Bass Pro Shops Is Rocking The Customer Service - NOT

Soooo, you know we might not be the outdoorsiest of all possible families but our kids like the festive atmosphere and fun tank of giant fish, wild animal vignettes made of real dead wild animals and the like.
We don't BUY a lot in there, because I like said - we're not terribly outdoorsy, but we've bought this and that over time. Today however we were poking about in their camping section because we are toying with the idea of going camping. We were just having a look-see, you know, checking out what might be there that wasn't at ye old WalMart (guess what, not much + it's all twice as expensive).
REGARDLESS - Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is a lot of fun to putz around inside of so we were having a sort of fun short trip when we noticed that man, they had a lot of employees there - TONS of them. Standing around, not doing anything, not greeting people.......

• Case in point - five employees behind a counter all huddled into one corner talking - a customer is STANDING on the opposite counter with his wallet and credit card out. He's TAPPING his credit card and they aren't flinching. Not even bothering to look around. Ummm, hello - in this economy? Are you FIVE EMPLOYEES really ignoring a guy with his credit card out?
• Next up - the rude cashier. We've drug out kids to the check out where we're gonna buy them two little chairs and we get them into the closest line - we're next to check out. Blonde check out girl says "aisle 5 is open." which I understand is STANDARD cashier fare - she was trying to be helpful. What she doesn't know is that between US and aisle five is a minefield of crap that they've put in our way- stuff for our kids to touch and break and bother and want and truthfully, it's NOT WORTH IT. SO we say politely "No thanks we're good." At which point she stares at us blankly - and sort of angrily. Then, another aisle opens up - and she tells us about that one again - and we again tell her NO we're good....which obviously pisses her off. She checks us out, doesn't say thank you or have a nice day or BAG OUR STUFF or OFFER TO BAG OUR STUFF and turns around and goes to help the cashier behind her bag stuff.

I'm sorry Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Did we bother your cashier? I mean, was that a problem that we didn't want to change lines? Was it wrong of us to be happy where we were and just want to wait our turn? Because we were pretty happy there in line, having had a mostly good visit despite SEEING bad service in action - we'd never been mistreated by you.

Here's a little tactical advice. Reduce your headcount. Keep your full timers who are paying for mortgages and families and lose the teenie boppers. This will cause the people who remain employed to be more inspired to WORK if there aren't 85 extra people on the floor.

Or, instead of taking the slash and burn management style here is an even better idea.

Training. Get some. Quickly. I can recommend books and seminars.

Or, you could visit a Cabela's Store.

I'm just sayin'.

Bass Pro Shops Is Rocking The Customer Service - NOT

Soooo, you know we might not be the outdoorsiest of all possible families but our kids like the festive atmosphere and fun tank of giant fish, wild animal vignettes made of real dead wild animals and the like.
We don't BUY a lot in there, because I like said - we're not terribly outdoorsy, but we've bought this and that over time. Today however we were poking about in their camping section because we are toying with the idea of going camping. We were just having a look-see, you know, checking out what might be there that wasn't at ye old WalMart (guess what, not much + it's all twice as expensive).
REGARDLESS - Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World is a lot of fun to putz around inside of so we were having a sort of fun short trip when we noticed that man, they had a lot of employees there - TONS of them. Standing around, not doing anything, not greeting people.......

• Case in point - five employees behind a counter all huddled into one corner talking - a customer is STANDING on the opposite counter with his wallet and credit card out. He's TAPPING his credit card and they aren't flinching. Not even bothering to look around. Ummm, hello - in this economy? Are you FIVE EMPLOYEES really ignoring a guy with his credit card out?
• Next up - the rude cashier. We've drug out kids to the check out where we're gonna buy them two little chairs and we get them into the closest line - we're next to check out. Blonde check out girl says "aisle 5 is open." which I understand is STANDARD cashier fare - she was trying to be helpful. What she doesn't know is that between US and aisle five is a minefield of crap that they've put in our way- stuff for our kids to touch and break and bother and want and truthfully, it's NOT WORTH IT. SO we say politely "No thanks we're good." At which point she stares at us blankly - and sort of angrily. Then, another aisle opens up - and she tells us about that one again - and we again tell her NO we're good....which obviously pisses her off. She checks us out, doesn't say thank you or have a nice day or BAG OUR STUFF or OFFER TO BAG OUR STUFF and turns around and goes to help the cashier behind her bag stuff.

I'm sorry Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. Did we bother your cashier? I mean, was that a problem that we didn't want to change lines? Was it wrong of us to be happy where we were and just want to wait our turn? Because we were pretty happy there in line, having had a mostly good visit despite SEEING bad service in action - we'd never been mistreated by you.

Here's a little tactical advice. Reduce your headcount. Keep your full timers who are paying for mortgages and families and lose the teenie boppers. This will cause the people who remain employed to be more inspired to WORK if there aren't 85 extra people on the floor.

Or, instead of taking the slash and burn management style here is an even better idea.

Training. Get some. Quickly. I can recommend books and seminars.

Or, you could visit a Cabela's Store.

I'm just sayin'.

48 Hours of eBay Customer Service - 180 Degrees of Satisfaction

In the last 48 hours I've had both the worst and the best service experience with eBay.

My company is having a Venetian Carnivale Masked ball in a week - and I need a cocktail or formal gown. My friend Cajsa suggested I check out eBay. I did some poking around - saw some interesting things (who knew they had clothes on eBay dude it's been too long) and so I decided to log in to watch some of them.

After all - one might be a winner.

I log in with my eBay sign on (surprisingly I remembered it - I knew it'd been FOREVER since I used it-translate=years) but when I logged in I got this wonky message.

"Your account has been deactivated due to inactivity. Click here and we'll call the phone number on your account file to verify your identity."

Umm, I don't know what number is on file but it isn't this one - so - I click the OTHER option to get a csr - a CHAT CSR which, if you are in the field you know is either one of the best or the worst in the room - depending on the culture.

THAT conversation went like this.

• CSR - Hi I'd be glad to help you can you verify the address as it appears on your account?


• ME - No I can't see my acct obviously - I don't know what is on it. It's been a long time. Here, it might be my Indianapolis address which was XXXXX.


• CSR - Nope, I'm sorry that isn't the address. I have one in Tampa.......


• ME - Oh, ok, then here is my Tampa address.........


• CSR - Great. That's the correct address. Now I just need to CALL you at the number on file....


• ME -Ummm, no, you can't do that - I haven't LIVED there in two years. That is why I'm contacting you.


• CSR - Oh......well then you'll just have to get a new account.


• ME - I don't want to get a new account. I want to use my account. Isn't there anything you can do - I can VERIFY all the Tampa but I haven't had that phone number in two years.


• CSR - Well you could send me over a faxed copy of a current utility bill from that address.


• ME -What? If I haven't lived there in two years, why would I have a utility bill? That doesn't make sense.


• CSR - Yeah I'm sorry you'll just want to open a new account.


• ME -So I have to open a new account because you can't just verify my info by making a phone call to a number I haven't had in two years?
• CSR -Yes - I'd just open a new account.

Sigh.

So today I TRIED. Guess what. I'm not ABLE to open a new account as my email address all tied up in the account that fucktard wouldn't open for me. So I go BACK into a chat session.

• ME -Hi (explains entire previous conversation) and can't open my account now and I want to use my SAME Account. Can you help me?
• CSR - Yes - just verify your account info for me at the Tampa address.
• ME - I do so.
• CSR -Please hold while I unlock your account.
• ME -I wait
• CSR -Thanks so much, you are unlocked! Welcome back to eBay!

Good God. Should it BE this hard? It's NOT Fort Knox people! National Security secrets are not traded on eBay.

Train your CSRs better eBay. You look like a bunch of chumps when your team can only spit out canned responses and can't actually solve problems.

48 Hours of eBay Customer Service - 180 Degrees of Satisfaction

In the last 48 hours I've had both the worst and the best service experience with eBay.

My company is having a Venetian Carnivale Masked ball in a week - and I need a cocktail or formal gown. My friend Cajsa suggested I check out eBay. I did some poking around - saw some interesting things (who knew they had clothes on eBay dude it's been too long) and so I decided to log in to watch some of them.

After all - one might be a winner.

I log in with my eBay sign on (surprisingly I remembered it - I knew it'd been FOREVER since I used it-translate=years) but when I logged in I got this wonky message.

"Your account has been deactivated due to inactivity. Click here and we'll call the phone number on your account file to verify your identity."

Umm, I don't know what number is on file but it isn't this one - so - I click the OTHER option to get a csr - a CHAT CSR which, if you are in the field you know is either one of the best or the worst in the room - depending on the culture.

THAT conversation went like this.

• CSR - Hi I'd be glad to help you can you verify the address as it appears on your account?


• ME - No I can't see my acct obviously - I don't know what is on it. It's been a long time. Here, it might be my Indianapolis address which was XXXXX.


• CSR - Nope, I'm sorry that isn't the address. I have one in Tampa.......


• ME - Oh, ok, then here is my Tampa address.........


• CSR - Great. That's the correct address. Now I just need to CALL you at the number on file....


• ME -Ummm, no, you can't do that - I haven't LIVED there in two years. That is why I'm contacting you.


• CSR - Oh......well then you'll just have to get a new account.


• ME - I don't want to get a new account. I want to use my account. Isn't there anything you can do - I can VERIFY all the Tampa but I haven't had that phone number in two years.


• CSR - Well you could send me over a faxed copy of a current utility bill from that address.


• ME -What? If I haven't lived there in two years, why would I have a utility bill? That doesn't make sense.


• CSR - Yeah I'm sorry you'll just want to open a new account.


• ME -So I have to open a new account because you can't just verify my info by making a phone call to a number I haven't had in two years?
• CSR -Yes - I'd just open a new account.

Sigh.

So today I TRIED. Guess what. I'm not ABLE to open a new account as my email address all tied up in the account that fucktard wouldn't open for me. So I go BACK into a chat session.

• ME -Hi (explains entire previous conversation) and can't open my account now and I want to use my SAME Account. Can you help me?
• CSR - Yes - just verify your account info for me at the Tampa address.
• ME - I do so.
• CSR -Please hold while I unlock your account.
• ME -I wait
• CSR -Thanks so much, you are unlocked! Welcome back to eBay!

Good God. Should it BE this hard? It's NOT Fort Knox people! National Security secrets are not traded on eBay.

Train your CSRs better eBay. You look like a bunch of chumps when your team can only spit out canned responses and can't actually solve problems.