To Be or What: Customer Service

I have a subscription to Entertainment Weekly magazine. Now I like everybody misses an issue or two that is lost in the mail. It happens to all when we get magazines in the mail. 

So I called customer service after I missed two issues (*really three-one was a double issue and the other a regular issue). I called the customer service line and got a voice in broken English. Sound like it was in India, where I do know one of the Entertainment Weekly call centers are.

The person is spoke  broken English verified my information from the information on the label. He then said “I'm so sorry. We can send addition issues if you like?” I said “sure” in thinking that I would get an issue the following week

Two weeks had  gone by, no Entertainment Weekly. I called them..and was told the computer were down and could I call back another time. I agreed half-hardheartedly.

Again the issue  did not arrive, nor did the replacement issues arrive... If you are keeping count that  seven issues (since one is a double issue) that makes six weeks in all. I check with the Post Office to see if anything can be done about my missing Entertainment Weekly issues.

The woman at the counter  asked “If I moved?”

I said “No” She asked “I had gotten other people's mail?”

Again I replied no.

She  said “The publisher needs to put a trace on where the magazines are.”

I asked, “Can I?”

She said “NO”

So I called the custumer service 800 number for Entertainment Weekly again. There was another  Indian gentlemen who took the call. I quickly  asked for the supervisor. I told him I need to talk to some one about EW customer service. I had a major problem. He verified my information on my label  and asked me to hold.

I was put on hold for five minutes. Suddenly,  this woman named  Jackie got on the phone. She verified my information again. She said she was a supervisor in Ocala, Florida office. I explained the situation. She said she could extent my subscription four weeks. 

I said “There are six week missing” 

She said that they sent those out the two missing issues already. I replied that I never received the issues  out already.  I explained “Again that it was SIX WEEKS that I not receive anything. She seem to run on automatic now. “We can credit you.” I asked about the missing issues? “I dunno” was her reply. I said I would like to talk to her supervisor. “She then said “A supervisor should get back to you in 24-48 hours” and repeated “I understand everything you said, sir” and hung up

About twenty minutes later, a supervisor name Ron called. He said “Someone called about Everyday Food magazine.”

I said “I wanted to talk to someone about Entertainment Weekly magazine missing issues I do not have.”

“Oh,” he replied,” We handle that too”

He verified my label information as the others did. I told him about the missing seven weeks of issues (six plus the double issue). He said he understand my situation.

He asked “If I moved?”

I said “No” 

He asked “I had gotten other people's mail?”

Again I replied no.

He then asked “If I picked up other people's mail in my box?”

Once more the reply was “No!”

He said that he can credit me for four..I explained to him, I had not receive the replacement issues. He finally agreed to credit the six missing issues.

So what do we do about this. He said “We will send it to our liaison department.”

Now I am not stupid man. But I asked what will they do?

Ron boasted “They will check out if this is happening similarly in other people in your area.”

I asked “How will this help me?” he sidestep that answer. I continued, “Well, what happens if I do not get an issue this week?”

“Well , you will get this issue.” he said in a voice that was unsure but trying to be upbeat."

“And if I don't?” 

“You call me Monday and then we have to make a special request to have this traced with our postal department. They usually don't do that” 

I asked for his direct number to call him. You just call remarked and he gave his employee ID code and ask for Ron In Ocala.

Sorry to say, Ron was no help. Monday no issues and he vanished from sight.

Now is this GOOD customer service or what?

Food for thought.