Once again piss poor customer service has forced the Bastard to write. Recently I built a new computer. Some of the components I purchased off of the internet, some I purchased locally. The local stuff come from a place called Store X (I can't put the name here, cuz I might be liable for slander). I have been doing business with this outfit, both professionally and privately, for about 4 years. I know most all of their staff and I am reasonably comfortable with all of them.
Back to the new PC. So, I bought a case with a 300 watt power supply, a 32MB video card, a sound card, and a 40GB hard drive at Store X. On top of all of that, I bought a monitor for my girlfriend's daughter. I get all the stuff home and start to put it all together when I notice that the power supply is just a 250 watt. "No biggy", I think to myself, "I will call down there and get it exchanged". Well, as it turns out, I didn't even have to call. The salesperson, whom I know well, called me at home and asked me how the new machine was coming along. Great I say, and then tell her about the power supply issue. She didn't seem to think it would be a problem to get exchanged either. This was on a Saturday. The following Monday I was off of work and was at home playing computer games when the phone rings. It was my salesperson. She said "The owner says she will exchange the power supply, but it will cost you $20". I know what you are thinking, and you are right, Bastard Mode ON! Me: "Nope, I paid for a case with a 300 watt power supply and I didn't get it. I am not paying another dime. Tell the owner that we need to make this right". Salesperson: "Let me talk to her and I will see what I can do". Me: "Okay". When I hung up the phone all I could think of was "I can't believe this shit.....all the thousands, and thousands of dollars I have spent in that store over the years and they won't exchange a damn power supply".
So, as I am sitting there fuming, the phone rings again. It is my salesperson. She says "It was probably my fault that you got the wrong power supply in the case. If you will pay $10, I will pay $10 and we can get you the 300 watt power supply." Me: "I told you before that I am not paying another damn dime". Salesperson: "Well, that is all the owner is going to do". Me: "You folks made the mistake, not me. You tell your owner that if she doesn't make this right I will make sure to tell every single person I know what shitty service they can expect at Store X, and I will personally black-ball the place." Salesperson: "Ok." End of conversation.
So, here I am, madder than I was before. I knew at that point it was time to write a web page about it. As I am taking notes and forming ideas for this page, the phone rings yet again. I am expecting it to be my salesperson again with some new unsatisfactory solution. Lo and behold, it is the manager of Store X. She had me recant the whole story back to her. She says that she would certainly hate to loose my business....blah, blah, blah...would appreciate it if I didn't mention this to my other computer parts buying friends....blah, blah, blah. I am thinking to myself " well shit, if you really would hate to loose my business you wouldn't be dicking me around like this". What I said was "I have spent thousands of dollars in your store over the years, both as a representative of my employer and as an individual. I could have saved myself and my company quite a bit of money by buying some place else, but I didn't because you folks are local and we have done business together for so long. Now, you are willing to throw that business relationship away over a $50 power supply". Manager: "Well Mark, if you will bring the 250 watt power supply back in we will exchange it for you at no charge". ABOUT DAMN TIME!
I must say that I hold no animosity towards the salesperson. She was just doing her job. She was at the mercy of her management. I happen to know this woman and I know, if she would have had her way, the power supply would have been exchanged, no questions asked.
Why is it that you have to
beat someone over the head in order to get them to do the right thing?
Here we have a long standing business relationship flushed down the toilet
over something so stupid. Oh sure, they made it right, but I will be damned
if they will ever get another penny of my money. You would think, that
in this current financial climate, that businesses would be doing more
to cater to their customers, not shit on 'em and piss 'em off so they don't
come back. Businesses these days, for whatever reason, seem to think that
the customers are there for them, not the other way around. The way that
we, as paying customers, stop that shit is to simply take your business
some place else. Be sure to tell the offending person that you are no longer
going to shop (or eat, as the case may be) at their place. Also be sure
to let them know that you are going to tell all of your friends what shitty
service you received and you are going to encourage them to take their
business some place else.