"RoseGarden" - - - - - - - from

Friday, October 10, 2008

Generic Customer Service

What gets me when you are involved with customer service is the generic response. You know, the one that says, "Yeah OK, so we acknowledge your complaint, now go away."

For example, we get a flyer delivered to our door every week from FS. (That doesn't stand for flight simulator.) This past week it advertised a certain item for $79.99. That was about $60. off according to them.

In the early stages of the sale, I checked their online outlet to find the item 'out of stock'. There are two stores in this area under their name.

The next step was to call store #1 where customer service transferred my call to the computer section after I asked about the availability of the item. After it ringing and waiting for several minutes customer service came on the phone to ask if I was still waiting. She then indicated there were only two people working there and they must be busy, so took my name and number and said someone would call back. Time of call was 12:20. I waited until 1:30 p.m. with no call back and therefore called store #2.

At 1:30 p.m. I called store #2. Again customer service transferred me to the computer section where an individual advised me that: "Yes indeed we have them in stock, two of them." I asked if he could hold one for about an hour and I would drive from my place to store #2 to get it. He said sure, and gave me his name to contact on my arrival.

After driving roughly 25 km to get to store #2, upon contacting this individual I was told he had made a mistake that he did not have the item. There was only one open box unit, and it did not appear to be complete. He apologized and I was offered - "The next model up. I asked the manager, and I can let you have this one for $99. It is regularly $169," I was told. The model offered was no where near what I was originally after even though it cost more. Thankfully, having a fair amount of experience with the item in question I declined the offer.

I dispatched an email describing the happenings as I did here, only with the full name of the stores. Here is the response I got:

We certainly do understand your frustration with this issue as your comments and concerns are important to us. Please be advised that our retail stores and online store do not always have the same products on sale. If you would like to lodge a store complaint for the service you have received, please provide us with the following information:

Who You Spoke With:
Date Of Incident:
Your Address With Postal Code:

After receiving this information we will be able to create a case for you and submit it to the appropriate store manager. The store manager has up to 48 business hours to contact you to resolve this issue.

We do apologize for any inconveniences this has caused you.

Fact is I do have the names of the people I was talking to, but that is not the problem. My concern was the fact the advertised item was not available in the early stages of the sale. Can you see the run-a-round developing?

If I wanted to hear from the store managers, why wouldn't I contact them directly?

If the online facility and the two stores are not the same, then why does the advertisement flyer indicate they are?

Can you see the "go away" mood developing? The prominent red banner of this retailer will turn into a red flag of warning to me. I will go away, and I will get the item I was after for less than $79.99.

-=One Day At A Time=-