Rant Pampered Chef's Poor Customer Service: A Frustrated Consultant's Experience

[Sheila]

The level of CS has gone really downhill since I started in March '08. :thumbdown:

It's hard to get issues resolved when they first open (10PM for me), as no one seems to be "at their desk". I leave messages, and no one calls back. I e-mail and no one responds. I actually e-mailed a 5TH REQUEST today on an issue that I've been trying to get answered since September. 4.5 months. That's just sad. On this request I warned them that I'm going to e-mail a new request EVERY day until someone does their freaking job and answers.

Our show orders come Smart Post mail now. They used to be sent Priority Mail & would arrive in 7-10 days, now it's 4 weeks minimum. Oct-Jan it's 8-9 weeks. It's CRAZY!

I just called to check on my November SAT box that's not yet arrived & found out that they shipped it Smart Post. There's no way that it's going to make it here in time for my Open House that I've already advertised. I'm so frustrated. I'm tired of feeling like the step-child of Pampered Chef.

I'm so fed up with the whole run around. I'm super tempted to save up the $4,000 that it will take to get me & the kids back to the states (since hubby will be gone on military stuff and won't be able to watch them), and freaking go to conference just so I can wear a sandwich board advertising my discontent with CS. Maybe THAT would get a freaking response out of someone at corporate.

I seriously hate calling because I know it's going to get my blood pressure up.

 

[NooraK]

(((Hugs))))

I'm sorry you're dealing with this. I wish I could help. I know how frustrating time zones can be, and I can only imagine how frustrating it is to have to wait 8-9 weeks for products. I hope you get answers soon.

 

[Sheila]

Thanks Noora!

I'm curious to see if the CS gets better at the Director level? When I get up the ladder high enough to get people to listen to what I have to say, they WILL get an ear full on behalf of ALL the overseas consultants!!!

 

[NooraK]

Don't know about Director, but I know once you get to ED and above, they definitely listen to you.

And that shipping again. As much as you have to pay for it, it's ridiculous that it's coming SmartPost. I could kind of understand it if you just paid the $4.25 everyone else does, but not with the direct shipping you pay.

 

[kcjodih]

Can you not go higher up than the support reps? And KEEP going up until you get answers? I've had one or two issues in the past (not near as bad as yours now that I look back) but after getting the run around on a legit request and then speaking with a supervisor, I contacted and voiced my disgust with my Director, Executive Director and Janice Gerol who's our Canadian president and General Manager and Janice personally got back to me the SAME MORNING and apologized, said she would speak to the reps and supervisors and correct their ways AND solved the problem to my satisfaction and my customer's, in fact beyond satisified.

I would go up, up, up until you're happy girl! That is just not right and NOT acceptable!!

 

[Sheila]

Yup. I have a customer on a current show who's paying $22.87 to wait 4-6 weeks.

 

[Sheila]

Jodi, that's always worked for me in the past. Not so much with Pampered Chef. I made it to a supervisor who said she would help, but then wouldn't answer e-mails. I ended up getting HER supervisor's info & taking it up a step. That person put it back down to the person who wouldn't answer e-mails. She claimed she wasn't getting the e-mails & would look into the issue. I called again 9 days ago & spoke with tech support. He sent me back to that same supervisor who called & left a message that she would call back in 2 days with an update. It's been 9 days and she's not called back.In another department, I asked for a supervisor (trying to resolve a crazy mix-up that another consultant did) and he was flat out rude, couldn't fix the problem & didn't know who could. On a 3rd issue, I had someone who didn't know the answer & was too stubborn to listen to the question or go ask for an answer. I asked for a supervisor multiple times & she refused to put one on the phone. It was my morning time & my babies (2 years old & 11 months old) were up & distracting me. I got so freaking frustrated I hung up on her & e-mailed the complaint. Still no response.I've just decided that I'll e-mail them EVERY day until somebody high enough up the chain of command gets involved & starts resolving some issues. There is absolutely NO reason why someone should refuse to put a supervisor on the line. And you better believe I have her name to relay when I finally DO get a supervisor.The major issue is, I have to stay up half the night to talk to someone or try to talk to someone around feeding the kids breakfast & trying to do our morning routine ... which is pretty much impossible. E-mail is easiest for me but I'm having a problem with multiple areas not acknowledging having received a request for info or action.I'm exhausted right now & want to be in bed, but my daughter is sick & up crying every 10-15 minutes because she can't breathe ... so trying to get on an hour long phone call right now is not an option. I think I'll take my pillow & just go sleep on the guest bed in her room. I'm hoping that by doing all my venting first I can actually relax & sleep a bit between her coughing & crying fits.

 

[legacypc46]

Shelia,
Would you mind if I shared your post with my upline? They have been closely involved with this issue previously...as there are a lot of military gals in our group.
Leggy

 

[DebbieJ]

Sheila,I don't have the overseas issues to deal with, but I am also a bit bent out of shape with HO staff right now. I left numerous phone messages on a direct line (630-xxx-xxxx) about an issue I've been trying to resolve since July 2009 and I never got a call back. I finally corralled someone at Spring Launch and got an email address of someone I could contact. When I finally talked to her, (I emailed her and asked her to call me) I asked why I never got a call back. She said that my issue was being researched. I said well you could have at least called me or sent me an email to let me know what was happening. I wouldn't dream of waiting 3 weeks to call a customer back. This is really disappointing for a company that is known for their customer service. You know what her response was?? "Thanks for the feedback." ?!!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!? No "I'm sorry", no apology, no responsibility taken. What has happened to common courtesy!?!?

 

[legacypc46]

What has happened to common courtesy!?!?

Doris, we miss you...

 

[Sheila]

Shelia,
Would you mind if I shared your post with my upline? They have been closely involved with this issue previously...as there are a lot of military gals in our group.
Leggy

Feel free! I actually just got a reply back on one of my e-mails that I sent yesterday. I spent 45 min's venting back to her about her division and then a quick paragraph about dealing with multiple problems and multiple divisions not returning calls lately.

I didn't say this to her, but I would really LOVE to see a few of the head honchos from corporate come over here to Japan and live for 6 months. Not only would they learn a few things from the Japanese about Customer Service, they would be switching back to Priority Mail ASAP! LOL

 

[Sheila]

Deb, I never did get a resolution on that whole mess where another consultant entered the host's show under another person's name. The actual host still has the 5pc & 7pc cookware and the whole knife block set along with several other items ... and no warranty under her name. NOBODY at Corporate can fix that one. I tried to get them to at least add her as a co-host & move items over to her account. Nope. Can't be done according to the various persons that I've spoken with. The host has to keep up with the Consultant's name, and the name of the incorrect person who's listed as the host of her show in order to get warranty issues handled. She will NEVER be able to call Corporate, give them her name and have them find those items.

 

[kcjodih]

Oh Sheila I feel SO bad for you! Time change, crap they're feeding you, long, long wait time for orders to arrive etc. I'm telling you girlfriend you NEED to get contact numbers of the top of the food chain - president, general manager whoever and rip them a new one! I pray it never gets this bad in Canada or I think I'll be done. Good luck my friend and hugs to you!

 

[Zsu]

Wow, Sheila. I am sorry you have to go through this. Have you tried to contact your upline, director, exec director, nat exec dir. Anyone up there. Send out n email to everyone CC-d so they know that you are on it and will not let it go.

Last week when i had my issues with the stone question, i was making circles into nowhere. But then i just sent an email to my director, who happens to be a SED. She has talked to the person at HO, then i called her and got to resolve my problem. If she did not reply back i would have sent an email to everyone i can get a hold for an email address, including Doris! And personally i think it is not fair how they treat you since you over on the other end of the Pacific. I am wondering if everyone else, who lives on a base further away from US has similar issues.

I hope that you night goes better after this.

 

[esavvymom]

I vote for going up YOUR chain- go to your ED or higher.... You can't be the only overseas consultant with these problems.

 

[Sheila]

I actually had 2 of my e-mails opened and one phone message acknowledged overnight. So that's a start. Still lots & lots of issues to go ...

 

[mountainmama74]

Oh my gosh. When I was in Okinawa, they were shipping Priority Mail. We LOVED it - our PC would sometimes get there in 4 days!! I can't believe they're using SmartPost. There's nothing dumber in my opinion!!

I'm sorry you're having all these issues!!

 

[Sheila]

They were using Priority when I first signed up in March '08. But about 6 months later they switched to Smart Post because the gas prices were so high at the time. Now that the gas prices have gone back down, they REALLY need to switch back!!!