man I hate Sears. (just venting)

Here is an email I wrote to Sears FIVE days ago and still haven't had a reply. I emailed after 2 days saying it wasn't acceptable for an escalation and they said that they were busy this time of year and would respond asap....still nothing. So, for what it's worth...the vent begins now:


I am writing to inform you of the outright attrocious customer service I experienced with Sears. If you require my phone number to bring up my order history, it's xxx-xxx-xxxx. I am referring to the specific item of "King size bed frame"

I placed the order on Oct 18th. The website advised of a "promise date" of Oct 18th. When it didn't arrive on the 18th, I called on the 20th to request a status.

I forget the name of the agent I spoke with, but she advised that the "promise date" wasn't actually a promise, it was an estimate, and that because my item was a "big ticket item" it was being shipped from a different warehouse and that I should expect it that coming Saturday the 21st. I asked why it was called a "promise date" and not an "estimate time of arrival" and was told "because in a perfect world all orders would be shipped from the same warehouse but that isn't the case"

It didn't arrive on the 21st, so I waited another few days and called again to get a status. The agent I spoke with this time was pleasant and courteous. She said I'd waited far too long and had been very patient. I was placed on hold while she sought permission from I assume a supervisor/manager. When she returned, she thanked me again and said: "You've been so patient and you've waited a long time for your order, something obviously has happened with it for it not to arrive yet. We're going to send another one right away with URGENT STATUS and when you do get it, please call us. I've put a note on your account to give you a store credit"

When logged into 'my account' on the Sears webspace, I noticed there was no update for the 2nd bedframe shipment, but didn't pay any mind to it, and I waited another week. I called today just to ask for an ETA on the new delivery. I was told by the agent at 1-800-26-SEARS that there was no note on my account and nothing they could do and that "you're gunna havta call our customer service number" of 1-888-473-2772 which I did.

I called the number and spoke with Dave. He brought my order up using my phone number. I asked for the status of the 2nd delivery and his exact words were "no one here has done anything with it yet" He offered to credit me for the bedframe and then take my order again, effectively cancelling my previous order to place a new one. I advised about my previous conversation where I'd been promised urgent delivery and some token store credit. Dave explained "we don't do urgent shipments, and yeah, you might've been given ten or fifteen bucks or something which maybe I can do but there is no note or nothing that says anything about a credit"

It was only at this point where I started to become upset, but I was sure not to raise my voice as I was calling from my office.

Dave was far removed from being even remotely apologetic or accomodating. I asked if I could speak to a Supervisor to which he immediately identified himself as a Supervisor. I doubt Sears has supervisory staff answering entry level customer service calls but let's assume that is the case. Dave said: "I am a supervisor sir, what is it that you expect to see happen?"

I said it would be in Sears' best interest to advise the previous staff member not to set two false expectations if the company isn't capable of sending an item with urgent status and not to promise credits (which to me were hinted at being larger than $10-$15) Dave said he would "tell the previous lady she was wrong" and followed up with "but I can guarantee you that Sears wasn't going to give you a free bedframe"

At this point I asked for the order to be cancelled outright and that I wouldn't be ordering from Sears again in store or online. Dave said "ok Sir" I asked if there was any kind of case or reference number to which he replied "we don't do that". I then asked about cancelling an additional backordered item from my Oct 18 order and Dave exclaimed: "not sure I can do that but if it comes to a store, just send it right back" I then ended the call by hanging up.

I should tell you here that I have trained call center agents as a profession on effective/efficient call handling for the past 6 years and it's without a doubt that this scenario will be made part of a case study for all my future classes of new hires herein as a classic example of what not to do on several aspects. I won't name the organization I am employed with, but it is one of Canada's top 100 employers and has over 800 customer facing agents on the phones in call centers in Ontario, Singapore, Halifax and the UK in the high tech industry.

Even excusing everything up until my conversation with Dave, he had zero empathy, no hint of desire to retain me as a customer even after I'd said I wouldn't shop with Sears again. He also discounted and blamed not only the previous Sears emplyees I'd spoken with, but Sears as an organization itself. Without a doubt this is the worst customer experience I've encountered with an 'established' company in my history. I am insulted and outraged and can promise that this experience will be shared with many.

Comments

  • Wow. I had a simillar experience with ordering from the IKEA website. However, I eventually found someone who could and did help. Dave seems to be a stupid ass.

    Did you ask Dave who his supervisor was and ask to speak to him/her?
  • Wow. I had a simillar experience with ordering from the IKEA website. However, I eventually found someone who could and did help. Dave seems to be a stupid ass.

    Did you ask Dave who his supervisor was and ask to speak to him/her?

    I asked to speak with a Supervisor and he said he was which was bullplop because since when does a call centre have supervisory staff answering front line calls? In any case, I didn't feel like pressing it further with this particular guy at the time and let it slide and was already writing the email in my head.
  • the "supervisor" request just sounds threatening and needs marketing...I have great success with "I'm understanding that you are not in a postion to ..... please transfer me to the person who can, I'll hold the line. (you may have to repeat it once or twice)

    The Brick is a little expensive but well worth it due to the excellence of their customer service. Last time they were back ordered they gave me like $400 bucks off a $1,500 purchase, and handled it efficiently and well.
  • My wife and I also had a few issues with Sears Canada.

    Last year we ordered a new dishwasher. After several weeks and a few phone calls, we learn that it was never ordered. Ok, please order it. No problem, sorry for the inconvience, the delivery charge is on us. Cool.

    Two weeks later we have a date for delivery/installation. That date comes and we wait and wait. So my wife calls the store and they rely us the phone # of the installer. Ok, he's behind on his day, they'll be here first thing tomorrow. No sweat.

    Well they show up with the WRONG DISHWASHER!! OMG!!!

    My wife gets on the phone, (with the install guys waiting!) and gives them H-E-L-L! She manages to "negotiate" free installion, and $200 Sears gift card! Pretty sweet, IMO.
  • I haven't had any problems with Sears as of yet, but major ones with Rogers when installing my internet/phone/tv, which I'm sure many people have had.

    Morale of the story from getting bad customer service....

    Get pissed off at them...ask for free stuff...and you'll be happy again!
  • TiMSuM wrote: »
    I haven't had any problems with Sears as of yet, but major ones with Rogers when installing my internet/phone/tv, which I'm sure many people have had.

    Morale of the story from getting bad customer service....

    Get pissed off

    I worked for Rogers at the worst possible time to work with them in the history of the company....right when their cable internet '@ Home' first came out. It promised very high and delivered very low. I worked at a cable kiosk and it wasn't uncommon for people to come in and physically chuck their modem at you. One time a customer threw the modem narrowly missing the head of the girl I was working with. He then crumpled up his bill and threw it at us and stormed out.

    Not smart to leave those items behind when you're thinking of assualting someone.
  • you guys are really over looking the 'kill them with kindness' route..I've had many, many problems with Rogers ..but I've been insanely compensated for them just by being polite but insistant.

    eg.
    I didn't pay for my two cell phones for almost the first YEAR just for my ability to say nicely "your company is full of idiots and I'm surprised you walk up-right" (they sent me a flyer that had a $50 bonus that the deal I had signed up for a month earlier didn't)

    [if you're wondering]
    Telephone translation= "There have been some serious gaps in our service and I feel, that in not offering the *best* possible deal- Rogers service and commitment to a long time customer is not up to a standard that I'm willing accept - Can you please help me to find a reason to maintain dealings with Rogers? I have all my services with you and had until now been very happy with your company"

    Never forget that the person on the other end of the line probably makes shitty money, hates the company as much as you do AND has loads of free shit to give away. ;)
  • I had so much trouble with Rogers and Bell. I had them race to see who get me highspeed first a year ago. I ordered the service from both companies back to back. After 14 days I had Bell dial up and Rogers had broke the cable box for the area (I lived in the country on Ottawa street). I eventually got Bell which went down twice a day at random times. Usually at peak order times like 1-3PM. I was so frustrated I alomsot had fiber cables laid just to get rid of the hassles...

    SIDE NOTE:

    I worked a Gone Hollywood in Waterloo when I was 14 and a guy came in and called me an "arrogant, useless fat piece of shit." (I wasn't even fat then haha) So we looked up his address in our database and gave his house a 48 egg salute.

    Moral of the story:

    Don't eff with the wrong customer service agent when you are pissed off.
  • Kristy_Sea wrote: »
    you guys are really over looking the 'kill them with kindness' route..I've had many, many problems with Rogers ..but I've been insanely compensated for them just by being polite but insistant.

    eg.
    I didn't pay for my two cell phones for almost the first YEAR just for my ability to say nicely "your company is full of idiots and I'm surprised you walk up-right" (they sent me a flyer that had a $50 bonus that the deal I had signed up for a month earlier didn't)

    I had a sony ericson phone with rogers (same one mark from the forum has) for a little over a year. I used AT LEAST 1500 Anytime minutes a week. Text messaged like 50 sent daily and paid 78$ the whole time.
  • Kristy_Sea wrote: »
    the "supervisor" request just sounds threatening and needs marketing...I have great success with "I'm understanding that you are not in a postion to ..... please transfer me to the person who can, I'll hold the line. (you may have to repeat it once or twice)

    The Brick is a little expensive but well worth it due to the excellence of their customer service. Last time they were back ordered they gave me like $400 bucks off a $1,500 purchase, and handled it efficiently and well.


    Wow you got to be joking, because I will not purchase from the Brick ever again. I know of people who have consistantly not got their purchases when promised, or gotten the wrong stuff and was a complete hastle to return.
  • I loath The Brick. Their sales staff are so pushy and their delivery guy are idiots. I used to have a friend who delivered for them, and they're told to go as quickly as humanly possible, push more sales, and get out of ANY setups (including setups already paid for!)

    But they have no payments until 2008!

    Johnnie
  • JohnnieH wrote: »
    I used to have a friend who delivered for them, and they're told to go as quickly as humanly possible, push more sales, and get out of ANY setups (including setups already paid for!)

    That's so strange, I've made several purchases from them and ALWAYS had great delivery people...two of them actually fixed my semi-broken gate when they had to bring my washing maching through the backyard and THEN spent like half an hour just making sure it was level (and I didn't even pay for them to install the washing machine!) Another sales guy personally delivered a dryer on his own time, because they weren't going to be able to get it here fast enough for me.

    I'm not saying they've never made mistakes...but all companies seem to and the Brick, for me, has always been head and shoulders above the rest for dealing with those problems efficiently and courteously. (and with monster credits.)
  • Answer: look at Kristy, then look at Johnnie, then look at AcidJoe.
  • moose wrote: »
    Answer: look at Kristy, then look at Johnnie, then look at AcidJoe.

    Say what? Thanks for looking at me, but huh?
  • Moose have great hearing, but poor eyesight!

    When the light hits Johnnie that special way! Oh never mind!
    Your right Moose!

    My uncle owns a furniture store and Uncle Leon says " The customer is always right!"

    Commissioned sales often create these horror stories


    Milton Slim
  • ddmilcan wrote: »
    Commissioned sales often create these horror stories

    Amen to that.
  • Quote:
    Originally Posted by moose
    Answer: look at Kristy, then look at Johnnie, then look at AcidJoe.

    Say what? Thanks for looking at me, but huh?

    What, do I have to be Carnac too?

    Question: Why has Kristy experienced better delivery service than Johnnie or Joe?
  • moose wrote: »
    Question: Why has Kristy experienced better delivery service than Johnnie or Joe?
    Answer: type fifty eight thousand and eight into a calculator and turn it upside down.

    /g2
  • g2 wrote: »
    Answer: type fifty eight thousand and eight into a calculator and turn it upside down.
    My calculator sucks - it only goes to 9 - no fifty button :( .
  • 58008

    Now turn tour monitor upside down (or hand stand)


    Just trying to help!

    Milton Slim
  • moose wrote: »
    Question: Why has Kristy experienced better delivery service than Johnnie or Joe?

    I've compiled a list as to the important ways in which I suspect I differ from the other two, please stop me when I hit the correct one:

    -I own BOTH Bill and Ted movies on DVD

    -I have a double jointed thumb

    -I'm one of those creep vegetarians and karma is on my side

    -I vote in the municipal elections

    -I have an extensive Vanilla Ice collection featuring his auto-biography "Ice by Ice"
    EDIT: I felt I was doing the collection a disservice by not adding that it includes "Cool as Ice" VI's one movie (besides a cameo in TMNTII)

    -Hugging makes me uncomfortable

    Oh yeah, and I offer every service person who comes through my door a coffee, tea, beer, shot. (I'm serious, a little respect for those people doing their job- goes a very long way)

    but I suppose my 58008's don't hurt ;)
  • Since I know Joe quite well, I will analyze this from his perspective and he can add any comments:
    Kristy_Sea wrote: »
    I've compiled a list as to the important ways in which I suspect I differ from the other two, please stop me when I hit the correct one:
    -I own BOTH Bill and Ted movies on DVD

    Joe was a 'technical consultant' for both films, and the Cheech and Chong films as well.
    -I have a double jointed thumb

    Joe has a double jointed elbow from drinking ALOT of beer. Also I am sure he has 'double jointed' many times, see above.
    -I'm one of those creep vegetarians and karma is on my side

    Joe makes sure the animal is still bleeding upon consumption. It might even have been still moving at the time. Joe says 'fuck karma' all the time.
    -I vote in the municipal elections

    Joe has helped to rig elections.
    -I have an extensive Vanilla Ice collection featuring his auto-biography "Ice by Ice"

    Joe has an extensive ice pick collection.
    -Hugging makes me uncomfortable

    Joe says "you fucking tree-hugging, do nothing, waste of space Artsci grad - no, I DON'T want fries with that".
    Oh yeah, and I offer every service person who comes through my door a coffee, tea, beer, shot. (I'm serious, a little respect for those people doing their job- goes a very long way)

    Joe would be drunk, BEFORE the delivery guy shows up.
    but I suppose my 58008's don't hurt ;)

    How did you do in the CPF Fat boy competition Joe?
  • I thought Joe was a vegetarian.
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