All of us have purchased tools, products, or equipment for our kitchens that we had high hopes of a long and problem free relationship with, only to have our hopes suddenly dashed to bits when the item failed to deliver. What do you do next?
Before you make that first step, decide what your complaint is about, and write it down. Next, write down what the desired resolution is. Be realistic, if a bag of coffee you purchased was stale or had a bad taste, it is not a reasonable response for you to request an entire case for replacement. It is reasonable to expect that the purchase price be refunded or a replacement product be sent.
If the item is a recent purchase, start with the customer service department for the manufacturer. If it is not included with the documentation for the item or its packaging, search online for the company. Often, that will produce the desired number. Call them, if possible, to resolve the problem in the least amount of time. This will usually resolve your problem.
Unfortunately, customer service departments are quite variable in their effectiveness, and sometimes, it seems that we all will, sooner or later, “draw the short straw” in terms of effectiveness of a particular customer service agent. While talking with the agent, if the response seems unreasonable, ineffective, or even non-existent, demand to speak to their supervisor. Often, stepping up a level will find resolution. If the supervisor is unavailable or incapable of resolving the issue, you can request their supervisor. If you aren’t getting a supervisor on the telephone, and the agent is less than competent at delivering resolution, try hanging up and redialing, in hopes of gaining a more effective agent.
Unfortunately, not all companies have customer service departments designed to encourage repeat customers, and the response will leave you angry, unhappy, and very disappointed in the product. What then?
If you got a rude or unresponsive customer service agent on Monday, try again on Wednesday or Thursday—you might get lucky! Even when the customer service agents are less than helpful, do not resort to name calling, foul language, or otherwise threatening language. It won’t help, and the negative response may not be the fault of the person you are talking to. It certainly won’t enhance your position as the wronged consumer. Follow up on your complaint with necessary paperwork, copies of receipts, and other documentation, as well as any necessary telephone calls. Don’t drop it while you are dissatisfied, but be reasonable in your expectations.
If you still do not have any resolution, try and get assistance from the store where the item was purchased. Many of New Orleans’ retail stores are very responsive about products that fail, and will do their best to assist you. Relate your displeasure with the manufacturer’s customer service to the retail manager as well—they may choose to use another manufacturer of a similar product to avoid the problem in the future.
What else should you do?
There are a number of venues online available to relate less-than-satisfactory, as well as exemplary, products and customer service experience to other potential buyers. Using these tools can be great assistance when researching a purchase too. When your experience, good or bad, is added to the pool of information, it will help future buyers avoid repeating your experience, or at least educate them to expect similar results.
Poor customer service is a common complaint from consumers, and the only way to rectify this problem is by consumers refusing to accept it as an industry standard. Word-of-mouth advertising, whether for positive or negative results, can be an effective tool to fight this trend with manufacturers of products, whether it’s an appliance, ingredient, computer, or tool. By sharing your experience, as well as considering other consumer’s experiences when considering a purchase, you can evaluate whether a company’s products are cost-effective purchases or merely a money drain. Good customer service is good reason to consider paying a bit more for a product, while poor customer service may justify simply not considering a product at all, especially if it is one that is prone to failure, problems, or need for further purchases.
Simply throwing away the useless item after it has failed is a choice that allows the company producing inferior products and providing poor customer service to perpetuate its behavior—there is no motivation to change and there are no negative results to deal with. On the other hand, great customer service goes a long ways towards restoring consumer confidence when a product fails to perform. By sharing your experience, for the product, the customer service, and the retail store, you are taking a step to reward the best as well as to ensure the worst must deal with their own problems.
How do you know which stores in New Orleans provide the best service with the fewest problems?
You will be relying on the experience of other consumers, people who have filled out review forms showing their feelings about the service they received. There are a number of sources available online to see these reviews (and publish your own.)
Viewpoints is a national review company, geared towards the review of products, ranging from consumables to major appliances, with everything in between. When researching a product, try entering the product brand, type, and the word “review” into a search engine. (i.e. KitchenAid small appliance review)
Because of New Orleans’ status as a popular tourist destination, we have a LOT of reviews available online. Many of them are geared for tourists, but there are a number of products and services that have been reviewed. In addition, agencies such as the Better Business Bureau can offer information about complaints. To search for New Orleans, try a search engine with a combination such as “New Orleans Shopping Review” or “New Orleans Small Appliance Shopping Reviews”.
Set a goal for yourself and write a positive review each month about your favorite retail stores. Often, we don’t bother writing the reviews until we are angry and upset about poor service, unsatisfactory facilities, or other problems with a company. It is just as important to review the good experiences as it is the bad ones!
When writing a review, be fair and keep emotions out of the review as much as possible. List three reasons for the positive (or negative) review on a piece of paper, as well as why they are important. If it is a negative review, write down what you expected versus what you received. Be honest, if you failed to get a replacement because of a lack of a receipt or an out-of-warranty-period complaint, say so. Even when you are being told “no, we cannot help you because…” by the customer service agent, it is reasonable to expect courteous service. Make a sincere effort to resolve your complaint with the company, including multiple attempts to resolve the problem via telephone.
When poor customer service and unsatisfactory product quality are hand in hand, the consumer often feels helpless and overwhelmed by the corporate façade. Polite persistence will often prevail, and consumers are not as helpless when faced with the problem as some would think. Reviews are a powerful tool, and as more people become aware of the review resources available, it becomes much more difficult for companies to ignore the negative reviews. If you are suddenly thrust into the role as a wronged consumer, using the tools available will, at the least, prevent future consumers from feeling the disappointment you have endured. Sharing your positive experiences will also reward companies who do deliver quality products and provide good customer service.
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