Yup, this is going to be a rant. When I’ve had my fill of incompetence, I’m going step up here on my soapbox and call out those who just don’t give a shit about their jobs.
We only have one department store left in Canada – The Hudson’s Bay, and I need more than two hands to count on how many errors and run-ins I’ve had with them. And my latest encounter was a double whammy once Purolator got involved.
Because I pretty much live attached to my computer, I don’t get out often, so I rely a lot on delivery service. It’s not difficult to see that artificial intelligence is taking over in so many ways, but AI isn’t human and when glitches and errors occur, it’s usually the customer who gets caught up in the time-consuming crossroads of trying to figure out where their orders are. And this isn’t my first rodeo with such issues with both companies.
I frequently order from The Bay, and every so often, when orders get screwed up, it’s because of misinformation, and quite frankly – laziness. On a good day, my order is normally delivered the next day or two days max. But this time I ordered some items, now two weeks ago, which I’ve yet to receive! I began checking on my order Aug 27th when I hadn’t received any notification of the progress of my package. But all it said beside my order was ‘in process’. I let it ride for the rest of the week being a long weekend coming, and expected my package at least by the day after Labor Day – to no avail.
I called up The Bay, got put on hold twenty minutes, only to get my call picked up by an incompetent person who I could barely understand, and was told, they would look into the order, send an email to head office and get back to me. I hung up the phone on her, dialed the number again, placed the phone down for almost another half hour until someone picked up, and then chewed off their ear.
After laying into the agent for their incompetence, he apologized saying that ‘someone’ must have forgot to put the order through. Are you kidding me? I told him, the items are now further reduced on sale, so here’s an idea – CANCEL THE ORDER and redo it now at the lower price. And he did. Then he proceeded to tell me I’ll have it by next week. I retorted with ‘I’m not waiting another week’ because of their screw-up. He then did whatever he did on his computer and informed me, I’d have it by Friday Sept. 5th. I usually get an email telling me my package is on its way stating my package will be delivered by the end of the day from Canada Post. But no notifications came.
On Friday, I went down to my mailbox and found no package. On a hunch, I walked into the lobby of my building and noticed a Purolator notice taped to the door flapping around. Yup, it had my name on it, stating, ‘line was busy’, leaving a pick-up address at about ten miles from where I live. I blew a gasket.
I called Purolator and pitied whomever was going to take my call.
After placing me on hold for another half an hour, I finally got to chew someone out. First, I informed the woman on the other end that NOBODY buzzed up, and NOBODY who lives in the complex hardly ever goes through the lobby, as tenants come in from the underground parking. I proceeded to inform her about the numerous Purolator tags floating around in the lobby as an ongoing event because they’re too damned lazy to deliver a package. They are notoriously the worst for deliveries. The lobby door had even been kept open for several days because of some ongoing repairs. I asked her how the hell are people supposed to know they have a package when they aren’t notified by any means other than a sticky note left randomly in the lobby entrance. She replied that’s their protocol. I replied that they are the worst delivery system next to UPS, and asked her to re-deliver that package and have them bring it up to my door and if I don’t answer to leave it there. She put me on hold another few minutes to inquire on her end if they’re allowed to do that. I told her to just do it!
I’m so sick and tired of incompetence by big corporations hiring incompetent people for jobs, most likely not being paid enough to give a shit about their jobs, and certainly not enough people in these jobs. And I’m sick of having to do the leg work to follow up on missing deliveries due to their incompetence. We are at their mercy because nothing ever changes.
I remember an old saying ‘the customer comes first’, but that is an old saying for sure because it no longer applies. I even asked the Purolator rep if she has any idea how many packages are left unclaimed because of their poor delivery procedures. Of course, she had no idea.
Companies have no qualms sending us a bombardment of emails asking us to complete surveys asking us to tell them how they’re doing, please write a review for your new product etc. and bla bla bla. But when you need to get hold of them for support, good luck! So please, stop invading my inbox with your fake goodwill and do your damned jobs!
And this just in as I get ready to schedule this post. . .it’s now Monday night and still no delivery. Fuming at full steam I called them again.This time I waited 55 minutes for an agent, only to find my parcel was still sitting in some dumpy warehouse because NOBODY BOTHERED SENDING THROUGH THE MESSAGE from last Friday that the lying agent told me was sent. I finally got through to an agent, and as I write this, I’ve now been on hold a total of TWO AND A HALF HOURS!!!! “So sorry Debby, but I now have to wait for a supervisor to send the email to the warehouse to release the box.” Many swear words were expelled from my mouth. I HAVE NO FRIGGIN’ WORDS LEFT!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for listening. I feel so much better now. 🙂
Anyone here have an incompetence beef you’d like to share here? Please be my guest.
DGKayewriter.com 
Gone are the days when we popped around to the corner shop to buy what we needed. Now we buy our stuff from the ‘Zon or online companies because it’s cheaper and more convenient than trudging around our ever-shrinking high streets. Those shops with smiling staff just waiting to attend to our every need are long gone. There’s been a total shift in our shopping preferences over the past few years, and the result isn’t good. Large department stores are closing down, and we’re left with faceless online people who really don’t give a s**t.
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Exactlyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy Stevie – my point. Physical retail stores keep closing down everywhere it seems, but I’m not sure the delivery system is capable enough to keep up. I was livid last night when I laced into the agent and gave her an earful about them not being properly staffed – ie: waiting on hold for almost an hour til someone actually picked up, is just part of it. Then delivery people who couldn’t care less about their jobs. I have to tell you, from what I’ve experienced with all carriers, the Zon has the most efficient system of delivery!
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Oh, Debby, that is so frustrating. I would be rigid with anger too. I hope they pick up their game after they realise the bad press they are getting. I think paying poor wages doesn’t bode well for a caring and active staff. And, as you say, it’s the customer who suffers and it’s the customers from whom they earn their money. Grrrr! I was going to add one of my tales, but it pales into insignificance against yours. I think there are few of us who don’t have something to whinge about online sales.
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Absolutely Norah – no doubts we all have a story or two, that’s why I invited you to share. No slight is too small!! 🙂
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I feel your pain: People not doing their jobs! We hold a high bar for ourselves, but sadly others apparently don’t have the same conviction. My rant: my web guy not responding with BUY BUTTONS for my website. We met last week, but lacked the Amazon link. Now I have it, and he doesn’t respond to emails, texts, or phone calls. I’m thinking now of this line: We’d be surprised if we know how little space we occupy in other people’s (company’s) minds.
Also, the person I wanted most at my launch party, can’t come, for good reason. She’s had severe pain from scoliosis all of her life and it’s worse now. She and I wrote stories together on Friday afternoons after our classes, these tales the “seeds” of my memoir. Of course, her reason is legitimate and I’m sorry her pain is worse. But still, I feel acute disappointment.
We will get through this, Dear Debby. Someone has said, “The silver lining is the reality.” We’ll see if it is true!
Sending good wishes for a great week!
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Thanks Marian. Sadly, you get it! Yes, especially when we are the’doer’ type of person who feels helpless when they know the right way but aren’t the ones in control and rely on others to make things happen. No, we aren’t anybody’s priority sadly. And I’m sorry about your friend not being there at the launch. That’s disappointing for sure. And about the website, oh, you bring me flashbacks of incompetence and annoyance. I once had a web guy who didn’t respond for days – sometimes weeks, when I really didn’t have a clue what was in the zoo on my website. Maybe it’s time to find a new web guy my friend. 🙂 Happy book launch week!!! ❤
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Ouch! That is brutal, Debby. It takes a lot to get me worked up, but this experience would definitely do it. I recently had a horrible experience with our Internet, cable, and phone company. We sat around waiting for them to show on two different occasions, and they never appeared. Both times we got some BS excuse. The second time we were told that a representative had gone to our house, but we weren’t home. (A total lie) The story is too long to retell here, but I tried to find somebody to complain to. When I asked to speak to someone in customer service, the reply was, “We don’t have one of those.”
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Oh yes Pete. I do remember reading about that situation on your blog. Sounds eerily the same as our cable companies! It’s spreading all over it seems. People need to start caring again! 🙂
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Hi Debby – count me out on complaining at this time! Just sincerely hope the items turn up. Sending lots of comforting hugs from this end … take care, go gently! Cheers Hilary
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Thanks Hilary. And it’s refreshing to learn you have no complaints. Lol. Peace out! 🙂
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Well, Sis… I’m at a loss for words. I don’t think I would order from them again. That’s insanity. Now, go have a rest and calm that swirling energy that is flying around you. Hugs and love. ❤
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LOL, it aint over. Another day gone, and no delivery! Got my black hat on and broom in hand and going to tackle them again! 🙂 ❤
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We’re about two miles out of town down narrow lanes and we’re the post code so all the delivery drivers turn up in our yard and we tell them where they want to go (because there are perhaps ten families in the post code but you cannot see some of the houses here) So actually I do tend to chat to a fair few delivery drivers 🙂
But actually the only stuff I ever bother buying on line is books from Amazon (or occasional other specialist bookshops). We’ve never buy food on line. We drive to our local supermarket and other shops and get stuff there. Clothes and other stuff that I might occasionally need I just buy in small local shops. It means we still have small local shops and if your experience is anything to go by, actually it’s faster and easier than buying off the internet.
The problem is the on-line retailer’s business model. Everything is on price, so the people are the other end are on minimum wage, the delivery drivers are on minimum wage if they’re lucky and haven’t been forced to be self-employed, and frankly they don’t care about the customer and why should they?
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HI Jim. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here. Yes, you’ve hit exactly on the problem with all this nonsense, as I said- people just aren’t paid enough to care! I will say though, I do order from Amazon too, and they actually have the most efficient deliveries! 🙂
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Oh, Debby, what a frustrating experience. A week ago I took advantage of a promo of 15% off. Guess what? After the promo, because it was an online order, they had to add the sales taxes! What a deal!
Anyway, I ended up cancelling. Better to shop on the first Tuesday at the Bay and get the 15% senior discount direct. I was lucky to get someone on the phone who was efficient. The call center for The Bay is open until midnight. I called around 10:30pm. Maybe that’s a less busy time.
Good luck with your order. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing that Carol. Yes I agree, sometimes there are helpful people at Bay support, but it’s usually a 50/50 gamble. But when it comes to lost orders and the like, good luck, because those call station people who answer our calls aren’t trained for more than taking an order. NO such thing as speaking to a manager. When I get real frustrated with them, I Facebook message them after leaving a snarky comment on their page. They reply then! But this issue is a big one with Purolator more than the Bay right now. I still haven’t received it! Finally spoke with a manager last night. What an ordeal! 🙂 x
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I’m glad you’re feeling better after your rant, Debby. I totally can relate to the aggravation of being left on hold. Ugh. I hope your delivery comes soon!
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Lol, thanks my friend. Still have not received!!! 🙂 x
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Arghhhh! Sis, what a bloody process, poor you, you must be exhausted and in need of a dose of pure sunshine. I hate having to phone up to see where a delivery is, in the UK most of us get transferred to Dehli, where they can’t understand me and I can’t understand them. They are people who are trained then told to get on with it. Then we get the automated choice button game, Jeez oh, how many times have I hung up or gone to the graveyard automated level. I hope you get this sorted out, sis. Big hugs. ❤
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Oh, you aren’t alone sister! Many of our service hook up to India too! Yes, a severe language problem with many in services. Everything seems like so many more steps these days! Anyway, it finally showed up last night! ❤
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Ah, we all have these problems, don’t we? Had a problem for a while with UPS, who would fail to bring the package up the road but would leave it at the gate. Finally got that cured but more stuff is coming via FedEx these days. That’s the small one. Couple years ago we had a wide-screen Samsung TV. Supposed to get in-home service for them–at no cost, while under warranty. No asterisk–but the deal is, if you’re not within x-miles of a service center–nope. Took eight weeks of escalation up the customer service layers. Finally, they sent a check for the full cost of the TV–with which we bought another brand. We will NEVER buy one of theirs again. We DO have Samsung smartphones–but it’s not hard “lugging” one of them in for repair or replacement.
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Wowwwww, that is brutal! Typical though, they’re always happy to sell us, and don’t care about after service. 😦
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Dear Debby, some times the only course of action is to Yell and scream, when you are at the end of your tether. I so dislike the way now we are kept hanging for ever on the phone after talking to AI just to get to talk to real person, then when the real people continue to mess up… I feel for you I really do..
Seems like its been a week for ranting, or lets say last week.. Now you know I can usually take things in my stride, breatheeeeee I keep telling myself..
Well last week, ( must have been something in the air lol ) I too lost it.. and found myself doing what I keep telling others not to, as I got sucked into the drama of our British Political MESS…
After watching live ( as hubby had it on Parliament TV, ) the antics of grown men behaving like spoilt children who are MPs and supposed to be voted in to carry out our democratic votes.. Who ranted and booed, and made a mockery of Government.. I thought I had to have my say..
So instead of doing what Hubby did and shouting at the TV screen, 🙂 I sat and wrote a disgruntled letter to my MP saying how ashamed they all should be and it was coming up to nothing short of the few elite dictating democracy.. Along with much more..
Now I know it will not make one bit of difference, but boy did I feel better when I’d put a stamp on it and posted in in the mail box to the local surgery office..
I hope the energies soon calm down.. Seems the chaos is increasing and catching.. and I so hope that by now your dare I say it parcel has now safely arrived…
Much love my friend.. thinking of you..
Love and Blessings
Sue
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Dear Sue, I so know what you mean. Sometimes the forces just push our limits. I consider myself a fair and accommodating person, but truly, as you say, these higher up corporatism is pushing us to the max of our limits, filled with incompetence. I get your hub screaming at the TV, as I use this method to vent my angst for what’s going on in what seems all governments these days. UK and US are in a mess. I worry for my own country’s voting for PM next month. I pray this ‘virus’ of incompetent leaders doesn’t catch here, but it’s very scary. It’s amazing what people can do when they unite. Look at Hong Kong – relentless in protest and winning! Italy managed to get rid of their mistake, and even Russia is protesting against Putin. If we don’t speak up, we’ll never be heard! Oh, and yes, I finally got the package Wednesday night, lol. Chin up girl, keep the waders on till all this explosion purges the dirt, and hope goodness will prevail. ❤ Weekend hugs and love coming your way. ❤ ❤
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So glad you got your parcel eventually!!! And today I also got a very nice letter back from MP who totally agreed with my own frustration … And yes maybe the only way forward is ‘People Power’ and to perhaps go back to local level of community to sort out the needs of local people rather than in top government who has in most countries LOST TOUCH with its citizens..
Much love and thank you Debby for taking time to reply Much love returned and lets hope as we raise our frequencies we also raise our awareness that these systems we have had in place for so long are not working for the good of the people/ the whole… But they are only working for the good of the few/ those in power..
Love and Light my friend and take care of you.. ❤
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Touche my friend! Alas, if you speak up things can happen, sadly, nothing happens until we shout out. This leaves the more meek left out in the cold, the ones who don’t have a voice, or afraid to use it. We all must keep fighting for what’s right in all aspects until CHANGE is going to happen. Love and light Sister! ❤ xx
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I sympathize, Debby, incompetency is a most annoying thing. Living in South Africa teaches you great patience. If a package is sent via snail mail, it will take three to four months to arrive, assuming that it is not stolen on route. If the packages are couriered, they still don’t always arrive, I often have books go missing, and it still takes at least 7 business days if not more. It also costs a fortune. I now buy mostly kindle books which Amazon sends me in a most efficient manner. Yay Amazon.
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Thanks Robbie. I can only imagine the frustration on your end with not only the delays, but the possibility of your package getting lost or stolen before you ever see it. Almost puts my rant in another perspective. 🙂
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So sorry to read this, Debby! Yes, we’ve all gone through too many experiences like this In our case, we often have to order packages within a time frame, as we move so often. So, not getting them in time has caused us many changes of plans, extra miles, and grief!
Most recently, I was on hold for many hours, with Air Canada and Lufthansa, to inquire about checked-baggage fees for my parents, as the notification I received by email didn’t make sense! I received an answer from Air Canada after being on hold, twice, for about an hour each. They were supposed to call me back a few times, but the phone never rang.
With Lufthansa, I hung up after being on hold for an hour and a half! I sent them an email, inquiring about the fees, only to receive a reply that this was “sensitive information that involved other people than myself and because of privacy reasons they couldn’t answer my question without a signed approval of attorney” or whatever it is called. Yep! In the end, my parents are traveling with carry-ons only!
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Holy crap! I can’t believe that, erm, ya, i probably can. I know when I have exhausted all other options before having to call a company, it’s become standard to have to wait for a longggggggg time til someone picks up. I never choose the ‘call back’ option either. What I do is put the phone in speaker mode and lay it down while getting back to work. That way I’m not wasting precious time or my blood pressure isn’t rising while the wait continues. 🙂
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I don’t do a lot of shopping online if I can help it. Amazon bullies its customers, which I can’t stomach–but unfortunately because I’m in the writing business, I need Amazon. It sucks. I try to keep my shopping to local stores, and luckily there are still quite a few dependable stores in my local area where I’m able to do most of my shopping. When I go online, I hit the Buy button and do a lot of praying . . .
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Lol, I had to laugh at your last sentence Kate. And I hear you on getting out into the stores, which used to once be a great hobby of mine, lol. And don’t get me started about the Zon. 🙂
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I can see this comments blog could go on forever. I usually find on-line shopping pretty good, but have had to have three refunds in the last week! One, Amazon, the parcel got sent to the wrong sorting destination and was returned to sender. I re-ordered and ending saving a pound on my order, which arrived very promptly the second time. The other two were instances of sellers on EBay not buying goods in until they have an order. Fine when the system works, but when they say they have ten of an item, you order four – spark plugs – and they tell you they only have two… complain, refund, tell them to take down their listing which still says they have ten, assured they will… listing STILL says they have ten of the item we now know, having been through the same experience with another seller, that NGK, the manufacturers of said spark plugs, don’t even have themselves… Had they said in the first place they only had two, we’d have bought two, and got two we saw for sale elsewhere… now we can’t get any.
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Hi Ruth, exactly!!!!!!!!!! Over-selling is annoying anywhere. I just love when sellers don’t update their availability in stock – Not! It’s frightening to think so many stores in North America closing because of online business. That in itself, is bad business for many who aren’t tech savvy and don’t enjoy shopping online! Not a winning idea I think. 🙂
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