Customer services during the Pandemic

[hajime]

Hi, anybody experience that customer services are very poor during the pandemic? Services are poor, companies mess up with shipments, tech support staff do not know what they are talking about, poor email responds, etc. For example, I ordered an item this afternoon. Due to urgency, I ordered from a company that promised next day delivery. It was supposed to be shipped in the evening and delivered on the next day. I checked the entire evening but no tracking information. When I contacted them, an agent said that such information would be available in an hour. Then few minutes later, I got the tracking information but it turned out that they did not ship out the products and now I have to wait for an extra day.

Is it because many people are in a bad mood and their mind are messed up?

 

[44267547]

I think you have a very skewed way of looking at this.

The pandemic has caused a lot of added stress to companies to revamp their structuring in terms of how they may have been forced to change their policy and procedures, and then add in employee shortages, Plus some of these changes are literally made in a very short amount of time, with a shirt notice to prepare to stay fluid with the constant changes during the pandemic.

Now, anecdotally, I haven’t noticed any type of concerns with shipping/ordering from various companies or any local customer service. As matter fact, as a restaurant investor, a lot of restaurants that I’m involved with have stepped up their game big time with cleanliness, structuring with curbside pick up, delivery services, employee scheduling, guest relations, ect.

Obviously, it will vary greatly everywhere depending on the company, their training and core standards, are they affected by employee shortages due to exposure from the pandemic....

What you listed with your example due to the ‘shipping problem‘, that could’ve happened to anyone with any company, I wouldn’t entirely just blame the Company, when maybe the next 10 shipments were perfect for the other customers.

For example:

If you were to say, “I’ve always ordered from XYZ company before and all of a sudden since the pandemic, it’s been a horrible experience with every order”, then you would see a pattern. Also, give constructive feedback to the company, that way they can improve or find out what went wrong. Any reputable company would be willing to listen to a customer if you weren’t satisfied with the services. In the same respect, try to be patient or understanding in the least, given everybody is inconvenienced given the pandemic.

 

[Gregg2]

I had an incomplete order from Amazon last week. That being an effect of the pandemic never crossed my mind.
Customer service was great! I got a full refund, and did not have to return the partial shipment of the item. (they sent 1, should have sent 5)

 

[hajime]

For example:

If you were to say, “I’ve always ordered from XYZ company before and all of a sudden since the pandemic, it’s been a horrible experience with every order”, then you would see a pattern. Also, give constructive feedback to the company, that way they can improve or find out what went wrong. Any reputable company would be willing to listen to a customer if you weren’t satisfied with the services. In the same respect, try to be patient or understanding in the least, given everybody is inconvenienced given the pandemic.

That is what has happened. Several orders last year and the year before had no problem. Three orders with issues in a week is unacceptable.

 

[DeltaMac]

Three orders with issues in a week is unacceptable.

I would say that the "third time is a charm".
You can fix that with your feet by walking/running to another seller.
I hope that your needs are not so narrow that you have only one source for ordering your items.

 

[Bluepig45]

Yes, but nothing out of the ordinary in my experience. I've been in and out of the Apple camp for 20 years, and I've never had an honest conversation with any of their employees over the phone in the last 12 years. If I want something or someone pretending to be interested in my issues, I would go to the Apple Store (no longer an option with the Covid Hysteria).
I spoke with an Indian girl (country) on Wednesday about a cancelled iPhone Pro Max. When I found out it was not going to arrive as promised on Wednesday, and that no tracking was available, I said cancel my order. She either did not or could not grasp my request, but later assured me it was cancelled. On Friday I get an email informing me that my replacement had shipped and will arrive Dec 2nd. That would be the replacement I did not order, request, or want. So my Apple card is being charged the full amount, and when I go online to cancel it I am informed that I'm past the 14 day return window (for the phone I've never received, and now, not received yet), so I called again. This time I spoke with a very nice lady from Atlanta and she assured me that I could return it for a full refund after it arrives. She also said if the original phone shows up that I can return it too.
The problem is I'm not certain that either lady was telling the truth, because today I get another email saying my replacement Pro Max was shipped today, and will arrive Thursday Dec 3rd? By the sounds of it I could potentially have an angry army of 3 phones show up any day now, none of which do I want, nor will I keep.

It is all my fault to a point, as I should not have knee jerk ordered the phone without digging deeper into the specs, and waiting for the first batch reviews to show up. I rely upon MKBHD, OBT and Mrwhosetheboss for credible reviews of not only phones, but other tech. Not a one of the three is impressed with any portion of the 12 Pro Max beyond video recording. The benchmarks are slower than almost all of it's competitors (Samsung Note S20 Ultra, OnePlus 8T at least), the screen is messing up, the refresh rate is STILL 60hz, the new Mag Safe falls off and slow charges, it is still Lightning, and now reports are coming in that BT is losing connections, not unlike the M1.
Personally, I'm heart broken, but I'm starting to get used to disappointment and disillusionment with Apple, because outside of the CPU it seems like they have stopped innovating.
Now I'm hoping the 2021 Macbook Pro or the 14 inch look anything like the images we are starting to see. While I can unhappily live without a touch screen, if they release them without they will then be at least 6 years behind all of their competition. MORE USB-C ports! An M2 or next gen CPU with the option for 32Gb of Ram, and more storage. Yes, I know that RAM is now on the same pipe, and no longer a bottleneck, but creatively I am willing to pay for more. Smaller bezels are the order of the day, and if the pictures are close to accurate, that has been taken care of, and that will also allow them to shrink the width and weight. It also looks like they are going to make the touch pad about double the current size.

Here's to hoping Apple will one day care about their cash cows.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I think a lot of businesses are doing their best to stay afloat and keep customers. It hasn’t been easy for many, as their employee base has been heavily impacted. Given the current climate, I do my best to be understanding and forgiving of problems.

 

[Bluepig45]

I think a lot of businesses are doing their best to stay afloat and keep customers. It hasn’t been easy for many, as their employee base has been heavily impacted. Given the current climate, I do my best to be understanding and forgiving of problems.

I would extend them the same courtesy and understanding if Apple were honest from the get go. Since they have not been, I do not owe them anything; except that is the payment on the Apple card for the iPhone that was billed and never shipped! Fortunately they have not billed on the Mac Mini yet, and I now expect that to extend out into next year, which will be an instant cancellation if it goes beyond the current expected arrival date.

 

[dk001]

With this pandemic, we (family) are ordering a lot more online than we have before and from a number of different vendors. As this pandemic progressed, the experience here at my home is a decrease in order delivery information and a growing lack of accurate specificity when you are dealing with customer service. Sometimes it is a game when you call and you get to guess what country your customer service call was routed too. Then you have the businesses you have an issue with and find they are now "closed" possibly due to the pandemic.

Overall, yes I have to say my experience shows a decrease on customer service for 2020.

 

[Healer Flame]

-Short staffing
-Many experienced staff replaced with new
-Stress, mood and short of resources

I noticed this with my top 3 favourite restaurants and many local stores.

 

[hajime]

-Short staffing
-Many experienced staff replaced with new
-Stress, mood and short of resources

I noticed this with my top 3 favourite restaurants and many local stores.

Why experienced staff replaced with new? Is it because companies want to get rid of full time staff and hire part time ones who accept lower pays, no health care, pension and company can fire them any time?

 

[Healer Flame]

Why experienced staff replaced with new? Is it because companies want to get rid of full time staff and hire part time ones who accept lower pays, no health care, pension and company can fire them any time?

Likely that could be the reason but it was all doom and gloom in my favourite restaurant. The place was darker, no music, smelt bad, unwelcoming staff and most of all the food was shocking. Corona damage i guess.

 

[Erehy Dobon]

I am very aware that I am responding to an inquiry generated two months ago but I will guarantee that we have not hit rock bottom. It will get worse before it gets better.

I am unclear whether or not the OP anticipated something even worse.