Overseas Customer "Help"

May I express my frustration with receiving overseas 'help' with customer support? Since, this is my blog I'll take that as a yes. I understand that company's outsource their customer support help to overseas locations as it's much cheaper in the short-run but, in my opinion, their long-term profits are gained through customer loyalty and pissing off a customer due to shoddy customer service is more damaging.

Here's my story. We have a family trip to Florida coming up soon and I needed to buy a swimsuit and cover-up for Abby. Simple, right. I went online, selected my items, doubled their total to get expedited shipping to make sure they'd get here well before our trip deadline, and sat back anticipating a fun box on more doorstep in the coming days. When said box arrived it had a cute coral cover-up and a random 5T boys outfit. Oops! Someone in the packing line made a mistake. So I contacted Target and so begins the saga. The man I talked to was obviously from overseas due to his accent and not understanding some of my phrases. I explain the delivery mix-up and explain I'd like the swimsuit sent so that I receive it no later than Tuesday. He responds back that he can resend the swimsuit but he can't guarantee that it will be here by Saturday. This should have been my first clue that this order was not going to go my way. Eventually it was decided that the swimsuit would most likely be here by Monday, but absolutely no later than Tuesday as the reorder was also being sent expedited shipping. I have faith that this will work. Again, I should have known better.

Today, as it nears 4pm my delivery still has not arrived and Target's website keeps giving me an error when I try to look up the tracking information online. So back to the phone I go. Again, I get a man from overseas with a limited vocabulary to work on finding out where my item is. When he tells me that my item should be here by December 15th I had to remind myself a few times that it wasn't his fault and not to yell at him. Oh, how I wanted to though! First, Target sends me the wrong item and then instead of reshipping the item to me expedited, which I'd been promised, they send it standard mail! Ugh! So I tell this guy that since I won't have the second item in time I do not need either of the items I purchased and can he send me a return label for both items (the first time I called in the guy said he'd send a label but never did). I'm assured that both labels have been emailed to me and he's sorry for the confusion. I get off the phone and a few minutes later these emails hit.

Whoops! It's not two labels to return two different items, its one label that's been sent to me twice. Ugh! So back to the phone I go (mind you, Abby has decided that if anyone is on the phone she must be in your arms hearing the conversation over speaker as otherwise she stands grabbing your legs and whining to be picked up). This time I get an overseas woman. I explain the entire situation to her, she says she'll be able to help but needs a minute to work her computer. I figure this one has to work as third times the charm. Well, yes and no. She eventually states that she is unable to help me print out the label I need and is sending to me an upper level manager. At this point I don't even care. So long as the person can help me print these stupid labels.

What do I get? A lady who I believe to be an actual American due to an accent that sounds just like mine! Not only can we perfectly understand each other, but she tells me that she understands the problem and is going to make life much easier for me. The first item that was incorrectly delivered...I don't have to return as it's Targets policy that if an item is incorrectly shipped to me it's mine to keep as they don't want to go through the hassle of returning the item. She then processes a refund for the swimsuit as we speak. AS WE SPEAK! Next she tells me that since I no longer want the cover-up I can simply go to the store to return it. No labels, no mailing back the item, etc necessary. Just return it to the store.

Why didn't anyone else tell me I could do this? Why didn't anyone tell me that the incorrectly shipped item didn't need to be returned? Why wasn't I immediately refunded for the item that I no longer wanted once I found out it wouldn't arrive when promised? Why did I have to go through this hassle with three people who had a hard time understanding me and who I had a hard time understanding? This process would have been A LOT simpler and with less frustration had the first person I got in contact with been able to understand what I was saying, clearing communicate his side of the conversation to me, and then actually do what he'd promised! So if anyone is asking for my vote, I'd rather pay more money to have the customer support service people for people in the United States actually from the United States.

Thanks for letting me vent.