Customer service runaround

 We have our fair share of events and stories about things going stupid, with resultant failures in customer service.

Some of them are momentous enough that I write about them.  Then, if things get resolved, I write about that too.  Air Canada has proof.

This little tale takes almost a month to get to this point - and this point is - 72 hours after I was told I would be called back in 10 minutes…. Again.

Join me as we take the journey back, to where we started… online shopping with Home Depot.
We needed a freezer after our downsizing.  Pandemic is still at headless chicken action status, nobody knows what they should be doing - why aren’t those people wearing a mask????

I had been watching the websites looking for a freezer with a half decent delivery time frame (don’t own a truck anymore - this is now important).  Finally, 1 pops up with delivery July 14-16 (today being July 9) internet shows 3 at the local store... I jump on it, best shipping dates around - I will take it.

Finish the purchase - immediately states delivery now July 22nd…. WTF.  I get the emails on the 10th with shipping information confirming that it is leaving Calgary…. Sigh.. ok.
Getting closer and now it is the 20th, stating that its in town, but it doesn’t give a delivery date.  Phone Home Depot - they state shipper should call to arrange time for delivery.

22nd, I get a call - I am at work.
They are outside my apartment for delivery… but someone opened the door for them, it is outside my unit.

I come home from work to this

So, yes it is outside my door…(jacket and bag are mine)... they weren’t kidding.

So, I move it inside, and give it a quick once over…

Quick phone call to the guy that called me…. no , there was no damage when they delivered… I need to contact Home Depot …….. sigh.
According to Home depot website, I was supposed to refuse delivery of damaged goods - but I wasn’t there … so how to refuse?

Call Home Depot.. Their hold music wasn’t too bad.

They tell me the shipper is responsible - sigh.

I open the box to have a look - maybe it isn’t all that bad…. I can hope can’t I?


So, now to the UPS website I go….  ….trying to use the chat bot to get the details and help I need… not helpful.
Ask to speak to the agent…. Get a 1 800 number.... I call - closed now…

Back to the website...try ….Click on “file a claim”

Could it be that simple… I have hope.

Spend about an hour - needed to downsize the photos I took, need photos from angle A, B, shipping label, and C. Putting all this info into their webform…. Let us hope this works.

*****Submits claim*****

“Claim cannot be submitted at this time”

Sigh.

Try to fill in everything again, goes faster this time - photos already the proper size, and in one file on my desktop.

*****Submits claim*****

“Claim cannot be submitted at this time”

&%$&&**#@

At this point - we are at the FUCK IT, plug this thing in to see if it works, how bad is the hinge broken?  It binds up but still opens and closes… so, we start using it….. Needed a Costco run, so put items in it.. Now we don’t need to run for groceries as much.

Another day, 2 When home from work when UPS call center was open,
Back on to the phone I go… UPS hold music… might be better, but I wasn’t really in the mood.

Get an agent….. They take the info, tell me a claim is submitted…. Someone will call me right back… yay, look at this go.

*******

A week passes.
I call back….. They take the details… someone will call.

I hang up, my wife laughs at my optimism - it wasn’t optimism, I just didn’t want to deal with the person on the phone anymore.

So, here we are again, now August 4th, I call back.
I call back….. They take the details… someone will call….  

I cut and pasted that last line above… My wife still shakes her head at me for not talking to a manager or anything.

Late the next day … someone calls, I feel vindicated and excited, this is the local office.
They ask me what is going on….

I say - I don’t know, I have a damaged package, what is supposed to happen? will someone fix it?  Only need someone to come replace a damaged hinge…. That would cost less than shipping the freezer back to…. Well……. ANYWHERE.

She isn’t sure what is going on, so …. Someone will call me in 10 minutes……

That was 72 hours ago…

Nobody has called……


The resultant lesson - don’t buy shit online from Home Depot that ships via UPS…
If I wanted scratch and dent, I would have gone on kijiji or FB marketplace and bought a used or damaged one.. Most probably for less money, less headache too…

So - save time, go find a scratch and dent place, or rent a truck, go to Home Depot and have them hit it with a forklift….. Exact same result, it would just have taken me less time.
Either way, I have a freezer with a bent hinge. 3

Now - by comparison….

Dining room table and chairs, ordered from Structube… they said 2 weeks. 4 2 weeks and day later. 5
They called to state - here between 11 am and 2 pm the next day. 6
They showed up at 1215.
They forgot half the order.

We called(as instructed by the guys that delivered the table), they said it would come tomorrow - based on our experience above… No F’IN way… want it today.

It showed up at 315 pm.