Customer Service To Die For

This past Wednesday, two furniture delivery men were shot and critically wounded by an off-duty Prince George’s County police officer while attempting to exchange a defective bedroom set in the officer’s suburban home, just outside Washington, DC.

I don’t know all the details, but I do know this: My wife and I had an encounter with delivery men from this same company 12 years ago that culminated in a screaming match with the sales manager at their showroom.

My wife Lori, one of the most tolerant people you’ll ever meet, had to be physically restrained and carried bodily out of the building (by yours truly) after an incredible conversation which ended with the sales manager asking her, “Are you calling me a liar lady?” to which she replied “That’s exactly what I’m calling you,” as she lunged across the counter for his throat.

I have never seen her behave in any manner similiar to that in the 20+ years we have known each other.

In our case, we had asked to have a piece exchanged when it was delivered damaged. When the second delivery was also defective, we asked the guys on the truck to take it back. They called the office and were told by the sales manager to leave it with us as is - which is just what they did. The screaming match at the showroom occurred when we drove back there to get satisfaction (because no one would take our calls or call us back) and the sales manager told us he had not ordered them to leave the piece and go.

According to one news account, here’s what happened when the police officer received a scratched headboard as part of his second delivery:

“(the customer) was apparently very upset with the delivery. We have no information to believe he was upset with the gentleman. He was upset with the delivery and the exchange. They called their supervisors and were advised to simply provide the officer with the exchanged items and leave,”

Exactly what occurred is still not clear. The brother of one of the men who were shot says that they were actually in the house to repossess the furniture for non-payment. Other sources say the police officer has had past challenges with anger management, and it may be that dealing with this particular company just pushed him over the edge.

Whatever the case, while no one would condone his decision to shoot two unarmed men, some of us can relate to his level of rage. During our encounter I felt that this company’s absolute disdain for us as paying customers could tempt a saint to do the same.

Despite millions of dollars in annual advertising spending, could it be that this company refuses to go the extra step to ensure their customers’ satisfaction, thereby destroying their goodwill and losing huge amounts of potential repeat and referral business? I wonder.

If so, in this case it cost their two employees more than just a little goodwill. And it may cost the police officer his job - and freedom.

After watching a report on the case on the evening news last night, Lori and I agreed that it was a lucky thing she wasn’t armed when we walked back into the showroom that day 12 years ago.