Recently I tried to return a shirt I had purchased for Dan with the receipt - it had never been worn or washed, I had just bought the wrong size. The receipt had expired. What?!? I had bought it awhile back and saved it for a gift, being careful to keep the receipt incase it didn't fit. So that receipt - the one that clearly states how much I spent on that very shirt - was null & void because I had waited too long.
"But I have the merchandise right here, the receipt right here, and the credit card on which it was originally purchased. That's not enough?"
"I'm sorry ma'am, but all I can give you is $13.00 - and that's really more than I should."
"But I spent $20 - you can see it right here on this receipt that apparently is no good."
"I'm sorry, but this is the best I can do."
Argh.
Then on my recent flight home, I encountered another customer service debacle. I had called in advance to make sure I understood all the rules of flying with an infant, and had been told that I was allowed my 2 bags as well as 1 infant item, and yes a bag for her counted. Well, SW airlines apparently changed their minds somewhere between that phone call and when I checked in because that bag that I had so neatly packed would simply not qualify as a baby item.
"But you told me it would. That's why I packed like I did."
"I'm sorry ma'am. You can either pay $50 or try and consolidate."
FIFTY BUCKS?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?
No, they weren't kidding. And they even went so far as to suggest I was trying to take advantage of the system. Really?? I'm trying to "take advantage of the system" by flying with an infant...just so I can bring an extra bag?
They got a nice little note from me.
Then yesterday I sat on hold for well over 30 minutes trying to return some phones that we recently ordered (our sim cards didn't fit). I finally got a woman who mumbled so much I had to ask her to repeat herself after every sentence. I gave her the order number - meaning I clearly had the order sitting right in front of my face - home address, phone number, first born, etc. She then asked who she was speaking with.
"This is Kali Johnston."
"The name on this order is Dan Johnston."
"Yes that's correct. He's my husband."
"Is he available?"
"No, he's at work. I'm trying to get this taken care of for him."
"So he's not there?"
I thought we just covered this. "No, he's not."
"Then I'm sorry, but I can't give you the return info."
"Seriously? I'm on the account."
"I see that ma'am, but your name is not on the order so I'm afraid I can't give you any information."
I'm beginning to think that being called 'Ma'am' is just a form of mockery. "Then I guess I just wasted my time. Thanks a lot."
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I don't typically think of myself as an angry person, but this sort of stuff just makes my blood boil. These big coorperations have put so many rules in place to try and protect their own assets that they simply no longer care about the customers who provided those assets to begin with. Why is everything so difficult?? Except actually purchasing something - now that's easy. It never takes more than the blink of an eye for them to take your money, but getting it back in these situations, now that's going to take some time.
Argh!! I'm getting angrier as I type!
Anyone else feel the same way I do? Anyone have any good strategies that seem to work in these types of situations? I haven't yet resorted to yelling and screaming, but I think that might be next.
Thank you for listening to my rant this morning. And if you're worked up now like me, I'll leave you with a few pictures that will make you smile and bring your temp back down to a nice simmer.
Okay, I feel a little better.
9 comments:
Ask to speak with their manager - not just "the" manager, but "their" manager; scares 'em a little. Also, I have threatened and actually gone so far as to cancel accounts with certain companies. They usually get much nicer at that point.
You're right, by the way, the pictures did make me feel better! Wish my butt looked like that!
I understand your frustrations. I worked at a deptarment store during college though, and was surprised at how many people would try to return clothing that was purchased not only months ago, but YEARS ago! Yes, they still had the receipt, and the tags were still on the clothing...but we had a rule clearly printed on the receipt saying we didn't accept returns after 3 months. That always seemed like a fair amount of time to me, but some people would get pretty irate about it, ha ha.
Just wanted to give you a different point of view. Sometimes it's frustrating, but rules are rules. Stores lose money when they have to accept returns on "old merchandise" because they can't just stick it back on the rack. And this can cause an increase in prices for the rest of us...and let's face it, no one likes that!
I meant to say, "department store." My bad!
Was the store Target, perchance? Meagan and I have joked that you have to bring the tagged item, plus receipt, plus a vile of your own blood, [and in your case probably Dan's and your first born's as well], your marriage certificate, s.s. card, any speeding tickets you've acquired [and if you haven't, proof that you have never received a speeding ticket], .... you get the point. This is why I have ceased to buy clothes at Target. Well...this and the fact that I don't think their clothes are a good "value" ...but that's a completely different story all together.
Customer service? Hmmm, let me see. Spent most of my day dealing with Medicare, Social Security, IPERS, a car dealership, and an overdue parking ticket from Sioux City that I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD GOTTEN! (Did it blow off my car?) I think I'll go to bed early and just pull the covers over my head! Loved, loved the pictures though! She's holding up her head so nicely! Such a sweet thing!
I was just telling a friend yesterday about an experience I had at Sam's Club several years ago. I had all four kids along and they were little! I stopped on my way home from church to pick up about three items. I stood in line forever, the kids were hungry and tired and when I got to the register the cashier told me my card was expired. I just purchased it that month!! He wanted me to prove it with a reciept which I wasn't carrying with me. I finally asked for a manager. She was a sweet older woman and when she asked me what the problem was I burst into tears! She sat all the kids down and bought them hot pretzels, then she took my card card to the service counter and discovered they had entered my info wrong when I purchased our membership. Tears worked and I think my kids were tramatized for life because they all remember it (except for Isaiah.)
Oh, I'm 'bout to bust some heads at Fedex right now in fact. :) They were supposed to deliver something to me yesterday, and it never came. Checked my tracking update, and they said my address was incorrect. Ok, so it's not incorrect, and I tried to call them today (at 7am, mind you) to assure them that is my address, I am here, and I need my stuff on the truck today. Thus, the early wake up call. They never called me back, and I STILL can't get anyone on the phone. Someone from the company I ordered from called, confirmed my address, and now they're trying to get Fedex to get it out here. Seriously, I paid to have it YESTERDAY, I'm trying to help you get it to me today (which is not my job), and it still looks like it's not going to make it out again today. And I can't even get anyone on the phone to tell them how dang mad I am about this! Not to mention, I'm home all day today and not tomorrow. So I'll miss the delivery tomorrow. I just really want to be here when it's delivered so I can let them know how I get stuff from UPS almost every week---they've never had an issue. GPS anyone? Oh, I'm getting all worked up typing this. Gonna try to make some more phone calls. :)
*update--oh, just got someone on the phone at Fedex, finally. They said if I want it today, I can just come on down and get it myself. Oh, well thank you so much! So glad I paid YOU to bring it to ME, and now I can just get on in my car and get it myself. With no refund for shipping, And with some serious attitude when I can't hear you say the address and I ask you to repeat it. Oh, getting a piece of my mind when I get there, with my sick child in tow. Customer service at its best!
Comcast. We decided to go back to just local channels after our promo ran out yesterday and they tried to charge me a downgrade fee! Plus, in another month customers in Nashville will be required to have Comcast's new DTA box if you do not have digital cable ($5/mo per TV) and if you want your local channels in HD which should be free on all newer HD TVs you will need an HD box ($7/mo per TV)because they will be blocking the signal that carries the HD directly to newer TVs. Meaning for our $13 package we will have to spend about $26 just to make sure all our TVs work. So when the change happens in April we will be canceling everything with Comcast... or they'll give us every single piece of equipment we need for free. :-) We will see how good their Customer Retention department is; is it sad they have to have a Customer Retention department? Seems like good customer service would do the trick...
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