Sometimes Customer Service just can’t get it right …

On December 30, I placed an online order.  I printed out the order confirmation, and received a follow-up email (nice touch).  The email said my order would ship the next day, and I’d get a follow-up shipping confirmation.  Okay.

In the course of the holiday and other busyness, I forgot about the shipping confirmation.  When I checked 10 days later, it still hadn’t arrived.  So, I went back to the web site, registered, and logged in to access my account.  The site indicated the order had shipped — that day.

Even accounting for the holiday and weekend (4 days at most),  that leaves 6 days unaccounted for.  Of course by now, I’ve double checked the order confirmation email (yes, it said it would ship 12/31) and the order confirmation page I printed (no indication of a delay).

Since this was my first order with this company, I thought it appropriate to ask if this is customary, to have the actual shipment over a week after the order confirmation indicates the order will be shipped.  I had to ask the question twice to get an answer.

Here it is (the website name has been changed):

Dear Valued Customer, 

We did have a disclaimer on the checkout page and in the cart page that
read, orders after the cutoff time on 12/29 will not be shipped until
the week of 1-6-09 due to holiday shipping volume.  I do apologize for
any inconvenience. 

Thank you
XXXX.COM

Well, since I don’t have a hard copy of either the checkout or cart page, and it wasn’t on the order confirmation page, I can’t confirm this.  Shipping the week of Jan 6 just qualifies, since my order was shipped the last business day of that week.

Addressing me as “Valued Customer” is highly impersonal at the least.  I can’t decide if it’s also highly sarcastic.

Note to Customer Service: You don’t want current and potential future customers wondering if you’re being sarcastic or rude.  They’re likely to look elsewhere for the same goods or services, as I plan to for future orders.
The apology should come earlier.  Or at least a statement to the effect of “I hate it when that happens, but …”  Even better would be also closing with, “Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I’m going to be sure in the future when we can’t give next day shipment, our automated responses don’t promise it.”

I had to read the email twice before I saw the apology.  Probably because I was still seeing red from the condescending manner I perceived in the first sentence.  To me, it read more like, “We DID have a disclaimer on the checkout page AND in the cart page …” Where capitals are shouting.

The email is from DOCS@XXXX.COM.  I assume DOCS is Director Of Customer Service, but that’s my educated guess.  The signature XXXX.COM only adds to the impersonal nature of this email. All caps in the return email and signature also add to the perception of shouting at me (not a good thing).

And alienation of a potential repeat customer.  I sure don’t feel like a “Valued Customer” after reading this email.