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Author: Bill Cusick
October 1, 2007
Apparently that bouncing smiley face in Walmart’s television ads is too busy to pick up the phone if you run into issues using the Walmart web site. As stated in a New York Times blog last week, the company announced that they were removing the customer service number from www.walmart.com. And upon visiting the site, it’s pretty clear they aren’t looking to have you call: whether the number still exists or not, I couldn’t find it.
Amy Colella, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, said the customer service phone number was being removed because “a significant number of calls are related to order tracking,” and the improvements to the Web site will make the tracking easier. Well, I can see how it makes things easier…for Walmart. You wonder what the cost savings will be for the company, as compared to the additional frustration it’s adding for Walmart customers. Let’s think about who might have been using the service number. If, as the company says, the typical customer is checking the tracking of an order, it’s probably a person who either: 1) is not yet used to shopping online and is unaware of the tracking feature on the website; 2) knows the feature exists, but is not confident in how to use it; or 3) knows the feature is there, knows how to use it, but is not getting the desired results (usability or technical glitches).
Seems to me, in any of those three scenarios, it would be wise for a company to allow a customer to give a call. What do you think?
3 Comments »
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Another example of corporate speak generated in a consumer vacuum. I am sure it is because they preceive themselves as a distination store and therefore above the need for a focused CE process. Until they loose market share to the likes of Target they will continue to operate as they deem best for themselves. As consumers we can speed that day by taking our consumer dollars somewhere else. It is unfortunate becasue they started out wonderfully with the store greeters.
experience matters…
Stephen Gregorie
VP, Customer Experience and Marketing
Pro-Tech Solutions, Inc.
3600A Swiftwater Park Dr
Suwanee, GA 30024
Comment by StephenGregorie — October 1, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
I agree that it’s ridiculous to remove the Customer Service number from the site. I actually won’t shop at a place that doesn’t have a toll-free number than I can call in case of a problem. I guess that means I won’t be shopping at walmart.com.
Comment by Robert Wyatt — November 8, 2007 @ 5:33 pm
I know this post is a couple months old but I still wanted to comment. I think that Walmart knows it can get away with this foolishness because it is such a monster of a company. Even if I get treated poorly I will still go back because it is the closest store to my house and becomes too convenient not to. Can I ever find a short line there? No. Can I ever find someone to ask a question? No. Is their store EVER clean? No. But sadly I am still going to go. Sam needs to get this customer service book I came across. It is all about customer service and he sure could learn a few things!!!
Comment by Carrie T — July 16, 2008 @ 11:01 pm