Comments on: Sears Canada: measuring the wrong service metrics http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics An outcome-driven leader, proven technology product developer, and marketer with over 20 years of hands-on experience including start-up, small and large business environments, and the board room. This is my blog. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:15:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Elzbieta http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4530 Elzbieta Thu, 01 Jul 2010 23:54:34 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4530 To ALL TECH GUYS.... I don't think when you come to service an appliance people start yelling. First of all....we, customers, are given rough time when you show up. NO ONE discusses the schedule with us. WE ALREADY PAID for your service IN ADVANCE by purchasing extended warranty, so don't act like you're doing ME a favour alright? The way I see it, I am doing YOU a favorite so you have a job in the first place. Second of all... There are many frustrating things in life, but this is another one when you come in, look at the appliance (sometimes not even that), and declare that you need part/parts that you DON'T HAVE with you ?! Well then, what the hell you came in for, in the first place!? Am I the ONLY ONE with this particular problem??? Thirdly...this is REALLY interesting, when after having to wait for the whatever part was needed, you come back and say WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE... WTF ???? excuse me! Who is the stupid one? Who is the ignorant one? Whenever I called, I am asked for a model and serial #. So, if you HAD MANY similar problems of the same make appliance, why make me wait??? Why shouldn't I be upset? YOU'RE the guy who supposed to fix it! That's like going to a garage for oil change, and once there, the guy would say he has to order the oil, even though he is in the oil change business!? Why should I be nice? I paid for your time and service already!!! Many appliances outlasted extended warranty without me ever calling for your service. Lucky me. So don't bitch about customers not being nice. Most of us don't get our monies worth with the appliances and the service anymore. I don't give a shit about your internal problems. It's NOT my problem. You job is to come and fix it, not making friends or procrastinate whether the customer was nice or not. You're right, we don't care about you. We want the appliance in working order because that's why we bought it. See? It goes both ways. And yes, some people's places are beyond filthy. Thank you. P.S . To be fair...Twice, over the years, I took my Kemnore sewing machine to get fix at Sears in Brantford, Ont. (Sears store shipped it out someplace...) I left a little note asking for a possible fast return as I was in the middle of sewing course and couldn't do with out it. GUESS WHAT? The machine got fixed promptly, and returned clean! I was ecstatic! I called and left the thank you, as well as passed it on for a great service. To ALL TECH GUYS….
I don't think when you come to service an appliance people start yelling.
First of all….we, customers, are given rough time when you show up. NO ONE discusses the schedule with us.
WE ALREADY PAID for your service IN ADVANCE by purchasing extended warranty, so don't act like you're doing ME a favour alright? The way I see it, I am doing YOU a favorite so you have a job in the first place.
Second of all… There are many frustrating things in life, but this is another one when you come in, look at the appliance (sometimes not even that), and declare that you need part/parts that you DON'T HAVE with you ?! Well then, what the hell you came in for, in the first place!?
Am I the ONLY ONE with this particular problem???
Thirdly…this is REALLY interesting, when after having to wait for the whatever part was needed, you come back and say WE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THESE…

WTF ???? excuse me! Who is the stupid one? Who is the ignorant one? Whenever I called, I am asked for a model and serial #.
So, if you HAD MANY similar problems of the same make appliance, why make me wait??? Why shouldn't I be upset? YOU'RE the guy who supposed to fix it!

That's like going to a garage for oil change, and once there, the guy would say he has to order the oil, even though he is in the oil change business!?

Why should I be nice? I paid for your time and service already!!!
Many appliances outlasted extended warranty without me ever calling for your service. Lucky me. So don't bitch about customers not being nice. Most of us don't get our monies worth with the appliances and the service anymore.

I don't give a shit about your internal problems. It's NOT my problem. You job is to come and fix it, not making friends or procrastinate whether the customer was nice or not. You're right, we don't care about you. We want the appliance in working order because that's why we bought it.

See? It goes both ways. And yes, some people's places are beyond filthy.
Thank you.
P.S . To be fair…Twice, over the years, I took my Kemnore sewing machine to get fix at Sears in Brantford, Ont. (Sears store shipped it out someplace…)
I left a little note asking for a possible fast return as I was in the middle of sewing course and couldn't do with out it.
GUESS WHAT?
The machine got fixed promptly, and returned clean! I was ecstatic! I called and left the thank you, as well as passed it on for a great service.

]]> By: gene http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4529 gene Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:33:19 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4529 Sears customer service has definitely declined. Its crazy to hear customers say they used to buy only Sears but now they will never use Sears again. The problem is with Sears corporate as they are squid. Here is a few observations. They keep firing good techs for violating some stupid rules so they can hire somebody who doesn't know how to change a light bulb just so they can pay him less. Out of thirty techs in my group when I started a year ago half of them are gone! They changed their routing system which is evolving into a 'total' disaster. The old routing system had problems, and for months at our meetings our tech manager would deflect our complaints repititiously saying, "thats all going to go away with the new system." Well this new rollout from ESRI sucks 10 times worse! Used to we could see our calls at the start of the day and could run more calls because we could switch them around to minimize drive time. Now they give us one call at a time, so we could have a call, drive 30 miles to the next, then drive to a house on the same block where we started. Its happened to me more than once! And if you try to call one of the blockheads they hired to run that circus to change them around they respond, "the systems not letting me." Used to I ran 12-14 calls a day. Now 6-8. The result is people in rural areas waiting 30 days for someone to come out! God help them if its a part order! The real reason they switched to this system is to have more control over technicians but all its doing is tying our hands and pissing people off. On the flip side Sears has some strong points. There are a lot of competent techs out there. They just try to get the job done the best they can. They also have protection agreements that can save you money on repairs. The hardest part of the job is some customers who want to vent their frustration on you, like its exclusively your fault. Or those who ask the dreaded question can you also look at my... Some of them have this mindset like sears(you) owe them. If a customer is nice and respectful, I will gladly help them in any way possible, I don't mind a little extra work. But I won't do anything above or beyond for a prick. Sears customer service has definitely declined. Its crazy to hear customers say they used to buy only Sears but now they will never use Sears again. The problem is with Sears corporate as they are squid. Here is a few observations.
They keep firing good techs for violating some stupid rules so they can hire somebody who doesn't know how to change a light bulb just so they can pay him less. Out of thirty techs in my group when I started a year ago half of them are gone!
They changed their routing system which is evolving into a 'total' disaster. The old routing system had problems, and for months at our meetings our tech manager would deflect our complaints repititiously saying, "thats all going to go away with the new system." Well this new rollout from ESRI sucks 10 times worse!
Used to we could see our calls at the start of the day and could run more calls because we could switch them around to minimize drive time. Now they give us one call at a time, so we could have a call, drive 30 miles to the next, then drive to a house on the same block where we started. Its happened to me more than once! And if you try to call one of the blockheads they hired to run that circus to change them around they respond, "the systems not letting me." Used to I ran 12-14 calls a day. Now 6-8. The result is people in rural areas waiting 30 days for someone to come out! God help them if its a part order!
The real reason they switched to this system is to have more control over technicians but all its doing is tying our hands and pissing people off.
On the flip side Sears has some strong points. There are a lot of competent techs out there. They just try to get the job done the best they can.
They also have protection agreements that can save you money on repairs.
The hardest part of the job is some customers who want to vent their frustration on you, like its exclusively your fault. Or those who ask the dreaded question can you also look at my… Some of them have this mindset like sears(you) owe them. If a customer is nice and respectful, I will gladly help them in any way possible, I don't mind a little extra work. But I won't do anything above or beyond for a prick.

]]> By: Nancy Belfry http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4528 Nancy Belfry Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:04:38 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4528 I had a mattress charged to my account that we never purchased. When I called the 1-800 number, they questioned my memory on this purchase."it was purchased and delivered" We went to the St. Catharines,Ontario Sears (Pen Centre) and asked to see this receipt. Spoke with the Ass. manager and the salesman that sold this mattress to another customer. (the salesman explaination)The mattress was purchased with her credit card. Then when she left the store the sale was cancelled. It was then rang through again under another salepersons name, or number and the customer was called at home and asked for her account number. We were told that she gave this number, it had been written in ink on the sales bill. The account number was ours. Not one number was close to our account number. Security was called, our account has been changed. This mattress purchase was made Jan. 10, 2010, on Jan. 10, 2010 I made a bill payment on my account. In the makeup department one floor down. We have no real explanation as to who had our account number or what has happened. The purchased was void from our account and we wait for answers. I've e-mail Sears Canada Corp. - we wait. One and 1/2 hours later we left the store without a real explaination. As we went down the escalator, my husband said to me, "of all those people- 5 in total, did you notice that not one person said sorry to us about this". Check our bills!!!!! Nancy Belfry Thorold, Ontario, Canada I had a mattress charged to my account that we never purchased.
When I called the 1-800 number, they questioned my memory on this purchase."it was purchased and delivered"
We went to the St. Catharines,Ontario Sears (Pen Centre) and asked to see this receipt. Spoke with the Ass. manager and the salesman that sold this mattress to another customer.
(the salesman explaination)The mattress was purchased with her credit card. Then when she left the store the sale was cancelled.
It was then rang through again under another salepersons name, or number and the customer was called at home and asked for her account number.
We were told that she gave this number, it had been written in ink on the sales bill. The account number was ours.
Not one number was close to our account number.
Security was called, our account has been changed.
This mattress purchase was made Jan. 10, 2010, on Jan. 10, 2010 I made a bill payment on my account. In the makeup department one floor down.

We have no real explanation as to who had our account number or what has happened.
The purchased was void from our account and we wait for answers.
I've e-mail Sears Canada Corp. – we wait.
One and 1/2 hours later we left the store without a real explaination.
As we went down the escalator, my husband said to me, "of all those people- 5 in total, did you notice that not one person said sorry to us about this".
Check our bills!!!!!
Nancy Belfry Thorold, Ontario, Canada

]]> By: abbie http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4527 abbie Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:24:28 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4527 Hope the boys are all strong and stay together as one .NOVA SCOTIA ,NEWFOUNDLAND NEW BRUNSWICK,PEI..Service Rules.and you know what i,am talking about... Hope the boys are all strong and stay together as one .NOVA SCOTIA ,NEWFOUNDLAND NEW BRUNSWICK,PEI..Service Rules.and you know what i,am talking about…

]]> By: Inglis Dryer - washeranddryer.mnwifi.org http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4526 Inglis Dryer - washeranddryer.mnwifi.org Sun, 17 Jan 2010 05:17:23 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4526 [...] Management Skills - wood radio - nexrad weather - wzzm tv 13 - two TV - TV stations - Food Groups - Sears Canada: measuring the wrong service metrics | Alec ...Customer loyalty is one of those things that you have to work really hard to preserve. It takes a [...] [...] Management Skills – wood radio – nexrad weather – wzzm tv 13 – two TV – TV stations – Food Groups – Sears Canada: measuring the wrong service metrics | Alec …Customer loyalty is one of those things that you have to work really hard to preserve. It takes a [...]

]]> By: SBobby http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4525 SBobby Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:16:01 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4525 They doesn't care about making money. They care about losing money. Sears isn't doing so well since 1990's. They were the largest retailer in the world in the 60-70's only operating in USA but they lost the touch with their customer and now they're trying to cut everything they can to profitable. It's hard to find an employee in the store to buy. They don't want to sell, so they are not going to give a better service after you bought their merchandise. They doesn't care about making money. They care about losing money. Sears isn't doing so well since 1990's. They were the largest retailer in the world in the 60-70's only operating in USA but they lost the touch with their customer and now they're trying to cut everything they can to profitable. It's hard to find an employee in the store to buy. They don't want to sell, so they are not going to give a better service after you bought their merchandise.

]]> By: TFrank http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4524 TFrank Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:02:14 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4524 Here's my <a href="http://www.temafrank.com" rel="nofollow">sad Sears saga</a>. I'm still hoping they'll come through! I've been so impressed by their customer service (and excellent appliances website) in the past that I've often cited them as a good example when I'm speaking at conferences. Hope I'll be able to do so again! Here's my sad Sears saga. I'm still hoping they'll come through! I've been so impressed by their customer service (and excellent appliances website) in the past that I've often cited them as a good example when I'm speaking at conferences. Hope I'll be able to do so again!

]]> By: Luster http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4523 Luster Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:13:02 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4523 Having a family member who recently been laid off at Sears Canada, I no longer shop or have any dealings with Sears. Although I feel the gentleman has a valid concern about his appliance warranty. Sears Customer service have been notorious for bad experiences, no different from any other canadian retailer. The best line of defense is to blog and tell the world. And don't bother posting issues on sears.ca, I was told they filter out delete bad reviews. Having a family member who recently been laid off at Sears Canada, I no longer shop or have any dealings with Sears. Although I feel the gentleman has a valid concern about his appliance warranty. Sears Customer service have been notorious for bad experiences, no different from any other canadian retailer. The best line of defense is to blog and tell the world. And don't bother posting issues on sears.ca, I was told they filter out delete bad reviews.

]]> By: Em Ess http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4522 Em Ess Thu, 19 Mar 2009 09:35:44 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4522 Still waiting for Sears to call re: SERVICE APPOINTMENT(?) They promised to call last night, but did'nt. Called them this morning and they said they would give us a three hour leeway, then said if repairman was around block 5 minutes. What the heck, three hours or five minutes, great, have just had to cancel two appointments, This will be the last appliance I ever buy from Sears. Never ever buy the extended warranty. The word "Service" is not in their vocabulary. To fix the same washer several months ago took them 4 weeks and 3 different service men. Top price for Kmart products..... Still waiting for Sears to call re: SERVICE APPOINTMENT(?) They promised to call last night, but did'nt. Called them this morning and they said they would give us a three hour leeway, then said if repairman was around block 5 minutes. What the heck, three hours or five minutes, great, have just had to cancel two appointments, This will be the last appliance I ever buy from Sears. Never ever buy the extended warranty. The word "Service" is not in their vocabulary. To fix the same washer several months ago took them 4 weeks and 3 different service men. Top price for Kmart products…..

]]> By: Phil http://www.saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4521 Phil Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:23:00 +0000 http://saunderslog.com/2007/02/09/sears-canada-measuring-the-wrong-service-metrics/#comment-4521 I've had a recent bad experience with Sears Canada. I returned some items that were sent to me in spite of me having promptly cancelled the order. I sent the items - clothing, still sealed in plastic - to the indicated return address along with a completed return form. Sears Canada received the items on December 22, 2008 [I sent them Canada Post, insured, and tracked the parcel]. To date I have yet to hear from Sears or receive a credit on my VISA. They ignored their return form that I filled out and completed along with the return of the goods. They ignored several polite emails from myself. I then filed a complaint with the Ottawa area BBB. In spite of two reminders from the BBB, Sears Canada failed to respond to the BBB. Yesterday was the BBB's deadline. So, Sears Canada failed to respond to the BBB's investigation. Sears Canada has had the goods in fully saleable condition and my money for nearly 2 months. I will in all liklihood never do any further business with Sears Canada - online, catalogue or retail. I've had a recent bad experience with Sears Canada. I returned some items that were sent to me in spite of me having promptly cancelled the order. I sent the items – clothing, still sealed in plastic – to the indicated return address along with a completed return form. Sears Canada received the items on December 22, 2008 [I sent them Canada Post, insured, and tracked the parcel]. To date I have yet to hear from Sears or receive a credit on my VISA. They ignored their return form that I filled out and completed along with the return of the goods. They ignored several polite emails from myself. I then filed a complaint with the Ottawa area BBB. In spite of two reminders from the BBB, Sears Canada failed to respond to the BBB. Yesterday was the BBB's deadline. So, Sears Canada failed to respond to the BBB's investigation. Sears Canada has had the goods in fully saleable condition and my money for nearly 2 months.

I will in all liklihood never do any further business with Sears Canada – online, catalogue or retail.

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