Customer Service

[montmill]

My email server decided to not support email anymore so suddenly I had no email function. I got a new one and tried to change my email at several places. One was Walmart. Did you know you can't change your email address without your old one being active? I was told I had to close my account and make a new one. When I said, or shop somewhere else the chat person replied, "If that makes you happy." So big it doesn't matter I guess. I suppose changing their system is more costly than loosing a customer now and again. When I was in business I couldn't afford that. Word travels fast in a small town.

 

[crokett]

I'm sorry that happened. I suggest creating an email account with Microsoft or Google or another similar service. If you have an Apple iCloud account you already have an iCloud email address. Use that for online accounts or at least account recovery. That way if your provider shuts down or you switch providers you don't need to update the email address on all those accounts.

 

[egnald]

Customer Service? It is a myth. My youngest son has been living in another city for over a year and a half. So far he/we are still unable to get his address updated on the 401k he started before moving. We can't make the change online through his account and it can't be done over the phone without some kind of "Proof of Identity" like a copy of his Driver's License. Our first fax evidently "didn't go through". The second fax "had areas that were too dark to read". We never got an excuse from them for the copies we sent through regular mail. Even his former employer has not ben able to help. Better Business bureau comes next. I feel your pain - It's just insane! - Dave

 

[bsshog40]

Ya, customer service is almost non-existant anymore. 90% of the time it is completely automated or answered by an answering service that is attached to many other companies and has no idea how to solve problems. Try looking for employment. Everything is online and goes thru computer algorithms. 95% of applications submitted are never responded to. I know this by personal experience. Try calling UPS for information. 100% automated. If it doesn't involve shipping/receiving, you get hung on. Technology is great, but now it's just an escape for companies that don't want to be bothered by personal contact.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

I agree with the others. The Walmarts here have very few cashiers it's mostly self check out. They do have people monitoring I guess to watch for theft and maybe to help if they don't have to go out of their way. Just yesterday I picked up a prescription at CVS and while I was there I asked about getting the COVID booster. They said they didn't have the brand I needed to call one a few miles up the road. I did and it was automated and said I had to do it on line. I went in line and the first thing that popped up was a questionnaire to fill out when I was done. I had trouble so I called Walgreens. Although it was automated I was able to do it easily on the phone. When I was done there the questionnaire was still there from CVS. Most of the questions were about how fast the website loaded or something of that nature. When it asked if I got what I needed I responded " Not from the website but I did get my wife and I signed up at Walgreens". I guess business is good enough so they don't have to worry about repeat business.

 

[montmill]

Chief Apology Officer

Companies are discovering that hiring people to mollify critics and disappointed customers is cheaper (in the short run) than changing things, learning from the feedback or even wasting the time of…

seths.blog

This is from a blog I follow on merchandising. Interesting ideas. I got the reference from Ruth Niles' newsletter.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Thanks David. For some reason that what I was thinking. Why change when you can train the public to do what you want. I understand that my small input dotmatter to big businesses. It makes me feel better spending my money where I think they appreciate it. So if eventually everyone goes the same route I'll stick with the last one that changes.

 

[penicillin]

When I was done there the questionnaire was still there from CVS. Most of the questions were about how fast the website loaded or something of that nature. When it asked if I got what I needed I responded " Not from the website but I did get my wife and I signed up at Walgreens"

Just curious, but what makes you think that a human will ever read your input? Maybe the actual customer service purpose of the survey is to help you feel like you "told them" or "stuck it to them."

Email Addresses:

If you are willing to learn the technology, owning your own domain can make many of your email problems go away forever.
... or maybe you are trading them for different problems. Domains like "montmill.com", "fritzpens.com", and many others are still available. You pick your domain, and then you can create as many email addresses as you want or need.

It costs money - typically around $15 per year for registering your domain, plus the cost of a hosting service. Hosting services can vary in price a lot. I have multiple email hosting services. One is $70 per year. Another charges me only $15 per year, but it is email hosting only, no web hosting. (For tech savvy people only: Search for "mxroute". They are running a special right now.)

One advantage of owning your own domain is that you control everything related to your email. If your email provider decides not to support email anymore, it doesn't matter. Find a new service, redirect your domain registrar to point to it, and you're back in operation with the same email addresses that you own and control.

This is a penturning website. I do not expect many people here to own their own email domains, but if you're willing and interested in the technical challenge, it has a lot of advantages. Perhaps you'll find that it isn't as challenging as you expect.

 

[Kenny Durrant]

Actually I don't know if a person will read it or not. I don't care either way. All I know next time I need something I'll go to Walgreens first. I'll leave my prescriptions at CVS but if something comes up I won't go through the trouble to keep them there. I think it's part of the main reason for this thread. No one cares so I'll take the path of least resistance. The bottom line is times have changed and so have the people that run businesses and work for them. Company's used to pay well and have good benefits for their employees. Now they pay what they want so employees change jobs for a nickel more per hour.

 

[penicillin]

I recently read an article that CVS has been doing poorly as a business. Most pharmacy companies have done well during the pandemic, which has been a great opportunity for them. CVS did poorly during that same period and they just announced that they are closing 900 stores over the next 3 years. Search for "CVS closing 900".