Blind to Customer Service

Once upon a time there was couple who decided to move and buy a big house that did not come with blinds.  The husband asked his coworkers about the cost of blinds and when they reported that blinds cost $10,000 he decided that blinds would be on the bottom of the “need in new house list”.  He decided that things like built ins and backyard patios were much more important.  Good thing he is married to a wonderful woman with common sense.  She told him that the blinds they would be purchasing would not be REAL wood, but FAUX wood and they would look great. 

So they shopped around and decided to buy the blinds at Lowes Home Improvement Store.  They had always been loyal to Home Depot because it was right down the road from their old home.  In their new home, the Home Depot and Lowes were basically across the street from each other.  The wife called to set up someone to come measure the 24 windows that would need to be fitted.  The girl who came out was VERY professional, nice, and precise (she was not a Lowes employee, but a contractor). 

 

A few days later a Lowes employee called the husband and told him he needed to drive to the store, pay for the blinds (they ended up being about $2500), and sign some papers.  This was inconvenient because the couple was in the middle of a move, but he went because he realized that, yes, the wife was right and blinds should be at the top of the list.  The husband paid for the blinds but after 45 minutes was told that they couldn’t find the paperwork (???) and he would have to come back another day.  He left and went back a few days later to sign the paperwork only to be told, “sorry, we can’t find the paperwork, you have to come back a third time”.  The husband could not understand why he would have to make a 3^rd trip to a store when he had already paid for the blinds.

The wife decided that she would make the third trip and sign the paper work.  When she got to the blinds department the employees were making excuses (just like on the phone).  They all pointed the finger at someone else.  The wife toldone of the unprofessional employees that she didn’t care whose fault it was, but everyone was throwing each other under the bus and she didn’t appreciate having to drive to Lowes a million times in the middle of a move.

 

The Lowes people said the blinds would be in from 7-14 days.  The wife called yesterday to check on the status of the blinds only to be told they wouldn't be there until August 4^th (today is July 30).  All day long the wife missed calls from an 800 Lowes number.  When the wife called the store to find out about the blinds, she was told by the blind lady, “give me your number and I will call you back because I am not by my computer”.  The call never came.  Instead, an automated call came later in the day saying that the blinds were in the store and to please come pick them up and schedule an installation date.  The poor husband who woke up at 4 am to go to work was exhausted but agreed to drive to Lowes to pick up the blinds. 

He waited an hour at Lowes to be told that they were not there.  Apparently the installer had them.  He left empty handed and tired.  He was greeted by his wife who had stayed home because the Comcast people said they were coming from 4-6. He was not happy to hear that Comcast stood them up. No call, no stop by, no nothing.

Customer service…you have to love it. 

 

P.S. Both the husband and wife get that these are first world problems and are extremely grateful for everything else in their lives!