Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Amazon made me cry today

I will start by stating that, at this point in the game, I find I like animals more than I like many people.  I like no one in Amazon's customer "service" unit at all.

For anyone who did not already know this, you can set up a wish list on Amazon, and when people shop they can send you things from your wish list.  Gift giving becomes easier.  Libraries get some books this way.  And sometimes, you can help someone out who just needs a few extra things.  A couple weeks ago I had an opportunity to do something very small for someone else.  I follow two sweet cats on Facebook - Trip and Yoga (visit them here and be forever charmed).  Trip has CH like my Winnie and Yoga is a paraplegic due to an injury.  They are both beautiful and fresh and wonderful.  Their mom, Tiffany, has given them a wonderful life and she shares them with us.   Trip & Yoga have a wish list on Amazon.  I was doing some shopping and added something small from their list to my cart.  It was to be sent to them directly because that's how the wish list works.  I chose kitty shampoo.  Having to bathe cats cannot be anywhere near fun...and cats with potty issues need bathing.  It was just a small bottle of shampoo. 

I expected it had been delivered because I received no notification to the contrary, but I did not check on it.  I happened to be cleaning out my pending purchase emails today and I decided to check on that one.  I was somewhat surprised to learn that the package had never been delivered because it was damaged.  This all took place on December 11th....7 days ago.  Not only was the package damaged...it was in the process of being delivered to ME and NOT to Trip & Yoga, who live in Ohio (which is not anywhere near me) when it was damaged and no one received it.

I contacted Amazon and immediately our relationship began to fail.  First response, filled with customer service BS arrived.  They were so sorry - they know how upset I must have been waiting for something to arrive that was never coming.  (No no Amazon, I dated for many years and did not marry until I was in my mid-40s....I'm used to that)  They were very pleased to offer me options to correct this.  I could receive a refund, or, have the package re-sent to ME overnight at their expense.

I thanked them for their (fake and script-filled) email and asked that the package be delivered to the intended recipient, as should have happened last week.  I then received an email that was worse.  It was a form email that was not filled in properly.  And a sentence began with "unfortunately".  Who decided that it was excellent customer service to EVER begin a sentence with "unfortunately"?  As soon as I hear/read that word, my ears/eyes close and my mind realizes that nothing good is going to follow it.  No no --- they were very sorry but the package could only be delivered to me.

It made me cry.  Literally.  I sat in tears.  Not because of their stupid lack of customer service or the loss of the item - it was cat shampoo.  It was more that  this giant company couldn't help me help these two little cats who have enough to deal with every day.  It was more my frustration at not being able to do something small for someone who does so much.  You know how sometimes you feel sad and it snowballs?  That happened next.  Suddenly it was about animals with special needs never knowing the love they should know.  It was about all the animals sitting in shelters, where volunteers & staff do their best, but these wonderful little creatures live alone in cages.  I wrote about this before (here).  It was one of those afternoons. 

I finally pulled myself together and told them I wanted a refund.  Third horribly written email arrived to thank me for my choice and that they hoped it made me happy.  Ummm...no...it did not.  What made me happy was to go to a pet store on line where I could purchase an egift certificate and send it to Tiffany.  Now she can get more than a bottle of shampoo and she, being an excellent shopper, is going to hold it to take advantage of post-Christmas sales, which will make it work even harder for her.

At the end of the day, it isn't about shampoo or lack of customer service.  It is about doing something, no matter how small, for someone who gives so much to others.  Just do it.  And if you can help an animal in the process, then you're on my good list.  If you don't think you can make a difference, I say to you, try anyhow because you just never know and you will certainly feel happier.

xo