UPDATE: Since posting the blog entry, I received another e-mail from the customer service man. Here’s what he said:
The $100 gift card should arrive shortly and I hope that it would be a peace offering on this issue.
So, let’s make sure I understand what he’s saying.
- You paid $1,149.99 for this laptop a bit over 2 years ago.
- Additionally, you paid $354.99 for an extended warranty.
- You sent the computer off to us to be repaired. We cracked the case and though the computer is still working, the crack is spreading.
- We will give you $100 and hope you are happy!
I guess I don’t understand why, when things in the business world are tight, it’s easy to treat the customers this way but without customers, where would a store like Office Depot be? I don’t even think (nor do I hope) that my rant would cause Office Depot to suffer. There are many good, honest, and helpful people who work for Office Depot. They’re the ones who are struggling to make ends meet. Those at the top are calling the shots and dictating that customers be treated like disposable items. According to an article at PalmBeachPost.com, the Office Depot CEO was paid in excess of $12.9 million in 2007. I could care less how much he makes but they’re going to offer me $100 toward this 2 year old computer that cost me over $1,500 and I’m supposed to accept it as a “peace offering”?
Don’t think so!
Here’s my original blog post for the day . .
Remember my laptop with the crack in the top? Apparently my dealings with Office Depot have concluded and they refuse to do anything about it. In the grand scheme of things, this isn’t a big deal but I will never, ever, no matter how cheap they’re selling it for, buy anything else . . ever . . from Office Depot and we’ve bought a lot of computers, printers, cameras, paper, etc. from them through the years.
The corporate customer service (and I use the word “service” with hesitation) doesn’t call back when he tells me he will, takes days to respond to e-mails and then tells me
“We have been severely short staffed and I have been on the phones all day.”
Like I care! 🙂 The CEO makes mega million $$ each year . . maybe he could take a small cut in pay and hire some help or better yet, maybe the customers will go somewhere else and some of the load will be alleviated from the customer service department.
The current Readers Digest has an article about rebates and the scams some companies are pulling. Office Depot is one of the ones named there too.
And, get this . . Friday I got a pretty nasty comment on my previous Office Depot post from someone at the Office Depot corporate offices. It’s so nice that WordPress tracks IP numbers! Bet they never thought of that.
Julia says
Interesting, how they take the time to read your blog and leave a nasty comment, but don’t do anything to correct the problem and make a happy customer.
I haven’t dealt with them in the past and I certainly won’t in the future.
Maria in Iowa says
*races off to read nasty comment*
*can’t find it*
Erin says
the nerve of them reading your blog and not helping you out..you have always had integrity and honesty and if they read your entire blog they would have understood that and realized that you are a giver, not a taker or manipulator, so they would have done the right thing! I guess what goes around comes around and they will suffer because word of mouth travels fast, do not buy anything from Office Depot!!
Ruthie says
Why would they think you would want to make any purchases at Office Depot? Hopefully you can sell the silly gift card to some unsuspecting soul, if and when it arrives.
Colleen says
Ban Office Depot! Who is with me??? I can’t believe that they damage your item and won’t stand behind it. CRAZY. Glad you ruffled their feathers over there.
Marlene says
Several months ago I ordered a hutch from Office Depot. It was in 2 parts…the bottom with drawers and the top with glass doors. The first time they brought it to me they didn’t even unload it because they could hear the glass rattling around in the bottome of the box. The second time they brought it to me they left me the bottom but returned the top because, again, glass broken in the box. The third time they brought it to me it was broken, I gave them back the bottom and said “don’t call me, I’ll call you.” Where I live there’s really not any competition for them right now so I wait until I go to a nearby town and shop from a competitor. I will add this caveat – at the local store people are super nice and friendly and helpful. I really liked shopping there. But that doesn’t help if I can’t get the merchandise in one piece. Blessings, marlene
Susan says
Wow, Judy, that’s awful! Paul said, when I read him your post, that he agrees with you, but please let him know when you find a company that’s doing business differently. =) It seems to be the rule of the day that customer service is dead. With the economy the way it is, you would imagine that someone would wake up and say, “Hey, there’s a niche out there for someone with good customer service!”
MJ says
Yup, OD just added to my banned list… Speaking of Banned… Amazon is on it. Anyone know any other good sites to purchase inexpensive books?
Pat says
Have you tried a direct letter to the CEO’s office? I did that once with a problem with Verizon and got a rather immediate phone call and more action than I’d gotten on all my previous contacts (with people lower on the rung of leadership with Verizon). It might not help, BUT…it surely can’t hurt. Good luck and keep us posted.
pdudgeon says
by my calculations they still owe you $77.48 cents (above and beyond that $100.00) to cover the remaining 6 months of the voided extended warranty.
(they must have not realized that quilters can do the math.)
Vicky says
Since they read the other blog you made about their company, I hope they read this one. And I hope they realize that several hundred people a day read your blog! Thanks for letting us know about them. I was about to go do some buying at their store, but I think I’ll just head over to Staples instead!
Terri says
Sadly this type of “customer service” is becoming the norm. Very sad. OD recently opened here but now I’ll stick to OfficeMax or Staples. Hopefully they will step up and do the right thing.
Jeanne says
It’s so outrageous I am fuming here and it’s not even my computer! It’s difficult to feel loyal to a company if this is the way they operate. No OD for me either!
Tricia Sagen says
If you have the desire or energy, I would just keep going up the ladder. Keep going until you get to the person who CAN say “yes” to you. I don’t know if it’s worth the trouble and effort to you, but one more rung or two up the ladder might do the trick?(or not, who knows these days?!-but I have used this “trick of the trade” with good results before.)
Try to keep sane…it probably doesn’t help that it is just plain HOT out!!!
Tricia
Dot says
Have you tried to call the corporate office and talk with one of the CEO’s assistance? I use to work for a major retailer and believe me an unhappy call to the CEO’s office worked. Good luck.
Susan says
You might also consider posting your experience on sites like Angie’s List and ePinions. A gift card is NOT a refund! They owe you much more than the cost of the extended warranty. This damage was done by THEM. They owe you a new computer at the very least.
8^)
Judi says
My computer woes are continuing also. My laptop is still at Best Buy this has been over a month now and we heard today from the corporate office they left a message on my dh’s cell phone to call them. Hmmm maybe they read the post on my blog also.
KD says
What many consumers do not realize is this, the service company IS NOT an Office Depot company. Yes, to you this doesn’t make any difference at all, but my brother in law worked for Geek Squad at BB for a few years, and saw worse than what you describe more times than you may think. Having worked for Staples, I saw our in-store tech repair flat out refuse to work on many laptops unless it was something easily repaired, such as a hard drive, etc. Unlike desktop computers, laptops are much MUCH more difficult to work on. I defy any person to get into one, even if one is “certified” to do it. It does suck that you have had so much trouble with your laptop, but you also need to see it from the other side. The repair company is at fault, not Office Depot. Being a consumer who works retail, I get a perspective that those who do not work retail do not see.