Everybody’s Talking Sewing

A few days ago I read the results of a consumer survey on retail stores; it wasn’t pretty. From dirty, unorganized shops, empty shelves, rude and uncaring employees, to bad return policies, out-dated merchandise, poor quality and major over pricing - people aren’t happy.

I now get to add to that list with a personal experience from May 5th, 2008.

I have been a loyal Kohl’s customer for over 9 years; a Kohl’s credit card user for 8 years. I’ve sung their praises all this time! Most of my family and friends are also Kohl’s customers.

–On a side note, they too have slid this past year or so in the public ranking. No longer are they the innovative, successful favorite. The Kohl’s closest to me I try to avoid because it always looks like a bunch of hyperactive 3rd-graders just tossed the place! –

Anyway I had an extremely frustrating phone call with them - it was the perfect example of telling your customer they don’t matter. Period.

I had downloaded my current statement and saw that they charged me $25 bounced check fee for my last payment.

1. I have automatic overdraft coverage on all my bank accounts
2. It was an online payment - so the “check” couldn’t have bounced
3. The payment was covered according to my online banking information

The representative I talked with couldn’t help me and had to keep putting me on hold. — Another side note here, she was very good at her job. Polite, respectful and the patience of saint in dealing with me, as I was plainly getting more upset as time progressed. I asked to have the call escalated and she immediately attempted to do that. Her current shift supervisor refused to talk with me.

So I reiterated to the representative that the supervisor was refusing to talk to a customer - I wanted to be very clear that that was what I had heard. A Kohls credit card customer since 2000 with an excellent payment record was having a supervisor refuse to help sort out the problem.

Yes, that was correct.

To say I was pretty much beyond furious at this point would have been an understatement; if I had been an animation, steam would have been coming out of my ears.

Eventually the representative did get the supervisor a Sxxxx Sxxxxxx at extension XXXX, to take the call - as she obviously reminded her that: ALL CALLS ARE RECORDED. And I had in fact confirmed on this recorded call that this shift supervisor was refusing my request to escalate/take the phone call.

While on hold I got online and pulled all the necessary corporate names: CEO, President and three Senior Vice-Presidents. The representative provided the addresses for the credit building and corporate offices; I had already researched that, but she of course didn’t know.

When this supervisor finally took the call:

1. I thanked her for putting her employee in such an un-winnable position
2. For treating the customer that badly and
3. For now losing a long-time customer.

I also explained I would be filing a formal complaint with the corporate office about the entire situation.

I closed my credit card account effective immediately.

If I treated my customers like that, I wouldn’t have any. It doesn’t matter that I was a small customer - I was a loyal, long-time customer.

If this is how Kohl’s feels about their customers, I’d rather not be one.

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Well I just got off the phone with a really irate customer; actually I was yelled at for a solid 10 minutes.

Pass the aspirin please.

By the time the conversation ended though, we’d both calmed down and we were even able to laugh over the whole situation. I think that’s pretty remarkable and says a lot about what simply talking can do to fix a problem.

Anyway, here’s what happened - the short version.

1. She placed an order for two patterns
2. Her email spam guard bounced our order confirmation (it’s sent within 2 minutes of placing your order)
3. We sent our ‘thank you’ for ordering from us - your order is shipping out (today or tomorrow usually).
4. It bounced back with a notice that we had to fill out a form to send this person emails
5. The customer was very upset become of the illusion of absolutely no correspondence/communication. I’d be upset too.

The problem is, we don’t have the time to fill out forms to get our emails to you - it’s just not possible. When you place your order - on the order page when you check out - it reminds you to add credit@wwwearables.com to your approved email list to prevent bounces.

We’re not trying to be mean or nasty here, but boy-oh-boy time is just not our friend! We work awfully hard to get your orders out same day (if placed before noon CST) or next day; and 99% of the time that’s what happens too!

I don’t like waiting for my order, so I figure no one else does either

The other problem we’re having is incorrect emails; those bounce too. I know some companies that won’t even process an order if the email bounces. We process it and normally included a copy of the bounced email in the order (along with an explanation) as to why they didn’t hear back from us.

Please, please double check your email to make sure it’s right and add us to your ‘okay’ email list. I really don’t want to be yelled at anymore…

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