Thumbs down to Bad Customer Service :(

I hate bad customer service!  Nothing makes me more cranky and crazy than bad customer service.  In the past when I have worked in the restaurant business and in other areas of customer service, I have tried hard to be polite and to help people.  If orders got mixed up, I offered incentives or other replacements.  I gave money back if it would make the customer happy.  I have a very hard time putting up with lousy service.

Like this example:  Lifetouch did our school pictures this year.  I filled out my form for Mr. 8 and sent in my money.  Yesterday Mr. 8 came home with another picture envelope and a form in it to order pictures!  Wait a second, I already ordered pictures.  Now this is not my first go round with these type of situations so I followed my usual protocol.  I called the bank to be sure the check had cleared, it did–in fact it cleared the same day the pictures were taken.  Next I call the company.  After being on hold for 30 minutes, I have to hang up, I do have a life and children to drive all over the universe.  I redial on my cell phone as I am driving kids around. After another 30 minutes, it is time for Mr. 14’s football game.  I have to hang up again.  I try one more time before 5pm–another 15 minutes on hold only to be told the company is now closed.  Grrr.  

This morning I called again and after an hour on hold–I got a real person!  She asks for my number off of the picture envelope and then informs me I have a $24 credit under Mr. 8’s name. Did I know that?  Ummm, yes, that is why I am calling. I have no pictures.  She told me it would take 2-4 weeks to get any pictures.

While on the phone with the real person, I asked some pertinent questions.  How did this happen?  She had no idea.  How they can cash my check and not contact me about the order?  Again she had no idea.  What is the company policy in this situation?  She again, did not know.  I asked her to find out.  After she put me on hold, she told me the company’s policy is to deposit the checks.  It is up to the customer to follow up if they don’t get the product.  Seriously??!!  I expressed my unhappiness with the situation and that it would take 3 weeks to get the pictures.  Again she was unhelpful.  The company’s policy is to fill orders as they are received and now my order date is today’s date.  Wait, I try to say, I ordered them two weeks ago.  Can’t they expediate the process? No ma’am that is not company policy.  Unbelievable!!!

There is definitely an e-mail headed to corporate.

I hate bad customer service!  It is why I rarely go to Walmart.  I fill out comment cards when I get bad service at a restaurant and I ask to speak to managers when clerks are rude.  I believe that when I pay for a service it is the company’s policy to follow through.  I know that honest mistakes are made, I have made some myself.  I think however that it is the company’s responsibility to at least offer some compensation when the service is not good.

So next year, when Mr. 8 brings home his picture envelope, we will be heading to Sears or K-Mart  instead!