Report Says U.S. Shoppers Irked By Poor Customer Service

June 7, 2011 8:23 PM

File Image (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

Reporting Kate Merrill

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Consumer, News, Seen On WBZ-TV, Watch + Listen

BOSTON (CBS) – It is the frustrating reality of being a consumer, and some say its getting worse.

It turns out most of us aren’t very happy with customer service at stores across the country.

According to a survey by Consumer Reports, 65 percent are “tremendously annoyed” by rude salespeople, while 64 percent said they have left a store due to poor service.

Some of the biggest gripes for consumers include:

Not talking to an actual human on the phone
The many steps needed to get to talk to a person on the phone
Rude or pushy sales people

So, what’s a unhappy consumer to do?

WBZ-TV’s Kate Merrill reports.

Consumer Reports recommends that customers:

Find a real live person to complain to
Keep a record of when you called and who you spoke to
Take the record to the supervisors and be persistent and loud
Use social media outlets like Twitter

On the flip side, Consumer Reports advises customers to avoid being a complainer. Make sure you give praise when you get a good outcome.

Consumer Reports also identified the best and worst companies when it comes to customer service.

Walmart and Sam’s Club were among the worst in eight catagories, including appliances, electronics, cell phones and supermarkets.

Meanwhile, Apple won praise for their retail service for cell phones, computer tech support and electronics.

Report Says U.S. Shoppers Irked By Poor Customer Service

Nikki

As a chronic shopper and a former waitress, I can see both sides of it, because it’s really hard to be nice or helpful if someone thinks being “persistent and loud” is going to change anything. I think it boils down to a lack of courtesy on both ends. It’s not hard to smile or be polite whether you’re wearing an apron or not, and I constantly find myself baffled at the rudeness and carelessness of the general public, which includes retail staff and wait-staff as well. The solution? Shop online!

kas

Nikki
While I can appreciate your point of views, I disagree. Shopping online is not the solution per say

In my opinion, people just don’t give a damn anymore. It is that simple. There is no customer service, maybe with the exception of wait staff but that is because there is a tip at the other end.

What people tend to forget is that we have a sky high unemployment in this country. If you loose your job tomorrow, you are looking at 6-12 months on unemployment easy, unless you are willing to take a massive pay cut

At this rate, I will make the statement that if you don’t know someone unemployed, you know someone who does know someone

Show some pride in your work. You don’t even have to mean it. (not you personally :))

Realize that if you don’t have a job tomorrow, odds are you won’t for months

At least pretend to give a damn

emom

Well for a change someone has noticed,,., BUT WAIT THERES MORE. As much as technology has taken the front row of our lives, sadly common sense , courtesy , kindness, and thoughtfulness have taken the last train which by the way is sitting on the dead track ready to fall over the edge. We complain about lack of service, not getting a live person, and rude employee’s. As much as that is TRUE,, the opposite is also true, CUSTOMERS, thinking they are ALWAYS RIGHT, screaming they want something which just may not happen, The world is not like Burger King , we cant get it our way all the time every time. Do you customers HAVE TO scream at the cashier about a price that comes up wrong… DO YOU … they only scan the product the computer only knows the correct prices IF the person in charge of CHANGING the prices has indeed done it correctly… Do you realize there is a CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK, get your order run up and dispute it with the service desk, DON’T SCREAM AT THE POOR CASHIER… its not their fault…. Next If your food is not YOUR WAY, just call the waitress over let her know and get it corrected,,, after all they place the order with about 50 – 100 other orders at the same time,, ITS the chef or cooks fault for scr3wing it up. Not the waitress or waiter… I just do not see the rational with ripping a person apart if they indeed have no control over the issue.. For one you are showing others how arrogant ,rude, disrespectful, and wrong you are… Sure the employees can be wrong in the right reasons, but if those employees are not the reason you are upset, PLEASE find the one that can FIX YOUR PROBLEM…
And besides, YOUR HOLDING UP THE DARN LINE AND IN SOME CASES SCARING CHILDREN WITH YOU VULGAR RANTS. Think before you spout your mouth off. After all ,,,,THE CUSTOMER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT MANY ARE JUST TOTALLY OUT OF LINE AND WRONG.
Mark

There is so much to this story that is left out to satisfy wbz’s time constraints. I learned a very long time ago three things happen in most sales transactions, good price, good product or good service. In almost all cases you can only get two ot of three for the bussiness to prosper and the customer to be happy. When I take a call from a unhappy customer, i get name and reliable callback number,get the correct information and call back. I find the customers who complain the most cannot be satisfied on most levels. The expectation of price to service is not in balance. Rudness on both sides is NEVER justified. If I go to a known “discount” store, my expectation is price over all other considerations. I EXPECT not to find knowlagable salespepole.
The Apple comparison is interesting and laughable to make. Apple has done a tremendous job of niche marketing and product placement. (I dont own any Apple products). If you want what Apple has to offer you go to them, get great customer service and pay for it. More indept reporting or follow up would good for the viewer to show this is a larger issue than just the “unhappy” customer”.