Here is an actual exchange between me and the Room Store. At issue is a single coffee table retailing for about 200 bucks. My original message is at the bottom and the insane conversation with "Customer Service" proceeds up the page.
"Good morning,
We apologize for the misprint.
The RoomStore
Customer Affairs Department"
Original Message
From:
Sent: Thursday, October 18 8:54 AM
To: Rocky Mount Customer Service
Subject: RE: RoomStore's Web Site E-mail Us Submission
Where do you see anything in my letter about "damages?"
[name omitted]l
Original message from "Rocky Mount Customer Service":
"Good morning [name omitted],
The RoomStore apologizes for this inconvenience, however once an item is picked up for the store if there are damages, then the item will need to be brought back. Our delivery service will only picked up the item if it was originally delivered.
The RoomStore
Customer Affairs Department"
Original Message
From: [omitted]
Sent: Thursday, October 18 6:28 AM
To: Customer Service
Subject: RoomStore's Web Site E-mail Us Submission
A comment from the feedback form has been submitted on:
Thu Oct 18 06:23: 36 EDT 2007
The information filled out is as follows:
First Name: [omitted]
Last Name: [omitted]
Address [omitted]
City [omitted]
State [omitted]
Zip [omitted]
E-mail [omitted]
Phone [omitted]
OrderNumber [omitted]
How did you hear about our Web Site? In Store Display
"Comments: Last Sunday I spent about half a day picking out a coffee table at your store on Glenwood Ave. Store in Raleigh. They told me I had to pick the item up in Durham. When I got to Durham, the item barely fit in the car but I managed to get it in and make it back to Holly Springs. That's about a 25 mile drive.
When I assembled the table I realized that it was just wrong for the room. I called the saleslady to tell her about it. She passed me off to the "desk" without even one word of assistance.
The desk told me I had to reassemble the item and bring it all the way back to Durham. I told them about the box not fitting well in the car. I volunteered that I'd pick out a new table and pay for delivery of that if they would take the other table back.
"No, you have to bring the table back to the Durham store." Direct quote. Not a civil tone, either.
I told the person I wasn't happy with that and that I wanted to talk to the supervisor. I got put on hold briefly and then was told that the "... Supervisor wasn't available and you still have to bring the table back to the Durham store..." Direct quote again.
I said I wasn'thappy with that and that I wanted the supervisor to call me back.
As I rather expected, given the "desk's smart-aleck attitude no one ever bothered to call back.
So here's the deal. No more phone calls, no more unanswered call-back messages, no more surly attitudes.
Yeah, that's right. I will bring the thing back to Durham. Will probably have to borrow a car to do it.
But believe me, not another stick of your furniture will enter my house and I will repeat this story as often as I can to make sure nobody I know deals with you either.
If a customer is willing to pay for delivery to the tune of 70 bucks, is it unreasonable to ask the driver to bring a return item on his way back to your shop? Not when you consider that the delivery cost for that single item is about 1/3 its retail price.
And please don't give me the shtick about the "different store" factor. You know as well as I do that trucks are going between your in-town stores at least occasionally. Since I'd be paying 70 bucks for a one-item delivery, is it too big a deal to put the thing on the next inter-store truck. I hardly think so.
The bottom line is you, your "supervisor", (assuming there is one) and your "desk" just don't want to do any thinking. I got better service in the McDonalds take-out line this AM.
So that's it. I'll be in Saturday but you better take a picture because you won't ever see me again.
[name omitted]
Goofeyfoot
Raleigh, North Carolina
U.S.A.
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