The Personal Touch

Kirkcaldie and Stains is the bastion of retail tradition in Wellington, the department store to go to when you know you’ll have trouble finding what you want anywhere else. But what if you don’t have the time, or know exactly what you want? Enter the personal shopping team, headed by Dianne White, who I had the good fortune to have a cuppa with at the Kirkcaldie and Stains cafe.

Despite what you might think, their personal shopping service is free. And it isn’t just the rich people of Wellington who use it – as well as businessmen and embassies, young mums who can’t get out of the house, as well as the elderly all come in needing help with finding the right thing. With all of us being so time poor, being able to get someone else to do the hard yards of going around the store grabbing what you need is pretty appealing, even to the most die-hard shopaholics among us! Especially when it’s a gift you’ve forgotten to get, which Kirks can send straight to the lucky giftee.

So what’s the quirkiest thing Dianne has had to find? She wouldn’t divulge anything scandalous, but my favourite customer she told me about is a kiwi ex-pat in Oxford, England, who buys two dozen Silky Oak marshmallow Easter eggs at a time, and eeks them out over the year. There’s the endearing older couple deciding on a tie for the husband, and of course the fiancées trying to decide what to put on their wedding register.

It’s a 7 day a week operation, and on the wedding side of things there is lots of analysis into what people will spend their money on, and how much on average they’ll spend on a wedding gift. All very serious stuff!

The thing I like most about talking to Dianne, and Kirks as a whole, is there is this great mix of traditional, good quality service, with a really personal, friendly attitude. It isn’t as staid as it used to be, and they’re up for helping you out however they can. Even if you’re in store and at a loss, you can always go up to the second floor and find someone to help you shop…

And if you can’t get into the store? Flick them an email with what you’re looking for, and Dianne and her team will do their darndest to help you. Now that’s service.