tipusnr
Member
I just finished dealing with a book club and it really makes me appreciate the majority of the vendors in this organization.
I didn't understand something about a backorder and wanted to check on it. Well their customer service line is a toll call and the hours are the same as I work. Not a big problem - small company - low overhead - OK.
E-mail section divided up in pre-made topic areas of which back orders wasn't one ?[V]? Still not bad - easy to use - so I sent my request.
Within an hour got two reply e-mails. Great! - NOT REALLY - both were automated and said almost exactly the same thing. Here are my two big heartburns with this.
1. "If your inquiry requires a response"... Why wouldn't it require a response? I didn't sent an "attaboy" (that choice WAS there). And if it doesn't require a response what the heck am I reading...WAKE UP!!! Don't preprogram dumb stuff for the sake of being polite or to project the appearance of caring when you don't!
2. "...a representative will contact you with an answer in three to five business days" GET WITH THE PROGRAM!
This is the electronic age. Very few things take three to five business days to solve much less research!! Stop the mail router..have someone read the e-mail...then come back with an interim reply that makes sense and has value. I don't care if I'm in your queue. It's not why I'm doing business with you. If you have to contact a third party and it will take time or you found something went wrong and have to find out what and how to correct it - fine - I can deal with that. Just don't automatically make me wait three to five days for an easy answer.
Once again, I'm glad that I have never gotten any such "pre-packaged", off-the-shelf, who the heck are you, responses from any of you!!! Pat yourselves on the back!
I didn't understand something about a backorder and wanted to check on it. Well their customer service line is a toll call and the hours are the same as I work. Not a big problem - small company - low overhead - OK.
E-mail section divided up in pre-made topic areas of which back orders wasn't one ?[V]? Still not bad - easy to use - so I sent my request.
Within an hour got two reply e-mails. Great! - NOT REALLY - both were automated and said almost exactly the same thing. Here are my two big heartburns with this.
1. "If your inquiry requires a response"... Why wouldn't it require a response? I didn't sent an "attaboy" (that choice WAS there). And if it doesn't require a response what the heck am I reading...WAKE UP!!! Don't preprogram dumb stuff for the sake of being polite or to project the appearance of caring when you don't!
2. "...a representative will contact you with an answer in three to five business days" GET WITH THE PROGRAM!
This is the electronic age. Very few things take three to five business days to solve much less research!! Stop the mail router..have someone read the e-mail...then come back with an interim reply that makes sense and has value. I don't care if I'm in your queue. It's not why I'm doing business with you. If you have to contact a third party and it will take time or you found something went wrong and have to find out what and how to correct it - fine - I can deal with that. Just don't automatically make me wait three to five days for an easy answer.Once again, I'm glad that I have never gotten any such "pre-packaged", off-the-shelf, who the heck are you, responses from any of you!!! Pat yourselves on the back!
