Watch it!

The Internet can be a valuable tool for doing business.  It opens new avenues of conversation and information that we couldn't have even imagined as recently as ten years ago.  The technology changes almost daily.  But, the Web can be a dangerous place, too.

The following are some excerpts from a message posted on a Yahoo group.  I'm not going to name the group or the dealer involved, but I think you'll see just how powerful and potentially destructive an unhappy customer can be.  The comments are cut and pasted, leaving all of the original spelling and grammar intact.

"Girls just a word of warning. I ordered a part for one of my machines from an online company who seemed very professional & reliable......"(she goes on to name the dealer) 

"what a joke"

"I emailed him and asked him if he had the part he said he did & emailed me a
link for a credit card order. I ordered it on the 18th of August 2006 by credit card."

" I emailed him ( which was several times thru the month) he would all ways say crazy things that had nothing to do with my part or when & how he mailed it,I honestly thought he must be doing drugs,because nothing he said made sense."

The writer goes on to say that the dealer emailed her on August 30 to tell her the part was in, and again on September 1 to tell her that the part was no longer available.  She closes with:

"So I want you girls to be ware of this very unprofessional and vulgar bussiness so you do no have a month long ordeal like I had here are his 2 web sites so you may avoid them. I hope this helps sincerely your friend.
xxxxxxxx

Avoid these like the plague"

Then she gives links to the dealers web sites.

First, let me say that I have no idea whether the dealer mentioned is reputable or not.  I don't know him, although he does buy a small amount from our company.  I notice, though, that the woman ordered her part on August 18, a Friday, and was told that the part wasn't available on September 1, exactly two weeks later.

She says "I emailed him ( which was several times thru the month)..."  a period of fourteen days.  Her "month long ordeal" seems to be slightly exagerated.  But, that's not really the point.  Whether the dealer is a saint or a jerk, the damage is done.  The "girls" in the group, which numbers 2,132,   are naturally sympathetic to the writer. 

One even makes the rather bizarre comment that she has done business with this particular dealer in the past.  She writes, "I did not have the same experience- he was prompt and friendly BUT I've had enough bad experiences with other internet retailers- that I won't shop with him again. If he can do that to one customer- he'll do it to others."

There are enough gaps in this lady's story to at least raise the suspicion that there might be another side to it.  It seems that she might have been a little aggressive in her emailing.  To acuse someone of being "on drugs" and to imply that he may try to charge her credit card for merchandise she didn't receive seems to be a little over the top.

It goes without saying (Why do people say "It goes without saying" and then proceed to say it anyway?) that we must give each customer the best possible service.  Our livlihood depends on creating loyal repeat customers.  But it's also important to remember that if we make a mistake, the story can be spread around the world in a matter of seconds, without our having any chance to defend ourselves.

So what should you do?  First, after making sure that every customer experience in your store goes as well as humanly possitle, we must be aware of what people are saying about us.  Join the news groups and chat rooms that involve your business.   Read the blogs.  (After you finish reading this one.)  Take the time to Google yourself and your business.  Who knows, you might find some positive things that you can print out and show to your customers.  If you find something negative, take steps to correct it.

Of course, the positive side of this story is that it points out the problems with buying over the Internet.  If this lady had gone to her local dealer she probably would have her part by now and been spared the "ordeal."