Friday, December 5, 2008

Customer...Service?

IDNKM is right, they DO actually read those surveys.
I noticed in last Sunday's K Mart ad, they were offering double coupons, up to and including $2. I was excited because I had several $2 coupons that made several items free or close to it. Realistically, I spent way too much time sorting my coupons and walking through the store rummaging through my coupon file, trying to beat others couponers to the prize items like the free Gillette body wash I will never use, trying to keep track of the coupons I have used and the ones I want to use and the ones that I wanted to use, but the items were out of stock, etc.

A couple hours later, when I arrived at the only open checkout lane, I had twenty five items and twenty three coupons. The people behind me were glaring at me like Morton Malaise when someone is writing a check! After every other coupon the cashier scanned, the machine beeped at her and she would have to do something to get it to start accepting coupons again. A couple of times, she didn't notice this and went on scanning my coupons, and setting them aside, even though they had not been deducted. I was trying to keep track and point this out, much to the chagrin of the people waiting behind me. But when my son called to give me directions to where I was supposed to pick him up promptly two minutes later, I lost track and gave up on the coupon scanning.

I then pulled out my checkbook and started to...just kidding. I quickly scanned my debit card and was thankful the harrowing ordeal was over and left the store questioning whether the $26.50 I saved was worth the time it took to accomplish that savings. I also was thinking, "hmm, according to my calculations, I should have saved more than $26.50", but I needed to pick up my son and avoid the angry mob forming behind me, so I took my receipt and left. It's not like they could have taken each coupon and matched it up with each item to see which ones rang up and which ones didn't. That would take forever.

It was frustrating when I got home and looked at my receipt, to realize that only eighteen of my twenty three coupons had rung up. Since all my coupons were valued at $1-$2, that would be a $5-$10 savings I should have received. I noticed on the receipt, I could take a survey and possibly win a $2,500 gift card, so I decided that would be an ideal way to voice my frustration and possibly recoup my loss.

I completed the survey fairly and wrote in the comments section that not all my coupons were scanned accurately. Ahh. I felt a sense of relief and closure. End of story.

Not really. Last night, I answered the phone to have K Mart Manager wanting to know what my problem was. It was a pretty confusing and probably pointless conversation.
Manager- "This is K Mart manager. I understand you had a problem in my store yesterday?"
Me- "Umm, actually, it was Sunday, and yes, some of my coupons did not scan, so I commented about it on an online survey."
Manager-"Sunday? I thought it was yesterday."
Me-"No, it was Sunday, but it doesn't really matter, does it?"
Manager-"My message says it was yesterday."
Me-"I didn't leave you a message, and I am looking at my receipt and it says Sunday, plus, I remember it was Sunday."
Manager-"Well, I was here Sunday."
Me-"OK?... So was I."
Manager-"hmmm" ...Long silence... then suddenly, "I've tried to contact you twice! I called yesterday and couldn't get through, AND I called today and left a message for you to call me back! When you didn't, I tried to call a third time!"
Me-"I'm, sorry, I didn't get the message." (from my grandma who has Alzheimer's)
Husband, from the other room- "Don't apologize to him!"
Manager-"Well, I was here Sunday!"
Me-"Ummm, OK??? Here's the deal, I did not take the time to complain right then. I needed to leave, and after I got home, I counted the coupons on my receipt, and I knew that there would be nothing that could be done at that point, once my coupons have been put in a drawer with hundreds of others, and..."
Husband- "Don't apologize to him!"
Manager-"Yes, yes, I could have done something right then. I could have gotten the coupons out of the register, and matched each one up with a code that shows on the receipt and then we could have matched those up to the items you purchased to see if there were any coupons that did not ring up! I did that with another lady who took the time to complain in person, rather than going online!"
Me-"I'm sorry, but.."
Husband- "Stop apologizing to him!"
Manager-"Well, why don't you come back in and bring your receipt and I will look at it?
Me-"umm, sure, OK, I'll do that"
Manager-"When?"
Me-"I don't know? Will you be there tomorrow afternoon?"
Manager-"Yes, I will be here, except for when I go to lunch from noon to 1:00."
Me-"OK, I will try to come in tomorrow afternoon."
Scary Manager-"Good, Good. I will see you then."

I did also notice that one of my items that should have been on sale didn't ring up correctly. And I did find a $5 off coupon I could have used. So I guess I will go in and see what he wants and maybe he will price adjust the sale item and take my $5 coupon. Or maybe he will shine a laser scanner in my eyes and try to kill me. I'm kind of scared. I will probably end up apologizing again.

3 comments:

Jennifer said...

I think you should go online and complain about the phone call.

That way you'd have the opportunity of having someone higher up yell at you that you could also apologize to!

Sarah's Blogtastic Adventures said...

I agree with Jennifer. He shouldn't have been angry at you, for his cashier messing up! I would definitly voice some concern to someone higher than that store's manager before and after you go in to talk to him today. Good luck. I know how frustrating it can be to want to get a good deal but not have everyone behind you shooting you death stares : )

Rixblix said...

Yeah. I'd totally complain online about his customer service skills.