Do Yourself a Favor...

[Kathy_Baratta]

...and avoid Freehold Music Center in the Burlington Coat Factory Shopping Center on Route 9, Freehold.

I don't know how they have stayed in business this long if what I was put through today is what passes for customer service there!

I've always wanted to learn to play the piano. So I bought one used that was in very good shape but of course it needs to be tuned.

So I make an appointment with Freehold Music Center for today at 1:00 for a piano tuning. I am writing this now (check the time) because I am still waiting for the piano tuner who was supposed to be here at 1:00 p.m. When I called the store at 1:30 (I had to call them) I got the royal runaround. I was told the tuner is running late. Then why didn't I receive the courtesy of a phone call? Ten minutes is late. A half hour is - are they coming. A half hour is, am I crazy or did I not have an appt. for today that they verified on Friday?  

So I call the main number back and ask to speak to the owner/manager. I am given another number that I am supposed to call. No. I say. Have the manager call me - I am the aggrieved customer who will now take their business elsewhere (and that includes the lessons which I was going to pay for for myself and my granddaughter. I'm the customer, you have my number. Your manager should call me to apologize for the missed appointment and the 10 minutes I had to sit on hold on my first call (did I forget to mention that?) when I got the first runaround. No one seemed to know who was scheduled or when they did find out who it was it was then it was a hunt for where he was.

Needless to say, I am taking my business elsewhere and if you like to avoid incompetence and aggravation, I suggest you do the same.  

KB

[Kathy_Baratta]

Just got a phone message left for me from "Rob" the piano tuner. Sounded like a nice enough fella. Seems he's running late. Too bad poor business practices means we won't be making each other's acquaintance. 

KB

[Pat Garaffa]

We bought our piano there too.  My oldest was around 6 or 7 so that would put it about 17 years ago.  

We never had any problems but I don't recall whether the tuner was punctual or not.  It's long overdue for another tuning so maybe I'll give them a call.  

They used to send a Japanese lady who would insist on removing her shoes and bow to me.   Or maybe she was Chinese - I don't recall.  It's been a long time.  She was very nice and always did a great job.  

I'm sure she didn't work for them and was just a self employeed sub-contractor.  Freehold Music probably has little (or nothing) to do with the timeliness of their appointments.  And I doubt that there are a lot of avalable piano tuners running around out there so they grab whoever they can get.    

I've been thinking about lessons too.  But I've been thinking about that for a long time so I don't know what's preventing me from signing up and getting started.  

If they feel obligated to throw you a credit, please let me know.  I could use some new guitar strings.    

[Kathy_Baratta]

If they feel obligated to throw you a credit, please let me know.  I could use some new guitar strings.    

It appears the only thing they felt obligated to give me was a snotty attitude judging from the young woman that took the call and hung up on me when I asked to speak with the owner/manager. That's when I decided I was fed up with lousy customer service* and I'm just not gonna take it anymore and posted the rant about it here.

Maybe it will get back to the owner and maybe it won't but he should know that the first person dealing with the public is doing him a great disservice. I was planning on not only tuning the piano there but having the lessons there as well. For sure I will be looking elsewhere.

KB

* It's everywhere and we all suffer it. Either no store help or employees who might just as well have wandered in off the road for all the help they seem capable or even interested in giving paying customers. What makes it even more egregious is you know ol' Rob the tuner has a cell phone (he called me on it one hour after the scheduled appt.) so why, when he knew he was running late, didn't he call the office to say, "Please call my next appt and tell them I'm running late?!" (Or call me himself. I'm sure he had my phone number along with my home address). Just that little show of customer consideration and appreciation would have made all the difference and I would have been glad to wait.

[Jody_Branin]

I don't understand why there are so many places with poor customer service in this economy. 

I recently experienced it myself, not the music store but a Pet Supply Store.  My mistake for running out of dog food and my usual place was already closed.  I checked the web and found that the 2 Big Pet Supply places didn't carry the brand I buy but the little shop virtually across the street from my house did.  So off I went across Route 9.

I found what I was looking for and struggled the 30+lb. bag up to the front counter where one of the employees was standing on the customer side dusting a bird cage.  When he saw me he did step aside and left me a generous foot of counter space to hoist the bag onto.  (Don't move the cage buddy, it's OK)  I purchased the food and struggled the bag out to the car.  Do I dare tell you what place it was?  I will if you ask.

The place I normally buy food from is in the Borough of Farmingdale, The Hungry Puppy.  There you tell the cashier what you need and by the time it's rung up a nice gentleman is there with the bag on his shoulder - ready to walk it out to your car.  Best part, it's $10.00 dollars CHEAPER.  I guess I won't make the mistake of running out of food again and you know where I'll be going.

[Sue_Veitengruber]

I believe Hungry Puppy also delivers for a very modest charge.

[Jody_Branin]

You're right Sue - I've never used that service though.  Like I said, service is the name of the game if you want to stay in business these days.

[Phil_Sanfilippo]

The term Customer Service is the biggest abuse of the English Language since Oxford wrote the dictionary. i am sick of the term. The only things these companies want are your George Washington's. I have witnessed poor customer Service running the gamut from folks that work for government to the local okle in a department store to doctors office, appliance companies and toll collectors. I could make a list a mile long. gone are the days when local merchants gave an hoot about you and who made house calls and referred to you by your first name.
             my rant
             Phil

[Ginger_Hoffmeier]

We used the Hungry Puppy back when they just opened in downtown Farmingdale by Tony's Pizza. I have never, ever once experienced poor service or 'attitude' in all these years. Because of that I was never tempted to go anywhere else.

Try as I might I can think of only one place on Route 9 that has service I like. There is a young man who works at Arby's who is so cool and laid back that it's a joy when he is working. I'm not fond of their roast beef but he makes it worth while to indulge Bob's culinary moods.

What is it about Route 9 that makes workers aloof and act as if they are miserable being here?

KB, the piano? I had you pegged for a guitar player!

[Jackie Everitt]

This is the start of the electronic communication only group of workers - I really hope the fact that I love personal communication - face to face; over the phone ect.... and I am really good at it will help give me an advantage while interviewing for customer service positions.

Unfortunately, I do not see the customer service getting any better - very few practice human interactions anymore - I am even seeing it with some adults who feel texting or e-mail someone to solve a conflict is the way to go: Pick up the phone or have a sit down.

[Jody_Branin]

Jackie - I have to admit that for work things I tend to email so that there's no miscommunication.  None of this "But you said or I told you" stuff - it's all in writing and I have record of it.

[Jackie Everitt]

Jody - I agree with you and I also prefer to use e-mail, but I also believe that there is nothing like a follow-up phone call just to make sure everything is ok or even a phone call followed up with an e-mail message.  I just feel that too many people in the world today have forgotten about the importance of human interaction.  E-mail, texting, and IMing are great forms of communication but I still feel that too many service professionals use them as the only forms of communication.

[Thomas Jennings Jr.]

The only way to combat bad customer service is exactly how we are handling it. Spread it by word of mouth and hopefully the bad seed gets fired, the management improves, or they go out of business and someone better is around. Good customer service is not a right....we need to look out for each other and spread the word when a place is exceptional and when a place needs to be avoided.

However, on the same token...one bad reference does not make a bad business. I firmly believe the customer is not always right. There are plenty of times I have had to say No because the customer was wanting something for a reduced price because they misread the ad or a sign, their coupon had expired and wanted it counted anyways, or because they had no money on their debit cards and felt the store was hassling them. Sometimes the customer lacks the communications skills and feels that ranting and causing a scene will get them what they want.

[Kathy_Baratta]

Sometimes the customer lacks the communications skills and feels that ranting and causing a scene will get them what they want.

Definitely NOT the case here. Maybe I should clarify. The first phone call (made one half hour after the scheduled appt) couldn't have been nicer UNTIL the girl that answered the phone had no answers. Gave me a phone number to call to check for myself where he was. When I called the number and got a busy signal I called the main store number, told her I was getting a busy signal; was there no one else there - at the music center - I could talk to; that I shouldn't have to be tracking this guy down - they should, SHE, after putting me on hold for just under SEVEN minutes, (stand still for just five minutes, set a timer and just stand there and tell me it doesn't feel like an interminable time and compound it with a snotty attitude and YOU ALL tell me you wouldn't at the very least want to speak to a supervisor) said, "You're just gonna have to wait, lady. What more can I tell you."

That's when we were off to the races BUT, even then, I didn't raise my voice or come close to getting loud or abusive because I knew unless I stayed on the high road, nothing would come of speaking to anyone there any further. BUT I DID WANT TO SPEAK TO A MANAGER and when she told me, "What more can I tell you," I replied, "I'd like to speak to a manager or the owner," at which point she abruptly hung up. Now I could have called and called and called and called but if she is the person that answers the phone - what's the point? Besides, I'm a quick study and I can "read the signs." An exercise in futility is an exercise in futility. Lousy customer service is lousy customer service.

KB

P.S. Anyone that's listened to the DiBella interview KNOWS I have a high bullshit tolerance and can keep myself in check. 

[John Gazire]

No one really cares about my 2 cents but I will add it anyway. I was in Freehold Music only once. The person I was with was looking for guitar strings for themself, a toyish  starter guitar for my niece, a new drum symbol w/stand and new sticks for my son. Not a very high priced sale but the sales people in both the guitar and drum sections were helpful and and answered our questions(we are not very knowledgeable in what we were buying) plus we were given a good price.