Rant about customer service...I'm just angry

[beavereater]

Costumer service here in Japan is pretty amazing, for the most part. The part-timers who get yelled at by pissed off customers stand their apologizing for shit that is pretty much not their fault and bow every now and then until the problem is solved. To give you an example of GOOD service, here's something that happened over the summer...

Good service

I bought I nice chair for the PC...after opening the box, I noticed it had a big mark across the back. Still usable but I want it in PERFECT condition (Anybody would). I call the "Big company". Next day, I get a chair brought to my house. As soon as I open it...another defect. The stitching was coming out just enough so that a bit of the stuffing inside was showing (Not a big deal, but still...not what it should be). I call them up, they apologize, have a representative of the chair company come down in a suit and tie, give me gift certificates for their "Big company", a new mouse and mouse pad and some kinda sweet cake (A Japanese tradition when doing something like apologizing) AND...they let me keep the chair with the bad stitching along with the new one they brought (Which they checked with me to make sure everything was OK) The representative said that if ANYTHING happen over the next year to my chair (Warranty) to call him directly. That's good service...

NOW...the rant for BAD service

I bought a bicycle from another "Big company"....a rival of the company I bought the chair from. 2 months later, the back tire started acting all funky and I noticed one of the spokes was broken. I figure "Why bother bring it in, a spoke is like 2 bucks"...so I go to my local bicycle shop and ask the man to check it out. He says and shows to me "Look here, it's more than just the spoke, it's the whole frame. This bike is too new to have this kinda problem. If you still have your warranty you should bring it back. If I fixed it, it would cost more than it's worth."

I go to the company. Let them know. They say "Sorry, broken spokes aren't covered under the warranty." I reply "The broken spoke isn't the problem, it's the tire frame and this and this and this..." They give me the run around. I decide to call the bicycle company directly. They place all the blame on the "Big company" and call on my behalf complaining. So, they say "We're gonna fix the bicycle. It will take a week." Now, I have no transportation. I figure for my troubles (I now have to pay for the subway, which I don't want to do...the whole reason for having the bicycle.) 2 WEEKS LATER...I get a call that it's OK. Now I start complaining about how it took them longer than they said it would (Taking the subway here is ******* expensive)...they do to compensate me. I get argumentative, and they just play stupid. I gave up and decided that there were more important things to do. A week later (That would be today) another part of the bike breaks. I get pissed, and bring it STRAIGHT to the company. I look at the guy "Do you remember my face. Well, my bicycles broken again. Whatcha wanna do with it?"

In my opinion, they should fix it and do something a little extra for all the shit I put up with (Through in a nice basket, I don't care) What they wanted to do was give me my money back, and take the bicycle back...a refund. They wanted to buy their way out of having to deal with me coming back again and again I said "No. You are buying your way out. I'll just keep this bicycle and keep coming back when it's broken...it's gonna cost you more in parts than it would to just give me a better bicycle...one WITHOUT this kinda problem"

They are talking with their bosses now and promised a better for me on Friday. That's it...rant over. Agree? Disagree?...don't care??

[Capmaster]

Beave,
Wouldn't getting a refund also be the best solution for you? I mean, who wants to keep bringing it back over and over?

[Faustus]

As bad as most customer service is I'm usually happy if the product is actually fixed when I EVENTUALLY get it back.

[tgpo]

Take the refund and buy a different companie's bike.

[Hardcoreruss]

the back tire started acting all funky

Your English is getting much better

[beavereater]

Beave,
Wouldn't getting a refund also be the best solution for you? I mean, who wants to keep bringing it back over and over?

In most cases yeah...I would ask for a refund and then get a better version of the product. The thing is, they made me wait 2 weeks to get my bike back when they promised it 1 week later. They want me to take the refund not to satisfy me, but in order to get rid of a complaining customer. Damn...I am gonna complain until they do something that any other company here WOULD have done. My girl, her mother...everyone around me is getting pissed with this company. Bringing it back over and over would make me a nuisance...they pissed me off, I piss them off. I just felt like they treated me like shit, and now that they know I am in the right they just wanna get rid of me as soon as possible. Not gonna happen, this beaver bites!!

[beavereater]

Beave,
Wouldn't getting a refund also be the best solution for you? I mean, who wants to keep bringing it back over and over?

In most cases yeah...I would ask for a refund and then get a better version of the product. The thing is, they made me wait 2 weeks to get my bike back when they promised it 1 week later. They want me to take the refund not to satisfy me, but in order to get rid of a complaining customer. Damn...I am gonna complain until they do something that any other company here WOULD have done. My girl, her mother...everyone around me is getting pissed with this company. Bringing it back over and over would make me a nuisance...they pissed me off, I piss them off. I just felt like they treated me like shit, and now that they know I am in the right they just wanna get rid of me as soon as possible. Not gonna happen, this beaver bites!!

EDIT: A year ago I had a problem with them about a DVDR I about from them. They said it would work with my English OS, but it didn't and they wouldn't take it back when I returned it the next day (Even though in Japan there is a 30 day guarrantee of return on any product). I go to work, get my secretary to call in and complain...5 minutes later she says "OK, you can go back, they'll give you a refund." A bit of racism I think...but I let that one slide

[pacmania_2001]

I don't let things bother me anymore.

I work in retail and am usually the one getting abused at by the customer for the smallest thing. If something is wrong with an item I buy I'll talk to the employee first but then if they can't provide a good solution I'll ask to speak to a manager because I don't see the use in abusing some poor guy or girl whos like 16 and is getting paid like $9 an hour.

Not an attack on you Beave in case it comes out sounding that way.

[beavereater]

I don't let things bother me anymore.

I work in retail and am usually the one getting abused at by the customer for the smallest thing. If something is wrong with an item I buy I'll talk to the employee first but then if they can't provide a good solution I'll ask to speak to a manager because I don't see the use in abusing some poor guy or girl whos like 16 and is getting paid like $9 an hour.

Not an attack on you Beave in case it comes out sounding that way.

Not at all...if my bicycle were 9 bucks, I wouldn't be putting up a fuss...it was 500 bucks. I get picky over 100 bucks, and usually go directly to management knowing the part-timers can't do jack...

[zzyzzx]

They don't make $9US here!

What brand of bike is it?

[pacmania_2001]

It's not Dunlop by any chance? We had a big recall on those bikes for dodgy spokes and a few other things.

[beavereater]

It's a Japanese company called Miyata. They do mainly bicycles, but other gear too. When my gf talked with them on the phone, the lady said that the make I had had a problem. BUT THEN, we got another story later on...don't know who to believe

[zzyzzx]

It's a Japanese company called Miyata. They do mainly bicycles, but other gear too. When my gf talked with them on the phone, the lady said that the make I had had a problem. BUT THEN, we got another story later on...don't know who to believe

My bike ia a 1990 Miyatia 721A. I put thousands of miles on it a year. Had no idea if they were still in business in Japan (not un USA for more than 10 years). No real problems except that bikes in general are problem prone.

[jimmalenko]

I work in retail and am usually the one getting abused at by the customer for the smallest thing. If something is wrong with an item I buy I'll talk to the employee first but then if they can't provide a good solution I'll ask to speak to a manager because I don't see the use in abusing some poor guy or girl whos like 16 and is getting paid like $9 an hour.

Here here, pac. Do you work at Target or KMart ?

I used to work at Coles and time and time again, people would abuse or barter with the service assistants (checkout chicks). For some reason they seemed to think that the lowest of the low in that organisation had authority to mark down shop-soiled stock, or grant refunds/exchanges ??? The truth of the matter is, that in retail, the "peasants" you deal with on the shop floor generally have no decision-making powers at all, unless they're a manager of some description.

[beavereater]

I work in retail and am usually the one getting abused at by the customer for the smallest thing. If something is wrong with an item I buy I'll talk to the employee first but then if they can't provide a good solution I'll ask to speak to a manager because I don't see the use in abusing some poor guy or girl whos like 16 and is getting paid like $9 an hour.

Here here, pac. Do you work at Target or KMart ?

I used to work at Coles and time and time again, people would abuse or barter with the service assistants (checkout chicks). For some reason they seemed to think that the lowest of the low in that organisation had authority to mark down shop-soiled stock, or grant refunds/exchanges ??? The truth of the matter is, that in retail, the "peasants" you deal with on the shop floor generally have no decision-making powers at all, unless they're a manager of some description.

That's why it's always good to go right to the manager when dealing with situations that involve some need for authority. It's a waste of my time, and the part-timers time to complain or barter...

[Dr. DOS]

Honda Civic

[pacmania_2001]

Here here, pac. Do you work at Target or KMart ?

I used to work at Coles and time and time again, people would abuse or barter with the service assistants (checkout chicks). For some reason they seemed to think that the lowest of the low in that organisation had authority to mark down shop-soiled stock, or grant refunds/exchanges ??? The truth of the matter is, that in retail, the "peasants" you deal with on the shop floor generally have no decision-making powers at all, unless they're a manager of some description.

Big W. I could write a book on customer stupidity.

[jimmalenko]

Here here, pac. Do you work at Target or KMart ?

I used to work at Coles and time and time again, people would abuse or barter with the service assistants (checkout chicks). For some reason they seemed to think that the lowest of the low in that organisation had authority to mark down shop-soiled stock, or grant refunds/exchanges ??? The truth of the matter is, that in retail, the "peasants" you deal with on the shop floor generally have no decision-making powers at all, unless they're a manager of some description.

Big W. I could write a book on customer stupidity.

ahhhhhh, gotcha

I know you're on the gold coast - if you don't mind me asking, which Big W store do you work at ?

[pacmania_2001]

Big W @ Logan Hyperdome. Its about a 25 minute drive from the Gold Coast.

I'm going to stay their instead of transfer to one of the Gold Coast stores because I really like the people who I work with.

If you're ever up this way come in for a visit, I'm normally the one at the Customer Service desk flirting with the girls there, or at Layby flirting with the girls there, or at the Paint Counter bitching about customers.

[jimmalenko]

Big W @ Logan Hyperdome. Its about a 25 minute drive from the Gold Coast.

I'm going to stay their instead of transfer to one of the Gold Coast stores because I really like the people who I work with.

If you're ever up this way come in for a visit, I'm normally the one at the Customer Service desk flirting with the girls there, or at Layby flirting with the girls there, or at the Paint Counter bitching about customers.

cool.

When I was up your way in October, we spent quite a bit of time in and around Surfer's Paradise, but we did venture up the highway as far as Movieworld, wet 'n' wild & Dreamworld. They wouldn't be far away from where you work, would they ?

I'm just trying to get a rough picture, but I'm too lazy to search for a map

[pacmania_2001]

Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild are about a 10 minute drive from where I live.

Originally we were going to build a new house in the waterfront estate behind Dreamworld near the Big Brother house but with the building boom it was going to be the middle of next year before it was built.

[jimmalenko]

Dreamworld, Movie World and Wet 'n' Wild are about a 10 minute drive from where I live.

Originally we were going to build a new house in the waterfront estate behind Dreamworld near the Big Brother house but with the building boom it was going to be the middle of next year before it was built.

OK, cool. I know where you are now

FWIW the Big Brother house was a bit overrated IMO. It's funny how it looks massive on TV, yet is actually quite small when you're in it, and can see behind the walls. The remote control cameras were pretty cool though.

[pacmania_2001]

I've never actually been in the house itself, I can picture it though because the stage where they do the live evictions is small compared to TV.

My friend actually got done for trying to break into the Big Brother house when they were filming. Theres a side entrance that goes up through the bush behind Dreamworld that gets you into the house but security is tight.

[mrtristan]

We give excellent customer service at our shop, so I expect a lot, whether it's another small business or a big retail chain.

I usually don't say anything, unless the service is absolutely horrible. In that case, I will ask to speak to a manager or owner. Most of the time, I just boycott the place I don't like. I don't base my experiences off of a single employee, though. If I repeatedly receive poor customer service at the same place from different employees, I stop shopping there.