A lesson in customer service-Paul Pollets

[Deleted User] · July 2002

> I had an unpleasant experience over the past few 
> weeks that proves again that you get what you pay 
> for. My digital camera was stolen 3 weeks ago at 
> a large Seattle gathering. I needed to replace 
> the camera ASAP, as I use the camera almost daily 
> to document projects. I searched the Internet to 
> find a replacement, and found the item at a 
> company called Cameratopia.com. The camera was 
> $50. less than similar e-retailers. I ordered 2 
> day shipping and then proceeded to wait, and 
> wait, and wait... After 4 business days had 
> passed, I called the company. I had tried to 
> track the order on the website, and it said "item 
> shipped". The CSR said, the camera was due in 
> that day and would be shipped immediately. He 
> assured me it would be recived in 2 days. Not. 
> After 3 days I called again and was told by a 
> most surly CSR (the same one) that the camera was 
> "just received" and would be shipped that day. I 
> told him to cancel the order when he would not 
> confirm the item was in stock. BTW, the website 
> showed the camera was in stock. He replied it 
> wasn't his problem if the website didn't show 
> real-time inventory. I replied it certainly was 
> his problem and the goal is to serve the 
> customer, not argue with them. He was not happy 
> to hear that his customer was really pissed off. 
> Have you ever been 'dissed by a CSR? I couldn't 
> believe this guy's attitude. He totally blew the 
> sale. If an item can't be shipped priority, you 
> call the customer and offer alternatives. $50. 
> bought more aggravation and delays, than buying 
> right the first time. While Internet purchasing 
> offers the opportunity to buy for less, it's all 
> about the service. Hopefully, I'll be able to 
> post pics again next week. 
> 
> _A 
> HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id= 
> 104&Step=30"_To Learn More About This Contractor, 
> Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A 
> Contractor"_/A_ 
 
> I had an unpleasant experience over the past few 
> weeks that proves again that you get what you pay 
> for. My digital camera was stolen 3 weeks ago at 
> a large Seattle gathering. I needed to replace 
> the camera ASAP, as I use the camera almost daily 
> to document projects. I searched the Internet to 
> find a replacement, and found the item at a 
> company called Cameratopia.com. The camera was 
> $50. less than similar e-retailers. I ordered 2 
> day shipping and then proceeded to wait, and 
> wait, and wait... After 4 business days had 
> passed, I called the company. I had tried to 
> track the order on the website, and it said "item 
> shipped". The CSR said, the camera was due in 
> that day and would be shipped immediately. He 
> assured me it would be recived in 2 days. Not. 
> After 3 days I called again and was told by a 
> most surly CSR (the same one) that the camera was 
> "just received" and would be shipped that day. I 
> told him to cancel the order when he would not 
> confirm the item was in stock. BTW, the website 
> showed the camera was in stock. He replied it 
> wasn't his problem if the website didn't show 
> real-time inventory. I replied it certainly was 
> his problem and the goal is to serve the 
> customer, not argue with them. He was not happy 
> to hear that his customer was really pissed off. 
> Have you ever been 'dissed by a CSR? I couldn't 
> believe this guy's attitude. He totally blew the 
> sale. If an item can't be shipped priority, you 
> call the customer and offer alternatives. $50. 
> bought more aggravation and delays, than buying 
> right the first time. While Internet purchasing 
> offers the opportunity to buy for less, it's all 
> about the service. Hopefully, I'll be able to 
> post pics again next week. 
> 
> _A 
> HREF="http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id= 
> 104&Step=30"_To Learn More About This Contractor, 
> Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A 
> Contractor"_/A_ 
 
Paul your expirence is very common in the photog.mail order business. I have been a professional photog. for 30 years and the type of equipment I use I can't get @ a local store, So I do a lot of e-commerce. A lot of these stores really don't have the equipment they say and only place an order when they have enough saps that bought the camera. Another thing to watch out for is "grey market" for some reason certain manufactors, IE; Nikon makes a camera made for sale in the USA and one for sale over seas, it's the same piece of equipment, just where it's ment to be sold is different! And usally you can pick up a "grey market" camera a few bucks cheaper, it's perfectly legal, only catch is... if you need any warrentty work it can not be done here in the states free, has to be shipped over seas. What a bite!!! Some dealers don't inform you that it's "grey market". Or a camera that comes with a soft case, strap, lens cap, ect. is broken down and sells the camera alone ands makes you pay extra for the extras. NY seems to be the mega for camera sales, one supplier that I have found for great price, excellent service, and are treated like I treat my clients is BH Photo in NY, bhphotovideo.com. By the way my father was a plumber/hot water heat/boiler man and I used to work with him when I was a kid, loved it! Great site!

Paul Pollets_2 · July 2002

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Paul Pollets_2 · July 2002

A lesson in customer service

I had an unpleasant experience over the past few weeks that proves again that you get what you pay for. My digital camera was stolen 3 weeks ago at a large Seattle gathering. I needed to replace the camera ASAP, as I use the camera almost daily to document projects. I searched the Internet to find a replacement, and found the item at a company called Cameratopia.com. The camera was $50. less than similar e-retailers. I ordered 2 day shipping and then proceeded to wait, and wait, and wait... After 4 business days had passed, I called the company. I had tried to track the order on the website, and it said "item shipped". The CSR said, the camera was due in that day and would be shipped immediately. He assured me it would be recived in 2 days. Not. After 3 days I called again and was told by a most surly CSR (the same one) that the camera was "just received" and would be shipped that day. I told him to cancel the order when he would not confirm the item was in stock. BTW, the website showed the camera was in stock. He replied it wasn't his problem if the website didn't show real-time inventory. I replied it certainly was his problem and the goal is to serve the customer, not argue with them. He was not happy to hear that his customer was really pissed off. Have you ever been 'dissed by a CSR? I couldn't believe this guy's attitude. He totally blew the sale. If an item can't be shipped priority, you call the customer and offer alternatives. $50. bought more aggravation and delays, than buying right the first time. While Internet purchasing offers the opportunity to buy for less, it's all about the service.
Hopefully, I'll be able to post pics again next week.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Patrick · July 2002

CSR

You should forward thispost to someone in managment. I am sick and tired of CSR's who act like you are a bother. I always ask for name and extension number and if they are surly ask them for the supervisor. We spend to much time and money to be treated poorly when trying to buy.

DanHolohan · July 2002

Remedy!

Order something from us. We'll treat you like the King of the Forest!

Paul Pollets_2 · July 2002

You always do!!

Smile!

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

DanHolohan · July 2002

If I were you

I'd use this story when meeting with potential customers. Tell about the lousy service you received, but how good that price looked. At first!

hr · July 2002

I'm on my second digital camera also

Lost my first one

I went through the whole www shopping experience. Exact same dilema, couldn't get a confirmation or ship date.

Ended up going to a local camera shop paying $60.00 more and got great service, demoed other brands, and got good hands on info and experiences from the employee. We have since bought a VCR and a couple 35mm from them.

Gotta wonder if some of those www. companies even have any inventory!

hot rod

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

John Mills · July 2002

Forget mail order photography

Those mail order places are mostly ripoffs. When I wanted a new 35mm, I went mail order. Bait & switch, ripoff shipping, etc. I cancelled the order and was lucky to only lose $50. Ended up paying more but buying locally and getting what I wanted.

[Deleted User] · July 2002

photographic equipment

Paul your expirence is very common in the photog.mail order business. I have been a professional photog. for 30 years and the type of equipment I use I can't get @ a local store, So I do a lot of e-commerce. A lot of these stores really don't have the equipment they say and only place an order when they have enough saps that bought the camera. Another thing to watch out for is "grey market" for some reason certain manufactors, IE; Nikon makes a camera made for sale in the USA and one for sale over seas, it's the same piece of equipment, just where it's ment to be sold is different! And usally you can pick up a "grey market" camera a few bucks cheaper, it's perfectly legal, only catch is... if you need any warrentty work it can not be done here in the states free, has to be shipped over seas. What a bite!!! Some dealers don't inform you that it's "grey market". Or a camera that comes with a soft case, strap, lens cap, ect. is broken down and sells the camera alone ands makes you pay extra for the extras. NY seems to be the mega for camera sales, one supplier that I have found for great price, excellent service, and are treated like I treat my clients is BH Photo in NY, bhphotovideo.com. By the way my father was a plumber/hot water heat/boiler man and I used to work with him when I was a kid, loved it! Great site!

John R. Hall · July 2002

For every bad www episode there are probably 100 good ones. I've bought and sold at eBay and have had nothing but good experiences, as well as with buying through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I had a bad experience with Earthlink so I have experienced both.

SeattleNick_2 · July 2002

My wife bought my camera at the same place...

but back then they were called TargetShopper. We had exactly the same experience as you did, Paul. The only worse experience with customer service I have had was when the thing broke and I had to deal with.....gulp.....SONY!!!
Because of the awful service at TargetShopper, now CAMERATOPIA, my camera took almost a Month to get but was invoice dated when the sale was made! Of course SONY has a miserable parts warranty of 90 days minus the almost 30 days the thing was "in transit" so I was SOL unless I coughed up US$153.80 to replace the floppy drive. I hate extortion, so I demanded they return it and fortunately I am able to use it because it also had the memory stick feature that still functions. Guess who will never buy another SONY product? How much do you think a disc drive costs them? Probably about $0.90 Aaaaaaaaaaaargh! Make the customer HAPPY not PISSED OFF! Whew, thanks for letting me rant!

Nick

A lesson in customer service-Paul Pollets

Comments

Categories