customer service | bekahcubed

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You’ve been graciously putting up with my erratic posting (and even more erratic commenting) since my computer’s been out of commission.

I’ve been trying to graciously put up with the dozens of hours I’ve had to put in to try to get my new build running.

Two motherboards and two months from when I first ordered the components for my new computer, I still don’t have a computer and have finally ruled out every other possibility and concluded that the second motherboard is defective.

Yes, that’s right. The motherboard NewEgg sent me to replace the first one (which, if you’ll remember, had an exposed circuit that glowed and smoked) is defective.

Not knowing how exactly to explain what is wrong with the motherboard (except to say that I’ve ruled everything else out), I decided to chat with a NewEgg representative online to help me figure out how to get another replacement.

The rep had bad news. I couldn’t get a replacement because it has been two months since I ordered my first motherboard.

If I had wanted a replacement on the second motherboard, I should have asked for it within 30 days of my original order.

Never mind that my replacement motherboard arrived exactly 31 days after I’d ordered the original one.

Nope, I should have known that the second was going to be defective. I should have put in my request for a replacement before I’d even received the second board.

Then, the representative (who I’m sure was simply following the script she had been given) kept apologizing “for the inconvenience this may have caused you.”

May have caused you?

Excuse me. There is no “may have” about it. This has been a major inconvenience.

I have been without a computer of my own for a month. I have spent dozens of hours trying every trick I (and my computer support friends/relatives) could come up with. I have purchased multiple additional components that I had not originally intended to purchase (so that I could rule out my legacy optical or hard drives, cables, or internet connection as causes of the problem.) I have spent money to ship them the first defective motherboard they sent me–only to have them ship me a second defective motherboard.

No “may have”. This has been an inconvenience.

They say I have no recourse but to call the manufacturer. Then they once again “apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you”?

It’s insulting. Don’t pretend you’re not at fault. Don’t pretend you did everything you could to save me from inconvenience.

Apologize for the inconvenience you HAVE caused.

Oh, and remember how I said they told me my only recourse was to call the manufacturer?

My representative kindly gave me the number to call.

Unfortunately, NewEgg wasn’t so kind as to let me continue to see our chat conversation once my rep had “hung up”. As soon as my rep logged off, the chat screen (and with it the phone number for the manufacturer) disappeared, to be replaced by a customer service evaluation form.

Then, to add insult to injury, the evaluation form limited me to 500 characters with which to evaluate the service I’d received.

I’d have liked to have been able to comment. I’d have liked to have given them some feedback on how their policy of only issuing returns within 30 days of the original order date (regardless of whether the recipient had received said item within 30 days of the original order date). I’d have liked to have given them some feedback on how their customer service script weasels out of taking any responsibility for the trouble they’ve caused (and in fact shows little sympathy for the trouble that has occurred regardless of their role in its causation.) I’d have liked to have given them some feedback on how their chat window immediately jumps to the feedback form when the customer service rep logs off, leaving the customer without vital information to fix their problem. I’d have liked to have given them some feedback so they could fix their clearly broken return and customer service process.

But they didn’t give me room. Apparently they’re not interested in my feedback–or my business.

Two and a half years ago, not long after I started blogging regularly, I wrote of how I prefer the “Save Big Money” Menards over the more patronizing “You can do it–we can help” Home Depot.

I didn’t have any real reason for choosing one over the other–except that in my priority list saving money falls above getting help.

But just because Menards doesn’t advertise their customer service doesn’t mean they don’t have customer service–and don’t do a great job at it.

Take today, for example. As I was wandering about my local Menards, at least five associates asked if they could help me. When I started wandering in the lumberyard, someone immediately came over to help me. When I asked for pegboard–which just happened to be inside the building along a completely different wall–he graciously walked me right over to it, talking me through my options for size and thickness. Later, I’d found some of my other items but now I needed doweling. Again, I was in the wrong spot–but again, an employee walked me right to what I needed. At any other store, I’d expect to hear an aisle number when I ask for an item. At Menards, the employees always take me directly to what I’m looking for–and often dialogue with me about my options and what else they can do for me.

Menards list But that wasn’t all. After I’d finished up my shopping and checked out, I approached the sliding doors with my cart. The four foot by two foot piece of pegboard started to sway in today’s brisk wind. Before I had a chance to steady it with my hand, an employee was there to help (incidentally, it was the same employee who’d helped me find the pegboard in the first place). He lifted the pegboard out of my cart and offered “How ’bout I just carry this to your car for you?”

I led the way to my car and thanked him as I unlocked my door, fully expecting him to place the pegboard back in the cart. But he didn’t. Instead he asked whether I wanted it in the backseat or the trunk. He arranged it into my trunk and put the rest of my cart’s contents in after it. He noticed a wallet (empty) that was lying in the trunk and pointed it out to me just in case I’d lost it and didn’t realize it was back there.

It was undoubtedly the best customer service I’ve received in my life. I’m bummed that I failed to take note of this particular fellow’s name, because he definitely deserves kudos.

So don’t be tricked into thinking that Menards is only about saving money–in truth, their service is fantastic too.

Truth in advertising should insist that Menards change their jingle to “Save big money, Get great service when you shop at Menards.”

For those who are curious, the pegboard and dowels are for a thread rack–a variation on this one from Sugar Bee. I also purchased a few drawer things to organize my ever expanding collection of sewing/craft stuff.