I can’t get no satisfaction

Previously posted elsewhere on 2 Aug 2006

Is it just me or is it getting harder to get good service?

Case I: bought a new mattress and paid quite a bit to get it delivered. It didn’t arrive the first week after we bought it so I had to phone the store three times to find out they didn’t have the mattress we wanted in town so it was being shipped in from Ontario. The second time I had called, the saleswoman said she’d find out where our mattress was and call us back. The delivery company called on Friday while were were out of town. I thought I’d wait until we returned before calling them back but they called again Saturday at 8:30 in the morning. I missed that call but phoned them back 15 - 30 minutes later. At that time, their system was down for inventory and I’d have to call Tuesday to schedule delivery. Well, I called five times yesterday, left two messages and I still don’t have a delivery scheduled.

Case II: I broke the clip for the extendable leg on my tripod. I searched the manufacturer’s site for a Canadian dealer and found one in Ontario. I e-mailed them and they got right back to me with technical drawings and we figured out what I needed; an $8 clip but $15 for shipping if I ordered from them. They suggested I try to order it from a store here. I phoned The Camera Store on 10 July. I tell them the exact part I want and that it’s in stock from their supplier and that it’s $8. Their rep comes in that morning and they phone back saying that my part is on order and it will arrive at the end of the week. I phone back one week later on Wednesday. The salesman I talk to rudely tells me that, if I haven’t been called, my part isn’t in. One week later I phone again and the much nicer saleswoman says the same thing but she’ll keep an eye out for my order. Two days ago, three whole weeks after ordering, I phone again. The salesman is helpful and actually tries to figure out where my order is. Of course, it’s not there and I’m not sure what’s happening. They called me back once to say my part had been ordered but promised to phone back a second time after talking to someone from the company that makes my tripod. They never did phone back. If I get bored at work today I might try somewhere else and give The Camera Store a piece of my mind. I’m in the market for a digital SLR camera but, if The Camera Store cannot even order a small part for which I told them the price and availability from their supplier, I think I’ll take my business elsewhere.