J C Penney Associates at Catalog Order Desk Aren't Trained to Handle Discounts Martinsville Virginia
Early Saturday, December 13, I picked up an order at the JC Penney order desk in Martinsville, Virginia. I had with me the $5 coupon from the big catalog which I forgot to give to the person who took my order on the telephone. No one (three associates + someone they called to the order desk) knew how to handle the coupon. The excuse I received was they had updated their computer system and no one knew how to give me my $5 discount. I paid for my order and left the desk area.
Upon exiting the store, I met the manager, Mr. Self. I told him there wasn't excuse for no one in the order desk department not knowing how to handle the $5 discount. He looked at the coupon, asked if they gave me the discount, and told me he was sorry I had a problem today. He never offered to give me the discount.
I am 60 years old and have been a J C Penney customer all my life. I can remember shopping with my mother as a child in the local store on Church Street in Martinsville. My son even worked at JCP when he finished high school and attended the University of Virginia.
I am deeply disappointed with JCP and the service and attitude of the manager of our local store. He should be training his associates better.
Alda
Martinsville, Virginia
U.S.A.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Greg
Alameda,California,
U.S.A.
Penney's screws up again
#3UPDATE EX-employee responds
Tue, June 07, 2005
As a manager for J C Penney for many years , we were trained to handle many customer service problems. Sometimes, however, employees who do not know the rules / correct procedures, simply make up their own.
The $5 coupon given out with catalog purchases , or for catalog promotions , is easily handled by a button on the register, entered as a deposit, or a discount. If it comes to it, it can be put in as cash , and the sales audit dept. can adjust it when doing the day's business.They will find an extra $5 certificate , and $5 less cash. A quick note would help , but there are other options.
There was no need for the customer to tell the catalog phone bank that she had the coupon - that is done at the point of sale.
All of the employees screwed up, including the Manager. But , when I was a Manager, I was the only one who would go to Catalog - the others avoided it, so I understand. He probably had no clue , but an extra minute would have given him several. Maybe he was flustered because they probably were going to close his store, as so many have!
Since the Catalog employees weren't trained on something so daily and so basic, they could have called the Catalog Manager. Or, they could have
taken $5 from the cash room , with a Management signature , as "Customer service" entry in the log.
BTW , the $5 is not at all like a store cents off coupon , and it's handled internally, not sent anywhere. So , for $5 , they may have lost a customer , one they'd had for years.
This customer was absolutely in no way at fault,
and shame on the store for such a bad training
staff. Next time , if the Store Manager doesn't
do it right , call the DISTRICT MANAGER , and the Store Manager will get the riot act , "buddy style". Better yet , write... it leaves a paper trail.
Peter
Pony,Alabama,
U.S.A.
You are not without blame here !!
#3Consumer Comment
Sun, December 14, 2003
I find it interesting how you are placing so much blame on the associates, while you clearly admit to never mentioning the coupon in the first place when you made your order. It is common policy that all coupons are to be submitted at the time the order is placed. You do not automatically get the discount later unless the store is willing to make an exception. Would you go to the grocery store and pay for a buggy-full of groceries and THEN present a wad of coupons to the cashier? No you would not. It is the same way here. At least the associates TRIED to find a way to trick the system into giving you the coupon after you presented it too late. You cannot blame them for not being able to figure it out. They surely would have been able to do it if they were able to follow company procedure (ie, had you presented it at the time you were supposed to, before the order was rung up).