Dave Conder rants on customer service!

[Corindus]

Why do all these on line sales organizations not post a phone number?  Are they hiding ? Doesn’t seem very business like or remotely professional.~ especially for a organization that supposedly is so customer service oriented. I got to type it all out instead of just say it? What about tone? Geez hide behind a dadgum website without courtesy to shopper /client. Our rights are being eroded by corporate America and our trustworthy elected officials. What is worse is we the people allow it to happen! How numb! Stand together to make it better!

just a guy 😩

[KBOzzie59]

17 minutes ago, Corindus said:

Why do all these on line sales organizations not post a phone number?

All?  That's a fairly broad statement.  Because with email there is a "paper trail"?  I'd much rather deal with customer service via email.  If we agree on a return they can provide all info in the email, address, RMA #, etc. and I don't have to scramble to find pen and paper to scribble it down.  If they provide email directions to an amicable solution that does not require a return I have it for reference, instead of failing to write down a step and having to call back.

Lowes Customer Service 1 (800) 445-6937

Home Depot Customer Service 1 (800) 466-3337

Petco Customer Service 1 (877) 738-6742

Petsmart Customer Service 1 (888) 839-9638

Walmart... 1 (800) 925-6278

The list goes on and on and on and on.

21 minutes ago, Corindus said:

Our rights are being eroded by corporate America

You have the right to not support corporations that do not meet your expectations.  You do have 'the right' to shop elsewhere, so no right has been eroded.

[Bru]

I hear ya, the bigger the companies get, the more they tend to lean towards automation and less towards human interaction. However, my experience with Aquarium Co-Op customer service was surprisingly quick and they resolved my issue in one email. I do understand that feeling of writing a text/email and not knowing how it will be perceived or if your message is truly getting across. Even as a younger guy who grew up with all this technology, I still see it as a double edged sword. There's many benefits, knowledge is more readily available, we can communicate quickly but I think it contributes to mental health problems and takes away from "being human" whatever that means anymore.. Anyways, that's why I keep fish, needed more nature in my life. 🙂

[Emika_B]

Living in Hawaii, it can be troublesome to reach customer service by phone - time zones.  Depending on the issue, I prefer email to phone.  There’s a trail with email, there’s no waiting on hold for 1/2 an hour, there’s not accent/language barrier.  Email allows one to slow down, keep a calm mind and pick words where a live conversation can get heated very quickly. Of course, if I don’t hear back on an email within 24 hours, I’ll call.  Some companies are better by voice than email.

Just remember that, no matter which way customer service is contacted, don’t take frustrations out on the representative.  They don’t set policy.  Be kind, speak (or type) to them as you’d want to be spoken to.