But I don’t want to write about that today. I want to discuss CUSTOMER SERVICE or rather, the lack of customer service in our society today. And, along with that customer service comes the topic of “responsibility for your actions”.
Scenario: I took some rather expensive shower curtains to our local Peerless Cleaners. I’m not even going to hide their name ... not that many people from my area will even read this, but more importantly, they deserve to be called out.
Now, these were expensive. I bought them a few years ago when I was working and got them because our daughter was getting married and we were going to have house guests. I totally redecorated the guest bath and these were “the perfect find”!
They were 100% cotton, but the tag said to dry clean only. I was actually going to wash them, but I thought ... I don’t want them to shrink, so I will get them dry cleaned. This cleaner is actually about 9 miles away, our town no longer has a dry cleaner (anyway, one that I would trust or THOUGHT I couldn’t trust them.
The cost: $20.00. Kewl--I could handle that. But, when I picked them up and hung them, they had shrunk 8 INCHES...! That was my main concern for not laundering them myself, that they didn’t shrink. I called and took them back. However, as I was carrying them back into the cleaners, I discovered some unknown red spots.
The manager tells me they can ‘stretch’ the curtains and they would get the spots out.
Fast forward - very slowly - to 4 weeks later. Still no curtains. Still no compensation. They would only give me 5% of the retail value ($80) because they were 4 years old.
Fast forward - again very slowly. Peerless Cleaners has had these for 4 weeks. After I filed a claim for my money back and compensation for my mileage and reimbursement for new curtains, they had to check to see if the tag from the manufacturer was faulty. Then they had to contact their insurance company.
Oh---did I mention that they assured me that this process would be handled within a few days.
Not so. I still don’t have my curtains. I don’t have any compensation for my curtains.
And, I have not received the FIRST phone call from anyone at the company. Not the manager of the store. Not her team leader (supervisor, I am assuming), not the general manager, whom I have called numerous times. Everyone says they will get back with me. No one gets back with me. Up until today, I have been nothing but polite and kind, but certainly, I have displayed my unhappiness about these mishaps.
So, I called today. Told them to get the curtains back within the next 2 days and I wanted reimbursed for the original $20.
NOW---she’s not sure where they are.
I want customer service. I want someone to care that they have ruined an expensive pair of shower curtains (there were 2 at $39.99 each). I want an apology. I want a coupon for free dry cleaning. DANG, PEOPLE. I want to be treated like a customer.
Instead, I have been treated like this person who is trying to rip them off.
I know. It’s not going to get any better. The younger kids don’t know customer service because they haven’t been taught by their elders. The stores don’t give a rat, because they are going to continue to have customers, whether I shop there or not.
My money isn’t worth anything to this dry cleaneres. Their value of me, as a customer, is nil.
So, I will hopefully, eventually get my curtains back and make them do until I get new shower curtains. I will use my mouth as a billboard to tell everyone I know not to take their items there. As a side note, even the manager told me that it takes a long time to process claims because they have so many!!! NOT GOOD!
I just ask that anyone and everyone who has poor customer service at any business---STAND UP FOR YOUR RIGHTS. Don’t let them mow you under and succumb to their asinine rules and policies. It is my money. It is my item. I have a right----(hopefully).
If you are a buyer or seller on www.onlineauction.com (or any other auction site), can you imagine the fallout if you provided poor service to your customers? Yep, there would be neg after neg after neg.
Now, I just have to figure out a way to NEG Peerless Cleaners in Fort Wayne, Indiana!
NOW--AS A REMINDER
I haven’t had a chance to list anything new because of my new job (which I will talk about later this week). However, please take a few minutes to go to www.onlineauction.com. and check out my items. I would truly appreciate it and hopefully you will find something that strikes your fancy!
WHY THE ADS ON THIS SITE
Some of the ads--certainly not all--help me through advertising reimbursements. Don’t hesitate to click on any of them--and if you do--thank you!
WISHING ALL WELL & SUCCESS
I hope that all buyers and sellers at onlineauction.com. are enjoying the benefits of online selling. I wish everyone well and encourage all who are checking out this blog to definitely take a shopping trip to www.onlineauction.com. I thank you and all 50,000+ sellers at OLA thank you!
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