Price smart, customer service dunce

THE EDITOR, Sir:

It is an outright shame and disgrace that PriceSmart has sold the Jamaican populace short on quality customer service at every level and from all angles. It is a fact that PriceSmart has a no-frills policy, as is stated on its website under the category 'Keeping it simple'. But it seems that this simplistic policy has transcended to the quality of customer service given, which I dare say is no quality at all. I did not know that quality customer service suffered from a recession as well.

While PriceSmart members were appalled at the thought that we no longer got plastic bags for items bought, we eventually warmed up to the act of 'boxing' around in a huge container of boxes to identify ones to place our items in. It was felt that, as members, we should have each been given at least one complimentary canvas bag instead of having to pay for them.

Second, the telephone numbers constantly ring without an answer, and if someone answers, before giving you the opportunity to complete your question, you are abruptly told to hold and the call is transferred where no one answers. From my experience, and even from the experiences/complaints of friends and colleagues, employees talk to members in a gruff, impolite manner, which is probably why they do not have suggestion boxes in obvious areas.

SERVICE HALF-BAKED

I dedicate my final comments to the food court and bakery sections. For the bakery area, members are treated with such disdain that, apparently, we become invisible. If you do not wave your hands or 'interrupt' their conversations, you will not receive assistance. Everyone points to somebody else, and finally when someone saunters over to you, the service feels aggressive, rude and coarse. Added to the fact that orders get mixed up, deliveries are not timely and assistance needed is given with a 'need-to-get-rid-of-this-annoying-member-at-all-cost' attitude.

PriceSmart's only redeeming factor, in terms of quality customer service, is at its photo centre. Kudos to Patrice and Stephen for always trying to treat customers fairly and politely.

All is not lost, but more needs to be done to capture feedback from members, listen to their complaints and opinions, and act on them.

To delight customers today is not rocket science; it is an indication of effective leadership, good business acumen, strategic planning and staff motivation on a consistent, unswerving basis.

I am, etc.,

ADVOCATE IN JA

advocateforbettercustomer

serviceinja@hotmail.com