Whither customer care?
I apologize for your feelings about the delay,” intoned the customer service of a delivery company (let’s call it D), reading from a script or mangling what they were told in training. The statement was so absurd that it begged for a comeback.
“How can you feel sorry about my feelings? We’ve been talking for 15 minutes, but you still cannot explain why the package is on hold in your warehouse. Stop blaming the shipper—they shipped promptly. Stop blaming customs—the goods are already with you. If you don’t deliver on weekends or holidays, why message us to expect delivery on those dates? Stop saying sorry and just act decisively.”
Attention, HR: Train personnel to weather customer ire and resolve the problem, rather than assign blame or mouth meaningless apologies.
D is the subsidiary of a regional logistics provider, and an online search reveals extremely irate customer reviews. So I contacted S, a global sportswear behemoth, who had no idea why their package was on hold but promised to prod D. At last I got the order—with items missing.
I did not want to pay for the missing goods. But D’s rider, who witnessed the lack of items, claimed to have no idea what happened. Contact S for a refund, he said. He begged us to pay even for the missing items, or else he would personally have to fork over the difference.
The box shipped by S was also wrapped in D’s tape, a bit odd. But looking at the rider’s scared eyes, I did not want to get him into trouble. Feeling like a schmuck, I paid in full and called S again, this time for a refund.
S “confirmed that all items were included” when they packed the box. They also “started an investigation with their partner carrier to resolve the issue.” They asked if the box was damaged or tampered with.
I sent photos—what the box looked like when opened, with the brown tape (which should have come from S) and the added tape (of another color) from D.
When I told D that items were missing, they said, “Your parcel is already successfully delivered. We do hope that this transaction was completed on a positive end.”
I repeated that items were missing. They said, “It was packed by the seller. We highly suggest please contact the seller directly,” another non sequitur—I already informed them that S was investigating. Apparently, their rider did not reveal that I took pity on him and paid for the missing items.
After more back and forth, S finally said, “Regrettably, the investigation yields an unfavorable result being the items were missing. This is not a typical experience, however there are things that can and do occur.”
S refunded me weeks after, which restored my faith in them somewhat. Of course I would have preferred the items, having wasted time on the order and the subsequent ado. Time is gold, after all.
To D: investigate the tons of customer complaints—and act on them. According to online reviews, when many customers know that you are the courier, several cancel their order, or ask the shipper to use another one.
To S and other firms: vet your partner courier. Google what their customers say, since your reputation is also on the line. Be upfront about the identity of the courier so customers are given a choice. International firms do not know local logistics—just because a courier may be okay in their home country does not guarantee that it succeeds in other areas. Rather than spend a lot on marketing ploys, ensure that clients receive the correct items, with nothing missing or damaged.
In the face of war or poverty, such issues appear trivial. We Filipinos are patient. But friends shared their own horror stories and urged me to publicize what is happening, for we should not resign ourselves to substandard service. We expect companies who charge much for their products and services to deliver what they promise, in every sense of the word.
