Department stores UK and London

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Selfridges department stores

Selfridges is one of the best recognised department stores group in the UK. Known for its London presence, it also has stores in Manchester and Birmingham.

  • Selfridges won Health & Beauty Store of the Year, Footwear & Accessories Store of the Year, and Overall Favourite Venue at the Trafford Centre Awards 2010.
  • Selfridges was voted Best Department Store in the World at the Global Department Store Summit in New York 2010.
  • Selfridges has been named the world’s top department store by the Intercontinental Group of Department Stores (IGDS) in 2012.
  • Store of the Decade - Retail Interiors Awards 2008.
  • Selfridges was voted Department Store of the Year in the 2012 and 2013 UK Lingerie Awards.
  • Selfridges named world’s best department store 2014 at the Global Department Store Summit organised by the IGDS.

House of Fraser

Established over 160 years ago, House of Fraser is a leading premium department store group in the UK and Ireland trading through a portfolio of 60 stores, as well as online. It distributes a broad range of quality premium branded merchandise to the UK retail market as well as an exclusive House Brand offering. Their dedication to customers has been recognised recently as shown below.

John Lewis Department Stores

The UK award-winning department store group with flagship stores in London's Oxford Street and Sloane Square, winner of a number of awards and accolades offers many of its products and services on its website

  • Multiple Department Store of the Year - The Drapers Awards 2009
  • Department Store of the Year and, Best New Store or Department of the Year - Drapers Awards Winners 2010
  • John Lewis has been voted The Marketing Society's Brand of the Year in 2010 and 2011
  • John Lewis is voted best Department Store of the high street by Prima readers 2011.
  • John Lewis was named Best Online Department Store at the InStyle online awards 2012.
  • John Lewis was voted Best Department Store at the Comfort Prima High Street Awards 2012.
  • John Lewis in Cambridge has received a Highly Commended Certificate for Outstanding Customer Service (National) at the Love Cambridge Awards 2012.
  • We have received a customer review via Twitter (May 2014) about the very good service provided by John Lewis >>

Bloomingdale's

The award-winning US department store now available online in the UK. Bloomingdale's aims to lead the way with exclusive merchandise, customised services, and alternative venues.

  • Bloomingdale named Department Store of the Year during the Global Department Store Summit in 2008.
  • Honorable Mention in the Department Store category in Chain Store Age's 2010 Retail Store of the Year design competition for Bloomingdale's Santa Monica.
  • Finalists of ‘Department Store of the Year’- 2nd Global Department Store Summit 2010.

Saks Fifth Avenue UK

Saks.com , the website arm of the US department store provides an expansive selection of fine designer collections, cosmetics and furnishings, and has declared its committed to providing the same quality of service found in Saks Fifth Avenue stores

  • Saks was named a J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Customer Service Champion (50 US companies received the nomination).
  • Saks has been awarded a 2011 Teradata EPIC Award in the “Logistics and Inventory Optimization” category for implementation of Teradata DCM forecasting, replenishment and allocation applications.
  • Saks is the recipient of a 2011 Outlet Retail Chain Award in the “Best Marketing” category.
  • Saks is listed as a “Hot 100 Retailers” of the year in the August 2011 issue of STORES magazine.
  • Received the Gold Pencil award in the “Outdoor/Interactive Design” category at the 2011 One Show Design Awards for the “Snowflake and the Bubble” 3D projection light show from the 2010-2011 holiday season.
  • Saks Fifth Avenue was recognised as one of 10 online merchants with stellar customer service by Internet Retailer magazine (Annual Mystery Shopping Study).
  • Saks named third favourite retail establishment in the category of Best Department Store - Centurion Magazine Reader's Choice survey for 2010.
  • Saks Fifth Avenue were included in the top 10 merchants offering the Best Online Customer Service according to the 15th Annual Mystery Shopping Study by the e-tailing group in the US.

Harrods

Harrods is a leading UK department store in London offering one of the most exclusive luxury designer collection of fashion brands. Proposes ladies and mens accessories, menswear, womenswear, shoes, beauty products, gifts

  • Harrods was given the Department Store of the Year accolade in the Drapers Fashion Awards 2011.
  • Harrods included in the Short list for The Best In-store Restaurant of the Year (Caffe Florian and dei Frescobaldi)in 2010 and Fit Out Department Store of the Year (The Wine Shop) in the 2011 Retail Week Interiors Awards.
  • Best Candidate Experience, Most Effective Recruitment Strategy and Best Employee Referral Strategy - Recruiter Awards for Excellence 2011
  • Collaborative Working Award - The CIBSE Building Performance Awards 2012
  • Harrods scooped Best Department store for greeting cards in the RETA awards 2011.
  • Harrods was officially certified as one of Britain's Top Employers 2012 following independent research by the CRF Institute.

Debenhams stores

Chain of UK department stores with high street presence as well as online store. Broad product offering for men, women, children at home and on the go, including established brands as well as new designers

  • Debenhams was recognised 'Best department store' at the ITV High Street Fashion Awards 2011.
  • Highly commended in the category 'best new store or department of the year' - Drapers Awards 2011
  • Best Department Store - Company Fashion Awards 2008 and 2009 and named Department Store of the Year and winners of Smart Clothes of the Year at the Comfort Prima High Street Fashion Awards 2009
  • Best Department store - GMTV LK Today High Street Awards
  • Debenhams wins the International Growth Initiative of the year and the Retail Technology Initiative award at the Retail Week Awards 2013.
  • Debenhams have been voted Best Department Store 2013 in the U High Street Style Awards.

Good customer service in department stores

We have put together a list of customer service criteria that department stores may wish to meet in order to achieve a high level of customer service. Do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to suggest others. To achieve customer excellence:

  • Design stores so that their internal layout reflects customers shopping patterns and allows optimised circulation;
  • Offer a coherent range of products suited to meeting the expectations of customers whilst offering them a broad choice reflecting recent trends and innovations;
  • Employ staff with good knowledge of the stores and products together with impeccable behaviour orientated towards customers;
  • Allowing the right mix of brands and concessions in the stores to complement the department store own branded products;
  • A clear and fair return and refund policy;
  • A fair pricing policy consistent with the store's marketing message;
  • Availability of tailored services, if required, such as personal shoppers, wedding and gifts lists;
  • Good integration between the various channels offered by the department store for shopping and customer service including online, phone and in-store;
  • Efficient and reliable delivery service.
  • For additional suggestions, please do not hesitate to submit your ideas via your favorite social media network using #goodcustomerservice