What the hell ever happened to customer service?

[shiner]

First the background.....I bought a new refrigerator (White on white. Top freezer style) yesterday and had it delivered today. Since I had to work my Dad met the delivery people at my house. And now....the rest of the story.

I get home from work today and come inside to take a look at the new fridge. When I do I notice that the door has a small dent in the bottom door about 2 inches from the hinge. I then start looking it over more closely and notice that the door handles are stained with what looks like greasy fingerprints. I try to clean the handles but no luck. I started looking and the door closely and noticed that the built in door stop on the bottom door had not been moved when the doors were reversed. The door reversal had to be done due to my kitchen layout. I guess my Dad didn't notice it but when I got home it was the first thing I saw. So I called and talked to my salesman, he apologized and forwarded me to their customer service woman so she could get my complaint and info. I told her what was wrong and she jumped all over me. Started telling me that the handle was not stained, it was just textured. I told her I didn't think so because it was black fingerprint stains. She tried to argue and tell me it was shadowing from the texture but I kept shooting her down. Then she started telling me that the door couldn't have a dent in it because the installer would have inspected it before he left. When I told her about him not moving the door stop she got even more shi!tty acting and tried to blame me for wanting the doors reversed. She was being a real bitch until I let her know I live a block from the owners of the store and wouldn't mind walking over to talk to them. After that she said they would get a replacement door and handles to me tomorrow. Stupid woman....she knew not with whom she was messing. What is the deal with this though? It just seems like nobody gives a rat's arse about customer service anymore.

 

[fatbaby]

well i had to rma something with intel...i expected it to take at least 30 minutes (like dell), but it only took 5 minutes!

i just explained that something was wrong and the techy said that they'll replace it right away! no questions asked...(btw this item was an mp3 player)

 

[p0ntif]

In my experience, I have found that unless you are dealing with the service industry (i.e. hotels and the like), big companies tend not to really care much about customer service anymore. I mean, if the CSR is courteous, that's nice, but its not such a big deal to them anymore. I figure they ran a model and realized that people almost expect crappy service these days, and the companies certainly aren't gaining any new business because of customer service (or not enough to make it worthwhile). I think that this does in fault lie with everyone. Regardless of customer service, we are in an era of 'Do it yourselfers' who really don;t care much about customer service, but would rather bargain shop at its expense. So, as a business owner, when you get customers mostly because you have low prices as opposed to customer service, then why invest money in it? And I believe that this becomes truer as the company gets bigger. Smaller companies tend to have better Customer service than big comanpies in my experience.

 

[XFreebie]

had to call fedex, and was on hold for over 35 minutes b4 i realized nobody was going to pick up ever. then i called their other number and somebody picked up right away, nice balance of workload eh?

 

[308nato]

They make you work for it instead of helping right away. I really don't think most companies are aware of how sh!ttily customers are treated by their front line reps.

They seem to treat you like they are married to you or related by a bad marriage. The taunt you into becoming abusive and generally going insane over their laziness and ignorance. Thats when they escalate the call to the boss refering to you as a psycho and you are forever tainted and left derelict in the future by that company.

You must keep the @ss kicking pleasant and keep control of the situation. You may have to write letters and call endlessly but with perseverance and intestinal fortitude you will get your way eventually. Most people don't think its worth the effort and give up.

Living next door to the owner is a good thing as well.

This is how the 24/7/365 CSR's at my day job's call center work anyway. Your call interrupts the reading of their TEEN magazine. I would like to put some of these little buggers on a hay rack in this 95degree 95% humidity weather and show them what work is.

 

[Squisher]

I find too many service reps try to intimidate you, because it probably works most of the time.

When I have to go around with service reps over something I remember this sign in this inspector's office I was in:

Argueing with an inspector is like wrestling with a pig in mud. At some point you come to realize that the pig is enjoying it.

<---takes on personna of pig.

 

[shiner]

This is a small company, 4 appliance stores. Been in business here for, God I have no idea I'm 32 and they have been here all my life. My parent's used to deal with them a lot and when they built their current house back in the 1980's they bought almost all their kitchen appliances there as well as their washer and dryer. It's not like we don't have choices here since there are tons of places like them as well as the huge Home Depot type stores. It just seems they don't give a crap anymore.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Make them take it back & buy one from one of the chains

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

What happened is that customers did not want to pay for customer service. These depts have been downsized as a result. Gonna save 5 bucks on something? That probably means 5 dollars less in customer service.

 

[OneSyberTroop]

more power to you shinerburke! I think you should go down there and yell at the CSR personally

Dumb B!tch

 

[FelixDeCat]

Stop whining. You should be glad you live in the greatest country on Earth! Smile!

 

[Sluggo]

Part of the problem is that people buy from the lowest price store, then expect the customer service of the higher priced stores.

The low prices come from somewhere.

 

[shiner]

Well I actually paid $20 more to buy it from this place based on my parent's and my dealings with them in the past. Plus they delivered it free when the other local places that had this particular model charged anywhere from $45-$50 for delviery. You pay nearly $1000 for something and you shouldn't have to deal with bad attitudes like the one I encountered.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: shinerburke
Well I actually paid $20 more to buy it from this place based on my parent's and my dealings with them in the past. Plus they delivered it free when the other local places that had this particular model charged anywhere from $45-$50 for delviery. You pay $800 for something and you shouldn't have to deal with bad attitudes like the one I encountered.

Agreed.

 

[UsandThem]

What is the deal with this though? It just seems like nobody gives a rat's arse about customer service anymore.

I work as an appliance salesperson (for right now) and I have to add:

I try as hard as I can to help customers. When there is a problem in the company I work for with a delivery or damaged unit, the salespeople have to take care of it, not a CSR.

At the end of a day though, you are just tired from dealing with idiots. I meet some very nice professional people in my work, but I also get to work with some of the biggest sleez-bags there are. People who think the world owes them something. It usually is the people who make the most money too.

I have been doing this for five months now, and it is funny because I can now usually guess which customers will call back in after leaving and try to get a discount due to a "dent" or "scratch" or and "inconvienance". These sleazy b@stards ruin it for everyone.

One of my personal favorites I dealt with this week: Imagine her the entire time at the top of her lungs.

Me: "Thank you for calling how may I help you?"

Her: "I bought a washer and dryer from you and it was delivered today. They couldn't hook the dryer up because I didn't have a gas line."

Me "So you wanted an electric dryer and we made a mistake and rang up a gas dryer?"

Her: "No, I this is my first day in my new house and I thought it had gas. I need an electic one."

Me: "Ok, well we will send our techs out tomorrow and bring you the electric version of that dryer."

Her: "No, I want it tonight."

Me: "Sorry, ma'am, it is 8:00 pm, our techs are gone for the evening, so tomorrow is the earliest."

Her "This is totally unacceptable, I will never shop there again. You are unwilling to help me out."

Me: "I am trying to help you out, however it can only be done tomorrow. You ordered a gas dryer and that is what we delivered."

Her: "So, now it's my fault? You are blaming me?"

Me: "Ma'am, I am now transferring you to my manager, one moment please."

After all that, her d@mn dryer was delivered the following day

 

[Angrymarshmello]

shiner - where'd you purchase it from? My parents bought a fridge from Sears and returned 2-3 of them without hassles for various problems.

 

[TripleAAA]

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: TripleAAA

 

[Lucky]

I called up IBM today to get the address to send an RMA to. He started asking for my name, RMA number, adress, phone...etc. I was like grandpa, I already got the RMA number I just need the frickign address. I need to drop this off at the post office in the next 10 minutes before they close. But no, the jackass refuses to tell me a simple farkign address without taking my life history down. Post office was closed when I got there. :|

 

[TripleAAA]

Although I empathize with your refridgerator situation, as a CSR myself, I know that sometimes the customer just wants to argue and be a pain in the butt. antiABIT's post sums up many situations I've encountered. Sometimes, there is only so much a CSR can do with a particular situation. In no way am I justifying what that lady told you because she was completely wrong in doing so, but at the same time, I think there is probably "another side of the story" if you will.

When I have a problem with a company, and I have to discuss the situation with a CSR, I put myself in their shoes because I know what they are dealing with. I speak reasonably to them first and foremost and in a tone of voice that isn't "argumentative". Just because you may have had a problem with another company or even another person from the same company, doesn't mean you should attack the CSR. To put it simply, treat them as a person. I've found that the tone of voice in a phone call is extremely critical. From a CSR perspective, you need to sound very understanding and sympathetic to what the customer is telling you. From a consumer standpoint, you need to sound calm, thank them for helping you with the situation, etc. Both sides will feel much better about the situation and chances are it will be resolved much more smoothly and quickly.

Another thing that makes a HUGE difference when you are the consumer is every once in a while, writing a letter, speaking to a manager/owner, etc and tell them how GOOD of an experience you had dealing with a particular person. CSR's unfortunately deal mostly with problems...that is their job.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: XFreebie
had to call fedex, and was on hold for over 35 minutes b4 i realized nobody was going to pick up ever. then i called their other number and somebody picked up right away, nice balance of workload eh?

Airborne Express steals our packages and makes fake delivery attempts. When I POLITELY called about it, the man on the phone accused me of saying he was a woman and began shrieking! I have no idea where he got the woman thing! I was just trying to exaplin that someone had illegally signed a package receipt with some fake name (it was the driver, as we have his writing on file).

 

[OutHouse]

Airborne Express steals our packages and makes fake delivery attempts

?? i dont understand

 

[pyonir]

our fridge stopped cooling after six months of being brand new. My roommate called up GE and talked to the cust servc rep. It was wednesday morning about 830am and she said they could have someone out on Saturday. the times would be between 8-5! Then she said well they could keep his name handy and give him a call if anyone cancelled thurs or friday. So he woudl have to take work off and sit at home HOPING for a call. He said that wouldn't work and do they have some sort of emergency line to call. Without skipping a beat she completely ignored him and said, "well ok, we have you set up for saturday then, someone will be out to fix it then between 8-5."

Customer service is non-existant these days and it obviously isn't going to get any better.

 

[Jfur]

Originally posted by: Citrix
Airborne Express steals our packages and makes fake delivery attempts

?? i dont understand

They simply don't deliver things. They send things back, or occassionally they disappear. If we call to complain they claim they were there and that the door label "blew away" (we have a covered porch and are often home at the time of alleged deliveries). They are always rude, and obviously have a file on our household after my neighbor (lives behind us) filed a complaint in 1998. Once I caught the AE guy sneaking a door tag on EIGHT DAYS after they claimed he did (after we had complained). They also sign things with fake names and leave it in the yard (sometimes in the middle of the yard in the hot sun). The story is much longer and well documented with other witnesses' reports and fake signatures from them. I actually went and visited the regional manager and she was shocked and very apologetic -- of course everything was denied and the problem got worse after that. I called the mainland offices, too, but no one seemed to care. Now I REFUSE to do business with any company that does not offer alternative shipping.

 

[Peacekeeper100]

I used to do gas line installs at houses. On one job the air conditioner installer showed up. And I'm talking the largest air condintioning company in a city of 2 million. They were putting two units in on a house. Well the two people decided to race. As they attempted to go around a corner the units fell off and roled 5 or 6 times. So they put them back on and resummed again. As they arrived near the house both stopped suddenly rolling the units off again until the house stopped them.

I don't think this helps them operate more efficiently, but I could be wrong.