On September 17th, 2005, I faxed and emailed the following letter to Canadian Tire's head office:
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Canadian Tire Customer Relations
P.O. Box 770, Stn. K
Toronto, ON M4P 2V8
Dear Sir or Madam:
I am writing to make you aware of the worst customer service experience I have ever had. After spending 2 years with Best Buy Canada, as well as management experience with Rogers Video, I have a very strong customer service background. I am absolutely appalled at the way I have been treated by Canadian Tire.
On Friday, September 9th, 2005, I went on a quest to purchase some of your seasonal bamboo light torches for a party I was hosting the following day. I phoned your Paris, Ontario location and spoke to an associate there who put the very last one on hold for me. I picked it up at approximately 4:30pm, and asked this gentleman to check any other area stores for inventory. After checking his computer he informed me that the Brantford store had over 20. Since they were only $2.99, I drove to Brantford from Paris (I live near Waterford) to pick up an additional
4. When I arrived in Brantford I waited while the staff there searched high and low for these items, even involving a manager in their hunt. Apparently there was an inventory problem and they had zero. There was some confusion over the price, as at first they were not aware of any sale, but they then confirmed the price I paid in Paris. Again, I asked them to check other area stores, and the computer showed Delhi having 3. I went to customer service and waited in line for them to call the location and verify these, as I had already driven about 40 km out of my way to go to Brantford, and Delhi is completely out of my way, on the other side of my home. Your CSR told me that they in fact had 2, and she had them put them at the customer service counter for my pick-up. That evening I drove to Delhi to get these 2 torches at $2.99 each, but when I arrived there was only one. I would not have bothered for one.
The employees were all extremely apologetic, and again searched high and low. One girl approached me with another torch at $6.99, but I did not want nor need such a large one. I am not one to fly off the handle, especially realizing how difficult it is to work in customer service and that mistakes do happen, but by this time I was getting a little bit annoyed. I informed her that I drove all the way there after being at two other stores because I called ahead, and was told that there were two torches for me. I was not trying to be demanding, but that I was hoping to leave with 2 torches, regardless of size or type, but that I was intending to pay what I had been told in Paris and Brantford. She was very nice, and asked if I would mind speaking to the manager about this as she had no authority to do anything in that regard.
And finally, the only reason I'm even writing: Tom. If it were not for Tom I wouldn't even write this letter, because as I previously stated I understand that mistakes do happen, and all of your other staff were very kind, patient, and apologetic. If Tom had simply apologized on behalf of your stores, I would have left happy and simply lit some extra candles at my party. But he was hostile from the moment we met. He approached me in the middle of the cramped isle in the front of the store, blocking the walkway. I had to ask him if we could step aside. Not once did he smile, or make me feel larger than an ant.
He simply blamed the girls who mistakenly promised me 2 torches. Or the people on the phones at the other stores. And while that was the root of the problem, he still never made any attempt to treat me like a valued customer with a genuine concern. I asked him about the $6.99 torches, simply inquiring if anything could be done so that I could leave with what I came for.
He hummed and hawed at his computer terminal for a while, and informed me that they were already on sale at cost, and that he could not go below that. I said something along the lines of Tom, you are telling me that for $4, the difference in these torches, you cannot satisfy a customer? He just again told me that they were at cost. At this point, if he had just been polite and apologetic, not treating me like a child and frowning down on me, I would have left happy. But his attitude was rude. I politely asked him for the contact information to your head office (I said nothing else, not that it was about him, or anything specific).
He told me to look in the front cover of my Canadian Tire catalogue at home. I told him I didn't have one, so he went to get me one. As he walked away he called over his shoulder, You better tell them that the other stores didn't have any either and to my amazement shook his head and waved his arms with exaggerated exasperation. When he arrived back, he literally shoved the catalogue into my hands and walked away. My friend and I were astonished. I proceeded to checkout. When the cashier rang my solitary torch through, it came up as $3.99. The girl from customer service informed me that the price I paid in Paris was an in-store special only. I asked for Tom again, and things only got worse.
My friend was begging me to pay the extra dollar, or to even let him pay it, but I didn't even care about the dollar at this point. If nothing else, I just wanted to go home with one torch, but now to pay more? So a very agitated Tom took me back to the customer service desk while he looked at the computer again. He told me that even Brantford had it listed at $3.99, and, pointing to his screen and motioning me behind the counter, said, come look. Only Paris is $2.94. I told him No thank you, I don't need to see it, I'm sure you are telling me the truth, but they told me $2.94. He replied, No, I want you to look and see it. His voice was raised, and other customers were staring at this point. I told him firmly and loudly, I don't want to look. I am having an awful time here, and an awful day with all of these stores, and I just want to pay for this one and go home. So he gave me the dollar, yelled over to the cashier to do it at $2.94, and left the floor again. As I was paying he came to the register and apologized, again placing blame on the employees. They shouldn't have said that. He finally said, I'm sorry that we only had one. I replied by saying You don't seem to understand Tom.
I don't care about the torches, or the dollar. I am angry because of the horrendous customer service I'm receiving. I wished him a lovely weekend, and left. I must add that regardless of the way they treated me I would probably never return to that location, as it was filthy and messy, and more like a bargain store than the clean and neat establishments normally in your corporation.
I took the name of every single employee who dealt with me, and regardless of who is at fault I refuse to include him or her in this complaint. With the exception of Tom, everyone was helpful and kind. Yes, they should have verified more thoroughly your stock. But they handled it well, and made me happy. Tom acted as an angry father reprimanding his child. Perhaps it is because I am just a young woman? Or maybe because I wasn't spending very much money? The point is that I am at the stage where I never want to go to another Canadian Tire again. I only spent a few dollars at his and the Paris store that day, but I have automobile repairs being done and I purchase many other items through your establishment, and I refuse to be treated this way ever again.
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It is now October 1st. I have yet to receive any sort of reply. I just wanted to share my experience with anyone who will listen.
Thank you.
Katie
Waterford, Ontario
Canada
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