and stuffy.

That's what I'm beginning to think. The sales staff are definitely older than most stores so perhaps they hate selling to guys who are a good bit younger than them. In fact, now that I think of it, that seems to be a trend I've seen at other stores.

FWIW, the only time I've been to the Philly store one of the saleswomen certainly came off as rude. The salesmen in the Conn Ave store in DC which I frequent have been very friendly and helpful though

Sounds like bad luck. The BB in Atlanta has always been top notch for me. I got a few MTM shirts made and the entire process was extremely easy and enjoyable (not a bad deal either).

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume there is more than one BB in Philly. Maybe write off the location you are visiting and try a different store?

Otherwise you also might try and have a face to face conversation with the manager and tell her how unsatisfied you are. If she knows anything about customer service I'm sure she'll work to remedy the situation (discounts could abound).

Originally Posted by musicguy

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That's what I'm beginning to think. The sales staff are definitely older than most stores so perhaps they hate selling to guys who are a good bit younger than them. In fact, now that I think of it, that seems to be a trend I've seen at other stores.
how old are you?

Originally Posted by bourbonbasted

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Sounds like bad luck. The BB in Atlanta has always been top notch for me. I got a few MTM shirts made and the entire process was extremely easy and enjoyable (not a bad deal either). I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume there is more than one BB in Philly. Maybe write off the location you are visiting and try a different store? Otherwise you also might try and have a face to face conversation with the manager and tell her how unsatisfied you are. If she knows anything about customer service I'm sure she'll work to remedy the situation (discounts could abound).
I really think it's just the Philly bb now. I'm moving soon so whatever.

Originally Posted by NAMOR

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how old are you?
28... so not that young

Brooks in Beverly Hills is filled with incompetent SAs. The Century City location 5 minutes away is a little better.

You are a customer with specific wants and perhaps the staff that you dealt with were either not properly trained to serve or concluded your requests to be too burdensome to bother with.
Perhaps because of your young age, appearance or demeanor, they deemed you of no importance when, comparitively they can rely on lesser educated customers who will just buy items without questioning or demanding anything beyond what is on the rack.
In other words, either they were unable to assist you or unwilling. The fact that you have had better experiences with them leads one to infer that it was, possibly, the personalities you were dealing with and not the entire staff. As you know, not all sales staff are pleasant but neither are all customers. I have given the benefit of the doubt in your favour for my response.
May I suggest (if you haven't already done this) visiting the store on off-hours when they have less traffic and more time, and establishing a rappore with one or two of the staff. This would be an investment to better service and beneficial all around. BB on the whole, has a good reputaion for service.