customer service

Why oh why can't customer service be what it should be w/o having to get b!tchy and demanding?

We bought a new camera on 8/16 (Canon Power Shot A630), and already the lens cover is not closing on it's own. The camera works fine, the lens retracts, but the actual lens does not get covered. Not good for me who likes to carry it in my purse.

I called the store where we bought it & was told that the return period is 14 days so I had to take it up with Canon. We'd bought the super-duper-even-if-you-drop-it warranty, but that doesn't kick in until after Canon's warranty expires. So I called Canon, and was informed I needed to pack it up while standing on my head and singing the Star Spangled Banner (read: very specific packing requirements so that they'd be able to nullify the warranty if I skipped a step), and that I'd be w/o my camera for 7 to 10 business days after they receive it.

Why should I be camera-less b/c I got an inferior product? Why should I have to buy bubble wrap, ship & insure it, etc.? I should be able to take it to the store where I purchased it, get a new one, and Canon should credit the retailer for the POS camera.

So I called the store back, asked to speak to a customer service manager (I'd already talked to a CS rep who'd told me there was nothing to be done), and politely, but directly explained that this is BS. It's ridiculous that I'd be better off if I'd gotten a year's use out of the camera and then had this happen. It's ridiculous that I should be w/o the camera I purchased for probably 3 weeks. Should I ship mine off, go to the store, buy a new one, and then return it when I get mine back?? She called Canon & got a return authorization and now I get to return it.

I'm pleased with the outcome, but ticked that I had to deal w/all of that aggravation b/c of foolish "policies". Perhaps they need to work out a better return authorization with Canon -- but I shouldn't be yanked around like this.

[SuzySunshine]

Re: customer service

Doesn't that suck? Unfortunately being on the business side of customer service has taught me a lot. Businesses HAVE to cover their butts, there are so many idiots out there that will find a way to get things they don't deserve or get things for free that will end up costing the company a small fortune.

I'm not saying all policies are good because I agree with you - for something like that you ought to just be able to return it but I've now seen both sides of the coin.

Glad you're getting your camera replaced!

[Deebs]

Re: customer service

I'm jumping on the rant wagon as well. DH bought me a beautiful, extravagant, pendant to give me when DS is born. But, he couldn't wait to give it to me, so he bought it last night and gave it to me right away. I didn't sleep all night thinking about how much it must of cost and the fact that I have about 15 beautiful necklaces, only one neck, and no bracelets, but two arms. So, first thing this morning, I very cautiously explained to him that I love it, but it has to go back.

Fast forward to this afternoon...

DH is working, so I take the jewelry back to the jewelry store, knowing that the return policy is probably not very generous (this is one of the industries that gets ripped off with people buying items, wearing them to an event, and trying to return). Their policy is absolutely no returns. Are you kidding? I've returned a car before, so I find it crazy that I can't return jewelry. And, I purposely went in fast so they would know I didn't wear the jewelry and return it. They wanted me to find another piece, or more, and make an exchange.

So, I'm walking around the store with DD whining, tearing up myself, trying to get excited about picking out my own gift that I'm not ready to get yet, when I decided to pull the Dr. card. Not only did I explain what DH does for a living and imply that all of our super rich dawkter-family friends would hear about this, I also called DH at work, and had him call to argue with them. Sadly, it worked.

In the end, I will probably go back to this jeweler for things that DH and I chose together or have custom made. But, the hassle was so annoying!!

On the flip side, when I did work retail, we used to sell high end chocolates, among other items. More than once, customers would come in on a 90 or 100 degree day to return chocolate because it had melted in the car while they had been running around all day doing errands. Imagine that! Of course, we took it back with a smile and took a big fat loss on the sale.

Re: customer service

Businesses HAVE to cover their buttDoesn't that suck? Unfortunately being on the business side of customer service has taught me a lots, there are so many idiots out there that will find a way to get things they don't deserve or get things for free that will end up costing the company a small fortune.

I totally get that. I worked retail, both in the stores & at the HQ for both Sterling, Inc. (a jewelry company) & OfficeMax. It just always seems that the idiots are the ones that rant and rage and eventually get everything handed to them ~ far above and beyond what is reasonable b/c the company wants to quiet them. The reasonable people who take 'no' for an answer but probably have a legitimate complaint end up getting screwed. My friend who works for Starbucks has lots of stories. She's been there for years, so she knows when the various travel mugs have come out, etc. Last time I talked to her she told me about a guy who came in with a mug that was AT LEAST 5 years old, and he swore up / down / left / right that it was BRAND NEW and it cracked in the dishwasher. They ended up letting him pick a brand new mug b/c he was making a scene in the store. I just hate what jerks have created in the world.

[Cumberland]

Re: customer service

I would just like to say that Target's return policy stinks. :nothing:

[MDPhDWife]

Re: customer service

I feel your pain, I have had the WORST customer service lately!!! I feel like my day is consumed by calling various companies and bitching them out because they've screwed up somehow. :banghead:

Jenn, are you still having to pay for the shipping for it to go back? If so, that's totally unacceptable! They need to be either giving you a prepaid shipping label which I've had companies email to me before or reimburse you for the amount you spend.


I have a vent of my own that maybe someone can give me some insight to. So we went to Disney World last month. We stayed at a Disney Resort and one of the benefits of staying at the resort was what Disney calls "Magical Express". Magical Express picks you up from the airport when you arrive and takes you to the resort and also gives you a ride back to the airport when you are leaving.

The day before you leave they leave you an envelope in your room telling you what time to be outside to catch the Magical Express bus to take you to the airport. The time they tell you is based on your flight information. We are outside and catch the bus exactly at the time indicated so all should be well right? Well no, because Magical Express stopped at another resort and picked up several other people. Our airline was on the B side of the Orlando airport and of course Magical Express stops at the A side first and unloads 95% of the passengers. By the time we got off the bus, we are hightailing it to the airline ticket counter because we have less than an hour before take off. When we get to the ticket counter we are told that we needed to check our bags 45 minutes before departure and we were there only 40 minutes before departure!

Of course with our luck this was the last flight out for the evening, so we can't catch another flight until 7 AM the next morning. I'm stressed out, so I go downstairs to talk with Disney's Magical Express counter to see what if anything they are willing to do for us. I really don't want to sleep at the airport, but I would if it meant having to pay for a hotel since it's only about 11 hours until the next plane leaves. The guy at the counter picks up the phone and calls our resort, speaks to a manager and tells me he's arranged for us to stay another night at no charge. So we drag all our luggage back onto another Magical Express bus and take another 40 minute ride back to Disney World. When we get there to check in I explained our situation to the front desk clerk and she says there's no problem and gives us room keys. Even better she tells us to go grab something to eat and bring the receipts and she'll reimburse us. I'm thinking Disney has some pretty great customer service.

Problem is when I get home, I check my credit card statement to find that Disney has charged me for another night AND they didn't credit back the food charges I gave them receipts for!!

I call and speak with the billing department who tells me that he sees a note on the computer about the food being credited but nothing about the room being free. So he credits the food charge but says he can't do anything about the room charge! I request to speak to a manager and I'm told the only thing left for me to do is write a letter or email to guest relations! I am pissed at this point, but I do the email and a day later I get a canned general response saying I'll receive a phone call if they have any questions for me. It's been almost 3 weeks and nothing! I've sicked my travel agent on them, but I don't know how far she's gotten. Any ideas?

Re: customer service

I hear you. I just about went ape**** in Verizon on Monday because they won't give me a new phone. My phone is covered under their 1 year warranty. It just quits getting service and shows a time/date from a day ago, doesn't receive calls or voicemail, but it looks like it is on.

I've had it for just shy of two months. When I explained I just wanted a new phone, the tech told me "If we gave everyone a new phone, we would be out of business." I get that people might want a new phone on day 363 of their one year warranty. But it has been two months and the phone doesn't work.

They gave me a software upgrade that took 45 freaking minutes. Now the phone is dropping calls.

Re: customer service

Should I ship mine off, go to the store, buy a new one, and then return it when I get mine back??

I love this, and I will use it should I ever need to...

Sorry you had to go through the hassle.

[peggyfromwastate]

Re: customer service

Charlene, I would call them every single day. That's the only way to get your $ back. What's in it for your travel agent?

There is a story in the news here about this little old granny who took her hammer into the comcast station and took out a phone and a computer, I think. She was sick of the runaround- trying to get service out there for VOIP and cable I think. Anyway, she looks so *happy* on the tv interviews. The reporters always bring up that she's being charged, etc., etc., and I'm sure she'll have to pay, but on behalf of all of us who suffer comcast and any other utility/service out here: arty: :rah:

Anyway, I hate customer service. My dear husband is one of the only poeple in the history of the US to get Verizon to return to us the activation fee for a phone that never ever activated. We brought it back to our house to activate it, saw that we didn't get service, and returned it the very next day. But they charged the activation fee at the point of selling the plan, not the point of activating the phone. It took him HOURS of phone calls and about 3 hours on 2 separate occasions to a local branch. Lots of low level people told him to forget it, the activation money NEVER gets returned. But he did it! I was so proud. We still have a stack of correspondance between him and Verizon to chronical that very dark year. I think it was MS-1 to boot.

So stick with it! I agree, I hate to be bitchy, really I do-- I'm from the PNW after all , but in my experience, that's the only way they'll listen... :huh:

Re: customer service

Jenn, are you still having to pay for the shipping for it to go back? If so, that's totally unacceptable! They need to be either giving you a prepaid shipping label which I've had companies email to me before or reimburse you for the amount you spend.

Nope. It's all packed up and being taken to the store tomorrow where I'll get to pick out a nice, shiny new camera & my warranty starts FRESH. That was the result of the 2nd phone call to the store & speaking to a cust. service mgr. She called Canon and got them to authorize an RA for my camera. When she told me she would try it (and I shouldn't expect to hear back from her until Friday or Saturday), she really stressed that the Canon rep usually says no, at which point I'd have to do as Canon instructed me. I don't know if the "usually says no" thing was to lower expectations or what, but she called back w/in an hour saying they'd authorized it.

I totally get what Nellie said. The schmucks that try to get a freebie on day 364 - it's understandable to revert to "policy". But there needs to be leeway for common sense! And they should give the front-line phone people the authority to use it. I've been one of those phone people, and it's pretty miserable. They send you out there to toe the company line, and once you've REALLY ticked someone off, the mgr swoops in and makes it all better.

Charlene - Did you sign anything when you checked in the 2nd time? Or did they bill your credit card from your previous stay? You could nail them on that. Otherwise, keep going up the ladder. Don't let someone tell you there isn't anyone else to speak to. That's BS. I don't suppose you got any names??

Nellie - I assume you're talking to a manager, right? If you can't get them to behave, no one will.

Re: customer service

I didn't talk to a manager. I'm going to give my phone a week and see if it shapes up. And if I go back, I'm taking all my kids with me and this time, I'm not telling them they have to behave and keep their hands to themselves. Have at it, kids! Take another brochure and try that phone!

Re: customer service

Excellent plan Nellie! Make sure Evie is due for a nap as well.

I just woke up to an email from Canon asking how my call for support went. Either Canon doesn't care about the responses they get, or the guy I talked to was an idiot. Not only was he not helpful, but he was snide & insulting. :tsk:

[alison]

Re: customer service

The two words, Customer Service, make me cringe.
Be glad that in the US it's a toll free call. In Germany, you have to pay by the minute to talk to someone unhelpful. Really!

[DCJenn]

Re: customer service

I'm sure you all remember my Gymboree rant from the summer, aka- let's hold as much money as possible from our customers.

Jenn

[MDPhDWife]

Re: customer service

Charlene, I would call them every single day. That's the only way to get your $ back. What's in it for your travel agent?

I wish there was someone I could call or I'd be on their ass 24/7, but I'm stuck with this system of email or snail mail which I think is absurd for a large company like Disney!!!! I had handed it over to my travel agent because we had already booked another vacation for next year, so I told her if this doesn't get fixed we're not going back. So there is some incentive for her to get on it.

Charlene - Did you sign anything when you checked in the 2nd time? Or did they bill your credit card from your previous stay? You could nail them on that. Otherwise, keep going up the ladder. Don't let someone tell you there isn't anyone else to speak to. That's BS. I don't suppose you got any names??

I didn't give them a credit card nor did I sign anything. They just took it upon themselves to use the card from my last room. I did get names but it's proving to be worthless so far.

Even worse I bought stuff from Disneyshopping.com, and had to return a few things. When I shipped it back I paid for the tracking. It arrived on 9/5 and I still haven't gotten a credit from those bastards!! Everytime I call I get a rep with a deep east indian accent that gives the same scripted line about filling out some request.