“I think the sherry trade could learn a lot from their cousins in Portugal. But of course that’s only if the sherry trade sees any benefit in visitors to their bodegas. I often wonder if they really do.” It’s the old Spanish paradox of shops whose owners seem prepared to go to quite extraordinary lengths to avoid selling you anything, unless that something is guaranteed to malfunction at the first opportunity. Experiences recounted last night of finally persuading a well known department store to relinquish a sewing machine which immediately jammed, the replacement literally falling to pieces whilst being bagged. Why?
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A friend of mine wanted to try on some trousers (5 pairs) in a Ramblas boutique. The shop lady (50ish and Catalan, so almost certainly the owner) said she couldn’t. When asdked why, she replied, “You’ll probably try them all on then not buy any of them”.
Outstanding customer service.
And don’t get me started on the bars that close for lunch…
Pedro Solbes’ secret crisis plan:
1) Stop businesses producing anything remotely functional.
2) Make it extraordinarily difficult for consumers to purchase.
3) Write the Germans for more money.