If there was an option for negative stars, I would put Negative a million. This place is like visiting a scene from Devils Advocate, ya know, with Keanu, except with power equipment and appliances instead of lawyers.
My elderly neighbor (she's 78 or something but looks and acts like she's 61,) recently purchased a 14 cu ft upright freezer. She paid ahead for us to pick up together on Tuesday. After a power outage on Thursday, her many pounds of meat were placed on ice and wouldn't last much past Tuesday, so it was imperative that we pick it up then.
She paid for the freezer which was brand new in a box and even watched the clerk put the sold tag on it. This was paid for in cash on Saturday.
After we met up Tuesday morning, my neighbor called to confirm that the freezer was ready for pick up, we were assured before making the 23 mile drive that the appliance was ready to load. (We had also arranged for help, in advance, off loading the freezer.)
When we arrived at the store, my neighbor was informed that the freezer that she had purchased and had her name on; the same freezer that she had called to confirm was ready, had accidentally been sold. The clerk stated "I'm sorry.. I don't know what happened to it...", as if there is no record of the transaction.
She was then told that she could either wait until their "freight" was delivered on Wednesday to get her freezer, mind you, which had already been paid for, or she could take the floor model.
She asked if there would be any discount for her taking the floor model after she had paid for the freezer in the box. She was told, flat out, "no, there would be no compensation for her trouble." She then asked if we could have another box to maybe protect the bare-assed freezer from banging around in the truck or protect it from debris in the bed. We were told "no... Maybe we can put Saran Wrap on it, we have that!"
We then asked if, now that we were transporting the floor model in the truck if they could at least let us borrow a ratchet strap.
The Owner of the store then piped up and said, "No.. We can't provide anything for you because we could be sued if the straps fail and we GAVE them to you. If you buy them, we have no liability. It's a corporate policy." Obviously ridiculous since Sears hasn't really had corporate stores for a generation, especially Sears Hometown Stores which are almost always locally, independently owned, so now this little troll who apparently is the owner or manager is lying right to our face.
As an Ace employee, I know that we can provide anything for the customer to tie down a load to their vehicle, we just can't physically tie it down. I also know a thing or two about customer service and retail, since my company has been #1 in customer service (according to JD Power and Associates) for ten years straight.
First rule of customer service is, you never tell a customer "No.." You find another way or check with someone to see what, if anything, can be done to correct the mistake, at least offering a MEANINGLESS discount. And I don't care what store you are, your margins are great enough that you knock 10% off an item and lose nothing, but gain some credibility, some possibility of retaining that customer's business.
As it is, my neighbor could have maybe paid less at Fred Meyer or Best Buy, but we live on an island and she expressed wanting to shop "locally". Also, the price was about 25% less than any other comparable appliance, but, be assured, after being lied to, yet again, after being told of a $10 disposition fee for her "old" freezer, that price suddenly went up to $15 a day later. (She ended up finally being comped for the disposal fee.)
There was so much wrong with this entire interaction, I scarcely know where to begin. The owner of this store obviously has no customer service training or experience whatsoever. She was one of the rudest most disingenuous and disconnected people I have ever come across.
I will probably share this experience with all of my managers and coworkers as exactly how to NOT treat any customer, ever.
I honestly felt like it was a terrible dream I couldn't wake up from, like that scene in Devils Advocate where Charlize Theron is covered in blood and stuff. They really were that evil. read more
