Thursday, September 29, 2011

Walmart Greeter Throws Customer Service Out the Door

I had an incident with a Walmart Greeter. This woman felt that Walmart's customer service policies didn't apply to her. This is a copy of the letter I sent to Walmart's website, complaining about her conduct. They sent it to the Walmart I went to.

That store's management was prompt, they called me to get details. My letter resulted in an internal investigation. If the woman stopped working there long before they got my complaint, things still wouldn't be lost.

It'll remind employees that they're constantly being evaluated... and not just from their employers.

Walmart
[Removed for privacy purposes]

Dear senior customer service representative

     I'd like to issue a customer service complaint regarding one of your store's Walmart greeters.

     This incident took place on December 13, 2010, at approximately 6:25 PM. It took place at the Walmart at [Removed for privacy purposes].

     I had just purchased a cot. I walked from the checkout to the exit, when an African American woman, the "greeter" stopped me. She asked to see my receipt. I showed it to her. She said that I should hold onto the receipt (It was in my pocket). I told her that I was tempted to return the cot.

     Her response?

     "Sure, hand it to me and we'll go back to customer service to get your refund!"

     She completely missed the point. I stood in line, in front of the cashier, for a long time. I came from the cashier's area. Her failure to observe what's going on resulted in her treating me like a theft suspect.

     Her conduct was in violation of your ethics code: Respect for the Individual; Service to our Customers and Striving for Excellence.

     Had she worked towards excellence, she wouldn't have stopped me, as she would've observed where I came from (speed checkout). I would've been hard to miss, I was in my military uniform. Had she demonstrated proper customer service, she wouldn't have responded the way she did.

     Had she respected me as an individual, she would've factored in the fact that a career service member, walking from the cashier's line (after standing there for a long time), wouldn't have stolen the cot. She definitely wouldn't have responded to me, with a sarcastic tone, about helping me return the cot.

     This conduct reflects discredit on Walmart, and goes counter to what you want Walmart to stand for. I'm hoping that Walmart requires this woman to go through customer service and business ethics training. Thanks.

     My email is [Removed for privacy purposes].

Best Regards,


[Removed for privacy purposes]

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Best Value Services LLC Customer Service Abuse During the Summer of 2010

I was going to send this letter to Best Value Services, LLC. I changed gears and submitted it as part of my ICE customer service feedback after leaving Fort Riley.

Best Value Services LLC

949 South Glendale, Suite 332
Wichita, KS 67218-3210

Dear CEO,

     I'd like to issue a customer complaint about the conduct of two of your employees. They worked at your field office at Fort Riley, on Custer Hill, right off Apennines, between Brown and Grave streets.

     This incident took place last year, and the women that I'm complaining about are no longer in that office. If they still work for you, but elsewhere, I hope you still take action on them. The ladies currently working there are professional.

     This incident happened on July 28, 2010. The Best Value employees involved with this incident were the women that worked in the manager's section of the office. One was a Hispanic/Eastern European looking woman, and the other was an African American woman.

     I was staying in the Geographic Bachelor's barracks. My 45 days didn't expire until the first week of August. Best Value Services wanted to move us to a different barracks. I was scheduled to be switched to a different barracks on the 29th.

     Your office sent a soldier to my room, on July 28. She told me that I had to be cleared, out of my room, that same day. This happened at 4:10 PM. Your field office closed at 1700. I didn't have enough time to pack all my belongings, or get my room completely cleaned, by that time. Also, I didn't have enough time to move my stuff, and get situated in the new barracks. I didn't have a car, and I was tasked with a project related to my work.

My apartment move-in was only a couple days away

     I went to your field office and tried to see if they'd let me stay there until the 30th, when I was due to check into my new apartment. The ladies refused to work with me, and insisted that I had to be cleared, and checked into a different barracks--that day. This Barracks was several blocks from where I was at. With no car, I wouldn't' have been able to make time for my on duty events.

     So all I was asking for was to be allowed to remain in my room until my apartment move in. The Bluff's management was willing to let us in days earlier due to the massive barracks switches. They refused to work with me. When it became evident that they weren't soldier friendly, I turned around and walked out the door. I told them that I saw better service from their counterparts when I was in the Navy.

     The next day, my chain of command accused me of cussing the ladies out. That latter got changed to "bitched" and "yelled" at them. I did no such thing. When I told them that I didn't yell at the ladies, the story came back that I was rude and disrespectful. Again, that wasn't true.

     The "worst" that I did was tell the ladies that I saw better service when I was in the Navy; and saying "F that" to the suggestion that I go to the old barracks blocks down the street. In both instances, I used calm and collected, conversational tone. No yelling, anger, rogue customer behavior, etc.

     My chain of command took their word over mine; I ended up suffering consequence for something that I didn't do. I almost got my pass revoked when I insisted that I didn't yell at the ladies. Pass and leave was the only opportunity I got to see my wife back then.

I wasn't the only soldier they refused to work with

     That same day, they cleared a soldier out of his room, and sent him to the old barracks that they wanted to send me to. The room they assigned him to didn't have a bed-frame. He returned to your field office to let him know of the discrepancy. They told him that he had to put the bed together, and that he had to go outside to get his materials.

     There was a problem with this solution.

     The reason the bed-frames and parts were on the doors to the rooms, and not put together? The detail assigned to put the bed frames together didn't have the tools to put them together. This soldier would've had to go to the connex boxes, and get the tools himself. But, there were no tools.

     The detail assigned to put the bed frames together was a military detail, assigned to do the job your company promises its prospect it'd do.

Your June 21, 2010 Best Value Services staff failed to have my room ready for move-in

     When I did clear, I turned a room over to them that was a lot cleaner than it was when I checked in. The day I checked in, there were stains in the refrigerator, on the floor, on the walls and in the bathroom. The air conditioner didn't work (It was already 100 F and humid outside). There were dust bunnies behind the locker and on part of the horizontals.

     Your June 21/July 28, 2010, Best Value Services staff, lead by these ladies, failed to understand that they represented your company. Their actions that day didn't reflect well on Best Value Services, LLC. I'm hoping that your senior management takes these ladies aside, if they're still working for you, and correct their customer service deficiencies.

     I'll be happy to answer your questions, my email is [email removed].

Best Regards,



[name removed]
Freelance Copywriter