this is no ordinary shopping trip, this is an M&S shopping trip

Despite my better judgement I popped into H&M on Oxford Circus yesterday. Not really popped, more like shoved and elbowed. It was my own fault really. A few days before Christmas is not the best time to try on dresses.

Still, I was determined. I grabbed my booty and looked around for the changing rooms. Not a sign in sight. I asked an assistant. She thought it was round the corner, no sorry, perhaps upstairs, and finally decided it was probably downstairs. Surprisingly, once I found it, there was no queue for the changing room. I was done in a few minutes and walked out the way I came to hand back the clothes. I was told to turn back and use the proper exit –  they had a ‘u’ shaped one-way system in place for the changing rooms. I could touch the exit from where I was standing next to the entrance  – they were basically part of the same large gap. But no, the surly assistant was having none of it and practically frog-marched me the right way.

To add insult to injury, as I was leaving a sales guy barged past me so hard that I almost fell over. Oh and each floor was so packed with rails that it was almost impossible navigate the store.

Today I’ve just paid a flying visit to Chiswick M&S. Yes, it’s crowed but there are so many staff in place that it’s a wonderfully well-oiled machine. It’s a clichéd phrase, but each of them really is going the extra mile to support shoppers in any way they can. Unlike H&M, here is a retailer that’s really got into the Christmas spirit and understands that at this stressful time of the year, shoppers really do value anything that makes life that little bit easier.