Dumb Ass Stupid Management: UPS, Amazon, Chase
Here are three examples of arrant stupidity:
UPS
I’m informed someone has hacked my account and I should change my password. But when I go to do so, UPS has already invalidated my current password. When I input my user ID to get a new password, I’m told that it doesn’t exist, although I’ve had it for 20 years.
I go to an online “chat,” have to go through THREE different agents, none can help me, and the last transfer says, “11 minute wait.” I disconnect, since I can easily use FedEx.
Amazon
I write to them because I confirm the books they order from me (Advantage Program) but they keep sending email to tell me they are not confirmed. It takes 14 separate clicks to confirm an order on Amazon, by the way. When I go to contact them about it, that takes six clicks.
A representative calls me from India with such a think accent she’s nearly unintelligible. I ask for someone more fluent in English. She says she is the only one there. I tell her I’ll hang up. She says to wait, she’ll find someone (all of this barely understandable). I’m left on hold and hang up.
Someone calls me back who speaks marginally better English. I go to the confirmation site and process with him, and he tells me to do what I’ve already been doing. Then he just keeps repeating the instructions like a machine. I hang up.
Chase
They call to tell me an auto payment is overdue by an automated system. They are correct, I never received a bill. I call back, but the responses are all automated. I keep hitting star until I get a representative. She explains what’s owed, but can’t respond to my point that the automated system does not tell you what’s owed, the address to send the payment, or the account number.
After I tell her the check will be mailed today, I receive another automated message. When I conform with this and tell them the date of the check, the system tells me that “June 29 is not a valid date.” Then what comes between June 28 and 30?
These firms don’t have a clue. What is the cost savings of outsourcing to India when the people can’t be understood, or the savings on automated systems that result in involving people anyway?
This is dumb ass, stupid management at heroic levels. UPS doesn’t care if I cancel my account, Amazon simply has a system set up to please IT people and not human beings, and Chase treats its best customers as numbers and not valued customers.
Anyone need a really great consultant??
© Alan Weiss 2016
Voss W Graham
These issues are expanding at a scary rate. Customer service involving real people solving real problems together appears to going in the same direction as the dodo birds. You could Comcast, social security Administration, Google and most of the Fortune 100 to your list.
The heroes of today are the companies who have competent – trained – customer service representatives to really help their customers to solve issues and problems.
As always Aian, thanks for sharing the things that need to be improved in this world for real business success.
Jeffrey Summers
This is what happens when technology is used to supplant the human experience. It’s transactional thinking at it’s worst.
Larry Keyes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Amazon simply has a system set up to please IT people and not human beings
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Actually, I’m IT people and I find these examples appalling! There is simply no excuse for such nonsense, but I don’t think things are going to get better any time soon, until enough customers decide to walk.