Word: nordstrom
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...Nordstrom department stores, a 60-store U.S. chain concentrated mostly in the Far West, are renowned for the fine customer service provided by their seemingly tireless salespeople. But does Nordstrom's corporate culture have a dark side? The Washington State department of labor has ruled that the company illegally pressured employees to perform many work-related duties "off the clock." Nordstrom was ordered to pay its Washington clerks two years' worth of overtime, which could amount to several million dollars...
...years after the birth of her sister's twins. She decided it was a shame to bronze over the trendy, brightly hued designs of modern baby shoes, so she dipped a pair of castoffs in resin. Liking the result, Elliot launched a glazing service called Clear Memories in a Nordstrom's department store. Business has been brisk ever since. For $37 to $45, Elliot will glaze a pair of shoes and mount them on a base of lucite, marble or wood...
While many retailers focus on keeping prices low, others concentrate on providing good service. Sales at Nordstrom, a Western chain with an exceptional reputation for attentiveness to customer needs, rose 18% last year, while profits surged 26%. Noting that success, a host of companies are making fresh efforts to upgrade service. Neiman-Marcus will spend $20 million this year to improve its gift-wrapping and other customer-service operations. Castner Knott, a Nashville-based chain, has deployed "sales specialists," who are trained to be familiar with the merchandise in large areas of a store rather than just small sections. They...
Throughout the chain, the sales help strictly follow a dictum laid down by the company's president, James Nordstrom, 46: replace anything on demand, no matter how expensive, no questions asked. Although the policy is sometimes abused by shoppers (who may, for example, order a $500 dress, wear it once to a party, and then return it), it works well for Nordstrom. Says Skidmore: "I < couldn't believe how nice they were being. I bought another pair of shoes on the spot...
...Nordstrom was founded in Seattle in 1901 as a retail shoe store by a Swedish prospector, John Nordstrom, who had struck it rich in the Klondike. Now a publicly traded concern, the firm is still closely controlled by members of the founder's family and propelled by their hands-on style. Says Edward Weller, a senior analyst in the San Francisco office of the Montgomery Securities investment firm: "Nordstrom's movitates people, not just by paying them well but by congratulating them and encouraging them...