posted
I know a lot of people here have or do work in different support/customer service jobs.
I know it's hard for you guys, I couldn't do it. But this company's support department is driving me nuts. They don't seem to read my question- they seem to pick up key words and send a set message.
I've been having an on-going dialogue with this one store online. It's mainly one sided. I send a question, they give me an unhelpful reply. I try to reword my question, I get the same reply. I try a third time, I get the same reply.
Someone please tell me what I'm doing wrong!
Here's the background information: It is a Canadian company who ships to both Canada and the States. I am Canadian and have a Canadian billing address. They give the option to send the package to an address other than your billing address. So I am trying to send the parcel to someone in the states -and- I want to pay by "online billing", my usual method with this company. I've been reassured by a business rep that this option still exists, however this person has told me to talk to "customer service" if I am having problems using it.
I sent them this by their online message system:
quote: I am a Canadian trying to send an order to the US. I was told, by XXXXXX from XXXXXX department that I could use online banking to pay. However I can't figure out how to do this- if I go to the Canadian customer option it won't let me ship to the states, if I go the American customer option it won’t let me use online banking. Is there anyway for me to ship to the US and also pay by electronic bill? (I have in the past paid by electronic bill, but only to ship to a Canadian address)
This what I keep getting back:
quote:please follow the instructions found at XXXX, it will tell you how to make the electronic bill. Thank you for your time.
I go to that website and it's not about my question. It is step by step instructions on how to go onto a bank website and set it up (which, I mentioned in my message, I’ve used this system in the past). There is no relevant information to my problem.
Please, please help me get my problem across better/clearer! I am getting annoyed that I have to send multiple messages about the same problem only to receive the same useless answer over and over. Its been two weeks and they just don’t want my money
Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
When they send you a reply to the message you sent using their online message system, they don't have an option for you to click on if your question was not answered, so that a customer service rep can follow up if needed?
Posts: 5771 | Registered: Nov 2000
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posted
Maybe if you post your question in French it will bypass the bots. However, you are likely to get your answer in French.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
Sometimes when I telephone customer service, the automated answering will give you the option "press one for English, or el número dos para el español". If the wait times for English are out of sight, I'll hit "2" for Spanish, and talk to someone right away. I don't speak Spanish, but, you know what? They can speak English, too.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
KQ is right. Talk to a real person. If worse comes to worse, don't let them off the phone until this is resolved, even if it means having them on the phone while you enter it into the website.
More than likely, they will probably transfer you until you get to the right area. This will probably take a while till you get to the right area. However, if they get to the point of transferring you back to the "right area", where you've already been, talk to a supervisor. Or if they say to hang up and email someone, again, talk to a supervisor. If they ask why, explain your situation. If they say they can't help you, insist on talking with a supervisor just to make sure.
If they hang up on you, call back, explain you were poorly treated and hung up on, and you would like to talk to a supervisor.
It's a complicated process, and could take some time, depending on if someone could help you, or how smart the person is. If they are rather dense, it could take a good deal. If you get someone who can put two and two together, it shouldn't take too long. Depends on if someone can find a solution for you or not.
Well, thats it. Heh. Basically, this is the writen version of what customers have come to known as the run around.
Posts: 9754 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I third the talk to a real person option. Keep in mind, too, that if you can get the number for the president of the company, it doesn't hurt to talk to them, either.
Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
I'm a "real person" answering customer service emails at my job and this is exactly the sort of automated-response thing I'm trying to keep my department from going to. But that's beside the point.
If you keep getting the same answer there are two possibilities, It's automatic based off keywords or It's being copy-pasted by email reps who aren't taking the time to read your question or don't understand that the answer's not at the webpage they're referring you to. Either way, calling instead of emailing, like everybody's said, should take care of it.
For the sake of discussion though, the way an autoresponse system should work if they're going to use one is that the system takes a try to answer your question with a standard template when your question is submitted on their webpage form, BUT if you reply to the autoresponse instead of resubmitting through the form your message goes to an actual person. Some companies will have a link at the bottom of the autoresponse that you can use instead of doing a normal reply-to. Assuming that works, and doesn't just go back to the autoresponse system, I recommend having the first line of your reply being "Webpage xxxx did not answer my question. My question is..."
Two questions for my own curiousity: When you resent/reworded your question did you do it through the same online message system or as a reply? How long did it take for you to get a response?
--Enigmatic (loves online CS when it's done well. Knows few companies do it well.)
Posts: 2715 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I did it as a reply- I figured that way they could see the previous "conversation" and see what I ment better.
It has taken approx. a day each time to get a response.
Uggh. I hate calling companies and "forcing" answers out of them. I'd much rather deal with email. Some part of me was hoping I just wasn't being clear enough. *goes to call them*
Posts: 944 | Registered: Jun 2001
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quote:Originally posted by Enigmatic: Two questions for my own curiousity: When you resent/reworded your question did you do it through the same online message system or as a reply? How long did it take for you to get a response?
--Enigmatic (loves online CS when it's done well. Knows few companies do it well.)
Did you resent your question? Maybe the CS rep resented it. Which might be why they're giving you issues over it.
Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Posts: 270 | Registered: Jul 2004
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