I’m amazed at what some companies call customer service. It’s like they think it’s the customer’s responsibility to figure things out, and that even the lamest excuse for an attempt at communication satisfies their obligation.
I recently heard about a company, Fast Icon, that was doing custom caricatures (www.fasticon.com). You send in a photograph, and they work with you to create a custom avatar. The price seemed reasonable, and the samples looked very nice, so on March 11, 2008 I paid $29 USD via 2Checkout.com, and received a reciept via email from 2Checkout.
I rather expected something from Fast Icon indicating what our next steps should be, but after waiting a day, on March 13th I sent this email (with attached picture) to the email address listed on their web site for picture submission.
I’ve attached the photo as indicated on the web site.
2Checkout.com Order Number xxxxxxxxx
On March 17th, I sent this follow up email.
I purchased a custom caricature icon last week (March 11th) and submitted a picture (March 13th). I’ve received no confirmation of receipt or status. What’s up with my order?
Sales Receipt: xxxxxxxxxx
Thanks,
Keith
After my picture submission and query about my order I received…nothing. No response whatsoever. Checking their web site indicated everything was up and running. I then submitted a query via their web form on their site again asking about the status of my order (because of the medium used, I have no copy of that communication). At the very least I was looking for an acknowledgement of receipt.
On March 28th, I sent this email. I had received no communication ever from Fast Icon. The only communication I’d received was the order confirmation from 2Checkout.
I’ve sent two previous emails (not including the one where I submitted a picture) requesting status of my order placed March 11th. I’ve gotten zero response. I intend to relate my negative customer experience, and the theft of my purchase price on my public discussion board. Just Google for it.
Keith
Well, well, well…after threatening to go public, on March 29th I received this email from Fast Icon (the very first response, and only communication, period, to date)
Dear Mr. Kastorff,
We placed a public note in our site last week informing all our customers about the reason of the delay and lack of the communication.
Besides, we sent emails through the 2checkout with the same information, saying that the orders would be long more than the programmed. In that same email, we asked if the customer wanted to wait, or to receive immediate refund.
We wants to render a quality service, however we had a work overload and that caused the delay.
Now we went up the price of the caricatures, to be able to hire more artists and to accomplish all the orders that we received.
But, like you it demonstrated total dissatisfaction with our service, (and I understand you, due to the delay) I’m your refund payment so that you can seek another company that makes that service for you.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
Best Regards,
Dirceu Veiga
www.fasticon.com
I looked on their site for any announcement regarding a delay; I found nothing. I never received any communication from 2Checkout explaining the delay and allowing me to choose between a refund or a delay in processing. Since I’ve received two emails from 2Checkout, based on the observed behavior of Fast Icon, I don’t believe they ever sent anything regarding my order. Even if one believes they tried, it’s quite odd I would get 2 emails (the original purchase receipt, and the refund notice — see below) from 2Checkout just fine, and not receive a supposed third.
When I checked their site for the supposed “public note” I saw that they had doubled the price for the custom caricature from the original $29 to $59.
On the same day, I sent this email in response.
Sir,
As I stated, I received no emails, either directly from fasticon.com or from 2checkout. This is the very first communication I’ve received, and I get it after I express my intent to relate my customer experience publicly. On top of that, you decide to refund my original purchase cost without offering me a choice between receiving what I ordered at the originally published price or getting a refund. You call that “quality service”? I don’t think it even gets close.
Now that you’ve raised your prices, it is essentially refusing to do work I paid you for unless I pay you more. Here in the United States, that’s grounds for a complaint with the Better Business Bureau.
Since I ordered your product at the originally published price, what I want is for you to fulfill your obligation as a business, and provide me with the product you promised, at the quality you promised. I’m not aware of anyone else doing this sort of work, are you?
I fully understand a situation where unexpected product demand causes production issues. I do not understand why any company who even pretends to care about its customers would then display the lack of communication you have, raise prices, and then refuse to deliver the agreed upon product by refunding purchase cost without any prior dialog with the customer.
I also do not see any “public note in our site”. Where is it? This is bad customer service in the worst way.
Keith
Later that day, I received an email from 2Checkout indicating they were refunding my purchase price.
I’ll let you decide if this is the kind of company you want to give your business.
April 23, 2008 at 3:40 am
Glad I am not the only person! I have been waiting over a month and a half for any response other than the ‘we have been too busy and will refund you if you wish’ email you received.
I will now have to pursue a refund as well.
Be careful if you decide to use this company - my experience has been hugely negative.
November 29, 2008 at 3:39 am
I sent an order for a caricature icon on October 5, 2008: it is November 29 right now, and I did not receive it… During this period, I wrote FOUR letters to FastIcon and/or CaricaturesIcon and/or Dirceu Veiga, but I got no answer…
Now I am going to contact 2Checkout.com, and I hope that it is not too late…