Customer Service Nightmare Thread

[ownyourfuture]

Did a search & didn't find a thread specifically for horrific customer service experiences.
Considered posting this in the pet peeve of the day column, but it's much, much more than that.

I live in the upper Midwest, & have to transport wood from the shed to my mothers house during the winter.
I've always had a problem with my toes getting cold & cramping when I have to spend extended periods of time outside when it's extremely cold.

About 3 years ago, I found the cure. HotHands Insole Foot Warmers. They work incredibly well.
Last winter was much colder than normal, so I ran out much earlier than expected.
I've always ordered them from walmart . com.

Put it in an order for 16 pairs. Received the order about 3 days later. 1 pair, instead of 16, were delivered by FedEx.
I went back & looked at my email copy of the order, thinking maybe I'd only ordered one pair by accident.
I saw what I believed to be the problem right away.

Someone at the distribution center must have identified the right item, but not noticed that it was for 16 pairs & instead went with the quantity of 1 shown on the order. I'm not an unreasonable person, so I didn't get upset. I decided to go to the Walmart website & do an online chat to rectify the problem.

The charge was removed & we re-ordered the same thing. After that, I took the time to explain to him (in detail) what I figured to be the cause of the problem. He assured me it wouldn't happen again. 3 days later, the same thing. A small package delivered from FedEx containing 1 pair.

Now I was upset. I went to my local Walmart customer service desk & once again, explained the problem in detail. Even printed up the entire receipt shown above & explained to the employee that someone at that distribution center needs to look at the order closer. He removed the charges, re-ordered the same items, & gave me $15 in online credit.

He went on to say, that not only would he document this case & pass it along to the higher ups, I could look forward to receiving additional savings codes to use at checkout in the future.

4 days later, the same thing. 1 pair of foot warmers delivered by FedEx.
I actually got in the car to drive to Walmart, but decided against it. As irate as I was at that time, I might have said, or done something that could get me in trouble.

I called customer support, had the charges removed, & closed my account.

The silver lining is, that a couple weeks later, I found 3 boxes of 16 pairs from a private party on eBay, & the total was under $40.00
Unless there's a situation where sometime in the future, I'm literally starving and Walmart is the only place that has food, I'll never step foot in, or order another item from them again.

I'd love to include some other details related to this incident, but it’s a PC world, so those parts will have to remain a mystery.

 

[RetireeRobert]

On the other hand as to Wal Mart, bananas seem to always be cheaper there. 52 cents a pound as compared to Kroger's 59 cents a pound.

 

[Ready]

I don’t see what the problem is. You only needed to contact customer service 13 more times and you would have received exactly what you asked for.

 

[target2019]

I read that Amazon had total turnover of employees during the past year equal to their entire workforce.

Edit: 16-pair insole foot warmers out of stock @wallyworld.

 

[Aerides]

It's more likely than not a case of a 3rd party seller, or the manufacturer, mislabeled the items. So the sku/barcode on your order is correct, but the listing says 16. The warehouse doesn't decide "right I need to find the 16 pack", they decide "is this the right scan for this order" period. That entire batch is probably mislabeled.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

You tell the story well, ownyourfuture. I've got a folder called "Chat support transcripts", with 39 text files in it. They're not all nightmares, I just like to keep documentation, so when I can't email back and forth, I keep transcripts, even if I have to copy and paste.

But thanks for the tip on the foot warmers; I got frostbite when I had an equine emergency a few years ago, and had to stand outside the stall for hours longer than I expected to do so, and now my feet are a lot less tolerant of the cold.

 

[Amethyst]

That is what happened when I tried to order an 18-quart dishpan from Amazon, but got a 14-quart one. This was during the pandemic, when for some reason, large dishpans were impossible to get (I tried every brand and several on-line retailers. The local Walmart, per its we site, had them on the shelf, but would not deliver. During the pandemic, I wasn't going inside the store).

After peeling off the "4.5 gallon" label on the pan I received, I found a label for 3.5 gallons. So somebody, in some warehouse, maybe in China, had mislabeled that item. I wrote Amazon customer service about it, and got no reply. I returned the dishpan and ordered another, only to have the same result.

Incidentally, 18-quart dishpans are still hard to find online (you can find them, but then they are out of stock or on backorder). They have also quadrupled in price since a couple of years ago. I did eventually get one from inside the store.

It's more likely than not a case of a 3rd party seller, or the manufacturer, mislabeled the items. So the sku/barcode on your order is correct, but the listing says 16. The warehouse doesn't decide "right I need to find the 16 pack", they decide "is this the right scan for this order" period. That entire batch is probably mislabeled.

 

[mystang52]

"Customer Service" has sadly become an oxymoron. Whether by chat, email or Heaven Forbid attempted phone call it is a continual source of frustration. I can only recall, and I mean this literally, two exceptions where I've gotten good customer service - Delta Faucets and Chamberlain Garage Door opener.
I'm sure I have a lot of company with many customer "service" horror stories.
But the biggest thorn in my side: those freakin' automated call responses where you have to hit a gazillion buttons before then being on hold for an eternity.

 

[ivinsfan]

walmartcom is not Walmart. It's full of a multitude of other sellers/websites. Amazon is too but they seem to have a better hand at doing things right. I've heard it's because they carry a big stick and are very punitive (think death penalty) if the sellers screw over the customers.



Now Walmart proper such as grocery pickup is 100% Walmart. Since early March of 20 I've gotten 98% of my groceries and other Walmart stocked items from them. I've never waited more then 5 minutes and had ONE single item forgotten in my orders. I indicted on the app what happened and had my money back instantly.

 

[Amethyst]

My No. 1 complaint is the way Xfinity handles calls - literally two hours spent with people who can only follow a script and then hand you on to the next script-reader. All of whom have irritating accents and are overly familiar out of the gate.

I do realize their true problem-solving experts are few, so their time must be saved for serious issues. It should not, however, take 11 (literally - I took notes) steps to get from the automated voice that tells you to restart your router, to the tech guy or gal who actually knows what's wrong.

 

[Amethyst]

Mislabeling seems to be common. This is a customer review thread for a 6-pack of 18-quart Sterilite dishpans (currently priced around $32.00). Customer after customer reported getting only 1 dishpan, not 6.

https://www.amazon.com/product-revi...r&reviewerType=all_reviews#reviews-filter-bar

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

"Customer Service" has sadly become an oxymoron. Whether by chat, email or Heaven Forbid attempted phone call it is a continual source of frustration. I can only recall, and I mean this literally, two exceptions where I've gotten good customer service - Delta Faucets and Chamberlain Garage Door opener.
I'm sure I have a lot of company with many customer "service" horror stories.
But the biggest thorn in my side: those freakin' automated call responses where you have to hit a gazillion buttons before then being on hold for an eternity.

This is why, after one channel doesn't get a response, or gets a non-response (where they either didn't read the question, or were required to copy-and-paste an answer from an approved list regardless of the question), I'll go right to Twitter and start twittershaming -- complaining publicly and tagging the company involved. That often gets a quick and more thorough response.

 

[Lakedog]

T-Mobile -- made the mistake of trying their Home Internet service. The signal strength was poor and internet access was very unreliable even though their coverage map indicated otherwise. I returned the equipment within a couple of days of receiving after being told upfront that there would be no charge for trying the service if equipment was returned.

Then I started receiving bills every few days, even after calling to confirm my account had been closed. After just 4 weeks, I get a letter saying my unpaid account was going to a debt collection service. Every time I called T-Mobile I was on hold for at least an hour. During every call, I would be transferred from dept to dept as no one seemed willing/able to assist.

No way would I ever do business with T-Mobile again. I did have a prepaid phone with them years ago and had no issues, but their current customer service is among the worst I have experienced.

 

[Amethyst]

That's really awful, Lakedog. I also had their prepaid phone service for years and years and liked it a lot. Internet must be under different management.

Getting calls from a collection service is like the cops showing up for a crime we didn't commit. Not funny at all.

T-Mobile -- made the mistake of trying their Home Internet service. The signal strength was poor and internet access was very unreliable even though their coverage map indicated otherwise. I returned the equipment within a couple of days of receiving after being told upfront that there would be no charge for trying the service if equipment was returned.

Then I started receiving bills every few days, even after calling to confirm my account had been closed. After just 4 weeks, I get a letter saying my unpaid account was going to a debt collection service. Every time I called T-Mobile I was on hold for at least an hour. During every call, I would be transferred from dept to dept as no one seemed willing/able to assist.

No way would I ever do business with T-Mobile again. I did have a prepaid phone with them years ago and had no issues, but their current customer service is among the worst I have experienced.

 

[braumeister]

T-Mobile -- made the mistake of trying their Home Internet service. The signal strength was poor and internet access was very unreliable even though their coverage map indicated otherwise. I returned the equipment within a couple of days of receiving after being told upfront that there would be no charge for trying the service if equipment was returned.

Then I started receiving bills every few days, even after calling to confirm my account had been closed. After just 4 weeks, I get a letter saying my unpaid account was going to a debt collection service. Every time I called T-Mobile I was on hold for at least an hour. During every call, I would be transferred from dept to dept as no one seemed willing/able to assist.

No way would I ever do business with T-Mobile again. I did have a prepaid phone with them years ago and had no issues, but their current customer service is among the worst I have experienced.

FWIW, I tried that service a few years ago and also found it didn't work well at my home. But there was no question about billing and the return was simple. I've been with T-Mobile for years and I love their service.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

This happened to me yesterday at a local hair cut salon (I don't think it's part of a chain). They take both walk-ins and appointments. I walked in to find both cutters busy. One came to the register and I asked if I should wait or do they have an open appointment in the near future. She said the next slot would be at 11:40 (about 90 minutes later). I left, did some errands, and came back at 11:30 so as to not have my appointment given to a walkin. At about 11:35, she came up to me and said she was still working on her current client (which was the same one she was working on 90 minutes earlier -- should have been my first clue) so it would be a few minutes AND if the other cutter finished first, she could cut my hair. I said, "no problem, I'm a few minutes early anyway".

Around 11:45, the second cutter finished her client, who paid and left. The cutter returned to her station and swept up the hair like they always do. However, she was working VERY slowly and the 2 cutters where talking to each other and the remaining client the entire time. After about 5 minutes of this, I could hear the first cutter tell the second cutter that she could cut my hair if she wanted. I assume the appointment system they use linked me to the first cutter. I didn't really care who cut my hair, I just wanted it cut.

I continued to sit there. The second cutter proceeded to start cleaning the mirrors with Windex in both her station and the other ones around her. I could hear her complaining about how no one ever cleans their stations. She was even getting up on a step stool to wipe the dust off the top of the mirror frames. The 2 cutters continued to chit-chat with each other about nothing important.

I got up and walked out without saying a word at 11:55. So the first cutter missed her appointment scheduling by at least 15 minutes. She was still working on the same client. And the second cutter apparently thought it was more important to do unnecessary cleaning instead of servicing a customer.

I went down the road to a local barber shop and was cut and out of there in about 15 minutes total. They will get my business going forward.

 

[ownyourfuture]

But thanks for the tip on the foot warmers; I got frostbite when I had an equine emergency a few years ago, and had to stand outside the stall for hours longer than I expected to do so, and now my feet are a lot less tolerant of the cold.

I was very skeptical the first time I ordered them. Read reviews stating that they stayed warm for up to 8 hours. But that turned out to be accurate. I recommend them highly. Just don't try to order them from walmart . com

 

[ownyourfuture]

It's more likely than not a case of a 3rd party seller, or the manufacturer, mislabeled the items. So the sku/barcode on your order is correct, but the listing says 16. The warehouse doesn't decide "right I need to find the 16 pack", they decide "is this the right scan for this order" period. That entire batch is probably mislabeled.

I understand that. I feel that when the 1st order was screwed up, & I took the time to report it (in detail) to a Walmart rep, they should've contacted the 3rd party seller. They most certainly should have after it happened a 2nd time & I again reported it in detail.

Apparently, they never even attempted to.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I understand that. I feel that when the 1st order was screwed up, & I took the time to report it (in detail) to a Walmart rep, they should've contacted the 3rd party seller. They most certainly should have after it happened a 2nd time & I again reported it in detail.

Apparently, they never even attempted to.

Right, it would seem that everyone who orders this exact item will get only 1/16th of what they paid for, and that should be remedied ASAP now that they know.

 

[mystang52]

I got up and walked out without saying a word at 11:55. So the first cutter missed her appointment scheduling by at least 15 minutes. She was still working on the same client. And the second cutter apparently thought it was more important to do unnecessary cleaning instead of servicing a customer.

I went down the road to a local barber shop and was cut and out of there in about 15 minutes total. They will get my business going forward.

There are 2 very popular delis in my town, "P" and "K." I didn't go to P's because after a change in ownership they were always less than friendly. Alas, 2 straight bad experiences with K - the 2nd being food poisoning - I sucked it up and went to P. The owner saw us come in, and was on the phone and no one was behind the counter, although we could hear the workers in the back of the store. We waited a few minutes then told her we'd like some help. She shooed us away 'coz she was on the phone, so we called out to the workers in the back if someone could help us. The owner then started to complain to us about being pushy customers. We, too, walked out and gave a bad review on Yelp. I now drive 7 miles to our new, now-favorite, deli.

 

[ownyourfuture]

I now drive 7 miles to our new, now-favorite, deli.

That's the way to do it. Vote with your pocketbook!

 

[travelover]

I've found that when I order something and it turns out to be mislabeled, the only solution is to order it from another supplier and, even then, you run a risk of having the same problem. I have never complained and had the issue remedied successively. There just does not seem to be a feedback loop.

Similarly, when I have a billing problem and the customer service rep promises it is fixed and isn't, I can never talk to the same person again. Calling back only puts you at step one in the whole process and I have to explain the whole deal all over to a new person who promises to fix it. Rinse and repeat. Talking to a "supervisor" doesn't seem to actually help and they will never give you a direct number to follow up when the problem persists.

 

[Amethyst]

On the flip side, my nephew has worked in customer call centers for years and has the most amazing stories of stupid, belligerent customers.

I do try not to be one of those, no matter how annoyed I get.

 

[Walt34]

On the flip side, my nephew has worked in customer call centers for years and has the most amazing stories of stupid, belligerent customers.

I can believe it. When I got my first job working at a gas station (back when they had attendants to pump the gas for you) it was a rude awakening dealing with the general public.

 

[JRon]

On the flip side, my nephew has worked in customer call centers for years and has the most amazing stories of stupid, belligerent customers.

I do try not to be one of those, no matter how annoyed I get.

Agreed. I am in the hotel business and there is a forum for hotel desk clerks so they can vent about customers. I saw some of their stories once and some were pretty bad. I guess there really are 2 sides to the customer service coin.