I didn't know what to do a review on today so I've decided to write a couple of reviews on things that I've used today, in this case a place I've been to!
Today I had to go Marks and Spencer's with my Step-Dad.
We went there to go get a dressing gown and matching nightdress for my Mother for her birthday which I will tell you about at the end of my review because it's about customer service.
My family have always been a Mark's fan. My mother still calls it Marks and Sparks!
We don't shop there all the time but my Mum, like a lot of women I've met in her age group have their 'favourite things' from there.
When I was a kid we had a loaf of onion bread on a Saturday with their cheesy coleslaw, then we moved on to their vegetable pasties then we went through a cheese and leek pie phase, and now we always have their Christmas cake and Christmas puds lol
When I was a kid my Mum would always buy my knickers from their and cos they washed and kept so nice I never seemed to have new ones.
Even to this day every Christmas she'll get me some Florytyna perfume!
Anyhow my local store is fairly new and it's huge (in Coventry).
Very well laid out as all stores I've ever been in.... are.
Well lit, plenty of staff, really well organised, plenty of room in the aisles to move about and above all, clean!
Lots and lots of big changing rooms with nice large mirrors and room to swing a cat in and a help button to get a member of staff who do actually come when called!
Mirrors all over the store, big comfy sofas to sit ya man on, mannequins nicely dressed to give ideas, lots of colourful adverts hanging round the store that give a great ambiance.
Lots of staff milling about, all checkouts in my local store are usually on duty so not so large queues like in a lot of other stores I do go into which makes a really great postive here.
The shoe section has plenty of sizes AND half sized shoes which is great for us awkward women lol and plenty of seats to sit and try them on instead of hopping about like a mad thing and trying to stop people tripping over your bags at the same time!
The clothes! Well I love Per Una!
I don't know a woman who doesn't to be fair.
Classic clothing that doesn't go out of fashion.
The emphasis here is on effortless style.
The sizes in this range are 10-20 as far as I can see and according to my mum the 20 isn't a 'big 20' although I'm a 10 normally but do find some of this range to be a bit big from time to time.
My local store also sells Autograph and the Limited Collection range which has some great pieces too.
I know from when I lived in London that Mark's do Bridal Ware, plus sizes, tall, petite and maternity but they don't do any of this in the stores I go to but then I don't need them.
The undies of course are as lovely as ever.
They're never going be ones for outrageous stuff that is in your face provocative , preferring classic , sexy and expensive looking pieces alongside their trusted favourites and yes they still do thermals!!!!
I always think a woman who buys her undies in mark's is a classy bint!
lol
They don't do bra measuring in my store but I am told they do in larger stores and I know for a fact they have a measuring service on Oxford street in London cos I used the service. However I was told by a sales assistant that while they wont measure in my store, if you try on a bra with the intention of buying it and you want some advice they will close the deal and help you out and check they think its the right size fo you.
This is my only gripe, I do believe you should be measured if you want to be by all good stores!
The men's clothing is great too!
Today my step-dad bought a lovely calazone shirt (Italian range).
Hes 18 stone and 18 1/2 inch collar and that sizing is hard to come by and it fits him perfectly.
The one thing I find is that clothes wash and iron easy from here.
They last donkeys and because this isn't a fashion store your clothes don't go out of fashion!
There is a children's section in my store but it really is small and as I don't have kids I'm not going to pass comment on the clothes but to say they look really nice.
Make up and beauty range is nice and the make up per piece is £2.50 and I do own some and its nicely packaged and decent to use.
The food hall is my favourite part and I deliberately hunt down the stuff off their fabulous adverts!
Clean and clear, quite a few offers on in my store and pleasant staff who actually look at you and say hello!
The only place I resent paying is in the coffee shop, its well overpriced but it looks pleasant.
Wheelchair access is perfect and my store has big lifts, escalators and stairs.
I saw a pair of lovely black trousers for £10 in there and I saw some for £50 and the same with the jeans I bought a pair in there for £9.50 from their value type range yet I know you can spend more in the store.
So I'm impressed with those options.
Whatever budget your on you can find something to suit your pocket usually and even their cheap range is better than a lot of stores IE Primark!
Now on to final part of my review!
Customer service.....
Absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!!
Back to the beginning of my review talking about my Mum wanting a dressing gown and nightdress!
We got to the section and they got the dressing gown and no matching nightdress in her size so I'm stood their whaling to my Step-Dad, 'What we gonna do!?' When a member of staff came up and said don't panic take one to customer service and order the size you want It'll be here in 48 hours!
So we took both down and I said to the lady on the customer service desk can we pick them up here on Wednesday night?
She said wherever you want. She was on phone ages located what we wanted all the time smiling and being polite to us.
So we ordered both items to pick up Wednesday night from a different store for our convenience.
Just for your information you can order items from their website marksandspencers.com and if you place an order over £30.00 then delivery is free. Offer is only on clothing, home ware and wine cases, and the site isn't just for clothes and the stuff I've mentioned it is for furniture, flowers and hampers and loads more besides.
Great if you can't find the tall range, maternity etc its all on there!
The lady on customer services also tells me they have a 90 day return policy which really does give you peace of mind eh?!
I'm going to end my review there , there's so much more I could say but really I urge you to go and have a nose!
Oh and one last thing I must tell you about!
I recently found out about their gift card idea.
It runs all year and I always thought you put whatever you wanted on it and gave it away it was as simple as that. However you an use it for yourself as a top up card putting on as little as a pound on when you have it and saving up! Great idea eh?!!!!!!!
This review is also posted on Dooyoo under this same username.
Twiggy and co still keeping Mark's tops! 
I've had some nice kit from here. Well reviewed. John