"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
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The message
from "michael adams" contains these words:


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from NC contains these words:

Janet Baraclough wrote:
If anyone is heading to B and Q's garden section , could you
please
let me know what they're charging for their smallest-pot-size
camellias
this spring? They don't have plant prices on their website.

Janet (Isle of Arran)

give your local B&Q a call ? Numbers are on the web via the store
finder.

I have the number thanks, but have you ever tried asking a B and Q
garden dept staff anything face to face? I hate to think what it's
like
trying to get a sensible answer over the phone :-)

Janet

It isn't just the price Janet, you should be able to confirm they
actually have any in stock(snip)
However you should be able to find out what you want...eventually.

With many of these places, there may be a long wait before anyone
answers the phone at all. Although this doesn't cost you money -
only patience.

Well, in the interest of science, I felt obliged to try it out.

First, it does cost money, as none of the W. Scotland branches has a
freephone number.

machine announcement "Thankyou for calling B and Q Kilmarnock. If
you want X, press button 1(fourchoices) "
Machine "We are now trying to connect you to a memeber of staff. "
Tinkly music
Machine "We are now connecting you to a member of staff"
Tinkly music
Real person "Hello, I'm Keith, how can I help you?Yes, will connect
you to our gardening department"
Tinkly music
Keith "Sorry, nobody seems to be answering. If you leave your name
and number I'll ask them to call you with information about Camellias."
(I give, AND spell, name, slowly and clearly.)
"Sorry, I wasn't listening, could you repeat that"
JB gives name and number.

15 mins later, phone rings
....

Not bad. Means you can get on with other things anyway. If they
allow you to stay within earshot of a phone, at least.

It's the ones that phone back 3 hours later that are the pain.
Or never do. Or keep you holding on, listening to muzak.

....


"It's Debbie from B and Q garden dept, how may I help you? "
JB "Please can you tell me the price of your smallest-pot size
camellias?"
D "It's either 4.99 or 5.99, but they're tiny. The 24.98 size are
much bigger and better".
JB "Thankyou. Can you tell me what varieties of small ones you have
in stock?".
D. " He just said you were looking for some plants, he didn't tell me
cammellias. I'll go and look and ring you back".

3 mins later, D rings back

....

Fair enough.

I'm surprised they simply couldn't read it all off a terminal,
but there you go. Can't be right all the time, I suppose. 2-2.

....


"The smallest are 5-98. They come in two sorts pink or red
semidouble. No, they don't have names on the computer list. They are
very tiny, only 15 to 20 cms high; the big ones are much better and only
cost 24.98 and they have a name. It's "Len Measly".
Thanks and pleasant farewells on both sides.

For just another two quid , at £7.99 I can buy a larger size and
better choice of named varieties in flower(or bud), here on the island.
Camellia "Leonard Messel"

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Ouch!

....

is available at Glendoick for only £10.40
(3 litre pot).

....

They're not necessarily competitive over all their ranges.

....


Janet.

Saved a journey anyway.

From the sounds of things there can't have been any labels
on the smaller plants, otherwise they wouldn't only have
referred to the computer list. And so you're no worse off
than you would be, if someone had reported personally.


michael adams

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