Poor Customer Service II - The CIBC Experience - Updated

This blog entry has been updated just because of the comments section - mostly my own - as of early morning Feb. 3, 2012.It's very nice to know that at least with one company... monitoring social media and then dealing with a customer is a good way to do business. McDonalds and KFC - wherefore at thou? LEGO store - thanks for thanking me... keep up the great work.
 

Do you know what I hate? It's poor customer service.

I never thought I would ever have to write this one, but the customer service I have received and subsequently not received from a place I have utilized for decades is annoying.

I have been dealing with the CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) since around 1990 when I first began working for the Toronto Star newspaper upon graduation from Humber College's journalism program (damn fine school, by the way!).

I actually have nothing bad to say about the CIBC as a banking institution. They have been more than fair to me and their customer service has been pretty decent.

My complaint actually revolves around the CIBC Visa department. That's the CIBC's credit card department.

I have actually had a CIBC credit card since 1990. I even took one with me to Japan for three years and used it with aplomb to purchase many an antique piece of art I have. Thank-you for allowing me to do that.

I did cancel it a few years ago when I received a mortgage from another institution (arranged by my wife), even though I did continue to be a CIBC bank customer. That loyalty was rewarded in 2010 when the bank without much prompting offered me a $45,000 line of credit at a fantastic rate... simply because I had been a customer in very good standing. Again... thank-you very much. I owe you. Don't I?

However, in September of 2011 after learning from the CIBC that I could get a better banking account than the one I currently had with fewer bank charges, I jumped at that chance. Unfortunately, one of the things I had to do was open up a CIBC Visa credit card to get that better account. Sure there was a string attached to the bank account, but whatever.

CIBC Visa sent me a statement earlier this month warning me that I had charges totaling $357.22, and that I had missed a $20 minimum payment on January 14, and that I should pay a total minimum payment of $30 by February 14, 2012.

All cool. I should have made the measly $20 payment - but I forgot to do so. My car died (I hate SAAB!) on me and I had no time or even a way to make it to a bank.

However... on Saturday, January 21, 2012, I received a phone call from CIBC Visa. I should note that they also called on January 20 and again the day before that on January 19 - five days after my little $20 payment was due.

I picked up the phone this time, as I was in. By the way... no message was left the other times from CIBC, but thanks to Call Display on my phone, I know they had called.

The call was from some young woman with a thick Indian accent who identified herself, but not clearly.

Just for the record... I am of Indian descent, and although I have never been to India, my parents were both born there.

She began to warn me that I had missed a payment (Heavens! I am a whole seven days late! The sky is falling!), and that she didn't want my credit rating to be affected by any non-payment of bills owing.

First off... my credit rating is pretty damn good. I've also been a CIBC customer for decades, and have also been a credit card user with CIBC Visa for many years. However, according to her records, I am a new CIBC Visa credit card customer and she felt the need to inform me all about how I need to pay bills on time or suffer the wrath of the dreaded credit rating penalty.

Big whoop. I own nothing and am currently in no danger of owning a house or car. How will the threat of my credit rating going down affect me? Truthfully, it won't.

Still... I was late with a payment, and the CIBC Visa department was fair to warn me.

I do think it's ridiculous to call me and harass me for being seven days late. Only the day before had I received my credit card statement informing me I had missed a payment and to please make sure I paid the minimum by February 14, 2012.

But she kept on yammering at me. Chastising me. Trying to make me feel worthless.

Now maybe it was the nicotine withdrawls, or maybe I just don't care for people being dicks, but I had enough.

I told her I would make the $20 payment tomorrow (the 22nd.... which I did), but then she wanted to know how much of a payment I would be making on February 14.

I beg your pardon?
   
That's none of your business, I snapped.

She said it was.

Uh, no. I'll pay what I owe because I missed a payment, but it's no one's business how much money I will be paying for the next credit card statement! I have three weeks plus to think about it! I don't owe any sort of explanation to some stupid bitch in a call center whose weekly salary equals my daily salary (I exaggerate, but you know what I mean).

I told her I don't have to tell her what my future payment will be.

She argued that I had to, that it was CIBC Visa policy.

Bull.

I asked to speak with her manager, please.

She asked: "Why? Why do you want to speak to a manager?"

Are you serious? Why? I'm just thinking that. I tell her because I want to talk to your manager. That should be explanation enough.

She starts up again about the need to maintain my credit rating because I am so new to the CIBC Visa credit card.

Frustrated with not getting my request for a manager, I hung up on her.

I immediately called up the CIBC bank and asked who I could complain to about the CIBC Visa customer service. While they apologized profusely for that department's lack of tack, they are indeed a separate department, and I would have to call them. They politely transferred me and I was quickly picked up by a young Indian man whose name I can not pronounce. Still... his English was good and he was polite.

He heard my complaint, apologized to me, and even noted through his computer that someone from CIBC Visa had indeed talked to me minutes earlier. Good... they now believe I wasn't making up things.

I told him I wanted to talk to a manager to lodge a complaint.

He said no problem - that someone  - a manager - would contact me within two working days.

Two days? Two working days? Is there not a single manager at this call center? Or... could this call center be in India... and it's going to take that long to get hold of some dumb Canadian manager to chat with me?

Two working days?

Uh, people... you dumb asses are working on a Saturday. As well... if I call CIBC Visa on Sunday, I'm pretty sure someone will be there to talk to me... that's also a working day. So technically, someone could call me on Sunday... or Monday if I really want to give them 48 hours and two working days.

But let's suppose the guy meant two business days - even though he did not state that - that would mean Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

It's Friday now. Friday, January 27, 2012. Seven days late. No one has called me back. No one. I know... I have Call freaking Display.

I suppose my request may have been lost in translation over this new interweeb thingamabob that Bob Dole invented a few years ago.

How quick CIBC Visa's customer service department was to get on the telephone to harass a long-time CIBC bank customer for being five days late with a $20 payment. Oh my god... did I cause CIBC to not make an extra couple of million dollars that week? I'm sorry. Please arrange to garnish my salary for a few weeks if that will help. 

But look how slow they are to respond to a customer who wants service from a manager! It's all fine when you want my money, but not fine when I want--no demand--customer service.

For shame!

I will pay off my CIBC Visa, and while I will not cut it up, I will not use it ever again.

Do you know what I hate?

I hate the poor customer service offered by CIBC Visa. You suck.

Poor Customer Service

Here there be: good customer service!!!

Do you know what I hate?

Poor customer service.

I'm a working stiff. I don't just sit on my ass writing these blogs. I do that in my free time. For me - just as it is for you, time is money. And, when I have the time to spend my money, I want to be treated like I matter.

Everybody wants to matter.

For this blog entry, I am going to give you a couple of examples of extremely poor customer service, and come right back with a pair of extremely good customer service examples.

Fair is foul, and foul is fair, right... particularly since I bastardize Shakespeare in the blog description right under the main title.

I am going to write about some Toronto area places. It may not mean anything to you living in another country, but it will help you decide if YOU are getting effective customer service or merely being served one up the butt.

I am going to write about McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and LEGO. I actually do like all of their products. However...

Perhaps one of the worst places I have every been "served" has to be the KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) outlet located on Dundas just north of the Kipling train station here in good old Toronto. I know the exact location doesn't mean anything to most of you global visitors, but perhaps someone from KFC will take notice and come down with the wrath of Harland on their collective ass.

Considering Colonel Harland David Sanders was a southern gentleman (or so he appeared), it might come as a shock to discover that one of the franchises bearing his shortened kid-friendly name (KFC) has, what can only be described as, deplorable customer service.

And not just once or twice, either... but every single time my wife goes there... which I am sorry to say may be never again. Which sucks, because I do love the seven herbs and spices!

All my wife wants when she goes there is thighs. Not three or four, sometimes not even two... one will do... but at this particular restaurant that has been in the area for at least 39 years - that's how long I have lived here (and longer - I'm sure there was a Scott's Chicken Villa there as a sit-in family restaurant there before that!)... the customer is not always allowed to purchase the meal they want.

On two separate occasions different staff told my wife that it would be 10 minutes before they had her thigh (singular) ready. Fifteen minutes passed. and when my wife inquired, the staff member then went to check in at the back where the chicken is prepared and came out seconds later to state that they do not have any more thighs.

Do you offer thighs for sale at KFC? Yes. Do you always have some ready considering they seem to be a popular item? No. And that's fine. It's not acceptable, but at least I, as a consumer, understand that a popular item may sell out. But does KFC understand supply and demand? Apparently not at this store. 

Now... real customer service would involve everybody coming over to apologize and to offer something for free - as a way to soothe any possible ruffled feathers. But not at this KFC! Nope. Not only did no one offer any gift certificate of free coleslaw or a bottle of pop or heck - a couple of free pieces of chicken - but no one actually offered an apology. Zip. Nada. Nothing.

KFC sucks! Or at least this store does.

Another downer of a place to visit is the McDonald's just west of the Kipling station on the south side of Dundas. In fact... it's about 200 meters west of the aforementioned KFC. Must be some sort of nexus of poor social skills.

Now... I can't say enough positive things about the friendliness of the drive-through staff who take my order. Fantastic!

No mater what, I always get a warm greeting, am asked how I am doing and even have them wait for my answer. They then ask for my order - all done with polite efficiency. I pay at the first window, and move along to the second to get my food.

And that's when it all falls apart.

The young lady who serves me doesn't say a word as she opens the window and hands me my drink. It doesn't matter that I say thank-you as she does so. There is no vocalized sound from her. No twinkling of the eyes. No smile. The drive-thru window slams shut in my face as I await the food, which does quickly comes. I know they don't want car exhaust fumes in their face - that's fine - but still... aside from physically handing me my drink, I have received no indication that I even exist in her world.

Now... was this just a solitary incident? No. I go there at least once a week, and five times in a row, I was 'lucky' enough to be served by her. Wait... it gets better...

The drive-thru window opens up again, and without even seeing if I am paying attention (I usually am), I see her arms thrust out with my bags of food. There is still no vocalization from her. Now I know she can talk because after I quickly say thank-you again (previous time was for the drink), the window is closed again... but not before I hear her yell to one of her co-workers that she is going on a break in 15 minutes.

Apparently forgotten again because she will soon have her break, I place my food on my car seat beside me and hand my son his Happy Meal. By the way, my son always likes the chicken nuggets, but not once has he ever received a dipping sauce... in fact, not once have I ever been asked if I want one or even what flavor might I want. For shame!

Regarding the non-communicative sales clerk at the drive-thru... well, I  can't blame it on the cool weather now hitting Toronto. This has happened a few times before through the summer.

She's just a miserable bitch, and I hate that McDonald's.

I could hate just her, but whomever the manager is has not trained her either, and bears a load of responsibility there. Surely someone observes her interaction - or rather, lack of interaction - with the customers. Surely someone can say something, anything to make her greet the customer as though they matter.

It sucks to not matter... I mean, this is McDonald's!

I've seen some great customer service - like the uber-friendly woman at the drive through at the McDonald's in Brampton on Highway 10 just south of Steeles!

I once asked her to call her manager and told her just how impressed I was with her and her manners, and told him he should watch himself because she should be a manager there one day. He laughed and smiled and agreed with my assessment, wished me a wonderful day and said he hoped to see me again soon.

Now that was customer service. Plus... they always got my order 100% correct. Always. Fifty-two times a year. Sometimes more if I'm getting a breakfast on the way to a magazine interview!

See? This McDonald's I love. It's a pity it's not near me and even a greater pity that not all McDonald's are created equal.

That was a bad and a good description for the same company.

Now, let me mention the final good example of customer service:  The LEGO store over at Sherway Gardens in Toronto.

I do go there often, and I do spend a few bucks there. Probably more than I should.

But proving that a little kindness goes a long way, the staff at this particular store are simply the best. Belinda, Geoff, Tyler, Shannon, Michael, Jason, Lisa, Randa, another Geoff ... cripes, I'm afraid I've left others out - but just know, I have received nothing but stellar support, service and friendship from every single person who works at this store!

With my 6-year-old son in tow, we visit at least once a week. Granted we are smiling and polite - but I am all the time regardless of where I am. ... but the LEGO staff are courteous beyond belief.

They come out from their break or from the back office to say hello to my son and I. We get personal service like we are best friends - and it's not just for me - though I think I do get some preferential treatment - but they are great to everyone.

My wife went into the shop before Christmas looking for a particular item for our son. My wife doesn't like crowded stores at Christmas, and she has no interest in LEGO either, so this may have been one of her first times in this shop.

The first person she sees greeted her with a smile and a hello. After a few moments of not being able to find the LEGO product I told her to get, she asked a LEGO store employee for help (taller Geoff, I believe). She said that her husband (me) may have asked that the store put away a product for us.

I've never done that, but the LEGO store employee asked what her husband's name was.

She began: "Andrew - " and didn't need to finish...

"Ohhh! Andrew and Hudson (my son)!"

My wife was flabbergasted and nodded a yes, making a mental note to lambaste me over my obviously excessive purchasing practices at this store.

While there was nothing there in my name or anywhere in the store's inventory, the LEGO employee went that extra mile.

"Let me check with our other Toronto store."  

One of what we were looking for was there, it was put aside for us, and lo and behold when my wife drove out to that other store, it was indeed waiting for us allowing for our son to have a merry, if not some-what spoiled Christmas. 

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have recommended this shop to other adults! If I wanted, I could tell my friends to inform the LEGO staff they are friends of mine - but it wouldn't  matter. Fast, efficient, knowledgeable, friendly service from people who like what they are doing. Kudos have to go management for looking for the right fit like a building block.

The LEGO shop in Toronto's west end rocks! Tell them you know me. Not that it matters. They know what customer service is!

Still... McDonald's and KFC... do you know what I hate?

Poor customer service.

People Who Don't Say Thank-you

So there I was at the local McDonald's getting my community-discounted medium coffee. Two girls were in front of me - and were awaiting their order. One of them dropped something - and no one noticed - not even I.

The 50-ish guy behind me did, and tapped one of the girls on the shoulder to politely tell her she had dropped something. To be fair to the guy, the dropped item was in such a place that to bend down and stick a hand there to pick it up would have been obtrusive.

The girls, in their late teens or early 20s, continued talking to each other, while one bent down and picked it up.

Not so much as an acknowledgment to the man. No smile. No nod. And definitely no thank-you.

Hooo-oly crap.

I turned the man and said... "Let me just say this on their behalf: Thank-you."

He smiled at me and said, "Ahhh, it doesn't even matter. I don't even expect it anymore."

You know what's worse than people not having manners? Someone losing faith that people will actually have manners.

I hate people who don't say thank-you.