The Lost Art of Customer Service

Missing the Target

So Amy orders a Velma (think Scooby Doo) costume for Anna from Target.com.  She even plans ahead and orders it 6 weeks before Halloween.  10 days later we receive a "Skull Plaid Diva" (think my child is a satanist) costume.  She was a little miffed because Anna was expectantly awaiting its arrival.  I tell her not to worry, Target will fix it.  I suggest she call the toll free number on the packing slip.  She says there is no number.  I tell her to call the number on the web site.  She says there's no number there.  So as a last resort, she fills out their customer inquiry form and they respond the next day with this friendly email:

Dear Amy Dale,

I'm sorry for the trouble you had with your order. I know how frustrating it can be when an item doesn't work out, so I'm glad we can help. I've arranged for a replacement to be sent, with no new charges.

You can discard the original wrong item. We don’t need you to send it back.

Thanks for your patience while we fix this problem.

Please note: this e-mail was sent from an address that cannot accept incoming e-mail. 

Best regards,

Mandeep (Singh) Kohli

Sure enough, we received another package from Target today and it was the wrong item again.  Here's the crazy part.  The packing slip clearly lists the wrong item.  It in now way matches the item that is listed on the receipt from our order.

So Amy asks me to call them.  But we don't have their phone number, after searching their site for "Customer Service" I do a quick Google Search for "Target.com Customer Service" and find this post, At Target.com "Customer Service" remains a mystery.  Thankfully, someone has commented their with the phone number for Target customer support and I give them a call.  After navigated their ridiculous voice activated menus (for goodness sake, please set up "0" to reach a real person) I'm finally connected to Justin.

Justin listens as I explain my situation and informs me that their must have been a mix up with a supplier (pass the buck).  I ask if they can ship me the right item and he says they can only ship one replacement item.  He then tells me that I need to cancel my order and try again.  I ask if he can make sure that I'm going to be shipped the right item and he says that he has no way to contact the fulfillment center.  I tell him that someone must have a way and he then says that he can send them an email.  I suggest that he have them overnight me the correct item (see my recent praise of Zappos.com support) and he says that there is no way anyone can overnight that item because the item only has "regular" shipping available. 

Here's my question: Isn't there a real person anywhere at Target.com who could actually go into a warehouse and grab the correct item, put a FedEx label on it and get it shipped.  Amy's comment to me was, "They really don't even care do they."  You see, I think Justin does care, the problem is he works for a company that doesn't.  Unlike Zappos, who gives their employees the power to fix customer problems, Target seems to think they can live on their Bricks and Mortar reputation (I love their regular stores), and forget that what their customers think really matters.  Maybe someone who actually has some power over at Target.com should take the time to search on-line and see what their customers are saying about them.  As you'll see from their Shopping.com reviews, I'm not the first one to have these problems.

After an extended conversation, Justin promised to email me tomorrow to let me know what is happening with my order.  I'll let you know if they redeem themselves.

What can other on line companies learn from Target?

1. Make it easy for people to reach a real person at your company.  Post your phone number everywhere, on each page of your site and on each piece of paper you send to your customers.

2. Empower your employees to fix your customers problems. 

Will I shop at Zappos.com again?  Absolutely.  Target.com?  Probably not.

What should Starbucks do?

Seth makes a great post about what Starbucks should do about being overrun with internet coupons that were only intended for employees.

The Buck Stops Here

We just ordered Anna some Heelys from Zappos and they arrived with no wheels (kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it?).  Well, no problem, a quick call to Zappos customer service (toll-free number listed on the website and the receipt, take note TARGET.com) and in less than a minute I was talking with a real person, Craig.  Craig was very apologetic and arranged for an overnight shipment of a new pair of shoes (with wheels this time).  He also told me how I could print out a postage paid UPS label in order to return the old pair.

So here's where this gets fun.  I took the box to my local independent shipping store in order to drop off the package.  When I handed the man the box he said to me, "That'll be one dollar."  I said "What?"  He said "Its a package drop off fee."  He then proceeded to explain to me how UPS had changed their policy and no longer paid independent shipping centers like him a buck for accepting these types of postage paid packages.  To protect their bottom line they had decided to pass this cost onto their customers.  I started to walk out the door with my package (there's a UPS store two miles up the street), but then it hit me.  I want this guy to stay in business and he was about to lose me as a customer, forever, over a buck.  So I proceeded to tell him what I thought of his policy.

You see, I send FedEx packages about twice a week.  And whenever its convenient I do it through his store, I know that FedEx pays him a per package fee, and I like supporting local businesses, even if there is a FedEx drop box just down the street from him.  I also make copies and occasionally need last minute office supplies (I live 15 miles from a real office supply store). 

Its not about the dollar that he wasn't going to make from UPS on my "free" shipment, its about all the other business I do there.  I asked him if he knew how often I shipped FedEx from his store and he said "No" (that's a whole other rant there).  I probably spend an average of $100 a month on postage and shipping and another $50-100 on faxing, copying and other convenience services (yes I can do all those from home, but I'm sometimes just lazy).  So that's at least $100 a month in business or $1200 a year.  Or $12,000 over the next decade.  Something tells me he wasn't looking at it that way.  This is the only postage paid UPS package I've sent this year.  However, there's not another store in town that handles FedEx and I use FedEx all the time, and he was about to lose me as a customer.

I wouldn't have minded if he had explained the situation to me and even if he'd had a suggested donation or a tip jar or something.  But to alienate his customers with an unexpected fee is ridiculous.  And, by his own admission, I'm not the only customer who has been pissed off by this.  The difference is, I may be the only one who stopped and told him what I really think, most would just leave pissed and never come back. 

The owner kept telling me how they had been screwed by UPS and how UPS wanted to put them out of business.  What I don't understand is why that had to become my problem.  What if instead of worrying about the dollar he wasn't getting from UPS he gave every customer that dropped off a UPS package a dollar off coupon for anything in the store.  Why couldn't he provide free UPS drop off as a service to his customers and figure out a way to make money from the free traffic that UPS is bringing into his store.

Now, to his credit, the proprietor, listened politely, assured me he'd discuss it with his wife (who he says is the real decision maker) and offered to take my package for free.  I left him with the package, a dollar (for listening to my rant) and a lot to think about.  The other customer and the FedEx delivery driver standing in the store gave me delighted smiles as I left the store.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think this business owner was trying to lose me as a customer, its just that the solution they come up with to deal with the loss of payment from UPS was a bad one.  While I'm picking on him, I wonder why they've never taken the time to ask me what services would be beneficial to me as a local business owner (I've got lots of ideas).  Interestingly enough, one of the two times I've been to the local UPS Store (on the other side of town), the owner Sue took the time to get my name, find out what I do and set me up with an monthly billing account.  She even asked me what other services they could offer that would benefit me.  Even with all of that great customer service, I still go to the place thats three minutes closer to my house.  You see, my business, was the closer places to lose, and they almost did.