Bloopers 'n' Blunders

Holiday Frustration

I have worked with a very prominent vendor for several years to send holiday gifts to friends and family far away. I’ve always had good service and, until now, never needed to contact them to correct a problem. Well… now I have—and I am!

I ordered a special gift for a dear work colleague and friend well in advance of the holiday. I later received a notice that it had been delivered—but to an address in Iowa instead of the intended one in New Jersey. I emailed the vendor to correct the order and have it sent to my friend in New Jersey. They couldn't find the order.

So, I called, which turned into several collective hours of trying to straighten out their error. Again, they couldn't find the order—the same order they had delivered to the wrong address and charged me for. They reviewed my order history and concluded that I hadn't placed the order they had already delivered and billed me for. How does one argue with that?

I am still in the process of getting a new order to my friend—very late, but at least at no charge.

Customer Service Opportunity
When the obvious confronts you as a business—an order placed by a customer, delivered to an address, and charged to the customer—the order did happen, regardless of what your flawed system says. Correct it. Now.

N. N.—Massachusetts

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