A while back our church hired PCI (Portable Church Industries) to consult on then design, build and deliver carts and other equipment for setting up and running our church on Sunday mornings from the Middle School.
One of the things they designed and built was a cart to hold a computer for running our projected image on a Sunday morning. At the time we didn't actually have a computer to use for that, but it was built in anticipation for where we would grow.
Recently we bought that computer and put it into the cart. In doing this we found out that the patch panel they had put in the cart was inaccessible from the inside, making the audio panel worthless. It couldn't be used.
I contacted PCI to tell them there was a problem and to ask how they planned to solve the problem.
They first insisted there wasn't a problem. Then they said it was our problem for not ordering the right cables that would have been there. It took a dozen emails back and forth for them to finally admit they made any kind of error.
Through all of this they blamed our pastor for deleting the necessary cables and personally insulted me, calling me "condescending and arrogant."
And after this run of emails and PCI finally admitting their was a mistake, what am I left with. No actual help from PCI to fix the mistake (they did tell me that RadioShack sells cables if you think that is helpful) and no apology or even acknowledgment of the way I was personally spoken about in the emails.
I said in several of my emails that mistakes happen. I can understand that. We are all human.
I did however want them to own up to and fix their mistake.
But what I really don't appreciate is the defensive nature of a company that is a one stop shop and the name calling as part of their customer service.
3 comments:
I"m so sorry that this happened Chad! I struggled with them for approximately 7 months trying to get things finalized and straightened out! They have great product, but customer services is lacking!
Lori,
I appreciate your comments.
If they just built carts and we sent them our design for a cart and it had issues, then that would be our problem. Even then they might point out something they thought was an error, but the would be good customer service, but in the end it would be our mistake.
PCI is suppose to be consultants as well. When you are consulting customer service isn't just a side item, it is part of the job.
I find it completely unacceptable that they blamed Michael for the error. That they fought tooth and nail to admit they had committed any error (despite the fact that they were consulting, designing and building the cart.)
The fact that I point out that they made an error leads to personal attacks and at the end of the day they do not apologize or even recognize that they treated me inappropriately and the fact that even though they finally admitted that as consultants they made a mistake offer no attempt at correcting the problem.
I think this goes beyond poor customer service. I personally will be very upset if our church spends another dollar with Portable Church.
Chad, as general manager of PCI, I work very hard to make sure that every church we partner with receives that best service that we can offer. That is why I have been trading emails with you for the better part of two days.
We would love to sell you the cable you need. We included it in our design for you. When our client deleted it from the design and then asked where it could be purchased locally, we provided over a dozen locations where it could be found.
Our mistake was that we didn't insist that you buy the cable from us and let us install it in the mixer case as was designed.
Our clients often delete part of the design because they have a preferred provider, or wish to postpone an expense. This often creates more work for both parties, but we still don't see it as a mistake. One of our core values is Kingdom Economics...do what makes the most sense to advance His kingdom, as befitting subjects whose allegiance is to the same King.
Please touch base with your technical director, whom you serve as a volunteer. If he is not happy with our service, please have him contact me, and I will do absolutely whatever I have to do to make things right in his eyes.
- brian@portablechurch.com
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