Dear UPS Customer Service Lady,
I am not ditzy.
I had an accident while waiting to board my very first flight EVER. I lost my phone. It was in my pants pocket and as I squatted down to retrieve my wallet from my backpack to pay the kind woman for the two bottles of water I purchased, my phone must have fallen out. The next thing I knew I was in line to board the plane. That is when I noticed my phone was no longer in my pocket.
I felt stupid.
I also felt a sense of anxiety. I was going to fly for the very first time and I had no camera, no contact info and no way to engage in social media while I was at a conference for bloggers. In case you didn’t know, customer service lady, blogging is all about social media.
I immediately called my husband from the borrowed phone of my friend and traveling companion and he was on it. In fact, he texted back before the plane began it’s taxi down the runway that my phone was in possession of Homeland Security. Oh yes it was! I think they frown on phones laying on the ground unattended in an airport. This surely was in my favor. I asked my husband to overnight it to me please, and sat back to enjoy my ride.
It wasn’t until I was back home again that my husband told me the tale of talking with you, UPS customer service lady, trying to get my phone to me when I arrived at the hotel. It wasn’t worth the $5oo that you wanted to charge him, nor even $90 for overnight. The post office did the very same service for $25.
As my husband ended the call with you he didn’t immediately disconnect (I don’t know why and it doesn’t matter). He heard you proclaim to a co-worker before you ended the conversation with him that “This man’s ditzy wife left her phone in an airport.” Uh, really?
Just so we’re clear UPS customer service lady, I’m not ditzy.
And I did not “leave” my phone there. I lost it.
Just so you know UPS customer service lady, you might want to make sure the phone is disconnected before you dis your customers.
Now who’s the ditzy one? 🙂
Ugh, people need to realize that when you’re in front of customers, even on the phones you have to hold back your thoughts, just like most civil people do face to face (yes I know not everyone does, that’s why I said most). I had a Dairy Queen gal do something like that to me when I asked politely (yes it was polite because I wasn’t upset, I was just curious) why I had been waiting over 30 minutes in the drive thru line. I also sat next to a guy when I worked on the phones for a popular reatiler, and he would constantly mute the phone and say horrible things about the customer he didn’t like. One time the mute button didn’t work. People do hear these things, and with social media, it can cost the company a lot of money depending on how fast the word spreads. Thank you for bringing one of these situations to light. It happens way too often and brands need to hear how their customers are being treated.
Customer service is so important. It’s the heartbeat of a business. I don’t get why people don’t know this.
Dissing customers is just not cool. If they feel a need to vent, do it when NO ONE is in earshot other than the person they’re talking to.
Sorry you had to deal with that. It’s just so rude and unprofessional of her. Hopefully they get back to you and apologize.
I totally agree and thanks!
Wow, how rude. And uncalled for. UPS is in the business of shipping things, the reason *why* shouldn’t really matter. Not to mention that $500 is a ridiculous price! I’ve shared on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
I loved your remark that the reason why shouldn’t really matter. Thanks for your help in the matter. 🙂
Customer service is a rare thing these days! That would be me that forgets to end the call. Too funny!
It is indeed and lol about you forgetting to end the call.
Unprofessional service that’s for sure. I hope you do write a letter to corporate and let them know the service you received.
I haven’t yet. Maybe I will.
What a dolt! (Her, not you!) Any good mother or wife knows how to mutter things under her breath without anyone else hearing!! LOL!
Now I’m cracking up!
I think your hubby was so sweet for jumping on it like he did. But I do not like that customer services said that about you! Just snotty stinky thing to say. It was great to meet you this weekend though! And in a way, maybe no phone was for the better. It was just too hard to keep up with Twitter and the great presentations.
Thanks Stevie! Yeah, I didn’t miss the phone too much, except you were tweeting to find Sadie and me lol.
I hope you hear from them. And I hope that UPS has a really good excuse for how their representative behaved. Although there is no excuse I suppose. But an apology is certainly due. Customer service is EVERYTHING. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you sell. Thank you for this cautionary tale – and I’m glad you have your phone back.
Thanks, Ilene. As a biz owner yourself you know the importance of customer service. I’m glad I have my phone back too. 🙂
I feel your pain on losing your phone on the way to a blogger conference. I lost mine at BlogHer (my first ever conference). My experience was a good one in that someone turned it in and I just had to pick it up so I was only panicked for a half hour. I’m sorry that you had to deal with such bad customer service.
On no! Glad I’m not the only one and I am happy to hear yours turned up so soon.
Incompetent. Hope you never have a next time but if you do, get the name and if necessary ask for the supervisor. Sometimes people just need to keep their thoughts to themselves.
I agree, sometimes people DO need to keep their thoughts to themselves.
How rude! I mean come on no one just “leaves” a phone. Of course it was lost! Those things are to expensive and have too much info to be just left!
You are right! I really didn’t want to leave my phone in the airport!
It is crazy. I seriously couldn’t believe I LOST my phone!!!!! Happy to have it back, and I agree about people in service. It takes a person who cars.
That’s crazy! I’m sorry that happened to you. Especially knowing how anxious you must have already been from the flight alone. Some people just shouldn’t be in a service oriented industry!
Wow. That was incredibly rude and unprofessional.
Also, really crazy expensive. I can’t imagine that was their best price option for overnighting the phone. It doesn’t even make sense.
I know, right? I was just happy to get my phone back but once my husband told me the story…I’m on a mission. 🙂
Customer service should be king, ya know? It stinks when people don’t know that.
That is lame. Beyond lame. I am so sorry. Customer service is so important. There are places I won’t shop because the service is lousy, and I will tell people about it. Usually I give stores, restaurants, etc a second chance but forget it if you are outright rude. One restaurant that I like for takeout I went to once and in the takeout area they said they didn’t have any menus so to go over to the restaurant end. I did and they had no menus out, but a waitress chatting with her friends at a table. She looked at me and then looked away and continued her conversation. No acknowledgement, nothing. I waited almost 10 minutes and then left. And even though its a local restaurant that I would normally try to give business to, I won’t go back.
BRILLIANT!!! And OHMYGOSH you need to call that person’s manager STAT. Call the airport and find out who is her boss- if you don’t get their attention via @s. Unbelievable!!! How dare her treat you like that! And of all times, your FIRST ever air travel experience. Oh Laurie!! I am SO sorry you had to go through that stressful situation! I am SO glad you had a friend with you to help…
LOL…thanks Chris. I will do these things but I’d like for them to reach out to me in an appropriate manner, not the way they have…just saying. It wasn’t a big deal really, I just didn’t like that she called me ditzy. 🙂
Oh, please tell me you sent a copy of this to UPS corporate. Please tell me you already did this.
Not yet I haven’t. I was hoping a PR person would respond to my @s on Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. I will @ them again tonight with the article and go from there.