Poor Customer Service

I am normally an understanding person, but I am not perfect.  I still have my off nights or days when I don’t let the little things pass.  It’s just too bad that whenever that off day or night does happen, it’s usually triggered by poor customer service. I have to admit that whenever I decide to leave, I decide to completely disappear. Whenever I stay loyal to a service or a product, I really stay a long time. I am not fickle-minded when it comes to settling for a service. However, poor customer service irritates the hell out of me. There is no excuse for it.

The past few weeks I have been dealing with poor customer service from two Austin athletic-based companies. And, while I would love to call them out, I won't. It's actually not too hard to figure out who they are if you really wanted to know. I've tried to be very patient, calm and understanding in both situations. I feel I am that way in most situations...until you piss me off to the point where I just blow. And, that's what happened this morning.

Case #1: On August 24, I ordered and paid for two swim suits on-line from an Austin based company whom I have ordered from before. The total was around $50. My confirmation email said the swimsuits would be shipped within 3-5 business days. Early last week, I followed up with an email to the company, politely asking when my swim suits would be shipped if they had not already? No response. I log into my account on-line, and it says my order is still processing. What? I check my bank account. I've been charged for the swim suits. A few days later, I follow up with another polite email, also letting them know to please refund my money if the suits were out of stock or were not going to be shipped soon. Crickets. On Saturday, still no response, so I called them and got an answering machine service that said for faster response to please email them and they will get back to you in 1 business day. Well shit. Been there, done that.  Left a message. Did the same thing yesterday. Cannot get thru to anyone. Send another email. STILL NO RESPONSE WHATSOEVER. So, today, I am pissed. I called again, still get a recording. Left a less than polite message, followed up with a not so nice email. At this point, I no longer want the swimsuits. I will order them elsewhere. I just want my money back.

Case #2: In June, I signed up for an Open Water Swim/Run event put on by a certain company in Austin on August 27. Paid and had it on my calendar. I was looking forward to it. A few weeks later, a friend emailed to let me know when he tried to register, he saw on their web site that the event had been cancelled. Okay, I'm disapointed, but it happens. I assumed we would get an email from the race company letting us know the event had been cancelled and how refunds would be processed. I mean, had my friend not checked the web site to register, I would have no idea that the event had been cancelled. A courtesy email would have been nice. We received nothing.

Late July, I email the race director inquiring about the cancellation of the event and refunds. It took me 3 emails (on the third email I copied the entire staff from the addresses I found on the web site) before I received a response. I was told that the company would sent out something to registered participants letting us know about refunds.

A few weeks later, I had received nothing (nor did another friend who was also registered). I follow up again. This was on a Friday. I was told refund checks would be mailed the following Tuesday and that I would get an email the moment mine was dropped in the mail. I did not. I am still being polite at this point. With still no word (or refund check) after Labor Day, I email again the Tuesday after Labor Day. Still being polite in my email by the way. I am emailed back that my check was mailed Thursday before Labor Day and that I should get it any day now. It is now September 13. Plently of time for a refund check mailed from Austin to arrive to my house less than 35 miles from Austin. Thinking maybe it was my mail, I followed up with a friend who had registered. What a surpise, he did not receive his either. So, I am pissed. I send a not-so-nice email to the race director this morning. At this point, I feel like I've been lied too. It's not even about the money, it's about the principle. I will not sign up for any other events put on by this company EVER. Don’t ever break a promise. If ever you do break a promise, at least be decent enough to offer a ready explanation (which I still have not received). Also, unless you’re in a monopoly, don’t ever think that the customer has no real alternative for your service. Don’t ever think you’re irreplaceable.  Don’t assume that your customer is a pushover.

The end.