Customer Service Phone Hold Nightmare

[DebPC]

Does anyone know when HO expects things to return to normal or even better-be better then before? the 3-4 hour call back time doesn't work for me- I'm usually gone by then. And I've had issues the last week and a half I couldn't resolve online.

 

[chefkathy]

Me too, and it affected my relinquishment status. I am trying to appeal it.

 

[baychef]

If I don't call first thing in the morning...forget it. Originally, I thought the Solution Center concept would get better, but it has gone from worse to worse "er"!! I know customers get through quickly, but I how frustrating. If I were a new consultant, I think I would be totally discouraged with this inefficient system.

 

[chefkugler]

Did everyone see the email that the Executive's got about this?? I just got it fwd to me this morning from mine.

Dear Executive Director,
As I am sure you and your teams have noticed, our ability to answer your calls in the Solution Center is well below the level of service you have come to expect from The Pampered Chef. I wanted to directly address with you what is happening.
As I mentioned at Leadership Summit, we are in the process of upgrading our entire internal infrastructure. This is necessary to make us more efficient and to implement the new Career Plan. The recent systems conversions have unfortunately impacted the Solution Center Universal Representatives in two ways. First, our Universal Representatives have been asked to learn a new system and process, both of which take time. Secondly, the systems are not operating at the necessary level of efficiency.
I want to assure you that the Solution Center Universal Representatives are working as hard as possible to learn the new systems and process and to serve you as best as they possibly can. They are committed to a high level of service and are documenting their concerns and issues with the new system. Concurrently, the Information Systems team is actively looking at the new system to make improvements as quickly as possible.
To expedite service, I would ask that you and your teams please process adjustments, returns and show resolutions using the internet. This is the quickest way to get these items processed.



I am confident that we will get our service levels back to an acceptable level in a short period of time. In the meantime, I would ask for your patience, especially with our Universal Representatives who are doing everything in their power to help you and your customers as quickly as possible.

 

[jwpamp]

Deb, what happened? I thought it was all taken care of?????

 

[BethCooks4U]

Deb, what happened? I thought it was all taken care of?????

She posted here before she got the answer from HO.

 

[chefkathy]

Deb, what happened? I thought it was all taken care of?????

Yep, it's all taken care of now.

 

[chefkugler]

I really hope this is fixed soon. I know in the letter, they encourage us to email rather than call. I had an adjustment that didn't fall into the info you can pick doing the online adjustment. I sent the email last Sunday and still NO response. I sent another one on Thursday. A whole week, now I have to keep telling the host to hang in there. I think tomorrow I will have to go with the hours and hours wait for a call back.
This isn't the first time it has taken more than a week to get a response from email. Anyone else having this trouble?

 

[baychef]

warning...vent

I really hope this is fixed soon. I know in the letter, they encourage us to email rather than call. I had an adjustment that didn't fall into the info you can pick doing the online adjustment. I sent the email last Sunday and still NO response. I sent another one on Thursday. A whole week, now I have to keep telling the host to hang in there. I think tomorrow I will have to go with the hours and hours wait for a call back.
This isn't the first time it has taken more than a week to get a response from email. Anyone else having this trouble?

Yes, I will not do an online adjustment because it comes back labled something like no action taken or something like this. I am going to e-mail HO today because my frustration level for this simple task is just another growing layer I am having with my business and with PC. (Trust me I am not liking this because I LOVE PC and selling PC but I am finding other areas are dampening my enthusiasm. I have never felt it this strong in all of my time with PC)

This morning at 8:00 am EST I phoned the "Pollution" Center and was not given a call back time. I waited 40 minutes to get a rep. (in the meantime, I can not get ready for work and I have to "powder my nose" but I don't dare leave the phone)

Then, I had three returns for customers. The professional cookware that had to be returned from a party that was held in 2001 with another consultant went easy. I had a reference number instantly. Then I had 2 stones from parties of mine held a little over a year ago and it took 5 or more minutes to get a reference number for EACH one. My total time on the phone with them was 53 minutes!!!!

And I am VERY sorry, but HAVE to let this out. Letting it out to my upline is not effective. I am feeling information overload from PC and from what they are asking the upper level directors to filter down. The phone, the e-mails all in the name of "helping you get ready for the new Career Plan" is really adding pressure to me. And my thoughts keep going to...if this plan is as exciting as it was introduced, then why do we need help getting ready for it. It isn't "help...as in understanding the plan" it is help as in "your status and pay will not be consistent like it was before". I feel as if those with jobs along with PC are having more and more taken away from them.

I am still trying to adjust things on my team by offering training, coaching and I am pulling in my team members who have recruited to get them involved in hosting Contact Blitz events. In the meantime, my personal business that I wanted to kick up a notch is getting kicked period.

What strikes me is, my sadness. I feel like I am losing a fun best friend with PC. This feeling is larger than my feeling of frustration. Larger than all of these negative feelings...is my feeling of my determination to overcome it ALL of the negativity and loving my business in spite of what seems to be larger and more obsticles to over come.

Thanks for letting me vent...now I can go on and "get over it" so I can move on!

 

[BethCooks4U]

I am feeling information overload from PC and from what they are asking the upper level directors to filter down.

At least you are getting information. My director is AWESOME and has called me but I have not been getting anything at all "filtered down" to me. I hope I'm not missing anything important...

 

[baychef]

At least you are getting information. My director is AWESOME and has called me but I have not been getting anything at all "filtered down" to me. I hope I'm not missing anything important...

No, what they are doing is fantastic with information calls, forum calls, trainings, etc. Most I can not attend due to the fact they are located about an 8 to 10 hour drive from me. I hope I do not sound unappreciative because I feel more on overload and am grateful I have a support system to rely on.

 

[chefkugler]

Since I still have heard nothing on my email to solutions center a week ago, I'm not on hold. It is havning me stay on hold rather than wait for a call back. It has been 10 min so far. So we shall see. They do need to update the recordings on hold since it is Marla talking about this past Sat's promo.

 

[chefkugler]

Wow no option for a call back. I sat on hold for 45 min. Got a rep and was put back on hold for 9 min to get a reference number.
I can't remember the last time this happen. Did they do away with option for a call back to hold your place in line? My husband said I need a head set to be on hold that long.

 

[annew]

that or speaker phone....
sorry I thought I would type something funny since I'm on the phone w/them now....it does take sooooo much longer. thank goodness I'm home w/2 sick kids & had the time to wait 3.5 hours to get the call back....

 

[chefkugler]

One of my consultants called at 3 and had the option for a call back and it said it would be a call back at 8:00 PM. WOW a 5 hour wait.

 

[baychef]

So who do we talk to? I really don't want to ruffle feathers, but this is very unacceptable IMHO.

I did look back over some of my e-mails and they are titled "not read"!!!:bugeye:

 

[baychef]

Ok, I am going to write and probably P.O. people, but I am really fed up. We at least deserve some sort of explaination. Why they can not come up with a system similar to the "recently" submitted show adjustments is beyond me. They want us on the phone and my time is limited. I can not be "holding" for hours at a time. I have a consultant that was on hold for 2 hours last night and he works full time too. I know it is no guarentee that he would have booked, sold and recruited in that time, but it really cuts in on our PC time.

Has anyone heard anything concerning this?

 

[annew]

I'm w/you Ann
~I was on for 1.5 hours & no call back was offered & no speaker phone available @ home before I hung up~
I actually need to talk to someone vs. doing an online adjustment b/c of items that were delivered wrong.....
I don't mind the call back option b/c I can work on other things @ home.....but sitting & waiting drives me NUTS.........
this is CRAZY!!

 

[chefkugler]

This is so true. I have had some adjustments that need a live person cause they don't fall into the ones on CC. I end up emailing and it takes at least a week to get a response. That is way too long. In the mean time the customer is asking for answers.

 

[DebPC]

I just got back from vacation and hoped the customer service mess would be cleared up. Yesterday it took me 45 minutes for 2 product adjustments. Mostly due to a newbie rep. Evidently they have hired a lot- I don't know if they're temps- to catch up. I originally called on Wednesday and got the 4-5 hour call back time. when they called back I still had to wait 15 minutes to get a live rep. At least they'll now be open on Saturdays.

In the early to mid 90's this used to happen every year. The company was growing so fast, either they were moving, or updating and things would get crazy for a while and then settle back down again. We called them growing pains.

I know they will get a handle on things as soon as they posibbly can.

 

[chefkugler]

The other day I got a call back in 2 hours. So when I had her on the line, I asked if she would help me with 2 other adjustment emails I sent in on March 3rd and have gotten NO response to. She said well they respond in the order they get them. ( keep in mind that to date 3/13, I still have no response)
The gal I talked to was great at helping me, we were on the phone 40 min .She said the system is so slow now, which is backing things up for all. I had an adjustment that was going to need the customers credit card. I had to call the customer for it. She said well rather then you calling back in and waiting, why don't I call you tomorrow for that. I was like WOW. Well she was supposed to call Wednesday and still hasn't. So much for that. Guess I will have to call and wait in line again.
Like Beth said, they are trying to get it better soon. Let's all hope so anyway.