The Art Of Constructive........Complaints

[Calamity Kris]

I recently returned from a trip where one of my service providers did a less than stellar job of providing their service.  When I received their customer satisfaction survey, I gave them a low rating and responded with forthright but actionable items.

 

1) Revamp your phone voice prompt system.  My problem needed to be addressed by a human and your phone system made it very difficult to reach one.

2) Hire customer service persons who actually care about the customer.  Reading from a script that says  "I'm   really   sorry   you're   having   a   problem.    I   would   be    upset   if   I   were   in   your   shoes   too."  doesn't cut it when you need assistance.

3) Empower your people to make decisions in the interest of the customer, then stand behind them.  I should not have had to call back three times to get this issue resolved, maybe.

 

I received a call last night from the manager of that branch of the company and she was very apologetic.  She said she would look into where the customer service breakdown happened and would take action on it.  She said she would work to get a refund of the portion of my service I complained about and would look into possibly getting me vouchers to try working with them again.  She gave me her phone number and said if I don't see a refund in 10 days, to give her a call and she would trace it down.  I told her I appreciated her efforts and look forward to working with them again.

 

While complaining may make you feel better, giving them items to work on will help everyone in the end.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

CK

 

While I appreciate the need for constructive feedback, if I encountered repetitive failures as you did, I would have simply trashed the survey and walked away from the service provider.  I'm tired of being a beta test site for folks who should be at least passably competent.  Any company that uses recorded telephone greetings, operators with accents so intense that you cannot understand what they are saying, and canned expresions of phony sincerity, obviously does not care about me, my satisfaction, or my return business.  The loudest mesage I can send is silence.  There are plenty of other providers out there, including some that make at least a basic effort to understand what their customers want.  As for the others, they don't really want your business enough to work for it; they are just looking for "satisfaction" ratings that they can post and advertise.

 

And any follow-up caller who suggested that I should call yet again if I didn't see my refund in 10 days is a joke.  Click.

 

LL

[Go West]

Constructive criticism allows for the possibility of improvement if the company desires to do so.

• It is annoying to have important links/options missing or extremely well hidden.
• When I do connect with a person, I appreciate those who speak clearly without a strong accent, as I am old and do not hear well.
• Please allow time to fully test the item or service I purchased, an immediate survey makes me think you're hoping I don't find issues.
• Please do not send me a survey that takes 20 minutes to complete, I'm not a paid reviewer nor do I want to answer more than a few questions.
• Being on hold more than 15 or 20 minutes is unacceptable if you want my future business.
• If you do not include a manual with a product, make a link to that very easy to find on your website.
• If I download a manual for a product, make it complete so I do not have to search for missing answers.
• If you list measurements, please use American increments, I do not do metric at all.

 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

I get annoyed with the recorded "Your call is important to us" message.

What BS.

If our calls were important, we wouldn't have to remain on the line for the periods we are usually subjected to or a return call option would be offered.

And if they are getting such a large volume of calls about their product or service; Do Something About It!

 

They should at least tell the truth:

" Your call is a pain in the butt for us and we put up this number to fulfill the Consumer Affairs requirement. We have your money, now go away."

[Pat Riot]

Constructive Criticism is great when the company or service follows through. When they don’t it’s time to move on. 
 

Case in point: My recent experiences with Smith & Wesson. They obviously do not need my money any longer. After I purchase my new Ruger Redhawks I plan to contact the new CEOs (yes, they have two now) with photos and an explanation of the crap I went through as well as the photos of my new Rugers, which would have been two S&Ws had I not been treated like a schlub.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Problem is often that company call is a monopoly such as the cable company.

 

i have often gotten out of voicemail Hell by shouting “I WANT TO SPEAK TO A HUMAN”

[Calamity Kris]

The background,

This was an internationally known rental car agency.  I paid to have Sirius/XM service in the car, however, it was not working.  I even contacted SXM to have them ping the radio in case the rental agency had an incorrect serial number on file for that vehicle.  My repeated calls were to get them to either get the radio working in the car or refund me for the charges.  If the airport I picked the car up from weren't so far away, I would have taken the car back and requested a new one.

 

I would imagine they have instances of customers telling the agency their SXM isn't working in order to keep from having to pay for the service.  That is unfortunate but I'm sure it happens. 

 

We'll see how this all works out.

[Pat Riot]

5 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Problem is often that company call is a monopoly such as the cable company.

 

i have often gotten out of voicemail Hell by shouting “I WANT TO SPEAK TO A HUMAN”

Believe it or not some automated systems will transfer you to a human if you yell and curse into the phone. My daughter told me this and I thought she was pulling my leg but it is true on some systems. I usually do not use that tactic unless it is with notoriously bad services like the cable companies. 
She also told me that these systems also flag you as “hostile” on the representative’s screen. 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

I might have been hostile but my 9mms can’t follow the phone wires.

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

2 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Believe it or not some automated systems will transfer you to a human if you yell and curse into the phone. My daughter told me this and I thought she was pulling my leg but it is true on some systems. I usually do not use that tactic unless it is with notoriously bad services like the cable companies. 
She also told me that these systems also flag you as “hostile” on the representative’s screen. 

You are dang right I am hostile. 

[Matthew Duncan]

3 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Believe it or not some automated systems will transfer you to a human if you yell and curse into the phone. ...

 

Or trying pressing "zero".  Auto Attendant systems are usually defaulted when a "zero" is pressed to send the caller to a live operator. 

[Tyrel Cody]

Just now, Matthew Duncan said:

 

Or trying pressing "zero".  Auto Attendant systems are usually defaulted when a "zero" is pressed to send the caller to a live operator. 

 

Lately when I try that it hangs up.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

5 hours ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said:

I get annoyed with the recorded "Your call is important to us" message.

What BS.

If our calls were important, we wouldn't have to remain on the line for the periods we are usually subjected to or a return call option would be offered.

And if they are getting such a large volume of calls about their product or service; Do Something About It!

 

They should at least tell the truth:

" Your call is a pain in the butt for us and we put up this number to fulfill the Consumer Affairs requirement. We have your money, now go away."

"Your call is important to us" annoys me almost as much as "we're all this together".  Both are BS and an insult to my intelligence.

[Cactus Jack Calder]

3 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Believe it or not some automated systems will transfer you to a human if you yell and curse into the phone. My daughter told me this and I thought she was pulling my leg but it is true on some systems. I usually do not use that tactic unless it is with notoriously bad services like the cable companies. 
She also told me that these systems also flag you as “hostile” on the representative’s screen. 

I was told that if you keep pushing 0 (zero) button many of the automated systems will eventually surrender and transfer you to a live person. There are no guarantees they will speak English as their native language. This has worked for me many times, not always, but still enough times so that if I feel it is imperative that I continue to deal with the company I will try it. At least they can’t say you were “hostile”. On the other hand if I don’t need to deal with that particular company and they are obstinate In providing a live English speaking person, I’ll hang up. I’m fairly deaf so they better speak up.

 

CJ

[Pat Riot]

2 hours ago, Tyrel Cody said:

 

Lately when I try that it hangs up.

That's ‘cause they know it’s you. 

 

Actually, more often than not nothing happens when I hit zero. Sometimes it resets the darn initial message and it all starts over. 

[Kulshan 20262]

I had a Comcast person tell me you have to push zero four times to get an operator.

[Ramblin Gambler]

15 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Believe it or not some automated systems will transfer you to a human if you yell and curse into the phone. My daughter told me this and I thought she was pulling my leg but it is true on some systems. I usually do not use that tactic unless it is with notoriously bad services like the cable companies. 
She also told me that these systems also flag you as “hostile” on the representative’s screen. 

 

I've cussed twice and gotten a reaction (that I know of).  One time the representative said that was unacceptable and disconnected me.  Another time I got an automated message about being hostile and was disconnected. 

 

Like I said, that I know of.  The other times it may have just told the operator about me. 

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

Here in Canada, some systems tell you "Touch 1 for English, Touch 2 for French"

If the system/company is one of the who uses low paid operators to whom communication in English is a struggle, I will ask for French.

Usually, the operator is someone in Quebec who speaks English and they switch to that language, if asked.

I do find, if the matter isn't time sensitive, I am writing letters of complaint or an e-mail, when I find a contact for that method.

I always mention I could not get through their telephone system, just to stir the pot.

That requires someone to respond by letter or e-mail and I am told it's a more time consuming and expensive way for them to respond; especially when the CC at the bottom mentions the appropriate Consumer Protection agency who also gets a copy.

It can really be hell having to deal with a retired GOF with time on their hands.