Customer Service Matters (Even for Cheapskates Like Me)

Being the penny pincher that I am I always thought that the lowest price was the bottom-line.  At the end of the day, the less money I can spend the better, right? 

Well if anything could prove me more wrong, it would be my experience with IKEA over the last few days. 

To go through my horrendous experience step by step would require several blog posts, maybe a whole book.  But I can say with certainty, it was the most inefficient, painful, and maddening service experience I’ve ever had.  I spent at least seven hours on the phone with customer service (mostly on hold or going through the automated system yet AGAIN, since they can never give you a direct number even if it is the 8^th time you’re calling due to THEIR lack of efficiency).  My experience at the store was no better.  After three days of dealing with the same order, it STILL isn’t resolved.  I’ve cried, I’ve screamed, I’ve tried to work through it with yoga…  Ultimately, no matter how low their prices are, it’s not worth the time or aggravation. 

The shame of it is, the staff and the employees at the store and call centers are courteous and helpful but drowning under horrible company policies and serious under staffing issues.  I wrote to the company to express my frustration and was met with an unsympathetic email regurgitating the stupid policies I was already all too familiar with.

Needless to say, I will NEVER shop at IKEA again, even if they have the best prices for a broke girl like me.

Would you be willing to pay a higher price for better customer service?