Video Killed The Customer Service Star
This Tuesday I had a most depressing experience at my local Best Buy. On Monday I ordered four dvd's for store pickup. On Tuesday afternoon Richard and I headed over to the store with the purchase order receipt to pick them up and purchase a flash memory card for Richard's new camera. Upon walking into the store I was directed to the customer service desk to pick up my order; the same customer service desk to which all item-returns are directed. Obviously, this time of year, the line was long. My first reaction was that there had to be a better way to facilitate in-store pickups; why, why did I have to stand in this line? I immediately began thinking of all the ways that I would've done things differently, and I came up with at least a few alternatives that I deemed much much better.
But this was not the biggest problem, which was the lack of staffing behind the customer service desk. For all these people with their returns and their pickups, there was one ambling employee taking his time with the customers. This was infuriating, not only to me but to everyone else in line who stood watching as many as six employees man the computer help desk with four people in line there.
Meanwhile, Richard had shopped for his flash card, brought it over to me to show me the price, got in line, purchase it, and returned. I had moved about ten feet. After another twenty minutes or so I made it to the front of the line. My conversation with the customer service rep went something like this:"
"Hi. How are you today?"
"Not very good, actually."
"..."
"I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"I'm having trouble understanding what the point of ordering online for store pickup is if you have to wait in this line. Can you explain that to me?"
"Well, you have to understand that this is our busiest time of the year."
"I understand. But this desk is very understaffed..."
"I completely agree."
"...and I realize that is not your fault, but my brother has already shopped the store, checked out, and is now waiting on me. That is ridiculous."
"I completely agree."
"Yes, and like I said I realize this is not your fault, and I would love to speak to your manager about this."
"I'll get him right away."
So, a few minutes later the manager on duty walked over without introducing himself. Our conversation went something like this:
"Are you the manager?"
"Yes."
"I just wanted to let you know how unacceptable this customer service desk is..."
"Okay."
"...and basically the problem is that it is severely understaffed for this crowd, etc..."
I proceeded to tell him the same stuff, pointing out that the situation was unacceptable to me. But here's the part that really burned me up later on: his response was, "Okay. Thanks." and he walked away. At the time I was too stunned to say anything, but as I said, looking back on the way he handled things infuriates me. My mood would have been placated by a gift certificate or a discount, but only insofar as it would have been a gesture that he cared about me as a customer. What I really wanted was his sincere apology for the fact that I had a bad experience and his assurance that measures would be taken so that others would not have such an experience. And then, of course, I would expect that he follow through with his assurances.
I will never shop at that Best Buy store again. I will probably hesitate to shop at Best Buy at all. And in my little idealistic head it seems like such a travesty that customer service no longer has a place in much of the business world. As a consumer, I feel obliged to speak up when my expectations are not met. I have been tempted on a few occasions to make a few phone calls or write a few letters to Best Buy and the Better Business Bureau, but so far my laziness, like the laziness of most consumers out there, has allowed the man to win. I mean, it's not like the owner of Best Buy reads this silly little blog.
One thing's for sure, I won't be writing any letters today; I'm tired of typing and I must go to Spoon's place for gumbo and football.
Oh, and by the way, Happy New Year,
Mike
But this was not the biggest problem, which was the lack of staffing behind the customer service desk. For all these people with their returns and their pickups, there was one ambling employee taking his time with the customers. This was infuriating, not only to me but to everyone else in line who stood watching as many as six employees man the computer help desk with four people in line there.
Meanwhile, Richard had shopped for his flash card, brought it over to me to show me the price, got in line, purchase it, and returned. I had moved about ten feet. After another twenty minutes or so I made it to the front of the line. My conversation with the customer service rep went something like this:"
"Hi. How are you today?"
"Not very good, actually."
"..."
"I have a question for you."
"Yes?"
"I'm having trouble understanding what the point of ordering online for store pickup is if you have to wait in this line. Can you explain that to me?"
"Well, you have to understand that this is our busiest time of the year."
"I understand. But this desk is very understaffed..."
"I completely agree."
"...and I realize that is not your fault, but my brother has already shopped the store, checked out, and is now waiting on me. That is ridiculous."
"I completely agree."
"Yes, and like I said I realize this is not your fault, and I would love to speak to your manager about this."
"I'll get him right away."
So, a few minutes later the manager on duty walked over without introducing himself. Our conversation went something like this:
"Are you the manager?"
"Yes."
"I just wanted to let you know how unacceptable this customer service desk is..."
"Okay."
"...and basically the problem is that it is severely understaffed for this crowd, etc..."
I proceeded to tell him the same stuff, pointing out that the situation was unacceptable to me. But here's the part that really burned me up later on: his response was, "Okay. Thanks." and he walked away. At the time I was too stunned to say anything, but as I said, looking back on the way he handled things infuriates me. My mood would have been placated by a gift certificate or a discount, but only insofar as it would have been a gesture that he cared about me as a customer. What I really wanted was his sincere apology for the fact that I had a bad experience and his assurance that measures would be taken so that others would not have such an experience. And then, of course, I would expect that he follow through with his assurances.
I will never shop at that Best Buy store again. I will probably hesitate to shop at Best Buy at all. And in my little idealistic head it seems like such a travesty that customer service no longer has a place in much of the business world. As a consumer, I feel obliged to speak up when my expectations are not met. I have been tempted on a few occasions to make a few phone calls or write a few letters to Best Buy and the Better Business Bureau, but so far my laziness, like the laziness of most consumers out there, has allowed the man to win. I mean, it's not like the owner of Best Buy reads this silly little blog.
One thing's for sure, I won't be writing any letters today; I'm tired of typing and I must go to Spoon's place for gumbo and football.
Oh, and by the way, Happy New Year,
Mike
<< Home