Hello readers! Once again, I apologize for the lack of posts in the last two months. Summer is here and it has kept me very busy.
First, let me start off by saying that my experience with AVIS started off great, and there was one employee that was amazing during my frustration, but as a whole they really missed the mark when it comes to customer service. Let me walk you through my experience with the AVIS car rental location at the San Diego International airport. Ultimately it took me over an hour to get my car which caused me to miss an appointment that I had.
After waiting in line for about 15 minutes I finally got to the counter. The gentlemen that was helping me was in training and was extremely helpful. As he was trying to call the lot via intercom to ask them to bring my car, they were non-responsive. I watched as three other agents were able to successfully call cars around. He was extremely apologetic and ultimately found somebody to help him get somebody to bring a car around. He gave me my paperwork and sent me out to get my car.
My paperwork showed that my car was parked in a certain stall number so I walked out to find the car. When I noticed that the row ended before the number listed on my paperwork, I asked an employee that looked to be a manager standing in the lot. He took my paperwork and looked very confused, he looked briefly but then asked another employee to find the car (the manager made me feel like he didn't have time for me).
Once the other employee took the paperwork, he seemed genuinely concerned with helping me find the car, he told me to stay right where I was and he would find my car. After about 15 minutes he came back and told me that he couldn't find it anywhere and asked me to have a seat in the shade while he continued to look. After another 10 minutes or so, he said that he thought somebody may have taken the car that was supposed to be mine on accident. Rather than just telling me to go back to the desk, he personally walked me into the office. The gentleman that helped me was named Kassim, and he was the definition of an excellent employee. He went out of his way to help me, when nobody else there was willing to do so.
Back inside, I was surprised that the agents at the desk basically ignored Kassim as he tried to assist me. He was trying to be polite and wait for somebody to acknowledge us before walking up to the desk, but the employees behind the desk were too involved in their personal conversations to help another employee trying to assist a customer. Finally he was able to get the attention of a desk agent. The agent confirmed that another customer had taken my car on accident.
At this point, I had been there for an hour trying to get my car. The desk agent blamed the error on the security guard for allowing the car to leave without checking the plates, but offered no apology for my time and hassle. He simply ordered a new car and sent me back out, I was very unimpressed. Kassim stayed with me and made sure that the car came this time. It is unfortunate that Kassim wasn't the guy behind the desk, I can tell you that customers would leave much happier.
Believe me, I shared my experience with everybody I talked to in San Diego. Being delayed for an hour because of faulty checks and balances with no apology was extremely frustrating. I was asked by several friends if I received any upgrade on my car for the hassle, and the answer is no.
AVIS needs to evaluate how they treat their customers. This was my first time renting from them, I typically use Alamo, but I found a great deal online for AVIS and gave them a shot. I can tell you that with management and desk agents like they have, I wouldn't be back. The only reason I would consider going back, is for somebody like Kassim. As a side note, Kassim was there when I returned my car and asked how my trip was and apologized again for my poor experience.
Kassim gets customer service, it is too bad that AVIS doesn't.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Precision Time - Should Have Listened To Online Reviews
You would think that companies would recognize that providing poor customer service consistently will ultimately drive them out of business, but clearly companies like Precision Time haven't learned their lesson.
Today I noticed that my watch battery had stopped working. Typically, I would visit Nordstrom to have the battery replaced, but I decided to look for something closer to my office so that I could stop on my lunch break. I searched online and found that there was a Precision Time inside the South Towne Mall that is relatively close. I noticed that they had been SLAMMED with their online review, but decided I would give them a shot anyway.
When I walked into the store there was one employee behind the counter. He was working with a customer that I could tell was very upset. I overheard her expressing frustration over the service that she had received. She mentioned that she had purchased a watch that was defective and the employee was telling her that it wasn't his fault. I felt like I was in a sleazy used car salesman's office.
I waited patiently for 25 minutes without even being acknowledged. A simple "I'll be right with you" would have been appreciated. During my 25 minute wait, another customer came in to pick up a watch at the time she had been told it would be finished. The employee mentioned that he hadn't gotten to it yet; no apology, and no timeframe as to when he would have it finished. The second customer looked frustrated and said she would be back after eating lunch.
Once the first upset customer left (without having her issue resolved), the employee came over to help me. He didn't offer an apology for my wait, but rather just asked what I needed, and acted as if I was a nuisance. I let him know I needed a new battery as well as to have a link taken out. He said, "Well, I have at least four watches in front of you". I asked how long the wait would be and was told it was 45 minutes, which wouldn't have been a problem at all, had he been friendly.
When I asked if I could be there when he sized the watch, he said that wouldn't be necessary. I wanted to be there because I wanted to make sure it was sized correctly. With everything that had happened in front of me with the other customers, I decided it would be best to shop somewhere else. When I said I might stop by another place, he walked away and showed complete indifference. Way to win customers over.
Needless to say, he lost a potential customer. I asked for his card thinking I would let the management team know how customers were being treated. Imagine my surprise when I learned HE was the "General Manager". At that point all of the online reviews made complete sense, if that is how the manager treats potential customers, how could you expect any more from the employees.
Lesson learned, online comments are very telling. I could have avoided this entire situation if I had listened to the warnings online.
Today I noticed that my watch battery had stopped working. Typically, I would visit Nordstrom to have the battery replaced, but I decided to look for something closer to my office so that I could stop on my lunch break. I searched online and found that there was a Precision Time inside the South Towne Mall that is relatively close. I noticed that they had been SLAMMED with their online review, but decided I would give them a shot anyway.
When I walked into the store there was one employee behind the counter. He was working with a customer that I could tell was very upset. I overheard her expressing frustration over the service that she had received. She mentioned that she had purchased a watch that was defective and the employee was telling her that it wasn't his fault. I felt like I was in a sleazy used car salesman's office.
I waited patiently for 25 minutes without even being acknowledged. A simple "I'll be right with you" would have been appreciated. During my 25 minute wait, another customer came in to pick up a watch at the time she had been told it would be finished. The employee mentioned that he hadn't gotten to it yet; no apology, and no timeframe as to when he would have it finished. The second customer looked frustrated and said she would be back after eating lunch.
Once the first upset customer left (without having her issue resolved), the employee came over to help me. He didn't offer an apology for my wait, but rather just asked what I needed, and acted as if I was a nuisance. I let him know I needed a new battery as well as to have a link taken out. He said, "Well, I have at least four watches in front of you". I asked how long the wait would be and was told it was 45 minutes, which wouldn't have been a problem at all, had he been friendly.
When I asked if I could be there when he sized the watch, he said that wouldn't be necessary. I wanted to be there because I wanted to make sure it was sized correctly. With everything that had happened in front of me with the other customers, I decided it would be best to shop somewhere else. When I said I might stop by another place, he walked away and showed complete indifference. Way to win customers over.
Needless to say, he lost a potential customer. I asked for his card thinking I would let the management team know how customers were being treated. Imagine my surprise when I learned HE was the "General Manager". At that point all of the online reviews made complete sense, if that is how the manager treats potential customers, how could you expect any more from the employees.
Lesson learned, online comments are very telling. I could have avoided this entire situation if I had listened to the warnings online.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Enterprise Car Rental (via Hotwire)
Wow, I am sorry that it has been so long since my last post. 2012 has been an extremely busy year so far, and I haven't had a chance to update the blog. I will make a better effort to keep posts coming.
If you have been reading my blog, you know that it was first inspired by a horrible experience with Hotwire.com. I did a follow up blog about them making an effort to correct the situation, and they really won my business back. This post is about my experience with Enterprise Car Rental which I booked through Hotwire.com.
Booking with Hotwire.com was easy and by far the best deal that I could find for a weekend rental for a recent road trip I took with some buddies. I found several options and decided to pay a little extra to go with a bigger car so that we wouldn't be cramped on the trip.
When I arrived at Enterprise to pick the car up, there were a few people waiting for cars, phones ringing like crazy, and one guy behind the desk trying to run around and help people. Eventually more employees showed up and began to help. Both employees were very friendly initially, and one offered to show us our car options while we were waiting.
That is where the problem happened, he gave us two options; a Chevy Aveo (TINY) and a FIAT 500 (TINIER). Being that I had paid more to reserve a bigger car, I let them know that neither of these were in the class that I had booked. The agent told me that these were the only cars available and they were my only choices.
I pulled up my email confirmation from Hotwire.com, that clearly showed I had booked a car from a higher class. Rather than offering to find a solution himself, he said I would have to take the problem up with Hotwire.... In my opinion, Hotwire had nothing to do with it at that point. It was clear that Enterprise was just trying to put me into something that they had available on the lot.
When I voiced my concern and mentioned that I had specifically paid more for the larger vehicle, he offered to put me into a Dodge Charger, but wanted to charge me an additional $20 a day. I didn't feel like it should be my responsibility to pay for their lack of cars, so I asked him to find a car on another lot.
Ultimately, they were able to find another car for us, but only because I insisted. The hassle of finding something got us on the road close to an hour after our planned departure, which is frustrating. The employee that drove us to our car was really great and helpful and mostly made up for the inconvenience.
At the end of the day, I would definitely use Hotwire.com again, but I would be very reluctant to use Enterprise again. It seemed very dishonest to me that they tried to put us into a smaller car despite the fact that I had a confirmation very clearly showing the class of car I had paid for. If I hadn't stood my ground, they would have put me into an inferior car for the price of a superior car.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Jamba Juice - 400 South SLC, UT
Happy New Year to my readers! I hope that 2012 is a great year for everybody. My first post of 2012 is about Jamba Juice.
A couple of weeks ago I stopped by Jamba Juice on my way up to Park City. It was a Sunday morning and as I pulled in, I noticed that there were quite a few cars in the parking lot. When I entered, there were several people in line and several people waiting for their drinks. There was only one employee behind the counter, trying to take orders in between making the drinks. She was very friendly but moved EXTREMELY slow.
After we ordered, we sat at a table and I began to watch as many of the people that were waiting seemed extremely anxious. As the employee finished a large batch of drinks, I found myself confused by the fact that she didn't call anybody's name to pick them up, but instead placed them to the side.
Sitting at the table, I watched a total of five people walk in, and after waiting some time, walk out without purchasing anything. The employee didn't acknowledge them or apologize and offer to help them in just a moment, but instead continued making the drinks at her slow pace.
After 25 minutes, my drink was finally made. After purchasing my drink, somebody came in to pick up the order that she had set to the side, so it had apparently been a call ahead order. In my opinion, it may have been wise to complete the orders of the people that she had waiting in front of her before proceeding to complete that order.
I really enjoy Jamba Juice and will continue to visit, but I was shocked at the fact that they had one employee scheduled at a time that there was clearly a demand for more. If management has based their staffing on the amount of purchases, they should take a harder look and realize that sales are literally walking out the door. The unfortunate part is that these people may never return as a result of their brand interaction.
A couple of weeks ago I stopped by Jamba Juice on my way up to Park City. It was a Sunday morning and as I pulled in, I noticed that there were quite a few cars in the parking lot. When I entered, there were several people in line and several people waiting for their drinks. There was only one employee behind the counter, trying to take orders in between making the drinks. She was very friendly but moved EXTREMELY slow.
After we ordered, we sat at a table and I began to watch as many of the people that were waiting seemed extremely anxious. As the employee finished a large batch of drinks, I found myself confused by the fact that she didn't call anybody's name to pick them up, but instead placed them to the side.
Sitting at the table, I watched a total of five people walk in, and after waiting some time, walk out without purchasing anything. The employee didn't acknowledge them or apologize and offer to help them in just a moment, but instead continued making the drinks at her slow pace.
After 25 minutes, my drink was finally made. After purchasing my drink, somebody came in to pick up the order that she had set to the side, so it had apparently been a call ahead order. In my opinion, it may have been wise to complete the orders of the people that she had waiting in front of her before proceeding to complete that order.
I really enjoy Jamba Juice and will continue to visit, but I was shocked at the fact that they had one employee scheduled at a time that there was clearly a demand for more. If management has based their staffing on the amount of purchases, they should take a harder look and realize that sales are literally walking out the door. The unfortunate part is that these people may never return as a result of their brand interaction.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
St. Regis Deer Valley - Follow Up
Within hours of emailing the St. Regis, I received an apologetic letter. I was very impressed by the timely response as well as the fact that it was a personal note rather than just a form letter response. It is important to note that the majority of the time, companies don't even respond. I also want to point out that every employee that I have interacted with has been extremely friendly and they have helped to the best of their ability.
I was also very impressed with the fact that they asked for me to give them another shot and if I decide to do so, to contact them directly. That is a great personal touch. While the experience was extremely frustrating, it makes me feel better to know that they actually do care, and that they took the time to try and make it right.
Here is a copy of the response I received:
I was also very impressed with the fact that they asked for me to give them another shot and if I decide to do so, to contact them directly. That is a great personal touch. While the experience was extremely frustrating, it makes me feel better to know that they actually do care, and that they took the time to try and make it right.
Here is a copy of the response I received:
Dear (Brand Interaction),
Please allow me to apologize for any aspect of your visit that did not exceed your expectations. Under no circumstances was it the norm or up to the high standards we have set for this property.
As a small token of apology, I have credited your SPG account with (XX) points. Additionally, I hope you will return and allow us to deliver a true St. Regis experience. Please contact me directly if at any point you do wish to return.
Have a wonderful New Year!
Warm Regards,
Chelsea
St. Regis Deer Valley
I recently stayed at the St. Regis Hotel in Deer Valley. The St. Regis is supposedly known for it's exceptional customer service, and charges quite a bit for that service. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience that "exceptional customer service", in fact, I had one of the most frustrating hotel experiences ever. It didn't end when I left either, there were billing problems that took time to resolve as well.
It all started on the Saturday I was checking in... I called the hotel around noon and asked if it would be possible to get an early check-in. The person I spoke with was very friendly and said that my room had already been cleaned and just needed to be checked, but that I was free to come in right then and they would have the room ready. I had scheduled a massage with a Park City spa and was trying to plan my day accordingly, so I would have been fine with checking in later, but since I had the option to drop my things off first, I decided to do that.
When I arrived at the hotel around 2:30 (two and a half hours AFTER I had called and they told me my room was ready), I proceeded to the check in area of the hotel. The associate that checked me in was new, so she was being assisted by a trainer. She was very friendly and apologized for the extended length of the check in process. They informed me that my room still hadn't been checked, but that it would take about five minutes and would be ready by the time I got to the lobby. They let me know that they would call my cell phone when my key was ready. That was no problem, so I headed to the lobby with my bags in tow.
After sitting in the lobby with no communication for about 15 minutes, I approached another front desk associate and inquired about the status of my room. He informed me that they were aware that I was waiting and that it should be ready shortly. I continued to wait. At about 30 minutes, I was frustrated. I started to worry about making my massage appointment as I still had to drive down to the spa. I inquired again and they said it would be finished any minute. I continued to watch people that had walked in after me receive their keys and be shown to their rooms.
The front desk associate could see that I was anxious and frustrated. He came over to apologize a couple of times, but at the point I had been sitting there for an hour he asked if there was anything they could do. I said, "you can get me into my room, that would be helpful". He called somebody and a few minutes later came over and said that he would be extending a dining credit for the "miscommunication". A few minutes later he gave me the keys to my room.
One hour and fifteen minutes after arriving, I was finally in my room. I had missed my massage appointment and called to find out that I would still be charged in full for the missed appointment. As I mentioned above, if I had known that I would be waiting that long, I would have just done the massage before checking in. AWFUL.
If that weren't enough, when I checked in I provided a credit card that I wanted to be used for my incidentals. I was very specific that I wanted all charges to be processed to that card. Because I had been provided with a dining credit (which is something I wouldn't typically have used), I ordered some room service and purchased something from the honor bar.
When I received my folio I noticed that I had been charged $80 dollars for something that was an error on the hotel's part. I also noticed that I had not been charged for the room service or honor bar purchases. When I called the hotel, I was transferred to their accounting department, who did not answer. I left a voice message but didn't receive a call back. After calling FIVE times, I finally was able to speak to an employee that was able to reverse the charge that was an error.
He also explained that the room service and honor bar charges had been charged to the card that made the reservation rather than the card provided for incidentals. This was frustrating because I had explicitly asked to have all charges charged to the card I provided (not to mention that the purchases were made to use the credit I had been given).
The entire experience, from check-in to following up on the bill was frustrating and anything but "world class service". Not only did I have to deal with all of the hassle of the check in and the billing follow up, but I had to pay for a pricey massage that I was unable to receive because of the poor customer service. Not what you would expect from a brand that prides itself on offering great customer service.
During the check-in fiasco, I was tweeting about my frustration. The St. Regis replied and asked for more details, so I will be sending them a link to my blog post. I will post any follow up information that I receive.
Thanks again to all of my loyal readers for following!
It all started on the Saturday I was checking in... I called the hotel around noon and asked if it would be possible to get an early check-in. The person I spoke with was very friendly and said that my room had already been cleaned and just needed to be checked, but that I was free to come in right then and they would have the room ready. I had scheduled a massage with a Park City spa and was trying to plan my day accordingly, so I would have been fine with checking in later, but since I had the option to drop my things off first, I decided to do that.
When I arrived at the hotel around 2:30 (two and a half hours AFTER I had called and they told me my room was ready), I proceeded to the check in area of the hotel. The associate that checked me in was new, so she was being assisted by a trainer. She was very friendly and apologized for the extended length of the check in process. They informed me that my room still hadn't been checked, but that it would take about five minutes and would be ready by the time I got to the lobby. They let me know that they would call my cell phone when my key was ready. That was no problem, so I headed to the lobby with my bags in tow.
After sitting in the lobby with no communication for about 15 minutes, I approached another front desk associate and inquired about the status of my room. He informed me that they were aware that I was waiting and that it should be ready shortly. I continued to wait. At about 30 minutes, I was frustrated. I started to worry about making my massage appointment as I still had to drive down to the spa. I inquired again and they said it would be finished any minute. I continued to watch people that had walked in after me receive their keys and be shown to their rooms.
The front desk associate could see that I was anxious and frustrated. He came over to apologize a couple of times, but at the point I had been sitting there for an hour he asked if there was anything they could do. I said, "you can get me into my room, that would be helpful". He called somebody and a few minutes later came over and said that he would be extending a dining credit for the "miscommunication". A few minutes later he gave me the keys to my room.
One hour and fifteen minutes after arriving, I was finally in my room. I had missed my massage appointment and called to find out that I would still be charged in full for the missed appointment. As I mentioned above, if I had known that I would be waiting that long, I would have just done the massage before checking in. AWFUL.
If that weren't enough, when I checked in I provided a credit card that I wanted to be used for my incidentals. I was very specific that I wanted all charges to be processed to that card. Because I had been provided with a dining credit (which is something I wouldn't typically have used), I ordered some room service and purchased something from the honor bar.
When I received my folio I noticed that I had been charged $80 dollars for something that was an error on the hotel's part. I also noticed that I had not been charged for the room service or honor bar purchases. When I called the hotel, I was transferred to their accounting department, who did not answer. I left a voice message but didn't receive a call back. After calling FIVE times, I finally was able to speak to an employee that was able to reverse the charge that was an error.
He also explained that the room service and honor bar charges had been charged to the card that made the reservation rather than the card provided for incidentals. This was frustrating because I had explicitly asked to have all charges charged to the card I provided (not to mention that the purchases were made to use the credit I had been given).
The entire experience, from check-in to following up on the bill was frustrating and anything but "world class service". Not only did I have to deal with all of the hassle of the check in and the billing follow up, but I had to pay for a pricey massage that I was unable to receive because of the poor customer service. Not what you would expect from a brand that prides itself on offering great customer service.
During the check-in fiasco, I was tweeting about my frustration. The St. Regis replied and asked for more details, so I will be sending them a link to my blog post. I will post any follow up information that I receive.
Thanks again to all of my loyal readers for following!
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
ZAGG - Invisible Shield Retail Store
This weekend I had another unfortunate experience with my local ZAGG Invisible Shield corporate owned store. I have actually been to this store five times and have received horrible customer service five out of five times.
The first time I visited ZAGG, it was upon the recommendation of an employee of the Apple store. I had heard good things about the protective film they had for iPhones, so I thought I would check it out. I left the store less than impressed, but actually returned about a week later to have a shield installed on my iPad. I had hoped the poor customer service was a fluke, but my next experience was even worse.
I upgraded my iPhone some time later and received the same lackluster service. I am not sure if the product they use for the covers has changed, but I have had to replace the film three times since upgrading my phone. Each experience has been worse than the last. The invisible shield is supposed to come with a lifetime guarantee, and if you return within 14 days, you can have it reinstalled with no additional charge.
Immediately after my last installation, I noticed it was installed incorrectly and let the employee know. I was reassured that it would take time to dry and that it would be fine within a couple of days. On the 14th day I called the store and asked if it would be possible to come in the next day to have it replaced. The employee I spoke with said it wouldn't be a problem, so I headed in the next day to have it replaced.
The next day when I went to have it replaced the "manager" happened to be working. I could certainly tell that the leadership of this store was setting the tone for the rest of the employees. He made sure that I knew he was the "only one that could make a call like that" and made me feel as though I had done something wrong. He then lectured me for a minute before reluctantly replacing my cover. I noticed that there was another defect, but he assured me that it would be fine.
Needless to say, it wasn't fine, I had to go back again this weekend. Because it was beyond the 14 days, I had to pay for replacement (despite the fact that I had raised my concern before that point). The "manager" and one of his employees were working, and were so involved in a conversation when I walked in, that they didn't even speak to me during the interaction. The conversation was so intense that the associate forgot to give me my credit card back. I didn't notice until I received a call from the store saying that I "had left my card there". No apology or anything other than the tone of me being an idiot for leaving it there.
A business like this really is based on customer service and clearly they are missing the mark. It is unfortunate that the manager continues to lead the store. If I worked for that company I would ensure that the manager was either trained to handle a leadership position, or hire somebody that could. It isn't a coincidence that all five of my experiences in this store have left me not wanting to return.
The first time I visited ZAGG, it was upon the recommendation of an employee of the Apple store. I had heard good things about the protective film they had for iPhones, so I thought I would check it out. I left the store less than impressed, but actually returned about a week later to have a shield installed on my iPad. I had hoped the poor customer service was a fluke, but my next experience was even worse.
I upgraded my iPhone some time later and received the same lackluster service. I am not sure if the product they use for the covers has changed, but I have had to replace the film three times since upgrading my phone. Each experience has been worse than the last. The invisible shield is supposed to come with a lifetime guarantee, and if you return within 14 days, you can have it reinstalled with no additional charge.
Immediately after my last installation, I noticed it was installed incorrectly and let the employee know. I was reassured that it would take time to dry and that it would be fine within a couple of days. On the 14th day I called the store and asked if it would be possible to come in the next day to have it replaced. The employee I spoke with said it wouldn't be a problem, so I headed in the next day to have it replaced.
The next day when I went to have it replaced the "manager" happened to be working. I could certainly tell that the leadership of this store was setting the tone for the rest of the employees. He made sure that I knew he was the "only one that could make a call like that" and made me feel as though I had done something wrong. He then lectured me for a minute before reluctantly replacing my cover. I noticed that there was another defect, but he assured me that it would be fine.
Needless to say, it wasn't fine, I had to go back again this weekend. Because it was beyond the 14 days, I had to pay for replacement (despite the fact that I had raised my concern before that point). The "manager" and one of his employees were working, and were so involved in a conversation when I walked in, that they didn't even speak to me during the interaction. The conversation was so intense that the associate forgot to give me my credit card back. I didn't notice until I received a call from the store saying that I "had left my card there". No apology or anything other than the tone of me being an idiot for leaving it there.
A business like this really is based on customer service and clearly they are missing the mark. It is unfortunate that the manager continues to lead the store. If I worked for that company I would ensure that the manager was either trained to handle a leadership position, or hire somebody that could. It isn't a coincidence that all five of my experiences in this store have left me not wanting to return.
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