I haven’t done one of these posts in awhile but a couple of things made me think it was time for a Random Thoughts post.
Last week I finished a book on my Kindle Fire and the usual “Share” buttons for Facebook and Twitter popped up but also a button popped up for Feedback from Amazon. I took a couple of minutes to fill it out and wrote that I really missed the “Collections” feature that my basic Kindle had. Within moments I had a reply and not an automated reply. A reply from a real person. He replied there was an application to add that feature and even gave me the links. Told me how to download it and how it worked. It turned out I even had some coins that Amazon had sent me months ago to use to purchase the app and then told me to email him back if I had any questions. I was impressed!! The few times I have had to use Customer Service at Amazon they have always been very helpful.
But that has not been the case with other companies online.
Customer Service is a very important part of daily life. I was brought up with the motto – “The customer is always right.”
If we go out to a restaurant and the food is improperly prepared we can send it back. If the service is slow or excellent it shows in the tip we leave the server.
If we make a purchase in a store and we decide we don’t like it or it breaks we can usually take it back for a refund or store credit. If a salesperson is rude we can ask to speaker with the manager.
Today with so many of us shopping online or like me working online, customer service can either shine or be literally non-existent. Most stores that sell online have a policy for returns or complaints. They want your repeat business.
After my wonderful experience with Amazon I was reminded out the terrible Customer Service I received from Google/Blogger almost exactly 2 years ago today. Several Blogger users were having a problem with a widget/gadget that we used every day on our blogs. Then one day it just disappeared without explanation. It was then that I and several other learned that Blogger has absolutely no Customer Service. They had a forum you could post in and ask questions and then you hoped and prayed another user could help you. Many of us posted regularly trying to figure things out, help each other and try to get answers. Then I woke up on a Sunday morning to find my blog, g-mail and g-calendar all gone. There was no one to call. The was no explanation. I set up a new g-mail account to get to the forums to try to find out what happened. Turns out Google has lurkers in the forums and I was asking too many questions. I clicked on a box, filled out a generic form and apologized but days went by without a response.
After two or three days going crazy waiting for a response I started over with WordPress with the help of a few friends. It has now been 2 years and I am so happy I made the move. I chose to self host with the fabulous Tiger Technologies and they set me up with my domain name, a new email, stats, backups and more. All for a very reasonable price. They also have excellent customer service. I never wait more than an hour for response but frankly the blog runs so well I hardly ever need to contact them. I chose to self host because I use advertising and sponsors on my blog and links to Amazon and other sites a lot but there is a free version as well hosted by WordPress.
WordPress has hundreds of themes to choose from, most of which are free. Their format, plugins and Jetpack make blogging so easy. It is a change from Blogger but soon you will be wondering why it took you so long to make the switch. I can add pages, change themes, add pictures and create posts in a very user friendly environment. I also have experienced what was lacking at Blogger. Excellent Customer Service. I recently emailed them a question about a JetPack feature and had a response within minutes. Again a real response, although I did receive an automated one first telling me my question had been received.
My blog was also hacked with some vile pictures and texts over at Blogger. Both WordPress and Tiger Technologies are very secure and have great spam protection. I have security and firewall protection on my computer and change my passwords often. Live and learn.
I no longer have to fear that I will wake up one day to find all my work completely gone. This customer is very happy!
By the way the Collections Apps created third parties that work on Kindle Fires are these:
• Collections for Kindle Fire (7″ Fire Version) (http://www.amazon.com/Collections-Kindle-Fire-Version/dp/B009YOX9C4)
• Book Collections (http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Media-Revolutions-Book-Collections/dp/B008J0PZ8K)
• Collections for Kindle Fire HD (http://www.amazon.com/Collections-for-Kindle-Fire-HD/dp/B009YOX6XQ)
• Collections for the Kindle Fire 8.9″ Tablet (http://www.amazon.com/Collections-Kindle-Fire-8-9-Tablet/dp/B009YOX19A)
I like grouping my books as “Finished” – “For Review” – “From NetGalley” and all the others by genre or the state they take place for quick access for challenges.
Do you have a customer service horror story?? or a good experience to share? Please leave a comment and tell us about it. I will select one commenter to receive $5 Amazon Gift Card!!!
My boyfriend and I went to Burger King a couple of weeks ago after not eating there for a very long time. We ordered chicken parm sandwiches which is one of the featured sandwiches that they were advertising. When we opened the sandwiches they were made with yellow American cheese instead of melted Parmesan. We took them back to the counter, the people in the restaurant didn’t know the sandwiches had been made wrong and said they didn’t have any other cheese. When we got home I emailed corporate through the contact us link on their website stating what happened. I received an automated email stating that many locations are privately owned and hours,ah vary. Since they don’t care enough to even have a human reading customer issues we won’t be eating at Burger King again.
We went to our local Perkins and were wowed by our server. She brought out our food, politely checked on us and was very good. We have had her before so was glad to see her again. Not only did she not charge us for my oldest son’s drink cause he ordered off the regular menu but she gave both boys 3 mini cookies where we normally get 2. I plan on making to see if she is working the next time we go. 🙂
YOU ARE THE WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Since I work in retail I have plenty of horror stories unfortunately not from the view that you’re looking for, LOL.
Oh Debbie, I met you have some amazing stories. I worked in retail and have been a waitress and had some real winners. Maybe we should right a post showing the other side too. lol
Oh Debbie, I met you have some amazing stories. I worked in retail and have been a waitress and had some real winners. Maybe we should right a post showing the other side too. lol
I had awful customer service at Wendy’s once. They had been forgetting things several times when I went to the drive-thru. I complained to the manager and she wouldn’t do anything about it. I was like you should be compensating me for my wasted time every time I have to drive back here to get what you forgot to give me! She wouldn’t. I wrote to the main headquarters and they sent me some coupons. I just can’t believe the incompetency of people sometimes!
I always make it a point to acknowledge service that goes above and beyond at the store or anywhere. Lots of people are happy to complain to the manager but rarely pass on compliments. I was at Target a month or so and a young woman gave excellent service so I went to find a manager to say so and the manager was stunned. In the 3 yrs the store has been open, she had heard had plenty of complaints but no compliments. Service jobs are lousy pay and are workers are often barely treated with civility. Complain when warranted but make sure you compliment when it is deserved too!
Great post! I love all of your wordpress ideas and suggestions!
I always call ( or tell the Manager in person ) if I have had great service! =)
I want to say that Amazon.com has the greatest people in customer service. I have always been helped. No so at one of the Arby’s that I have been to. I found a big metal staple in my sandwich and bit down on it. I went to tell them about and all they did was shrug their shoulders.
Me and my cousins like to go on a walk for midnight snacks during the week ends. We went to this 24/7 fast food. Since I wasn’t that hungry I ordered french fries and iced tea but the counter girl said fries will be available in 20 minutes so I said OK since I want that much hungry, my cousins were already munching their foods and I was still waiting for the fries. After 20 minutes I asked the counter girl if my french fries is ready, she then checked if it was and when she came back she told me that they ran out of potatoes. I was so annoyed cos I was waiting for nothing for more than 20 minutes. The counter girl apologized and offered me something but I said no and joined my cousins. Good thing I wasn’t that hungry and I was in a complete good mood. Worst customer service ever.
Me and my cousins like to go on a walk for midnight snacks during the week ends. We went to this 24/7 fast food. Since I wasn’t that hungry I ordered french fries and iced tea but the counter girl said fries will be available in 20 minutes so I said OK since I want that much hungry, my cousins were already munching their foods and I was still waiting for the fries. After 20 minutes I asked the counter girl if my french fries is ready, she then checked if it was and when she came back she told me that they ran out of potatoes. I was so annoyed cos I was waiting for nothing for more than 20 minutes. The counter girl apologized and offered me something but I said no and joined my cousins. Good thing I wasn’t that hungry and I was in a complete good mood. Worst customer service ever.
I’ve had a great experience with Amazon too. Some Bamboo Yarn that I ordered had not arrived after a long wait. So I politely emailed Amazon. They contacted the company & kept me in the loop the entire time with follow up emails. The yarn arrived with a beautifully written apology. It had been sent, but got lost somewhere?? At no expense to me, the company had sent me a second lot. Worth the wait, gorgeous yarn.
I don’t know if this is a story of good or bad customer service. I’d spoken to one young lady about an issue I had. She was nice, but just really couldn’t/ wouldn’t help and she couldn’t say why. When I was finally able to speak to someone else, he was at least able to say why. Once he explained the why, although I wasn’t happy, at least I understood. Still not sure the company couldn’t do something different, but as it stands their hands are tied.