A tale of two customer service experiences

[mgraham333]

I ordered 3 CDs from CDUniverse (2 RVGs & 1 Keepnews, all Concord)

Bags Meets Wes! arrived still factory sealed but without a CD booklet inside. The post card to get on the Concord mailing list was there but no booklet.

I called Concord first, thinking that by going directly to the source I might have better luck. I spoke with a real person in just a matter of minutes so I will give them credit for that. However, I was told that because I didn't order from the Concord website that there was nothing that they could do for me.

The problem was clearly at the point of manufacture, not anything that the retailer did wrong. I would have thought that Concord would step up and offer a solution. I was wrong.

------------

I called CDUniverse, again I got a real person in a matter of minutes - so shocking in the automated phone world of today. I told the customer service representative about the problem and she immediately scheduled a replacement shipment of the item. She even told me not to bother to send the other one back - though I plan to as a matter of principle.

Maybe I am being unfair. Admittedly, the transaction was with CDUniverse and not with Concord, but this was Concord's product, Concord's mistake. Although my issue was satisfactorily resolved I am a little disappointed that Concord didn't step up and take care of the problem.

UPDATE: Concord (via Telarc International) sent the missing CD booklet to me. I immediately followed my original phone call with an email and that apparently did the trick. Thanks Concord. You made it right.

PS I was able to contact CD Universe to stop the re-shipment.

Edited April 8, 2008 by mgraham333

[Dan Gould]

I completely fail to understand your complaint, for the reasons that you seem to acknowledge already:

You didn't buy the CD from Concord.

You bought it from CD Universe.

Let me give you another example: You go to your local grocery store and buy a two liter bottle of Pepsi. You bring it home, open it up, no fizz. The soda is flat.

Do you call the local Pepsi distributor and ask them to fix the problem? Or do you go back to the grocery store, tell them what happened, and get a replacement bottle from them?

You buy a loaf of bread - its stale. Do you take it back, or do you call the Wonder company and ask them to take care of it.

Bottom line:

CD Universe sold it to you - they stand behind the sale, they are fixing the problem. Why you would possibly expect Concord to fix it is completely beyond me.

[Ted O'Reilly]

Gee, I dunno, Dan. I know what you're saying, but it is a manufacturing problem. I think mgraham333 should have gone to the retailer first, but a lot of retailers these days (e.g. electronics) don't bother with any sort of guarantee, but boot you along to the manufacturer, who warrants the product.

[Dan Gould]

Gee, I dunno, Dan. I know what you're saying, but it is a manufacturing problem. I think mgraham333 should have gone to the retailer first, but a lot of retailers these days (e.g. electronics) don't bother with any sort of guarantee, but boot you along to the manufacturer, who warrants the product.

I'll buy that if you can point to a single music retailer, web or brick and mortar, that doesn't guarantee that their new, sealed products are complete and undamaged. I know of no one whatsoever that refuses to replace flawed merchandise.

[Alexander]

I remember when the Miles "Bitches Brew" box set came out. I got it from my dad as a Christmas/Birthday gift (still sealed). Turns out that it had a defective disc. I looked in the booklet, and there is a number and a message from Sony telling you to call them in the event of a defective disc. So I called and they offered to replace the disc after I had sent the original copy in (as I recall, they offered to replace the disc, not the entire set, btw). I didn't like the idea of being without the disc for the six to eight weeks they said it would take, so I called Barnes and Noble (this is before I worked there). Even though I didn't have a receipt, they offered to trade the defective box for a new one.

So...

You will probably get better service through the retailer, however the manufacturer should at least OFFER to fix the problem. I mean, all Concord had to do in this case was send you a freakin' *booklet*. You weren't asking for a whole new disc.

[7/4]

I'd expect Concord to take care of bidnez.

.

[mikeweil]

You will probably get better service through the retailer, however the manufacturer should at least OFFER to fix the problem. I mean, all Concord had to do in this case was send you a freakin' *booklet*. You weren't asking for a whole new disc.

They probably don't have any surplus booklets. I once bought a used box set with the booklet missing, and they replied to my e-mail inquiry that they were sorry but didn't have any booklets. Imagine how much storage space it would take to keep a hundred booklets of each item ... probably costs more than giving away a whole new disc.

[mgraham333]

I completely fail to understand your complaint, for the reasons that you seem to acknowledge already:

You didn't buy the CD from Concord.

You bought it from CD Universe.

Let me give you another example: You go to your local grocery store and buy a two liter bottle of Pepsi. You bring it home, open it up, no fizz. The soda is flat.

Do you call the local Pepsi distributor and ask them to fix the problem? Or do you go back to the grocery store, tell them what happened, and get a replacement bottle from them?

You buy a loaf of bread - its stale. Do you take it back, or do you call the Wonder company and ask them to take care of it.

Bottom line:

CD Universe sold it to you - they stand behind the sale, they are fixing the problem. Why you would possibly expect Concord to fix it is completely beyond me.

Dan-

Go grab that loaf of Wonder Bread, that 2-liter of Pepsi, or a box of any General Mills cereal [i confirmed this one ] and I'll bet you find a "Guarantee" from the manufacturer promising a refund if not completely satisfied. The ones I find amusing are those instructing the consumer to "simply return the unused portion" ...like that doesn't result in some pretty nasty messes for your mail carrier....

Anyway I completely understand the reasons why it would be difficult for Concord to take care of the problem, but that's what separates the good from the great.

[7/4]

They probably don't have any surplus booklets.

Then they could have said they didn't.

.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

British practice is ALWAYS to approach the retailer first.

It's a bleedin' miracle that in both cases you got to talk to a real person so swiftly. That's the REAL customer service story in this day and age.

MG

[AllenLowe]

I would've called a hippie, first -*****

*****old right-wing bumper sticker from the 1960s: "Don't like cops? Next time you need help, call a hippie."

[AllenLowe]

than I woulda called Dan Gould for advice -

Edited April 4, 2008 by AllenLowe

[Kevin Bresnahan]

I believe you approached the situation backwards. You should have contacted the retailer first and if they don't address the problem, go to the manufacturer. That's the way it works in retail for small items. It's not like you're talking about a refrigerator here.

If I bought a CD from Best Buy and it was messed up, the last place I would contact would be the manufacturer.

Also, I bet if you contacted CD Universe first and they told you to buzz off, Concord would have helped.

BTW, some manufacturers of large items like TVs don't have any corporate-level customer support. They require you to use the retailer and/or a local service provider for all repairs. I dread having to get my Mitsubishi LCD TV fixed when/if it breaks. Their "customer support" is non-existent. You have to use a local service company if you want it fixed.

[paul secor]

than I woulda called Dan Gould for advice -

Edited April 4, 2008 by paul secor

[paul secor]

This sort of thing can work both ways.

A number of years ago, I was on vacation and bought an instrumental jazz CD. I didn't open it to play it until I was home, and another CD was inside the case - a CD by female vocalist. I had no idea what the name of the store I bought it from was, so I took a chance and returned it to the manufacturer (BN/EMI). They replaced it within a week.

IMO, if the manufacturer screwed up, and the buyer goes back to them first, the manufacturer should make good on whatever needs to be done. If the buyer goes to the supplier first, the supplier should make good.

[Clunky]

I bought an EST disc from the band at one of their earliest UK gigs. It was a phenomenal gig in a small club seating just 100.

Anyway the CD From Gagarin's Point of View wouldn't play properly. Clearly I couldn't take it back as the band had left town. I emailed the record company (ACT0 and without the slightest quibble was sent a replacement disc from Germany. Great service and great CD too.

Edited April 4, 2008 by Clunky

[mgraham333]

I updated my original post at the beginning of the thread so this is for the people who start reading at the last post.

UPDATE: Concord (via Telarc International) sent the missing CD booklet to me. I immediately followed my original phone call with an email and that apparently did the trick. Thanks Concord. You made it right.

PS I was able to contact CD Universe to stop the re-shipment.