Letter to Rhapsody...

Letter to Rhapsody…

            Before I get into the letter portion I’d like to give some backstory for those just discovering this blog.  About a month ago I began having issues w/Rhapsody and the issue still has not been resolved.  I have contacted BBB.org and Rhapsody replied, trying to site my “confusion” and stated that it was a compatibility issue. 

What started out as a simple compatibility issue has turned into a bait and switch issue, as well as an issue with the company’s customer service.  After Rhapsody’s reply to the BBB, I submitted a second complaint and told the BBB that the issue has not been resolved as Rhapsody would like them to believe.  I contacted Rhapsody a few days ago asking for a quick resolution to this issue, however they have yet to resolve the issue.  Needless to say, I am severely cheesed off!  And to keep me from E-Mailing the CEO of the company a nasty letter, I decided to use this space to vent. 

            Dear Rhapsody,

I’m not sure if you noticed, but your company’s customer service sucks!  There’s no saving grace, it’s just awful.  For one, your customer service representatives don’t take the time to actually listen to customers or read your customer’s full E-Mails.  If they did, they’d hear or read the actual question and issue.  Second, your customer service representatives don’t seem to feel the need to offer a sincere apology.  They seem to be fine with apologizing for the customer’s “confusion” or “misunderstanding” but not for the lousy service, or even for the fact that there is an issue with their product/service in the first place.  And finally, your customer service representatives don’t seem to want to assist the customers in finding a quick and easy resolution to any issues that a customer may have. 

If your company is looking for suggestions, I have a few.  First, test your customer service representatives on their reading comprehension and listening skills and make sure they have at least basic knowledge of the product their company is selling.  Second, yes there is room for human error, however not every issue a customer has with your product is not their fault; stop treating us as though it is.  Sincerely state “I’m very sorry for the issue you’re having with our product…”  What should succeed the apology would be your company’s customer service representative trying to resolve the issue.  Of course, if the representative cannot resolve the issue, they should willingly transfer the phone call or E-Mail to a supervisor.  Your company’s customer service representatives should respond to E-Mails within 24-48hrs. as other companies do, as to ensure a speedy resolution to any issue a customer may have. 

My other issue is with the supervisors in your customer service call centers.  They seem to be glorified representatives; they too refuse to listen to the issue at hand, evade questions and seem more unwilling to assist customers than the representatives themselves.  I attempted to lodge a complaint about the service I was receiving and the “supervisor” attempted to explain the compatibility issue…at that point the compatibility of my device and Rhapsody had become a moot point.  The “supervisor” did not seem to want to discuss the poor quality of customer service or answer any of my actual questions.  He finally told me that I’d be receiving a call from his “supervisor.”  The number the “supervisor” was calling from came up as “unknown” on my cell phone while I was a work.  When that happens, I let the call go to voicemail.  This happened 3 times and each time the “supervisor” did not leave a call back number, only his name and that he was calling from Rhapsody.  I have written 2-3 E-Mails telling your company to call between 10AM-1PM CST and that if they got my voicemail box to leave a message with a callback number.  Since then I have not received a call. 

In an attempt to resolve this issue more quickly, I contacted the BBB.  But, based on what your company had to say…that the issue was with compatibility and it had been resolved, the BBB considered the issue resolved.  Basically, your company openly lied to the BBB on both accounts; the issue was not of compatibility and the issue has yet to be resolved. 

I myself have worked in the customer service field for about 10yrs. now and over the years I have learned a few things, which I will share with you now.

1.)  Apologize to the customer about either your product/service/company’s mistake. 

2.)  Listen to the customer and let them explain their issue.  Sometimes you might have to ask a customer to repeat something, or clarify something…but as a customer we’d rather you do that then blame us and give us information which is either false or which we cannot use.

3.)  Don’t promise one thing and deliver another.

4.)  Bring something to the table…a refund, free item…just something to make up for what your company has/has not done.

5.)  If you can’t help the customer, transfer them/get them in touch with someone who can.

6.)  Be willing to assist your customers.

Initially the issue was compatibility, then it became bait and switch and now it’s an issue of the lack of customer service.  Part of what I am paying for is customer service and quick assistance with any issues I have with your product.  Why am I paying for something I haven’t been receiving?

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Shannon.