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why yesterday was bad
Jul. 17th, 2010 08:59 amI was too tired yesterday to really explain why I'd had such a nasty customer service experience (along with my already frustrating day), so let me explain.
I had a flat tire earlier this week and needed a new one. This is stressful, of course, because I don't have a lot of money and car expenses are scary. On Thursday I called a tire and wheel shop owned by one guy, who my family calls the Tire Nazi because he is kind of like the Soup Nazi in Seinfeld, as in, really bad customer service. I've dealt with him before and didn't mind when he was short and didn't explain things. His tires are definitely the cheapest around--I've gotten used ones for twenty dollars, that sort of thing. He said he could have a tire by the next day and I said that would be great.
Friday I went to work and my computer had quit working, so I couldn't do my job, so that was stressful already. I tried logging in several times, turned the computer on and off, the office manager tried his admin password, and it just wouldn't log on. Said the trust relationship between this work station and the primary domain had failed. Everything I do at that job involves a computer. So, SO frustrating, I can't even tell you; I already had piles of papers on my desk with information waiting to be entered into the database and I COULDN'T DO MY JOB.
Also, my back has been hurting a lot for several weeks now. It gets so bad it makes me sick to my stomach, and one day I was dizzy for several hours, which I think was related. It's annoying and there's no quick fix, just back exercises and rest. The chair I use at the computer job does not help and may in fact make my back worse, but it's the only one available and I'm just a temporary worker, so I do what I gotta do. This doesn't come into the story at all, but I just want you to understand that when I say I've been having a bad week, constant, grinding pain is a part of that. Very wearing.
Anyway, Dad suggested I go ahead and get my tire fixed while I was waiting for IT to come. So I called the Tire Nazi to ask if my tire was in. And he said it would be...if it had been ordered, but I didn't order it. He seemed mad at me already. So I asked, confused, "You mean...after we talked yesterday, you didn't order it?" And he yelled, "No, YOU didn't order it!" So I said, as calmly as I could,"Well, would you please order it for me, then?" And he said, very snippily, that he would and it would be in Saturday. He said "two fifteen" which I took to be the price, which surprised me, though later my aunt said it could have been the time the wheel would be in.
But I hung up, kind of shaken, and told my dad that he'd said two hundred and fifteen dollars, which is ridiculous for one tire. He suggested I call the discount tire place down the road. So I did. The guy I spoke to over the phone was very friendly and cheerful, which made me feel better about life, the universe, and everything. He said they had the tire I needed in stock and I could come get it installed in half an hour. Made me an appointment and everything. And he said it would be 108.88. So yeah, I told him to sign me up for that.
Then I called the tire guy back to cancel my order. It couldn't have been more than five or ten minutes after my first call, I swear. I said, "I'm the person who called earlier asking you to order that new tire, the P215..." (and I heard this kind of disgusted snorting noise down the line) "...I'd like you to cancel that order, please."
And he yelled at me. "You can't order it right and you can't cancel it right! Have a nice day!"
I hung up. I stood there shaking for a little bit, told my dad I was going to go. I clocked out, went out to my car, and had a little cry. I felt so, so stupid, but I just couldn't stop it from happening. It felt so horrible and demeaning. I know I'm oversensitive in a lot of ways, and I wish I wasn't, but it's the way it is. I'm good at avoiding things that will hurt me, most of the time, but when it just leaps out at you like that... So yeah. I'm never going back there again. I value my peace of mind more than I value cheap tires.
When I calmed down, I drove to the discount tire store and got my new tire. They were very nice, very professional. I felt so much better about everything, even though it took forever, as it always does. Afterward I drove to a little pet store in the same shopping area and played with their ferrets and hamsters before going back to work. Goodness, I love those ferrets, so friendly and playful. I'd take all of them home if I could. And this tiny little black hammy with white feet--he was like a cotton ball in my hand, so tiny and soft and sweet. Most of the hammies I picked up jumped out of my hand the second they could, but that tiny black one just sat there and sat there until I put him down. Sweetest little thing ever. ♥ I might go back and buy him if I can get my parents' permission. (I hate having to ask my parents' permission about buying pets, but I'm living in their house again, so it is what it is.) And I talked to a lady who worked there about small animals and how much we love them, and it was just exactly the moment of relaxation I needed in my day.
The bad day wasn't over--computer problems were ongoing and still aren't resolved. But the folks at the tire place and the pet store really made me feel better. And that's why I wanted to tell you guys that customer service is important, it really, really is. Thanks for being the awesome people I know you are. ♥
I had a flat tire earlier this week and needed a new one. This is stressful, of course, because I don't have a lot of money and car expenses are scary. On Thursday I called a tire and wheel shop owned by one guy, who my family calls the Tire Nazi because he is kind of like the Soup Nazi in Seinfeld, as in, really bad customer service. I've dealt with him before and didn't mind when he was short and didn't explain things. His tires are definitely the cheapest around--I've gotten used ones for twenty dollars, that sort of thing. He said he could have a tire by the next day and I said that would be great.
Friday I went to work and my computer had quit working, so I couldn't do my job, so that was stressful already. I tried logging in several times, turned the computer on and off, the office manager tried his admin password, and it just wouldn't log on. Said the trust relationship between this work station and the primary domain had failed. Everything I do at that job involves a computer. So, SO frustrating, I can't even tell you; I already had piles of papers on my desk with information waiting to be entered into the database and I COULDN'T DO MY JOB.
Also, my back has been hurting a lot for several weeks now. It gets so bad it makes me sick to my stomach, and one day I was dizzy for several hours, which I think was related. It's annoying and there's no quick fix, just back exercises and rest. The chair I use at the computer job does not help and may in fact make my back worse, but it's the only one available and I'm just a temporary worker, so I do what I gotta do. This doesn't come into the story at all, but I just want you to understand that when I say I've been having a bad week, constant, grinding pain is a part of that. Very wearing.
Anyway, Dad suggested I go ahead and get my tire fixed while I was waiting for IT to come. So I called the Tire Nazi to ask if my tire was in. And he said it would be...if it had been ordered, but I didn't order it. He seemed mad at me already. So I asked, confused, "You mean...after we talked yesterday, you didn't order it?" And he yelled, "No, YOU didn't order it!" So I said, as calmly as I could,"Well, would you please order it for me, then?" And he said, very snippily, that he would and it would be in Saturday. He said "two fifteen" which I took to be the price, which surprised me, though later my aunt said it could have been the time the wheel would be in.
But I hung up, kind of shaken, and told my dad that he'd said two hundred and fifteen dollars, which is ridiculous for one tire. He suggested I call the discount tire place down the road. So I did. The guy I spoke to over the phone was very friendly and cheerful, which made me feel better about life, the universe, and everything. He said they had the tire I needed in stock and I could come get it installed in half an hour. Made me an appointment and everything. And he said it would be 108.88. So yeah, I told him to sign me up for that.
Then I called the tire guy back to cancel my order. It couldn't have been more than five or ten minutes after my first call, I swear. I said, "I'm the person who called earlier asking you to order that new tire, the P215..." (and I heard this kind of disgusted snorting noise down the line) "...I'd like you to cancel that order, please."
And he yelled at me. "You can't order it right and you can't cancel it right! Have a nice day!"
I hung up. I stood there shaking for a little bit, told my dad I was going to go. I clocked out, went out to my car, and had a little cry. I felt so, so stupid, but I just couldn't stop it from happening. It felt so horrible and demeaning. I know I'm oversensitive in a lot of ways, and I wish I wasn't, but it's the way it is. I'm good at avoiding things that will hurt me, most of the time, but when it just leaps out at you like that... So yeah. I'm never going back there again. I value my peace of mind more than I value cheap tires.
When I calmed down, I drove to the discount tire store and got my new tire. They were very nice, very professional. I felt so much better about everything, even though it took forever, as it always does. Afterward I drove to a little pet store in the same shopping area and played with their ferrets and hamsters before going back to work. Goodness, I love those ferrets, so friendly and playful. I'd take all of them home if I could. And this tiny little black hammy with white feet--he was like a cotton ball in my hand, so tiny and soft and sweet. Most of the hammies I picked up jumped out of my hand the second they could, but that tiny black one just sat there and sat there until I put him down. Sweetest little thing ever. ♥ I might go back and buy him if I can get my parents' permission. (I hate having to ask my parents' permission about buying pets, but I'm living in their house again, so it is what it is.) And I talked to a lady who worked there about small animals and how much we love them, and it was just exactly the moment of relaxation I needed in my day.
The bad day wasn't over--computer problems were ongoing and still aren't resolved. But the folks at the tire place and the pet store really made me feel better. And that's why I wanted to tell you guys that customer service is important, it really, really is. Thanks for being the awesome people I know you are. ♥
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