Denver Man Fights 5 Months For Good Customer Service
DENVER, Colo. (CBS4) - Poor customer service can be very frustrating, but being proactive may make a difference when you have a complaint
According to a survey done by Arizona State University in November 2011, 47 percent of respondents said they felt they get nothing from their efforts to complain. That's exactly how Charles Fellows felt when he tried to get a simple fix to his problem.
Fellows got a check for $458 from Western Union. On his way to the bank to deposit the check, he accidentally ripped it in two.
"I thought 'I really messed up, " Fellows told CBS4.
The bank wouldn't deposit the check, and Western Union told him they wouldn't have honored the torn check. Fellow needed a new check.
He got the proper paperwork, filled it out and faxed it back. Then the waiting began.
"Never heard a thing," Fellows said.
Weeks had gone by when Fellows called for an update.
"The only contact I can get is through the customer service which proves to be of no help," Fellows explained.
The only phone number Fellows could find was for the Customer Service office, but it's Western Union's Correspondence Desk that needed to issue the check. Fellows could never get through to them.
"Well, for me it was pretty frustrating," Fellows said.
After 5 months of waiting, Fellows contacted 4 On Your Side, and CBS4 then contacted Western Union. They issued this statement:
"We regret that Mr. Fellows experienced a delay in receiving his replacement check. At Western Union we strive to resolve customer inquiries with speed and efficiency, so the initial response Mr. Fellows received was unacceptable."
Customer service should be a company's bread and butter, and there are a few things you can do to get a more successful customer service experience:
- Make your pitch in person. Face-to-face contact makes it harder for the business to ignore you.
- Bypass automated phone menus. Websites like dialahuman.com and gethuman.com can help you negotiate those automated phone systems.
- Keep good records. Take notes about who you talked to, when, and the response you got.
- Escalate your complaint. If you're not getting satisfaction, go higher up the chain of command.
- Keep Your Cool. You are more likely to get help, if you are not confrontational.
- Use the Internet. Post your problem online to websites like Facebook and Twitter. If a lot of people have the same complaint, you are sure to get the company's attention.
"I'm very happy to have this check," Fellows said.
Within 3 days of getting the 4 On Your Side call, Fellows got a replacement check.
"It's nice that Channel 4, you and Channel 4 were able to spur Western Union into sending this check," Fellows said.
RELATED: More Reports By 4 On Your Side Consumer Investigator Jodi Brooks
- Written for the Web by CBS4 Special Projects Producer Libby Smith
