Last week I took a customer service training seminar for work. We basically spent eight hours learning how to be nice.One of the more enlightening discussions we had was when we went around the room and each person shared past memorable customer service experiences ... good and bad.
I kept a tally of what people said. Without further ado, here is the list.
Places to avoid:
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Apparently it is a big hassle to return wedding gifts. Which is funny because, as I have observed from the one bazillion wedding showers I have attended, BB&B is, hands down, the most common place to register.
Sprint
This was mine. Nine stinking years of faithful patronage and not one good customer service experience! The only one to blame for my extended history of bad Sprint experiences is myself. I'm loyal to a fault, it seems.
Travelocity
Their TV ads claim you can call them any time, day or night, and they'll bend over backwards to help. According to my co-worker Mark's last vacation report, this is not the truth.
Orkin
Not that you have a lot of options when it comes to insect extermination or rodent control, but this seems like something you might want to get right the first time.
Walmart
Oh, so many places I could go with this. Suffice it to say, I'll just add "crappy customer service" as reason #3,763 I refuse to shop there.
Places to visit:
Pottery Barn
Again, according to my recently married friend, Pottery Barn is wonderful in going the extra mile to make sure you spread the word to all your engaged friends.
REI
They might sell [R]eally [E]xpensive [I]tems, but they'll treat you nicely as they do it!
T-Mobile
I finally left Sprint and switched to T-Mobile. They strive to be one of the top five companies known for their good customer service in the nation, among all businesses ... not just cell phone companies. So far, so good!
Lowes
In my single-female-visiting-a-home-improvement-store experience, Lowe's beats Home Depot any day of the week.
Firedog (Circuit City)
If you need any electronic equipment installed in your home, apparently Firedog is the company to call.
and my personal favorite ...
Chick-fil-A
Two words: "My pleasure!"
Any places you suggest I visit/avoid?
6 comments:
What's reason 2,487 for not shopping at Wal-mart?
The people that drive those SUV-sized carts down the wrong side of the aisle and expect YOU to move.
ohhh i can totally second REI- they let me return a jacket and a vest two months after i bought it and after i had worn it, my reason: the boyfriend i had bought it with dumped me. they took the clothes and gave me cash and told me to go make new memories. SCORE.
I would also add Denney's to that bad service tally!
Although it pains me to say it (because of my horrifying experience being employed there), David and I have had nothing but 100% delightful experiences returning wedding things at BB&B. Never a question or a hassle. In fact, our Kitchen Aid had the UPC cut off of it (we sent it in for a free accessory), no receipt, nothing. The lady took it back with a smile and sent someone to get us a new one! What can I say? It was awesome.
I agree with you on Sprint. Every time I try to go online to pay my bill, which you'd think they'd be glad of, there is some kind of hassle. And now they simply aren't sending me bills at all!
A company I find organized? Pleasant? FedEx.
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