Caution: customer service negativity

So I have been trying to be more positive lately, but I just have to blog about this. I have always been aware of the importance of great customer service. In fact there have been times when Kent and I have had great customer service and called a manager to let them know. Since working at Eddie Bauer I have learned a lot about how to give great customer service and that is why I am enjoying working there. It's all about the service someone provides you!

Having said all that I still question why I ever walk into Walmart. Today I went to walmart and picked up a prescription. On the way out I took Braxton and the other grocery bag I had and put them in the car. I hadn't realized that I left my prescriptions in the bag in the shopping cart. Kindly enough walmart called and left a message on Kent's cell since that is the only number they had. Kent called me and told me someone from walmart had called looking for me.

I called walmart and gave them the name of the person Kent said had called and they asked if it was a CSM (customer service manager?) and they said they would transfer me to them. Here is customer service bad number one. I sat on hold waiting for this person for seven minutes before I hung up! At Eddie Bauer we have been told to answer the phone in three rings and only leave someone on hold for 30 seconds.

So I realized that it was probably my prescription they were calling about because I couldn't find it at home. I decided to go to walmart and check it out. When I got to walmart I went to the customer service desk. There was one person being helped and no other employee so I waited my turn. When the other person walked away I said "hi I have a quick question." Here's customer service bad number two. This woman looked at me, smile coldly and said wait a minute. She picked up the shoes in front of her and walked back to a box where she placed them. Then she walked back and addressed me. When I asked if she had my prescription and told her the story she asked "did you check the pharmacy?" My thought was 'well no, because I thought the person who contacted me was a customer service manager.' Then she told me, "yeah, I don't have it. Check over there."

Ask me how I felt. Ok I felt like I was no more important than a pair of shoes, and I felt very insignificant! No Kudos to that woman. So I went to the pharmacy and had a Latino woman look at me with fear that she was the only one who was available to help me. She approached me and tried to understand, but I could tell that she didn't understand all I was saying. Then thankfully another tech got involved to see what I needed and was clever enough to ask the crew what they knew about it and she was able to track it down. I have to give Kudos to her because while she may be quirky she always helps with a smile and gives you so much information that you never question what she is doing. She is always enthusiastic, and you always feel like helping you is the most important thing she can do. I'm not sure why walmart hired her because that seems to be out of character with most their employees in that store.

So to bring it back to a positive note I would like to say that I am very glad that walmart called to let me know about my prescriptions. I'm glad that I was able to track them down. I am glad that I work in a very customer service oriented store because if it wasn't I couldn't stand working there.

I find it interesting in the company creed it says:

Our Creed
To give you such outstanding quality, value, service
and guarantee that we may be worthy of your high esteem.

So the next time you decide to shop somewhere think am I shopping here because I am cheap or am I valued enough to receive true customer service. I too need to stop being so cheap and value myself as deserving of good customer service. I may even transfer my prescriptions to another pharmacy. I just have to find another one with superior service or else I have accomplished nothing.