Flooring, Flooring, Who's Got the Flooring

Bamboo, Jocabean

Having spent several weeks contemplating the design aesthetic of the kitchen floor. Being unable to find a current product which will match the existing hardwood in the house without giving the appearance of a failed attempt, which is a design faux pax, the decision was made to go for contrast. Thus the ecological choice bamboo, in a Jocabean style. Wide board, dark color for those not versed in design.

Two weeks ago Friday, I went to my friendly neighborhood Lowe's to place the order. Of course there was no friendly sales associate in sight so I pressed the little yellow button to call for help. Eventually, after multiple automated pages, and the intervention of an actual intercom voice asking for an associate to go the the flooring counter, someone arrives. His first order of business is to inform me that he did not work this department. He then asks if he can help me. I respond that I want to order some flooring. He say he can try to do that for me. Needless to say my confidence in this encounter is falling rapidly.

Well, to make a long story short. So, I point to floor on display and say, "I want the bamboo, Jocabean flooring." He say, "That's nice, it's pretty, although I'm not sure I've heard of that bean before. It must be some kind of coffee bean." Being the nice guy that I am, and always eager to advance the cause of education say, "Well, it's actually a reference to an historic  design style which occurred in England." "Oh, like on HGTV," he say. He then makes several repeated failed attempts to locate the flooring on the computer. His repeated failures resulted in continued repeated attempts to do the search exactly the same way. which of course always gave the exact same result. Having endured almost twenty minutes of this torture, I pointed out to him that if you do exactly the same thing each time you will invariably get the same result. A point of logic lost to him. So, I suggest he might call a manger. He called 3 different managers, none of which responded. He then called the front desk, who suggested he call a manage. He tries again, and succeeds.

The manage, having taken charge rapidly resolves the problem and suggests that the sales associate call the distribution center to make certain that they have the quantity I need. 20 minutes later the distribution center reports that that item has been discontinued. Keep in mind that we are over an hour into the exchange at this point, and that the item is clearly on display in the store as being available.

Now, to the sales associates credit he does suggest that he could check to see if any other stores in the area have the product. I ask why they would as this is a special order item. He say, that it is only a special order item at this store, other store might stock it. Well, I said go ahead it's worth a try. He does, and he finds the quantity I need in Springfield, a mere 90 minutes away.

Flooring Awaiting Installation

He says, that I can call them, purchase it over the phone and have it shipped direct to me, but I will need to pay for the shipping. Why should I do this I ask? If you ordered it here, it would be shipped here, I would pick it up and pay no shipping. Why don't you just have Springfield ship it here on your dime. I should not have to pay shipping just because you can't get it from your central distribution. Apparently Lowe's has no way of shipping between stores. Needless to say, I am not happy. Keep in mind we are now over 2 hours into this encounter.

Well, I say. I'm not paying shipping on this. I'll just drive to Springfield tomorrow and pick it up, so call them and place it on hold for me.

So, I drive the Springfield all the while expecting to find that they in fact do not have the flooring. I arrive, and within 15 minutes the flooring is in the back of my Kia and heading back to Rolla. Customer service is certainly better in Springfield! The flooring is now sitting in the living room awaiting installation. If only there were floor fairies. Oh wait, I think I'm a floor fairy.