Customer Service @ Circuit City

Because I've managed customer service functions, I've come to expect high quality customer service from other businesses. As a result, poor customer service is a major pet peeve of mine.

I'll be traveling and attending out-of-the-office meetings more often in my new position, so I am now in need of a laptop. To my surprise, I was given:

• A list of specs the laptop must have
• A wad of cash to make a purchase (or actually, the company credit card number and a budget)
• The freedom to go buy the thing myself

This came as a surprise. In my previous position, our IT department took care of purchasing computers and laptops as needed...I had no influence over what was purchased. Now I'm being told that since this will be my computer, they want me to pick out something I like.

No objections here!

I started out by shopping online. In fact, I was on the verge of making my purchase from Dell, when I decided to visit a couple of retailers to check out their stock first.

I started with Best Buy and an office store. Associates at both places were quick to offer me assistance and talk me through the features. The fact that I was in the market for something more "high-end" seemed to stimulate their zeal.

Then I went to Circuit City. Not only did I need to track down someone to help me after spending quite a bit of time browsing, but it almost seemed as though I was inconveniencing the sales person who got stuck tending to me. To top things off, the guy eventually had to take a phone call and then never came back!

Fortunately, I had gathered enough information to make a decision.

Unfortunately, it appeared that my best bet was going to be a computer I had found at their store...although I carefully considered buying elsewhere out of spite.

After deciding to make the purchase, I had a hell of a time tracking someone down. At one point, a manager walked by...he didn't acknowledge me...but I flagged him down to let him know that I was ready to buy. And even then, it still took a while for a store employee to make their way over to me. Come on, I was making a sizeable purchase...the quality of service should have reflected that. But, it didn't.

Coincidentally, the same manager I encountered earlier happened to be around when I was checking out. Sensing my dissatisfaction (and probably noticing the total on the sale), he made a puny attempt to rectify the situation with flattery.

"Hey, thanks for being so patient earlier ma'am."

I responded with a confused and somewhat sarcastic look.

In retrospect, I now wish I would have said something witty in response. Perhaps something about my patience being long gone...or whatever. In fact, while typing this entry, I considered changing that part of the story to make myself sound more heroic. But I decided against it.

The point of this story: Customer service at Circuit City sucks.