Customer Service

What has happened to customer service?

During the past week we have had questionable experiences at a few restaurants and a big hassle with Sam's Club.

First - restaurants.  Not bussing tables to the point of our being led around the restaurant to search for a clean table.  Wait staff laughing, talking, visiting, sitting in a section that is not occupied by customer and enjoying beverages while other wait staff wait on numerous tables and customers sit patiently waiting to place their orders.  At one restaurant we sat with at least 5 glasses on the table for the two of us because the waitress brought new drinks and didn't remove the empty glasses.  When we ate at Bob Evans in Lafayette on Friday evening Gary never did receive the cole slaw that was to come with his meal.  My biscuits were hard and dry.   At Cristo's on Thursday noon we were not given a bill but just told the amount we were to pay.  At least today when we ate at the new Longhorn Steak House for lunch the tables were bussed immediately after the diners left the restaurant, the empty glasses were removed, and the excess paper (straw wrappers, empty Sweet N Low packets) was removed. 

Second - Sam's Club.  Gary sent in the renewal for our family's membership on November 18.  On December 5 Megan called and her card had been denied at the gas pump at Sam's in Lafayette.  Gary called the number on the bill and even though it was not yet 5:00 p.m. and the times listed on the bill were 7:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., they were not open. Another call the next day resulted in the same message.  Closed.  So he called another number we found online and was told that they had just received the check and had processed ONLY his membership but the others would be processed within the hour.  Fast forward to Friday and our stop at the gas pump at Sam's.  Gary's card was denied.

Into the store we went.  The big question was why we had not come in to renew rather than sending it in.  Well, the bill had a return envelope and the statement said to enclose it with the check and place it in the envelope to mail in.  Second, Leo and Gary had always sent in the renewal with no problem. And third, even though we are in Lafayette often, it is not easy for us to just 'stop by' Sam's to renew the membership.

Another sticking point was that they didn't really believe that we had paid all of the memberships in full.  Of course that is understandable to a point, since we could have been anyone and made up a story just to get a free membership.  But we were told to check with our bank and return with a copy of the cancelled check.

Today we returned with the cancelled check.  We talked to THREE people at the service desk. Once more we were questioned as to why we sent the check in.  We were questioned as to why we brought a copy of the cancelled check.  We were questioned as to why we called the number on the statement and why we were told the names would be activated when they were not.  Ater 30 minutes we walked out with all of the names activated....we hope.  But it took two trips into the store, a call and a trip to the bank for a copy of the check, three calls to the 800 number with no results, two family members plus us who tried to use the card and could not because of THEIR mistake.

And our questions still are...why was the check received on Nov. 21 and nothing done with it?  Why was it cashed and the names not activated?  Why were Gary's name and Sandy's name the only two that appeared on the list with 'activated' next to them and then Gary's card did not work?  Why did Blaine's card work on Friday and his name on the list show that he was NOT activated?  

If we didn't go to Sam's Club for some items and if the others in our family didn't do the same, we would just drop the membership altogether.  Is it worth it?  Time will tell. 

I just hope ALL of the names are activated now; otherwise, watch out Sam's Club because Gary may not be as nice the next time he comes in.