Time to hop in the way back machine and visit right around my birthday on September 1. Remember this post about my new shoes for the Chicago Marathon? Well, as some of you may know, the running store ran my credit card, I had a receipt but the transaction never showed up on my account.
And I debated. Who knows where the error was...store, bank, credit card company. I figured it would sort itself out and in the meantime I had done my finances so I knew the money "wasn't really there." The thought of free shoes was interesting, but I assumed somebody would eventually notice when nearly $200 was missing from their books.
Which brings us up to today...I got an e-mail from the store at lunch saying that the transactions were never closed that day in Sept, they apologize, and they would be finally debiting my card for the amount.
So. Much. Wrong.
I'm a pretty fair guy. I bought the shoes. I'll pay for the shoes. I wrote the owner back saying I had no problem with them taking the money I owe them. But--
As a former customer service person, I couldn't let that one sit. Really? Really!? You're going to e-mail a customer nearly 6 months later with basically an "oops, sorry we messed up, give us money?" Not only do some people not watch their accounts so closely, but not everyone (including me) is so loyal to that store that they're willing to overlook such an error.
I told him flat out that I thought maybe a better customer service response would have been to offer some store credit for the next visit while explaining THEIR mistake. Heck, if I'd been the customer service supervisor I'd have probably said "oh well, our fault nevermind." At 6 months out, you explain why the card was never charged and promise that it won't be. But that's just me.
If you want to charge me now, go ahead. But I can't say I'll be shopping at your store again. lol
And I debated. Who knows where the error was...store, bank, credit card company. I figured it would sort itself out and in the meantime I had done my finances so I knew the money "wasn't really there." The thought of free shoes was interesting, but I assumed somebody would eventually notice when nearly $200 was missing from their books.
Which brings us up to today...I got an e-mail from the store at lunch saying that the transactions were never closed that day in Sept, they apologize, and they would be finally debiting my card for the amount.
So. Much. Wrong.
I'm a pretty fair guy. I bought the shoes. I'll pay for the shoes. I wrote the owner back saying I had no problem with them taking the money I owe them. But--
As a former customer service person, I couldn't let that one sit. Really? Really!? You're going to e-mail a customer nearly 6 months later with basically an "oops, sorry we messed up, give us money?" Not only do some people not watch their accounts so closely, but not everyone (including me) is so loyal to that store that they're willing to overlook such an error.
I told him flat out that I thought maybe a better customer service response would have been to offer some store credit for the next visit while explaining THEIR mistake. Heck, if I'd been the customer service supervisor I'd have probably said "oh well, our fault nevermind." At 6 months out, you explain why the card was never charged and promise that it won't be. But that's just me.
If you want to charge me now, go ahead. But I can't say I'll be shopping at your store again. lol