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Customer Service...or lack thereof.

B

bassturtle

Apr 9, 2004
4,322
4
45
#1
So, last thursday (week ago today) one of my customers asked me to order two speakers for him because he needs them for this weekend (tomorrow). I call up company X (who we've been doing business with for 15 years) and place the order. My customer was willing to pay any extra shipping charges to make sure it got here on time. My sales rep at company X and I talk about it and both agree that shipping normal gound would get the speakers here today or tomorrow at the latest. My customer is happy to save on the shipping.

Today rolls around and no speakers. I call my sales rep at company X to get a tracking number and I get "uuuuuhhh...crap....uuuuuuh..I don't see the order here....I know I placed the order, but...uhhh...it's not here...ummmmm...hang on a second." Next thing I know, a 'customer service rep' picks up the phone. I've remained totally calm this whole time thinking "No biggie, just overnight them so I can have them for the customer on time." How this guy got a job in a customer service department is beyond me. He procedes to tell me that since they don't show the order in their system he can not do anything for me. He even admits that it was the sales rep's mistake, but the only thing he can offer me is an apology. I laugh and ask for a manager.

This guy basically tells me the same thing - "Sorry, man. It was our mistake, but we'd lose money on the deal if we had to pay overnight shipping charges." Again, he admits that it was their mistake, but can't offer me anything but an apology. He tries to get me to have it overnighted and have ME pay for it. These speakers are costing me $95 and I'm selling them for $105. So, company x would rather me lose money to pay for their mistake than them. I asked him to look at our sales history for the past 15 years and ask him if them losing $70 in shipping charges is worth losing me as a customer forever and all he could offer up is "Sorry, man." He claimed to have asked the owner who told him to tell me that I was out of luck. So, I told him they'd never get a penny from us.

The most frustrating thing in all this was how patronizing they all were. The customer service rep tried to make it my problem by saying "Well you should have called to get a tracking number earlier in the week and then maybe we'd have time to fix the issue." Then the manager even said "Well, can you loan him an amp?" Neither of those suggestions would have been bad if it had been MY FAULT! But it wasn't. It was theirs. The only thing I wanted to hear from them was sorry about the mistake, we'll get the speakers overnighted to you. What sucks is that this is a huge company and we get all our tubes, speakers, and their pedals from. The tubes and speakers we'll be able to get somewhere else, but I guess I just can't stock their pedals anymore..which sucks.

Am I insane? Did I over react? I'm still pissed about the whole thing. What do you guys think?
 
#3
nope i don't think you overreacted at all. That sucks. Customer service these days is extremely lacking. I cannot believe they told you that. Sometimes you have to take in in the shorts on the books once in wahile to keep people coming back.

I do alot of online business at work with Deere gator items and lawn mower stuff and we spend a ton of money each year to back up our mistakes. It's all part of customer service, and although we spend a chunk keeping people happy, we haen't had a year yet where our business hasn't grown and we haven't made a decent profit and we are constantly gaining repeat customers who keep coming back.....

I would have probably told that guy the same thing.......
 
#4
THANK YOU! If I treated my customers like that, I'd have been out of business years ago. I don't understant the logic :hmm:

Luckily, my customer was totally cool about it and actually felt bad that his speakers had ruined a business relationship. I didn't want to tell him what had happened, but after calling all the other guitar stores in the area to see if they had any and striking out, I was left with no choice but to fill him in. Again, he was really gracious about it and now we have his speakers on order with ANOTHER company.
 
#5
bassturtle said:
Am I insane? Did I over react? I'm still pissed about the whole thing. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
No you are right. I would expect the same thing you expected.

I used to always shop around for the lowest price. I'd put up with BS just to save a couple bucks. But I've since learned the value of good customer service, and don't mind spending a little bit more if I know I will be treated right.

Personally, I'd appreciate it if you'd the company to save the rest of us the trouble of dealing with them in the future.
 
#6
Phat Ham said:
But I've since learned the value of good customer service, and don't mind spending a little bit more if I know I will be treated right.
[\QUOTE]

Amen To That. I always tell car dealers when i am trading vehicles, i do not dicker,i will not keep trying to beat them down on price, i will pay more than the average joker that will keep beating them down, but i expect excellent customer service after the sale, so far they ahve always taken great care of my family and our vehicles, long after the sale.......
Click to expand...
 
#7
I have found IMO that the modern business model has crap customer service.

I hate to sound cynical but it seems as what you have described is a disease and is spreading.

Corporate giants have created companies where no one really gives a sh*t.
 
#8
That sucks... It would be nice to know who i shouldn't deal with in the feature though...

Glad the customer was cool about it... I love those kind of customers, back in the days i did not mind loosing money on sale to keep those kind of people around... They bring decent people to you who are usually also pleasure to deal with...
 
#9
kserg said:
That sucks... It would be nice to know who i shouldn't deal with in the feature though...
Click to expand...

I've been debating this because I know there are some guys who really love this company, but I guess it'd be nice to maybe save some of you guys hassle in the future and I'm not planning on doing anything with them again so...

Electro Harmonix.

kserg said:
Glad the customer was cool about it... I love those kind of customers, back in the days i did not mind loosing money on sale to keep those kind of people around... They bring decent people to you who are usually also pleasure to deal with...
Click to expand...

I should have mentioned that the exact same thing happened two years ago. Only with that one, I paid to have the speaker shipped 3 day. On the third day it wasn't here, I had to pay to have it overnighted. I just wasn't willing to do that again. If it had been another customer who wasn't as cool, I might have eaten it, but I knew this guy would understand. Like I said, after I told him he was all "Oh, man I'm sorry you had to deal with this blah blah blah." He's a great guy. I'm gonna give him some in store credit for being such a great person. He even went as far as telling me that I was in no danger of losing him as a customer.
 
#10
Thank you.
Honestly, the more people accept lousy service from their vendors, the more likely everyone else is to experience the same issues. If, one at a time, we all said that this crap is unacceptable and walked away then we would start to see better service. Endif.
 
#11
My wife and I used to have Sprint cell phone. I had a contract for one year, and then after about 1 year and a half I discovered they had been charging me an extra 10 dollars every month. Since the first day of our contract. Called on it once and they said that it was because I had two lines (but they were already charging me for that on another part of the bill)... Every month there were errors and I had to go to battle with them, and then finally, I noticed that they had started charging me yet another 10 bucks a month (30 bucks extra every month)... When I finally got someone on the phone that knew what they were talking about, they admitted that it was a mistake and said they would credit me for six months... I asked about the other year. She said that I don't get that because her computer only went back 6 months for that section... I offered to send her copies of the bill and she said that I should have called about it before... I told her that I did... She checked and saw that I did... and then said there still nothing she could do about it.

So I took the hit, and a month goes by... Same errors on my bill... I don't pay them... Then there collection agency calls me saying that they're going to disconnect my phones. I told the person that I had those charges removed and that it was a mistake. This person didn't care because he doesn't have access to that information. Well I said that I'm not going to pay it. So I call up Sprint and they say don't pay it. Fine. Another month comes by... Again same charges, AND the charges for last month AND a late fee. So I call them up and ask them what's the deal. Oh sorry, our mistake they say, don't pay it... I notice also that my credit card has STILL not been credited with the refund... So I go to call up Sprint and I notice that my phone has been turned off!!!!!

So I'm fuming... I call from my landline. And get ahold of another manager and start tearing her a new one... She looks at my account and says that the last 10 dollars was because I didn't renew my contract and that when I'm off contract they charge me another 10 bucks a month... I said "what???" I should have been on a contract... Check your records. She says nope. So finally I've had enough... I want my refund and I want to cancel my service with Sprint. Here's how that conversation went.

Sprint: "Ok sir, I can help you with that. Give me your number?"
Me: "What? You were just looking at my account?"
Sprint: "Yeah, that's another screen..."
So I give her my number...
Sprint: "Ok, so to cancel your account you have to 65 dollar cancellation fee."
Me: "What!!!!"
Sprint: "Well, yes sir, you're breaking a contract early, and it costs you 65 dollars to get out of that contract."
Me: "But you just said that I never renewed your contract..."
Sprint: "Yes, but the computer is saying that you have to pay, so you have to pay for cancelling the contract early..."
Me: "Ma'am, use your head... Don't do what the computers telling you, and just think for a second... I'm cancelling this account because of all the crazy charges you have been billing me for, one of which was because you just told me like a minute ago was because I never renewed my contract... Remember I told you I did... You told me I didn't... So now you're telling me that I did... So which one is it?"
Sprint: "Sir, I don't like your tone. You need to please calm down."
Me: "Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Sprint: "Yes" [sound of computer keyboard] "You want to cancel your account, and I'm telling you that there is a 65 dollar cancellation feel."
Me: "Please tell me why I have to pay a cancellation fee."
Sprint: "Because your cancelling your account and your breaking your contract."
Me: "But apparently I don't have a contract with you, you guys are docking me 10 bucks a month for it."
Sprint: "Yes."
ME: "Yes, What?"
Sprint: "Yes. You still have to pay 65 dollars cancellation fee because your ending your contract early."
Me: "Put me on with the manager."
Sprint: "Sir, I am the manager."
Me: "Put me on with your boss."
Sprint: "I am the highest ranking person here."
Me: "Here's what I want. Cancel my account... I'm not going to pay a cancelation fee, and you guys are going to refund for the errors you've been making on my bill."
Sprint: "Sir. If you want to cancel your account, I have to get a verbal acknowledgement that you will accept the cancellation fee."
Me: "Why? Why? Why?"
Sprint: "The computer won't let me process this until you agree to accept the charges."
Me: "Fine... I'm going to accept the charges and then dispute the charges on my credit card."
Sprint: "Sir, that's the same thing as saying you're not going to pay the charges."
Me: "Let me ask you this. What would you do if you were me?"
Sprint: "I'm not going to pretend to be you."
Me: "Well, work with me here... Do you see my frustration?"
Sprint: "Are you going to accept the cancellation fee?"
Me: "Fine when can I cancel in order to not get a fee?"
Sprint: long pause... "Well, you don't have a contract with us, so you can cancel anytime."
Me: "If I don't have a contract then why do I have to pay?"
Sprint: "Because the computer says that you have to."
Me: [now I'm beside myself] "If the computer told you eat $*** would you?"
Sprint: "Sir, if you continue to use that tone with me, I will hang up."
Me: "Fine... What would happen if I don't pay this fee?"
Sprint: "Well we'd turn off your phones and report you to our collection agency."
Me: "OK, I agree to the fee... Let's get the f****** thing over with..."
Sprint: "Ok sir, your account has been closed, and you will receive a final bill in the mail. Is the anything else I can do for you?"
Me: "No."
Sprint: "Before you go, would you like to refer a friend of family member that might like our service."
Me: "Are you f****** serious? Do you listen to the words coming out of your mouth... Why the hell would I recommend anyone... Sprint is the worst f****** company I've ever experienced. F You."

So after I get off the phone with her, I get the bill a month later, sure enough for 65 dollars and all those other erroneous charges... My credit card was never credited AND after I refuted it on my card... The reported me to a collection agency. I finally had to get my buddy who is a lawyer to write a letter to clear it up.... :mad:
 
#12
MakiSupaStar said:
words words words dot dot dot word dot
Click to expand...

Haha, what a monkey...


Here is a good one:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248608&highlight=Dell

My other one was with Verizon.

Verizon created a second account on my name that i never agreed to nor known about it. Then i get a letter from collective agency. I call Verizon calmly asking what was the bill for to what i, again get yelled at... She tells me that i am irresponsible, and even though the account was created by glitch in the system it was my responsibility to call them and find it out. Then she yelled/lectured me again, then a bunch of crap happened and they hung up on me. When i called back they told me i never called and that no one by that name/ID ever worked there... Thankfully my credit is back to normal now...

But yeah, remember, once a month you have to call every company you deal with and find out if they made a mistake you are not aware of... It's your responsibility to check up on all companies if they had a glitch in system...

Speaking of cellphones, I got a new phone... YAY!

http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/phones/Detail.aspx?device=f164419f-eee9-4cf6-a1bd-070dbe4b5023

But only 1 year contract and phone was $50... I am so happy!
 
#13
kserg said:
Haha, what a monkey...


Here is a good one:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=248608&highlight=Dell

My other one was with Verizon.

Verizon created a second account on my name that i never agreed to nor known about it. Then i get a letter from collective agency. I call Verizon calmly asking what was the bill for to what i, again get yelled at... She tells me that i am irresponsible, and even though the account was created by glitch in the system it was my responsibility to call them and find it out. Then she yelled/lectured me again, then a bunch of crap happened and they hung up on me. When i called back they told me i never called and that no one by that name/ID ever worked there... Thankfully my credit is back to normal now...

But yeah, remember, once a month you have to call every company you deal with and find out if they made a mistake you are not aware of... It's your responsibility to check up on all companies if they had a glitch in system...
Click to expand...

LOL... Good times. Could have been worse... She could have called you a dirty stinking nincompoop.
 
#19
There's always somebody above the guy who answered the phone. If they don't help you, and wont give you to the higher person, get their name and any sort of identifying number and call back to someone else. When you do get ahold of someone higher up, explain to him/her everything.
Be calm the entire time, yelling gets you no where fast. I have yet to have a charge I didn't feel was correct or clearly stated charged to me, and I've also yet paid any errored bills. Just know how to work the system. If someone doesn't help you, get someone that will.
 
#20
It's the way it is in our society. No one is willin gto accept blame or admit a mistake. It's sad. It's just th etip of the iceberg. We're slowly going down and we have no one to blame but ourselves.
 

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