Email cursing from Hasbro's customer service

[Flying_Infant]

I'm pasting the original email I sent, the reply I got, the reply to that from me, and then the incriminating email I just got where a Hasbro customer service rep tries to get away with slyly hiding letters in their reply to tell me "F-You." Except it has all the letters.

 

I plan on calling them up as well to complain, and I thought about letting the BBB and some newsy types know about a toy company pulling stuff like this.

 

 

--- Original Message ---

From: Joe Jacobs

Received: 1/21/08 5:11:51 PM CST

To: CustomerService@HasbroToyShop.com

Subject: Availability

 

 

Due to the unavailability in my local area, I was hoping to purchase the Ronin the Accuser wave of Marvel Legends from your site. Upon browsing the available figures, you, the company who makes the toys, do not have 2 of the figures in that wave even listed; Invisible Woman and Namor. Furthermore I was hoping to get a missed figure from Wave 3; Marvel Girl, and possibly the two 2-Packs (Cable/Classic Marvel Girl & Cannonball/Domino), and they also are not even listed. Is there any way I could purchase these items directly from you, so I don't have to resort to paying outrageous online store prices?

 

Thank you for your time.

Joseph Jacobs

 

 

Reply from Hasbro-----------

Thank you for contacting us. We apologize for the inconvenience, but Marvel Invisible Woman and Marvel Namor are not available at this time. We are unable to provide any additional stock availability information for this item. We regret that we are unable to accept advance orders at this time.

 

Unfortunately, the item that you requested, Marvel Legends Marvel Girl, is no longer available. We apologize for any inconvenience.

 

--- Original Message ---

From: Joe Jacobs

Received: 1/24/08 12:38:09 AM CST

To: "customerservice@hasbrotoyshop.com" <customerservice@hasbrotoyshop.com>

Subject: Re: Availability

 

 

The initial fact that a product was unavailable from your company at first was annoying. Then being told by your company that the product I inquired about is "no longer available" is maddening.

 

Finally, right after recieving the reply (of which a snip is posted below) I checked back at hasbrotoyshop.com and found the "no longer available" product; (series 3 Marvel Girl) was posted back on your shop, but listed as "Out of Stock." Strangely coincidental.

 

Then, after I check back a couple of hours later, I see that, lo and behold, they are in stock!

 

For future reference, paying customers do NOT like being lied to, jerked around, and/or given false information by unknowledgeable customer service reps. I have since ordered the "no longer available" product, and expect for it to be arriving in the mail shortly.

 

Complaints are already abound about how your company is handling the Marvel Legends line, and your company is steadily losing customers. Bad distribution being a big complaint. In the future, I hope that customers will be given correct information, and not be pointed away from giving your company our hard earned money.

 

Thank you for your time,

Joseph Jacobs

 

And the "reply" in question I recieved minutes ago, all copied and pasted, with the not-so-cryptic letters bolded: (mods, if the bolding of the letters is iffy as being a no-no, tell me and i'll un-bold 'em)

 

Thank you For contacting Us. We appreCiate your taKing the time to share Your Opinions with Us. We are sorry that you are not fully satisfied with your purchase experience with HasbroToyShop.com. We try to offer high quality products and service at fair prices to build long lasting relationships with our customers.

 

 

Customer satisfaction is very important to us. We will share your comments with our management team so that they are also aware of your views.

 

Again, thank you for contacting us, and for your comments.

 

 

We greatly appreciate your business. If you have additional questions, please visit our website, HasbroToyShop.com, or contact our Customer Service Center via e-mail at CustomerService@HasbroToyShop.com or phone at 1-800-408-0052.

 

 

 

I mean, seriously. Someone should not be working at customer service.

[CapnJeffro]

Unfortunately, from what I have gathered and understand HTS is a separate entity from Hasbro themselves. Fairly certain there is some outsourcing of variety or another and watching GI Joe, Marvel Legends, and Star Wars products find there is little rhyme or reason to their product in hand, what will go out, the amount that is listed, and the hours in which it is listed. They may or may not know what product they are getting in and if/when they get it in or the amount.

 

Be that as it may, if that e-mail is correct (and no offense, but text is easily manipulated and changed) then that is definitely appalling and uncalled for. But I have also heard that HTS' phone representatives are none to couth either.

[Flying_Infant]

well, i have the original email as well and could happly take a picture of it as well.

[kreyonkid]

oh my god! that's hilarious. sorry that had to happen, but that shore is funny!

[Flying_Infant]

Yeah, even I found it horribly amusing, but sheesh. So is HTS actually seperate from Hasbro themselves?? That would be kinda odd. Though then I could complain to hasbro as well. (not like they'd really do much either.)

[ARROW]

Geez, the tone of your second email really sours things up though, and you make some blanket assumptions that you simply do not know are true.

 

Calling a customer rep "unknowledgable" is tantamount to calling them incompetent.........well, they do the best with that they have, right? What might seem to be a lie to you could be them simply handing out innaccurate or out of date info that they simply do not know is innaccurate--its just the info they've been handed to relay.

You are damning the messenger for the message here, so their response is natural if not a bit out of line.

You added even further insult to them by branding them harshly, but you STILL place an order.

How else do you expect to be treated?

[JohnnyRebelV2]

HAHAHAHAHAH I kinda like it. That one I've never seen. They sure are putting service in customer service. Thats on par with being a salesman and rubbing you eyebrow with your middle finger while while telling someone how sorry you are that your unable to help them.

[HUGEXMENFAN]

WOW thats pretty bad, I could understand why the agent would react in such a way but then again, it's customer service and that's the bottom line. I would get it to the right hands and yes Rachel Grey is no longer available, last I checked, but Im willing to trade mine! #party#

[ARROW]

WOW thats pretty bad, I could understand why the agent would react in such a way but then again, it's customer service and that's the bottom line.

 

Isn't the bottom line that no-one ever gets paid to take abuse from anyone else, for any reason?

 

There's a lot of ways of voicing displeasure and discontent with someone without insulting them or making it personal ( and it does work both ways).

[heinousjoe]

i just gotta say your kinda stupid for emailing them and asking for products that are out of stock,in what seems you were hoping they would write your name down and put you on a special list or something

[HUGEXMENFAN]

WOW thats pretty bad, I could understand why the agent would react in such a way but then again, it's customer service and that's the bottom line.

 

Isn't the bottom line that no-one ever gets paid to take abuse from anyone else, for any reason?

 

There's a lot of ways of voicing displeasure and discontent with someone without insulting them or making it personal ( and it does work both ways).

 

 

I think we've ALL been in this guys shoes atleast ONCE. Customer Service is that to service the customer, even if it means having to put up with people's well you get the point. Some people are ignorant and think they are entitled to services (special) that others are not. I admit I've been irrate to a customer service agent and I work as one. But I didn't take it as far as calling someone ignorant. His point shouldve been directed to production lacking and not the associate handling the emails. Anyway I got Rachel for trade LOL

[HUGEXMENFAN]

i just gotta say your kinda stupid for emailing them and asking for products that are out of stock,in what seems you were hoping they would write your name down and put you on a special list or something

 

 

I AGREE 100% but but "I'm rich" lol

[evenflow]

That isnt cool of them but hilarious.

[stormfan]

FINALLY! A thread worth reading! I've been bored to tears with all of the "We want" threads and all of the regular repetitive stuff. This is really interesting.

 

And yeah, like Arrow said, it was kind of dumb to email them asking if you could buy something out of stock. If you were in a retail store, like Sears (where I work) it'd be a little different. If they didn't have it in stock in the store they could order it online for you or try to order it from a different Sears store.

 

But where did you expect them to get your figures from? Some magical mystery warehouse that grants you any figure you wish?

 

That would be pretty cool though...

 

But I think Rachel being posted online the same day was probably a coincidence. Besides, I bet all those Hasbro get enough hate mail from bickering fans as it is. I don't really blame him for saying what he did.

 

And I wasn't sure... did he make the letters bold or did you?

[TomTom]

were they really capitalized?

[Flying_Infant]

I bolded the letters, but they were made capital by the CSR. As for the initial email, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask, and maybe they'd end up being all "well i checked and there is one in the warehouse", much akin to asking any retail employee if theres any cases in the back. As for the "coincidence" of it appearing, I don't really believe in coincidences quite that much. I've regularly (almost daily) checked at HTS for that figure to no avail, then I bring it to their attention and it appears? Enh. As for my 2nd email, yeah, I was a little arsenine, but since I've had countless times where I've asked one store associate about something and been told that there weren't any in the store (even the back), then asked another more helpful one (from the same dept) and had the helpful one find it, so you can see my aggravation.

 

But, regardless of how much of an arse a customer is, they are just that; a CUSTOMER. I work in retail, and no matter how rude a customer is to me, I'm still polite and do what I'm supposed to, and not tell the customer "F-you."

 

If it were the same CSR that responded to all my emails, then their ignorance is apparent with their badly veiled message to me, so my assumption of incompetance (sp?) seems correct to me.

 

 

Either way, as long as I get my toy, I'm happy. Augusta sucks for toy hunting.

[007.00]

Hey Infant!

 

Sure you went ahead and told them what you thought was wrong. And the rep may not have liked it, but IMO, that's no reason to insult you, a customer. To me, online stores are the same as brick n mortar stores. So the same rules about customer care should apply. I've worked at retail for the last 9 years and insulting a customer, even when he or she tells you that you know next to nothing really isn't something that is encouraged. Ask your boss, just for kicks. You'll know what I mean.

 

It doesn't happen often, but like anyone working at retail, I've had to take crap from customers and I would have LOVED to speak my mind to them. I didn't however. Just like the HTS rep shouldn't have insulted you.

 

If I were you, I'd email Hasbro directly (not HTS) and explain them this situation. I'd make sure to show them these emails, exactly as you showed them to us. So they could see that you did call the rep 'unknowlegdeable' and all that. (just putting efforts to get the rep fired isn't right IMO). The superiors, if your email ever makes it that high on the ladder, need a clear view of what happened. and I wouldn't be surprised if they took this very seriously.

[Christophe]

I've been a CSR, and management does take those things seriously. CSRs are trained to deal with irate customers. I'm not saying you're right, cuz you shouldn't have called the guy a liar, after all they only process information given TO them or are available in their search engines. Inform management in detail, just as you have here.

 

As for products not being there, then appearing out of stock, then appearing to be IN stock, I don't think it's a bad thing. Perhaps the CSR informed management or database that the product did not appear on the site, thus listing it as OS, then upon double-checking found a couple more and had them listed. That seems like good QC to me in response to your mail.

 

Oh, and yelling to a CSR won't do you any good. CSRs have to go through several channels to get you what you need. If you rant, they become less motivated and distracted and they end up unconsciously not using the full extent of their search skills. If you motivate them and speak in a pleasant manner, it helps them get their job done easier, a lot of times to more positive results.

[heinousjoe]

, but since I've had countless times where I've asked one store associate about something and been told that there weren't any in the store (even the back), then asked another more helpful one (from the same dept) and had the helpful one find it, so you can see my aggravation.

coming from a guy that works in a toy store,i can say that some people really have no idea what is kept in the back room,they are usually either lower on the ladder and dont care or they just dont know,but then there are people like me who keep track of whats where so we can help a customer when we can

[Robogeek28]

Hahahaha, that's hilarious!! @loll@

 

 

 

 

 

I mean....bad Hasbro rep, bad! @smilepunch@

[pvbvillegas]

i guess that rep was in a pretty bad mood, and when he read your email, he unleashed his anger on you.. lol, be kind and considerate next time you complain, and maybe, you'll get nice answers.

[RHINOMAN]

What a clever way to get a point across. I'm going to send out some emails using the same type of code. @firedevil@

[die fighting x]

Yeah, so...you send an email to someone who has nothing to do with updating their webstore in hopes of buying figures that are listed as out of stock, then when you're given a standardized response to a ridiculous question, you fire off another email all uppity and indignant expecting the CSR to reply with sunshine and hugs? Are you sure you're not EvilStar? Long lost brother, perhaps?

 

You got what was deserved, though I seriously doubt those letters were in caps. More likely you felt that was the undertone and went out of your way to find the necessary letters yourself.

[marvelfreak]

Yeah, so...you send an email to someone who has nothing to do with updating their webstore in hopes of buying figures that are listed as out of stock, then when you're given a standardized response to a ridiculous question, you fire off another email all uppity and indignant expecting the CSR to reply with sunshine and hugs? Are you sure you're not EvilStar? Long lost brother, perhaps?

 

You got what was deserved, though I seriously doubt those letters were in caps. More likely you felt that was the undertone and went out of your way to find the necessary letters yourself.

I agree! He sounds like the little baby{infant} just trying to get somebody in trouble ,because he can't get what he wants.Sounds like a two year old. Get over it!

[Cmdr_Y]

Well regardless of the validity of the Customer Service Rep's response, I do have some insight to the original complaints.

 

1) Bad distribution isn't the fault of Hasbro, Mattel, Toy Biz, whoever. The distribution of toys from manufacturers to retail stores is handled by.... RETAIL STORES! It's amazing - retail chains actually distribute toys amongst warehouses and from there, they are shipped to individual stores. Regardless of anything else - distribution isn't a problem that can be solved by toy manufacturers.

 

2) Hasbro Toy Shop isn't Hasbro itself, rather they are a smaller off shoot. Sure they communicate with the big H, but as for getting new product first? No, retail chains will get the new product first and then the toy shop. We may see product pop up on the site before they're reported in the stores from time to time - but that's more likely due to retail distribution. Hasbro makes TONS more money off of selling toys to retail chains than it does by selling it on the site. Just think, say they may sell a thousand pieces of a particular item on the site, but they'll sell tens of thousands of that same item all at once with far less overhead to retail chains.

 

3) Hasbro Toy Shop set up a website, with a cart function, and check out procedures to make ordering safe, fast, and efficient for both the customers and themselves. Taking individual orders via email would cripple the system and blog down all orders.

 

 

Anyway - just my opinion, take it or leave it.