From: mikhahn@bnr.ca (Michael Hahn)
Subject: Was Lousy Service
Reply-To: michael.hahn@bnr.ca
Organization: Bell-Northern Research Ltd. 
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 19:57:46 GMT


Just in case anyone is interested in the latest w.r.t the lousy
service I reported from one of our local computer shops.

I got a call from another one of the owners and can you guess what
his response was to my posting.

A) We are sorry that you felt as though you were treated badly by our
   service department. Customer satisfaction and company reputation are
   very important to us. Can we arrange to meet and discuss what could
   be done to turn your experience into a positive one.

B) You were wrong about being treated badly. You just expect to much as
   a customer. 

C) You are wrong about being treated badly by our service department. 
   You can not go around posting negative things about our company.
   I have sued people before and have never lost. In one case the quy
   lost his house defending the lawsuit. So if you don't post a retraction
   saying that you were mistaken and angry, I will sue you to defend my
   companies reputation and it will cost you thousands of dollars to defend
   yourself.


Can you guess what my reaction would be:

A) Agree to meet and discuss what happened and how it made me feel.
   Post a news item about the companies quick response to customer
   complaints.

B) Agree that I expect to much from retailers.

C) Post a retraction saying that I don't know the difference between good
   and bad service, then hide in a corner hoping the boggy man won't
   come.

D) Call my own lawyer after hanging up the phone to get legal advise.
   Post a news item to inform people about the tactics used by some
   retailers to limit customers knowledge before making a purchase.
   Write the Better Business Bureau and lodge a complaint.


There is good news. There are stores in the area that I think know how
to treat customers.

Example:

My idea of good service is the way I was treated at the Future Shop
on Merivale Road in Nepean.

I had a VGA card that I bought at FS (not any other store). It worked
fine for about one month. Then it began booting in monochrome and I
had to change the mode manually. Then two weeks later it became more
difficult to change modes.
I removed the card and took it to the FS with my sales slip in hand.
I explained the problem and the symptoms to the salesperson. 
I was out of the store with a new card in fifteen minutes total.
They did not require me to bring the computer in to be checked by them.
They just wrote down the problem as I described it to them, replaced the
card, and I was off.

I could be wrong, maybe this wasn't really good service. Maybe I only
thought it was? Maybe I expect to much? I don't think so.


-- 
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Disclaimer: My views, opinions and comments are my own no one elses.
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Michael Hahn                     | | \ \  | | | |   | |     | |
BNR Ottawa Ontario, Canada       | |  \ \ | | | |   | |     | |
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Newsgroups: ott.general