The Importance of Customer Relations
Slick ads and fancy press kits mean NOTHING if the person you're dealing with doesn't have a clue. Sadly, I'm about to break up with PetSmart today over that very problem. Here's what happened:
Me: Hi, I'm calling to confirm my dog's hair cut today. I can't remember what time. I think it's 2:30, 3 or 3:30 pm today.
PetSmart: OK, what's your last name?
Me: Luongo - L-U-O-N-G-O.
PetSmart: L-O-N, what?
Me: No, L- U - O - N - G - O
PetSmart: What's the dog's name?
Me: Trooper.
PetSmart: Pinker?
Me: No, Trooper. I think the appointment is sometime around 2:30 or 3 pm today.
PetSmart: Hold on.
<10 minutes of hold music>
PetSmart: Ms. Luongo? Has your dog been here before?
Me: Yes, many times. I think I called on Thursday to set up this appointment. I'm sure it's in the afternoon.
PetSmart: What kind of dog is he?
Me: Havanese.
PetSmart: I'm looking at the entire week and I can't find him. I see a Tanner but that's a collie.
Me: Can you look in his records to see if they noted the appointment time there?
PetSmart: That's just it, I can't find a record for him ever being here. How do you spell your last name again?
Me: L-U-O ... N-G-O.
PetSmart: I'm just not finding anything that even looks Chinese here.
Me: WHAT? CHINESE?
PetSmart: Or Japanese, whatever.
Me: Um, my dog is a HAVANESE. It's a breed of dog. My name is Italian, if that's what you're guessing.
PetSmart: Oh, here it is. 3:30pm today.
Me: Really? REALLY? Thanks so much.
Friends, it doesn't end there. I get a voice mail a few minutes later.
PetSmart: Ms. Luongo, I show that Trooper's rabies expired last year. Please call me back. The phone number is ... (voice in background telling the number)...
Now, I know his shots are up to date so I call the vet and confirm. Yep, sure enough, he's all up to date. So, I call back.
Me: Yes, I'm returning your call about Trooper's shots. He's all up to date. Doesn't expire until May 22nd.
PetSmart: Oh, really? OK. Just bring the paperwork with you.
Me: Well, PetSmart always just calls the vet and confirms and they said that if you wanted to confirm you could call.
PetSmart: Ok, what's the phone number?
Me: Really? Is this your first day or something?
PetSmart: (pause) um, no.
Me: Wow, ok here's the number.
IN the 3 years I've had this bundle of fur, I've never once had to bring in anything from my vet. They have ALWAYS called and confirmed any questions directly with the vet. Also, his records ARE up to date because I just had him in there not too long ago for boarding. I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what this rocket scientist of a clerk thought she was reading but it wasn't anything about my dog. The Chinese, Japanese Whatever dog breed.
So, here's the point. Make your fancy ads and hire your big gun PR and Ad agencies. Make your stores pretty and have some fun with social media but please, don't hire idiots. Spend some time getting everyone -- even the brand new person in the dog grooming salon -- on board with corporate policies, philosophies and messaging. This experience today couldn't have been more of a trainwreck and in the hour that it has happened, I've put it on Facebook, Twitter and now this blog. You can bet, I'll tell at least 5 friends today at some point too.
Poor PetSmart. One person, one clueless person who was allowed to answer the phone, is giving them all the negative publicity they just don't want. Sad part is, when I tell my friends, they'll inevitably share a story of their own. To think, all of this could have been avoided simply by TRAINING this person. Take a lesson from PetSmart's mistake. Make sure everyone in your company lives and breathes your mission, goals and messaging. If not, they're not worth having on your team.
Me: Hi, I'm calling to confirm my dog's hair cut today. I can't remember what time. I think it's 2:30, 3 or 3:30 pm today.
PetSmart: OK, what's your last name?
Me: Luongo - L-U-O-N-G-O.
PetSmart: L-O-N, what?
Me: No, L- U - O - N - G - O
PetSmart: What's the dog's name?
Me: Trooper.
PetSmart: Pinker?
Me: No, Trooper. I think the appointment is sometime around 2:30 or 3 pm today.
PetSmart: Hold on.
<10 minutes of hold music>
PetSmart: Ms. Luongo? Has your dog been here before?
Me: Yes, many times. I think I called on Thursday to set up this appointment. I'm sure it's in the afternoon.
PetSmart: What kind of dog is he?
Me: Havanese.
PetSmart: I'm looking at the entire week and I can't find him. I see a Tanner but that's a collie.
Me: Can you look in his records to see if they noted the appointment time there?
PetSmart: That's just it, I can't find a record for him ever being here. How do you spell your last name again?
Me: L-U-O ... N-G-O.
PetSmart: I'm just not finding anything that even looks Chinese here.
Me: WHAT? CHINESE?
PetSmart: Or Japanese, whatever.
Me: Um, my dog is a HAVANESE. It's a breed of dog. My name is Italian, if that's what you're guessing.
PetSmart: Oh, here it is. 3:30pm today.
Me: Really? REALLY? Thanks so much.
Friends, it doesn't end there. I get a voice mail a few minutes later.
PetSmart: Ms. Luongo, I show that Trooper's rabies expired last year. Please call me back. The phone number is ... (voice in background telling the number)...
Now, I know his shots are up to date so I call the vet and confirm. Yep, sure enough, he's all up to date. So, I call back.
Me: Yes, I'm returning your call about Trooper's shots. He's all up to date. Doesn't expire until May 22nd.
PetSmart: Oh, really? OK. Just bring the paperwork with you.
Me: Well, PetSmart always just calls the vet and confirms and they said that if you wanted to confirm you could call.
PetSmart: Ok, what's the phone number?
Me: Really? Is this your first day or something?
PetSmart: (pause) um, no.
Me: Wow, ok here's the number.
IN the 3 years I've had this bundle of fur, I've never once had to bring in anything from my vet. They have ALWAYS called and confirmed any questions directly with the vet. Also, his records ARE up to date because I just had him in there not too long ago for boarding. I'm sure of it. I'm not sure what this rocket scientist of a clerk thought she was reading but it wasn't anything about my dog. The Chinese, Japanese Whatever dog breed.
So, here's the point. Make your fancy ads and hire your big gun PR and Ad agencies. Make your stores pretty and have some fun with social media but please, don't hire idiots. Spend some time getting everyone -- even the brand new person in the dog grooming salon -- on board with corporate policies, philosophies and messaging. This experience today couldn't have been more of a trainwreck and in the hour that it has happened, I've put it on Facebook, Twitter and now this blog. You can bet, I'll tell at least 5 friends today at some point too.
Poor PetSmart. One person, one clueless person who was allowed to answer the phone, is giving them all the negative publicity they just don't want. Sad part is, when I tell my friends, they'll inevitably share a story of their own. To think, all of this could have been avoided simply by TRAINING this person. Take a lesson from PetSmart's mistake. Make sure everyone in your company lives and breathes your mission, goals and messaging. If not, they're not worth having on your team.
posted by Jan at
8:56 AM
