Unbelievable customer service stories

[rebel]

I try and make it a point to say thank you and acknowledge good service because it is so rare. As the Chinese businesses become more accessible to English-speakers I've bought a lot more of their stuff after carefully buying American for decades. Since I left and moved overseas not only can I mostly not get anything made in America without paying 5 times the price but mostly it isn't available.

Anyway a few humorous (sort of) anecdotes.

I bought something from SPAMCORP.com and made the mistake of signing up for their deals newsletter. At some point I started getting two copies of every newsletter so I opened a problem ticket on their site. Somebody responded to me: "Your package was shipped on xx/xx/yy and you should expect it very soon!" I was impressed they figured out my order info without me mentioning anything in the problem ticket but it was clear nobody bothered to read what I wrote. I updated the ticket and explained again that I'm getting two copies of the newsletter and that the issue was not related to what I bought. Soon I got a message saying "It is normal to expect some delay in receiving your order. Please wait patiently and we are sure you will receive your order very soon!" It became obvious nobody who can read English is working on their support line. Shortly after that they fixed the problem and I now receive no newsletter at all. Good enough!

Another incident was with an eBay seller. I bought a cheap item. It arrived quickly and is actually really nice quality for the price. It could have cost 10 times more and still would have been fair. I wrote the seller and said "Thanks for shipping my order quickly and for selling such a nice item at a very attractive price. I'll be happy to shop with you again." I got an answer back from them, "Don't worry, I'm sure your order will arrive timely." So basically while they are starting to make a lot of good, cheap stuff and fill orders quickly and correctly, there is still apparently nobody in China's retail sector who can speak English! 

A while ago I bought a house phone from a well known global brand. The only problem was they have no presence (no offices, no support) where I live so I emailed the home office in Dallas. After two weeks I got no response so I emailed again. After a week or so I got a note saying they didn't have any information on what I was asking since the product was a special model not sold in America. I said that's fine, just put me in touch with whatever office speaks English and knows about this product. So I get a note back saying here is our international office list. It was hundreds of offices and all phone numbers and no email or website links. So I wrote back and said can't somebody over there give me a little help and tell me which of these few hundred offices actually has the information I need, given you are the company headquarters? Do you expect me to go down the list and just start calling all these places long distance with the hope I might get lucky and hit the jackpot? So I get a note back saying "you could try a google search for the manual." So I said, let me see if I got this right. You are the headquarters and you have no idea where products with your company name on them are made, you have no idea which offices sold the product, and you have no access to the manuals. And after all that, you expect me to search the web for a manual? (I had already done that before filling out the initial problem ticket of course, but I didn't mention it.) So I said basically you boneheads are expecting me to do the job they are paying you for and because of that, this is the last time I buy anything from you or with your company name on it. And I know you don't care and are probably not even in Dallas, but I am sending this reply anyway so that if in the future somebody does care and goes over emails to see about customer satisfaction, you're gonna be looking for another job, buddy!

[pfrsantos]

Don't worry. We have someone dealing with this situation. Your post will be answered quickly.

[zoidberg]

Please read and follow the instructions linked in my signature, thanks. 

[firiki]

Don't worry, I'm sure replies will arrive timely...

 

[comis]

Buying Chinese products online is really a hit and miss thing.  On one hand, their ebay equivalent, Taobao, has all the right ingredients guaranteed to be even more successful than ebay(for example, you don't pay until product arrives and satisfied, and all mail has to be sent via tracking service, so no lost mail).   But on the other hand, the sellers on that platform is just a random combination of ripoff and upright sellers.

I have Chinese sellers whom tried to take advantage of the mailback-insurance, by sending me the wrong items, even after multiple exchange to confirm what he will send is exactly what I will get. 

I have sellers whom miss items in package, and won't admit it until I promise to broadcast the package opening video online. (But to be fair, similar thing happens to some US online sellers too)

No doubt the business is blooming and the choices you could find from Chinese platforms/online sellers are plenty, but it for sure will still take sometime for the service to catch up.  As a colleague once humorously told me,'No one has ever experienced quality service, how do you expect them to serve you well?'

[Aloha]

I experienced good customer service from Amzon.  I purchased an item not up to snuff so I contacted them sent it back and received the replacement item quickly.

I wish I remembered the fleabay seller I had a dealing with.  I bought a knife that looked used, it was dirty and the blade appeared to have been used.  I contacted them and they send me out a new knife and said keep the one I had.  They were very apologetic and the gesture was more than kind.

I dont need CS to kiss my rear to feel I had good experience.  I just want to be acknowledged and not treated like I'm trying to get over on them.

Sadly scams work both way and I can only imagine sellers in some cases are just as frustrated as we buyers are.

 

[ToolJoe]

I called Virgin Mobile to get an answer for a question regarding my mobile broadband hot spot. I got bounced to three different people before I got my answer. None of the three spoke very good English.

On the other hand, I had an issue with my Google Chromebook a few weeks ago and called tech support. I was shocked to talk to someone in the states who spoke coherent English.

[SAKnight]

Emailed Gerber about purchasing a new sheath for my LMF II, got an email back asking for my address and what color I had! It's in the mail now, I didn't pay a thing. Responses were timely and made sense. I feel like Gerber is shunned a lot, but they do have great support.

[Aloha]

Failed to mention Leatherman CS is has been amazing.  They've always been top notch with every one of my dealings.   

[firiki]

I don't buy on the Internet much because I want to be able to see what I'm getting and examine it at least a little if possible. Hence nothing to report here, so far I've had good experiences.

Some warranty issues I've had over the years were dealt with to varying degrees of professionalism on their part. I really try to be an understanding customer. Some times it pays off, sometimes it's perceived as weakness. 

Worst thing I could mention is the car dealer I chose to buy my first brand new car, the one I'm still driving. I'm so irked about that I don't really want to think about it. It was completely my fault, though    

[Higgins617]

Emailed Gerber about purchasing a new sheath for my LMF II, got an email back asking for my address and what color I had! It's in the mail now, I didn't pay a thing. Responses were timely and made sense. I feel like Gerber is shunned a lot, but they do have great support.

Buck did this for me as well, and the model I had was Disco'ed. So they sent me a sheath for a newer model that came with a diamond hook sharpener

I did the same, emailed and said how great the tool was but that the snap on the sheath had ripped off and asked how I could buy another. Just asked for my address and had it to me in a few days. Top notch, my favorite knife company by far.

[derekmac]

Emailed Gerber about purchasing a new sheath for my LMF II, got an email back asking for my address and what color I had! It's in the mail now, I didn't pay a thing. Responses were timely and made sense. I feel like Gerber is shunned a lot, but they do have great support.

Gerber did the same for me when I bought a display knife that didn't come with a sheath. They get an A+ in customer service!


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[Zed]

Ive had good and bad service on ebay,was ripped off on the speSmurfpillstauction site a few times hence why i dont sell or buy from there anymore,as for lm's warranty service  ive sent 2 lm's in over the years and both times got brand new mt's back,i hope victorinox service is as good as use my spirit and sak more these days