Business Week sent a couple of its own “secret shoppers” to some Wal-Mart stores to see how their new customer service initiative was faring, and found that the employees they spoke with not only didn’t care, but really wanted customers to know this. Said one employee, “If Wal-Mart doesn’t care for me, why should I care? There was this horrible smell in the store the last two days from some overnight spill. They did nothing about it. It got so bad that on the second day the fire department came by and we all had to wear masks.”
service
Verizon Asks Virginia Not To Hold It To High Standards
By 8.27.07
According to Verizon, being held to a high standard is unfair.
Verizon will get a chance at the end of September to argue to Virginia state regulators that the state’s dominant phone company should be held to a lower standard for restoring lost phone service.
iPhone Defective? That'll Be $29 For A Loaner
By 8.22.07
Reader Jonathan’s iPhone just keeps breaking. The second time, rather than replacing it, they decided it would need to be repaired—and tried to charge him $30 for a rental phone.
Hotels Resist The Urge To Snooze Though Wake Up Calls
By 8.9.07
A special circle of hell is reserved for hotels that fail to rouse their guests with a promised wake-up call. Technophobic travelers rely on the traditional front desk ping; programming the ubiquitous hotel room alarm clock is a weighty task many find more complicated than filling out taxes or setting a VCR, according to a 2005 survey. Hotels are noticing that missed wake-up calls are their Achilles Heel, and some are taking corrective action.
Internal Geek Squad Memo Acclaims "Notorious" Service
By 6.10.07
We received an internal Geek Squad memo that acclaims the world-renowned service for which they are “notorious.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines notorious as: “famous or well known, typically for some bad quality or deed.”
ENDGAME: Pulled Over By Police After Toyota Dealer Rented Me A Car That Was Illegal To Drive
By 4.5.07
Chris tells us the endgame on his situation where the Toyota dealership rented him a car that was illegal to drive. He was eventually able to get a full apology from the place and get 50% knocked off his bill, but it took him showing up in person and going a few rounds with the manager.
Sprint Holds Money Hostage: "It's Only 32 Dollars"
By 3.10.07
Sprint has held $31.49 of Bronwen’s money hostage since January, after taking two weeks to ship a phone that never received service. Though we haven’t run a telecom, perhaps Sprint should provide a working phone before messing up the bill. Pillage before you burn, right? Bronwen signed up for service on January 5th and received a bill, but no phone, on January 13th. The bill included a service charge through February.
I called, spoke to “Neil”, and complained that I hadn’t received the phone yet, so requested that the monthly service charge be suspended until I actually receive and activate the phone; and requested that the activation fee be removed because it should have been waived because I signed up online. Neil assured me that the phone would be sent out immediately, overnight, and the bill would be adjusted.
Four nights later, the phone arrived, and the fun began.
Comcast Leaves Customer Without Forty-Eight Channels
By 3.3.07
Comcast has left reader Laura without forty-eight channels since early February. Laura has replaced four cable boxes, and spoken with several technicians. Each one suggests the same diagnosis.
Shockingly, it is not a problem with the line or the box. It is a problem with the coding coming in through the line. The technician tells us that our line is showing both Adelphia codes and Comcast codes coming through it. When both sets of codes hit the box, the box shuts down.
Diagnosing the problem is not the same as fixing the problem. Though aware of the issue, Comcast has not offered a solution. Laura is still without forty-eight channels. Comcast is still billing her for full service.
BusinessWeek Launches List Of "Customer Service Champs"
By 2.25.07
BusinessWeek has created an inaugural list of companies that provide excellent customer service. These “customer service champs” run the gamut of industry and are especially notable for simultaneously winning the praise of BusinessWeek while avoiding the ire of Consumerist.
For these companies, great customer service is much more than just a job for the front lines or the call centers. It takes coordination from the top, bringing together people, management, technology, and processes to put customers’ needs first. That’s true today more than ever. Technology is leveling the barriers between alpha companies and also-rans, making great customer service one of the few ways companies can distinguish themselves.
Topping the list, insurance company USAA, followed by the Four Seasons Hotel, Cadillac, Nordstrom, and Rochester’s main tourist attraction, Wegman’s Food Market. JetBlue would have made the list at No. 4, but “in the wake of such a massive operational meltdown, BusinessWeek decided to take a wait-and-see approach…”
United Airlines Says Don't Bring Wine On The Plane If Your Name Sounds Terroristy
By 2.15.07
hasan: flight is code-shared with United Airlines, CSR at United Airlines hung up on me
1-800-Flowers Delivery Guarantee Isn't Guaranteed
By 2.13.07
1-800-Flowers charges an extra $3 to guarantee the delivery of your flowers ON Valentine’s Day, but due to threat of snow, they’re rescinding that guarantee, delivering flowers early, and not telling anyone.
Papa John’s: Best Nationwide Pizza
By 12.7.06
Papa John’s International Inc. received the top rating among national pizza delivery and take-out chains in the Restaurants & Institutions’ Consumers’ Choice in Chains Survey. The survey rated national pizza chains on ” food quality, service, convenience, cleanliness, value, atmosphere, menu variety and reputation.” The competition? Pizza Hut scored highest in the “atmosphere” category, but lost to Papa John’s in everything else.
Target Customer Orders Sheet Set, Left Holding Bag
By 10.19.06
Despite having bad experiences with Target’s online store in the past, Paul ventured to purchase a Cotton/Modal Sheet Set. It’s supposed to have a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, and 2 pillowcases.
How Much To Tip All Those Grubby Bellhops
By 10.16.06
There is a large number of petulant, pouting employees ready to freeze you with an icy shoulder if you don’t pony up a tip. It can be hard trying to figure out just whom social etiquette dictates you tip and whom can safely be ignored.
T-Mobile Happy Endings!
By 9.27.06
Last week, David complained about T-Mobile charging him double what he expected. When he phoned the cellphone company, they disputed the basis of his complaint, calling him a liar. We posted the story.
Cingular’s One-Way Contract
By 9.20.06
Beckie is a reader who started out with a cell phone from a small company that got bought by AT&T. As you well know, AT&T was bought by Cingular. A few months later, Beckie received a letter from Cingular asking her to voluntarily discontinue her service because more than 50% of her calls were using competing networks and she was no longer economically feasible for Cingular. In return, Cingular would allow her to keep her numbers. No refund. No apology. No free unlocked phones.
24 Hour Vegas Wedding Window Slimmed To 16
By 8.25.06
The halcyon days of jumping into your rusty Impala with your teenage bride and driving off to Vegas to get married by Black Elvis at dawn in Vegas are soon to be forever gone.
