Last week I stopped in a bed and bath shop to get some scented candles and instead got “stinky” service.   It never ceases to amaze me how a company can spend millions of dollars on advertising and branding but fail to recognize that their true brand is the customer experience.  My son and I bought four scented candles, the kind in a glass jar.  After the associate scanned the item she proceeded to put them all into a single bag.  Really?  The glass was clanking around with just two candles in the bag.  I politely asked the associate to please wrap them in paper or in separate bags so they would not break.  You would think I had asked her to give up her afternoon break.  Huffing and puffing she proceeded to get packaging paper (which was within arms reach) and wrapped them separately.   I thanked her and we left.  As we got into the car my son said “wow, she really didn’t want to be there did she?”   Apparently not.  So once again the millions of dollars in advertising and brand development just went up in smoke.