I’ve had two very different customer service experiences over the past week or so that I thought I would share. To start, Portman bought a new HE washer & dryer on clearance at Best Buy about 4 weeks ago. They were supposed to arrive two weeks ago, so we sold the old ones on craigslist and had them picked up a few days ahead of time. Well, delivery day rolled around and the truck showed up with a washer… and no dryer. When we called Best Buy they told us that since it was a clearance item there were none in stock. I’m sure you can imagine how annoying this was for a family of four to be without a dryer! After much protest and arguing and additional discounts for us, they finally found a floor-model in some flyover state that they agreed to ship to us a week later.
Flash forward to this past Monday. The delivery truck showed up on time with… another washer. I’m sure I don’t need to describe my frustration! So I wasted another morning on the phone with the idiot manager at our local Best Buy. After securing even more discounts on our end – a very small positive in an otherwise sucky situation – they realized their mistake and are apparently delivering a floor-model dryer sometime today. I’m not holding my breath. At this point I’ve been without a dryer for over two weeks and the laundry is truly piling up. Luckily I have some awesome neighbors who have let me dry a few loads at their houses – thanks guys!
Later in the week I decided to call Phil & Teds, the manufacturer of our double stroller. When we were in Europe we lost the screw to one of the rear wheel guards and I haven’t been able to find a replacement that will work. A few weeks ago Jenn told me that she called Phil & Teds and they were incredibly helpful, so I thought I would give it a try. Sure enough, my call went right through without having to punch in any additional numbers or wait in line. I explained that we had lost the screw (totally our fault) and I was looking for a replacement. Without hesitating, the woman asked for my address and said “okay I’m shipping you two new rear wheel guards with screws – is there anything else I can help you with?” Not only did I get brand new wheel guards, but she Fedexed them overnight and I didn’t have to pay a cent! Phil & Teds makes some awesome products, and they’ve made me a customer for life… or for as long as I have young kids 