From Brussels sprouts to bathroom rescues, the E.B. Marsh delivery team prove that real customer service still exists, alive and well, in Dorset
If you ever need reminding that proper local service still exists, just spend a morning with the E.B.Marsh delivery crew. From rescuing fallen neighbours to being accidentally locked in a second-floor flat, the team’s days rarely go quite to plan – but they always end with a smile (and sometimes a lettuce).
On one memorable occasion, a young installer was fitting a television when the customer popped out “for a few minutes.” She locked him in. An hour later, with no sign of her return, mild panic set in …
Another new recruit, fresh from Bournemouth, came back from his first delivery beaming – and baffled – holding a small bag of Brussels sprouts.
“They’re for you, dear, to say thank you,” the elderly customer had said. He had no idea what to do with them, but he soon learnt that the delivery staff often get eggs, lettuce, courgettes and other garden produce as a thank you – and (apart from those Brussels sprouts) they are always very much appreciated tokens of goodwill.
It’s no wonder they receive them: Marsh’s team have long been affectionately dubbed the fourth emergency service around Sturminster and Sherborne. ‘I’m not kidding,’ says owner Sarah Palmer. ‘Ross saved an customer’s life a few years ago – he had fallen in his bathroom. His son was unable to get there, the ambulance was delayed … so they called us.
‘It wasn’t a one-off either; it’s happened a few times. A customer’s daughter called us to help her mother who had fallen over in her home near the shop – again, the daughter couldn’t get there. And we often look after people who have fallen in the square in Sturminster and near our shop in Sherborne.
‘Three-quarters of our staff are first-aid trained, so we’re often called to assist.’
Of course, not every adventure is quite so dramatic.
‘The delivery team have never forgotten going to install a television in one customer’s bedroom. The husband opened the front door, took the team upstairs to the bedroom and left them to it. Ten minutes later, the wife woke up … she had been asleep in the bed! The team hadn’t even noticed her, and the husband hadn’t said a thing!’
Old-fashioned decency
It’s the attention to detail that has customers writing reviews: ‘We needed a TV and soundbar for elderly parents and wanted someone patient and trustworthy. Marsh’s were outstanding. They visited three times, spending hours making sure everything was right. The price matched Richer Sounds, but the service was extraordinary.’
And sometimes, honesty is the best service of all. One customer was quick to leave a glowing review: ‘My elderly mother-in-law recently purchased a Bosch hob as her old one had been diagnosed as faulty and in need of replacing. When Marsh’s engineer came out to fit it, he spotted that the old hob just needed switching back on. So they refunded her immediately – what a great service.’
‘The stories are just part of everyday life for me,’ says Sarah. ‘But asking the staff each morning this week what stories they have has definitely brought a laugh to the start of the day.’
Usually, though, the comments from customers simply sum up what makes Marsh’s different: ‘They phoned ahead, arrived right on time, made sure I knew how to use my new washing machine and also solved a small glitch with my dishwasher while they were here. Nothing was too much bother. What a super company to do business with.’
And though we might enjoy the funny tales, these same stories remind everyone why local, independent service still matters. So next time you’re tempted to click ‘Add to basket’, remember there’s a shop right here in North Dorset that will match the big retailers on price – and deliver with a level of humanity Amazon simply can’t.
ebmarsh.com
