Letter to Phil Schoonover of Circuit City
Yesterday, I had an experience I felt was worth sharing and definitely worth sending a message to Phil Schoonover of Circuit City. I am actually a proponent of customer interaction and response when it comes to the service industry. If a company is doing a good job, the company should know it. If they do a bad job, they should also be told. Below is the letter I am writing to the CEO of Circuit City.
Good Day Mr. Schoonover,
My name is N8ivWarrior and I was a potential customer in your store in 814 in Woodbridge, Virginia last night, December 28, 2006 at 5:30PM. I realize this letter may look long and laborious, but I wanted to make sure you understood my entire customer experience in your store.
Last night, I wanted to buy a DVD player for my mother-in-law. She already had a DVD player, but it was unable to play DVD-R disks that were used to create home movies of her granddaughter's Christmas day. My family actually lives in Illinois so this was the only way she was going to see her open gifts. Since I was heading into Circuit City anyhow, I figured I would also check out the prices of desktop computers as well, since I was looking to purchase a new one for my household.
It has been about four years since I last entered a Circuit City store. I noticed that the store seemed much less like an impersonal warehouse giant, and more of the retail "we care" and "get comfortable" feel. So when it comes to the atmosphere of the store, I have to say, it is much better than I last remember.
Weaving my way through the store, I was pleased with the presentation of the televisions, and audio systems. I looked at a few audio systems (because my truck audio system stinks) and attempted to test the different speaker systems. The buttons in the section I tried, didn't work. So, the speaker I wanted to test could not be tested. There was a customer service representative in the area but he was helping other customers.
As I gazed and drooled while walking by the TVs, I noticed the recliners in the middle of the store facing the TVs. Very nice touch.
I headed to the back corner of the store where the DVD players are located. I found the DVD player I wanted, and even though the product costs a mere $35.00 with a $10 mail-in rebate, I felt it was an important purchase. You had three of the product in stock. All three boxes had been crushed. They look as if each box had been thrown against the wall. I was still willing to take a chance and purchase the item, picking the box that looked least damaged. I knew Target had the equivilent product for $5 less, and I didn't have to mail in the rebate to get the $10. For some reason, I never end up mailing those things off so I consider the mail-in rebate useless. If you really want to incent me on price, just put it on sale.
But I was in the store, and it was worth the $5 for me not to have to go to another store. I also figured if I could talk with someone, they may be able to discount the item for the box being crushed.
As I complete the circle around the store, back to the front, my intention was to look at the pricing of computers. Out of the entire store, and the dozen or so computers, three (3) had price tags. This is Circuit City, not a fancy restaurant. I need to know the price before I will purchase the item. The three prices I saw, were not bad, just not for me and my family. There was a young man in a green shirt (I am guessing firedog) in the back of his little area, but he was intently looking at a computer.
After being frustrated with your lack of pricing, I walked toward the registers. Mr. Schoonover, the checkout system to your stores is terrible. There were five of us standing not in line, because there are no defined lines, but around the area believed to be the register section. Honestly, I had to pay close attention to determine that is was the location to check out. There was one person at the register.
The aforementioned young man with the green shirt, came from his pit area to the registers and we (the customers) believed he was going to help at the registers. Unfortunately, he walked past the cashier, and met a couple of his friends, gave them both "high fives," and talked for about 3 minutes before telling them to walk over to his pit area. Looking carefully at the situation, I dropped my DVD player on the counter and exited the store. As I was leaving, I looked through the door and saw three of your employees in the back standing and talking to each other.
One last item...I was NEVER approached to determine if I needed help with anything.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I am just one customer. The man that was standing before me at the register "area" seemed equally upset with the customer service. Mr. Schoonover, I am in the customer service business. I know how much of an impact one upset customer can be to the business. I also know how much of an impact one happy customer can be to profits. The customer you have in the store wanting to buy is worth 10 times the amount of the purchase. If you can make a happy customer, you have a returning customer.
Additionally, customer service rule 1 is that dissatisfied customers tell about 10 people about their experience. 20 percent tell about 20 people.
As for me, you lost a customer opportunity for another 4 years. I am posting this letter on my blog. If you respond, I will also post your response.
Respectfully,
N8ivWarrior
http://N8ivwarrior.blogspot.com
Did you know...
If 20 customers are dissatisfied with their service, 19 won't bother to tell
you. Fourteen of the 20 will simply take their business elsewhere.
Good Day Mr. Schoonover,
My name is N8ivWarrior and I was a potential customer in your store in 814 in Woodbridge, Virginia last night, December 28, 2006 at 5:30PM. I realize this letter may look long and laborious, but I wanted to make sure you understood my entire customer experience in your store.
Last night, I wanted to buy a DVD player for my mother-in-law. She already had a DVD player, but it was unable to play DVD-R disks that were used to create home movies of her granddaughter's Christmas day. My family actually lives in Illinois so this was the only way she was going to see her open gifts. Since I was heading into Circuit City anyhow, I figured I would also check out the prices of desktop computers as well, since I was looking to purchase a new one for my household.
It has been about four years since I last entered a Circuit City store. I noticed that the store seemed much less like an impersonal warehouse giant, and more of the retail "we care" and "get comfortable" feel. So when it comes to the atmosphere of the store, I have to say, it is much better than I last remember.
Weaving my way through the store, I was pleased with the presentation of the televisions, and audio systems. I looked at a few audio systems (because my truck audio system stinks) and attempted to test the different speaker systems. The buttons in the section I tried, didn't work. So, the speaker I wanted to test could not be tested. There was a customer service representative in the area but he was helping other customers.
As I gazed and drooled while walking by the TVs, I noticed the recliners in the middle of the store facing the TVs. Very nice touch.
I headed to the back corner of the store where the DVD players are located. I found the DVD player I wanted, and even though the product costs a mere $35.00 with a $10 mail-in rebate, I felt it was an important purchase. You had three of the product in stock. All three boxes had been crushed. They look as if each box had been thrown against the wall. I was still willing to take a chance and purchase the item, picking the box that looked least damaged. I knew Target had the equivilent product for $5 less, and I didn't have to mail in the rebate to get the $10. For some reason, I never end up mailing those things off so I consider the mail-in rebate useless. If you really want to incent me on price, just put it on sale.
But I was in the store, and it was worth the $5 for me not to have to go to another store. I also figured if I could talk with someone, they may be able to discount the item for the box being crushed.
As I complete the circle around the store, back to the front, my intention was to look at the pricing of computers. Out of the entire store, and the dozen or so computers, three (3) had price tags. This is Circuit City, not a fancy restaurant. I need to know the price before I will purchase the item. The three prices I saw, were not bad, just not for me and my family. There was a young man in a green shirt (I am guessing firedog) in the back of his little area, but he was intently looking at a computer.
After being frustrated with your lack of pricing, I walked toward the registers. Mr. Schoonover, the checkout system to your stores is terrible. There were five of us standing not in line, because there are no defined lines, but around the area believed to be the register section. Honestly, I had to pay close attention to determine that is was the location to check out. There was one person at the register.
The aforementioned young man with the green shirt, came from his pit area to the registers and we (the customers) believed he was going to help at the registers. Unfortunately, he walked past the cashier, and met a couple of his friends, gave them both "high fives," and talked for about 3 minutes before telling them to walk over to his pit area. Looking carefully at the situation, I dropped my DVD player on the counter and exited the store. As I was leaving, I looked through the door and saw three of your employees in the back standing and talking to each other.
One last item...I was NEVER approached to determine if I needed help with anything.
This brings me to my point (as I almost always have one). I am just one customer. The man that was standing before me at the register "area" seemed equally upset with the customer service. Mr. Schoonover, I am in the customer service business. I know how much of an impact one upset customer can be to the business. I also know how much of an impact one happy customer can be to profits. The customer you have in the store wanting to buy is worth 10 times the amount of the purchase. If you can make a happy customer, you have a returning customer.
Additionally, customer service rule 1 is that dissatisfied customers tell about 10 people about their experience. 20 percent tell about 20 people.
As for me, you lost a customer opportunity for another 4 years. I am posting this letter on my blog. If you respond, I will also post your response.
Respectfully,
N8ivWarrior
http://N8ivwarrior.blogspot.com
Did you know...
If 20 customers are dissatisfied with their service, 19 won't bother to tell
you. Fourteen of the 20 will simply take their business elsewhere.
Comments
Owners should respect customers. If they take customers for granted, that rings the bell for their coffin!