Company 1: Made an order for two items, over $400.
Item #1, the 35 dollar item, ships immediately.
Item #2, the expensive one I really need, showed in stock when I ordered. Never shipped. Order checked..."pending". Item still shows in stock.

Send e-mail to company #1 4 days ago, asking for the status of Item #2. No response (Friday am...so they had Friday and Monday if they weren't open on Saturday to respond). HOWEVER the motherfuckers can manage to send me no less than TEN marketing emails during the same timeframe.

Call Company #1 this afternoon to inquire. Told that the item is on backorder and won't be shipped until June 22nd. I tell them their website showed it as in stock when I ordered it, and shows it as in stock today. "Oops". But they didn't hesitate to take my money for it when I submitted the order.


Company #2:
Sent an item in to have it fixed. Included their handwritten form indicating specifically what is wrong with the item.

Email #1: Our technician has looked at the item, and it functions properly, but the battery is dead. You owe us $35.

Reply #1: I know that. I sent it to you because it didn't work plugged into A/C power. Did the Tech get it to work?

Email #2: Our technician has looked at the item, and it's not supposed to do *random function* when plugged into A/C. Oh, and you don't owe us $35. It's only $35 if we have to do work.

Reply #2: I know that too. I didn't ask about that, I asked if the technician was able to get it to work AT ALL, as I indicated was the primary reason for sending it in to begin with (though I posed it a bit more diplomatically).

Email #3: Nothing...sent my reply at around 8 this morning and didn't hear back.

Called Company #2 this afternoon. Customer service rep I'd been emailing wasn't available, so they sent me to his boss. Voicemail. Didn't leave a message, because I'm really just trying to give the guy a chance to clear up my question. Called him direct again about an hour later, still within business hours. No answer. Left a voicemail and didn't receive a call back. A polite voicemail.

And don't get me started on those Hyundai motherfuckers.


Really, WTF? How hard is it to do your damn job? I'm not demanding, I don't have crazy expectations. I'm not even in a rush for the most part. But READ THE DAMN FORM, or at least the email. Forward it to the tech if you need to. And don't take my money for something that won't be in stock for a month without telling me. (Unfortunately the items isn't in stock anywhere right now...I tried after that phone call.)

Drop shipping.

Many "online" outfits have 0 stock, and all items are drop shipped fro their suppliers.

Problem is you may be dealing with some shmo that is many times "nested" in the "supply chain", and even though they show "5 in stock", they might be number 10 down on the list of people "selling/showing" the same "5 in stock" and all have already "sold 7", putting 2 people in front of you on backorder for that item before you even commit to purchase, so you end up in a backorder status at the very second you make the purchase.

Welcome to the end of "Brick and Mortor/Mom&Pop" and to the "New Age" of "youcanhazitrightfuckingnow.com" online Nervanna.

Yeah, ain't progress wunnerful?

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Drop shipping.

Many "online" outfits have 0 stock, and all items are drop shipped fro their suppliers.

Problem is you may be dealing with some shmo that is many times "nested" in the "supply chain", and even though they show "5 in stock", they might be number 10 down on the list of people "selling/showing" the same "5 in stock" and all have already "sold 7", putting 2 people in front of you on backorder for that item before you even commit to purchase, so you end up in a backorder status at the very second you make the purchase.

Welcome to the end of "Brick and Mortor/Mom&Pop" and to the "New Age" of "youcanhazitrightfuckingnow.com" online Nervanna.

Yeah, ain't progress wunnerful?

The thing is, I knew there were only 2 showing available from wherever they drop ship. I had obtained quotes on it a week before and was told that by two companies. I wouldn't have been upset if I was told that by waiting a week they had been sold (had to go out of town and it got put on the back burner). But I wasn't told and my email wasn't responded to. And all the other websites from which I got the quotes still show the damn things in stock, but when I called they weren't.

So it wasn't the being delayed part that pissed me off. It was taking my money and not telling me it was delayed, while they showed it still in stock and my order as processing, and then not responding to my email, but managing to send me ten more asking for me to buy more of their crap.

Whew. I need a drink.

Customer service is not for the customer. In other times of our society you could walk in and talk to a person in customer service. Now the majority of customer service rep's are just excuse providers for the company's saying screw you sucker.

I'm with you on Company #2.

I've also, on several occasions, written out precise descriptions in very simple and clear English (no big words) to companies via their "contact us" form or email, and when they respond it's like they didn't even read it!

quote:

Originally posted by mikeyspizza:
I'm with you on Company #2.

I've also, on several occasions, written out precise descriptions in very simple and clear English (no big words) to companies via their "contact us" form or email, and when they respond it's like they didn't even read it!

That jackass emailed me back, with some snarky "I've left our number on each email, we have techs available to speak to". I emailed him back to tell him I had called his stupid number, three times, without an answer. And my voicemail to HIM had not yet been answered. Took four calls today to get someone to answer the phone.

Finally got it shipped back. We'll see if it works...


Oh, and Company #1 with my Jeep part finally emailed me back today to tell me that the part is on backorder I ordered it on the 27th I believe. They finally showed it as out of stock today too. Last night it was still "in stock" on their website.


I'll tell you though, I will have repeated large purchases in both fields, and neither of these companies will see one penny from me. There are plenty of competition, some local.

I called Comcast customer service yesterday. Rep barely spoke English, and I had a difficult time telling her my problem because she was so busy trying to up sell me. After an hour on the phone, mostly listening to sales pitches, she said my problem would be fixed within an hour and she would call me back to make sure. Well my problem was not fixed and she never called me back. What a shock! The good news is, today they sent an email wanting to know how my call went, if my problem was fixed, and what they could do to improve their service. If you don't want to know, don't ask the question.
Rod

To all,

Count me in on complaining about poor service. I am self employed and bust my butt to keep my customers happy...and I do. Maybe why I'm so grumpy about poor service?

BUT...today, AAA took exceptionally good care of me. Outstanding really. Later...the Toyota service dept discovered they had installed a defective battery. New one installed, here's your keys, no payment required, no paperwork, thank you, sorry about that, have a nice day. My motorcycle dealer, same service ethic. Always. No exceptions.

Chik-Fila and many other businesses are waking up and seeing the opportunity of providing better service than the competition's. Good on them.

If you're not happy...vote with your feet. Don't go back. Don't call back. There are companies that will work harder to earn your money. They're out there...up to us to find them.

Cheers.