Customer Service is no more!!!

[lindata 1]

I am so SICK TO DEATH of there being no customer service ANYWHERE anymore!!! This is the story of the straw that broke the camel's back:

I ordered books from IDENTITY DIRECT in OCTOBER for all the kids I know for X-mas. They're personalized books with the kids names, birthdays, friend's names and city they live in. I ordered TEN books at $170. I called today to see where they were as I was leaving for home December 18 (on an airplane). They said they phoned me in October to tell me I had left out one piece of information, and since then they haven't done any of the order because they can't process it all until they have all the information. So NONE of the books are done and there's a pretty good chance I won't get any of them by the time I leave. I said I didn't receive a message on my answering machine. They said it's written right down that they called me. I said well, you didn't - and this little circle of conversation went on for five minutes. I kept saying I'm not going to get them in time and this is not MY fault, it's YOURS, and what are you going to do about it. They kept "apologizing" (yeah, that's what they said - "I apologize" - but did it sound like one? NO) and said well, we didn't receive all the information and it takes 21 days to process. They would not budge. I said I wanted to talk to the manager. No manager. After five more minutes of me complaining, surprise, they found the supervisor to talk to. The supervisor said I WAS PARTLY TO BLAME since I ordered it in October and I was just calling now!!!!! AND I was also partly to blame since I left out one piece of information (my kid's birthday). I couldn't believe the gall of this person to say I was partly to blame. How am I to blame? I'm the CUSTOMER!!! If I left something out, someone should have contacted me!!! I said I didn't receive the message - maybe they DID call SOMEONE and left a message, but it wasn't on MY machine. Then she said usually they send a letter out if they don't get a call back. I DIDN"T GET A LETTER!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!! She said they can e-mail too. I said I DIDN'T GET AN E-MAIL!!!!! So basically they left a message on SOMEONE's machine somewhere, no one called back (this is ONE MONTH AGO), and they left it at that. They have my money, but they're not going to even try to get a hold of me again to see what's up. I said it's a good thing I did call now to see where my stuff was. And I swear to God, this whole conversation went around and around in circles. We kept saying the same things. They didn't suggest trying to get it out earlier, they didn't suggest sending it via courier (even at my expense which I probably would have paid for seeing how it's X-mas presents for LITTLE CHILDREN!!!), they "apologized" but you know how those apologies are - they are NOT apologies - and I told them that too. I said, "You're not apologizing, if you were apologizing you'd sound sorry and try to do something about it. So that's where it's at - ABSO"F"INGLUTELY NOWHERE!!!!!!!! So they F'd up MY X-mas presents to my kid, my nieces, nephews, friend's kids, and that's it. I told them I am VERY upset, I will NEVER order anything from them again, and I will tell EVERYONE I know. So I'm starting with you. Please warn everyone you know. IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU!!!

[lindata 1]

Oh, yeah, and they also said about me not receiving the phone message, "If this is true ..." as if I were LYING about not getting the message. I said why would I not call you back about this? Why do you think I wouldn't call back to tell you the information? I WANT these X-mas presents. I've told everyone's parents about them and everyone is quite excited and thinks they're a pretty cool present. So basically they told me I was to BLAME and that I LIED about not receiving the phone message.

[Gummiebear 0]

I hope you get ur presents out on time but if not maybe let everyone know there was a delay and then get them to them later. It sucks that you may not be able to get the gifts out on time but it will be an extra gift to look forword too after all the Holidays are done. I would be really mad at that place also if I were you.

[Kat817 19]

I agree, their customer service sucks!!! Have you gone online to see if they have corporate offices? If they do it might be wisest to wait until after you get them finally and file a complaint. Did you get everyone you spoke to's name? I would also send a copy of the complaint to the host for the company. If you saw an ad for them in a magazine, inform the magazine, or newspaper, or website owner.....Make some noise!

My Pet Peeve this year, is not being waited on! I get in my car and drive to the store, and am standing asking a salesperson a question about an adapter at BEST BUY and they turn in the middle of answering my question and answer a phone. Spend a good 5 minutes answering someone elses questions---who had not bothered to get in their car and drive to the store---leaving me standing there. I was so pissed I told 3 different store managers, and come home and went on line and did the same!!!

Good Luck to you----hope they arrive in time.

Had you thought about contacting them and changing the delivery address to where you will be? Just a thought.

Hope it works out!

Kat

[NanaRenan 0]

Ack!!! I hear ya!

I just got done firing off an angry letter to a company for the poor design of their product and the total absence of any instructions in the box!!!

And what is up with ARGUING with the customer....? Whatever happened to the customer is always right??

I went to the supermarket a couple of weeks ago -- rushing up to the deli counter -- (I have a love-affair with Boar's Head Rosemary Ham which I can get at only ONE store!!) -- only to hear "We're closed!"

"Oh, okay. What time do you close?" I asked politely, trying to hide my disappointment!

"Nine o'clock. It's 5 til." I'm told curtly.

"Well, guess I'll just head to Wal-Mart cause I can get everything ELSE I needed there."

As I'm walking out, literally tearing up because I'm so annoyed, I think "8:55 is NOT 9:00!!" I pull out my cell phone to give hubby a "can you believe this..." call and see, it's only 8:48, which means it wasn't 8:55, but 8:45 when she told me they were closed!!!

I went back in and asked for the manager -- by then the deli girl had clocked out and was in line checking out with some things she needed to take home -- she was sent back to cut my meat. And I hope she got a stiff reprimand.

I'm usually really nice, but, by golly, when I go OUT of my way to make it to the store just in time, I don't deserve to ignored!

[uniqueone 0]

Ack!!! I hear ya!

I just got done firing off an angry letter to a company for the poor design of their product and the total absence of any instructions in the box!!!

And what is up with ARGUING with the customer....? Whatever happened to the customer is always right??

I went to the supermarket a couple of weeks ago -- rushing up to the deli counter -- (I have a love-affair with Boar's Head Rosemary Ham which I can get at only ONE store!!) -- only to hear "We're closed!"

"Oh, okay. What time do you close?" I asked politely, trying to hide my disappointment!

"Nine o'clock. It's 5 til." I'm told curtly.

"Well, guess I'll just head to Wal-Mart cause I can get everything ELSE I needed there."

As I'm walking out, literally tearing up because I'm so annoyed, I think "8:55 is NOT 9:00!!" I pull out my cell phone to give hubby a "can you believe this..." call and see, it's only 8:48, which means it wasn't 8:55, but 8:45 when she told me they were closed!!!

I went back in and asked for the manager -- by then the deli girl had clocked out and was in line checking out with some things she needed to take home -- she was sent back to cut my meat. And I hope she got a stiff reprimand.

I'm usually really nice, but, by golly, when I go OUT of my way to make it to the store just in time, I don't deserve to ignored!

This is one great ending to one of these c.s. (or lack of) stories! I LOVE IT!!! The lyin' b...h!!!!:whoo::whoo::whoo:

[steph_co 9]

I really am surprised these days at what passes for customer service. I can't believe they argued with you over whose fault it was. Sheesh. I agree that the customer is always right and you shouldn't argue with them! Some people in customer service don't stop to think for two seconds that the person they are arguing with is the person that essentially pays their paycheck! It's amazing. I've had problems with Wal-mart's lack of decent CS, hence I now shop at Target. I was sick of being crapped on. So, yeah - some people might just say it, but I follow through.

[Kat817 19]

And how about when you are walking along in an aisle shopping, and here comes an employee with a cart full of merchandise to stock, you better just get the hell outta their way or get run over. I open my very loud mouth when it happens!!! Walmart is the worst for that!!

When I was in HS working retail at KMart, we still were told the customer is always right, get a manager!!! And to expect the customer to move for us was another big NO!

Times have changed!

Kat

[lindata 1]

Walmart is absolutely terrible in all aspects of customer service. I've had so many bad experiences there - and I'm a nice person, really I am!! I bring my own cloth bags - try and get a WalMart person to use them instead of the plastic! One checkout lady wanted me to do my own price check on something because what she rang in was a wrong price. I mean, I'm in line with a 3 year old kid who does not have patience, and she expects me to run to the back of the store to get an item with the price sticker on it - instead of phoning someone in-store to do it!! The list goes on and on about that place. Okay, now you've got me all riled up again!

[Telecia 1]

WalMart is absolutely terrible in all aspects of customer service. I've had so many bad experiences there - and I'm a nice person, really I am!! I bring my own cloth bags - try and get a Walmart person to use them instead of the plastic! One checkout lady wanted me to do my own price check on something because what she rang in was a wrong price. I mean, I'm in line with a 3 year old kid who does not have patience, and she expects me to run to the back of the store to get an item with the price sticker on it - instead of phoning someone in-store to do it!! The list goes on and on about that place. Okay, now you've got me all riled up again!

Actually she was probably trying to save you time.

My BF worked for walmart for 5 years. They have THE WORST practices I have ever seen or heard of towards their customers and employees. The deliberatly understaff their stores, force 1 employee often to cover for anywhere from 2-5 areas at a time then of course dicipline the employee if they cant get everything done in all of those areas. Its ridiculious.

When it comes to a price check if it wasn't durring the 12pm -7am shelf stocking time (seems to be the only time each area has its own employee) slot. Calling for a price check would probably take half a hour or more because the employees are covering huge areas.

My BF quit before ours changed to a supercenter. But we still have several friends who work there who say it hasn't changed at all and has gotten worse for the most part.

Another reason I will LOVE losing enough weight to be able to shop at kmart or target. Cant shop at them now cause they all have electric carts with unmovable arms. I can't fit =/ so I'm forced to keep going to Walhell.

[pippinje 0]

I hate to say that I disagree on this thread. The customer is not ALWAYS right. There are people out there who just complain to complain. I am not saying this is the case in this situation, but it happens.

[Telecia 1]

Well its thanks to the really abusive A$$hole types that the philosophy of the customer is always right has dropped by the wayside.

People in general now tend to treat service type employees like crap totally forgetting the fact that even though they are being payed to be of some service of helping you doesn't give you the right to treat them like dirt.

My BF has been a clerk running check out lines etc. in a few places from convient stores, grocery, wal-mart, adult shop, and now wal-greens. And out of his 18+years of working in this industry he says wal-greens has been the best when it comes to how customers treat employees.. Walmart and convience stores the worst.

its just one of the many examples of how degridated overall our society is becoming socialy in the areas of respect and manners.

I recently read and awesome book by a british writer about this subject. Have to dig out the book and get the name/author. It was a really insightfull book. And quite entertaining also.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I hate to say that I disagree on this thread. The customer is not ALWAYS right. There are people out there who just complain to complain. I am not saying this is the case in this situation, but it happens.

I wasn't in the mood to argue yesterday so I didn't post the above but I agree with you. Customers are horrible! Absolutely horrible! They treat sales staff like dirt, demand unreasonable things, and are amazingly insulting.

Put five dollars in someone's grubby little hands, name him "consumer" and he thinks he owns the world.

They will jeopardize someone's job to get a $3.00 blue light special at k-mart for free.

I'm not referring to any examples on this thread, just in general.

You can always tell who has worked in customer service, they know full well the customer is NOT always right. They are often times buttheads.

[pippinje 0]

Well its thanks to the really abusive A$$hole types that the philosophy of the customer is always right has dropped by the wayside.

People in general now tend to treat service type employees like crap totally forgetting the fact that even though they are being payed to be of some service of helping you doesn't give you the right to treat them like dirt.

quote]

I completely agree with this! I work in a customer service enviroment and it never ceases to amaze me how people think we are there to be a "YES" man/woman. You making your payment late and then asking for a late charge waiver is no reason to curse someone when they tell you "no". Man up to your mistakes! ***Disclaimer****These opinions are my own and no one else's. **** :heh:

[lindata 1]

I agree that some people are horrible to sales clerks, and those people don't deserve service. Myself, I ALWAYS treat everyone with courtesy and patience - at first, even if they are being jerks to me. I think people get what's coming to them. If customers treat clerks badly, then why should they be treated good? Totally agree with that.

When I have lost it (which I could count on the fingers of one hand), is in situations like this where it seems like they're butting heads with you because they can - they've got your money, and honestly they don't about you or your problem. People in customer service are there to do pretty much just that, if they can, to help the customer, to be polite to the customer, to have good manners, basically to be a good person, just to be humane is all I ask for - especially if the customer is nice to them!!

My husband phoned back (because I figured I wasn't getting anywhere), he got the manager, and she agreed totally I was not to "blame" as the supervisor told me I was, and that I should still get the books on time. She talked to us both nicely, understood our problem, was sorry that this had happened, but there wasn't too much she could really do about it. HUGE difference between her and the previous two people. Same outcome though. But that's all I needed, just to be treated as a fellow human being with courtesy and respect.

By the way, when she looked at the order, it was STILL on HOLD and was still not going to be processed - gee, I wonder why that was. Even though I still may not get the books on time, at least she listened to me, heard the problem, and didn't dismiss me.

It's just all in how a person is treated. You can say the words, talk the talk, but you know when you're being treated fairly or dismissively just by the tone of voice, the actions of the clerk (rolling eyes or smiling, sympathetic or couldn't care less attitude, sighing and moving in slow motion or phoning someone else if they can't fix the problem).

And when all else fails there's always karma.