Customer Service Fail (and some wins, too)

This post comes later than I'd hoped, mostly because I'd written it all out and then my computer decided to delete it all. Technology... sigh.

Ever since Mr K and I got engaged in April, I've been paying extra-close attention to the customer service I've been given by different suppliers. Rest assured, I have absolutely NO intention of doing business with ANYONE who is anything less than friendly and courteous. Just because I'm a bride-to-be does not give you the right to rip me off. (oops... bridezilla moment...)

I've actually been surprised at how different suppliers have been challenging my long-held stereotypes of the customer service world, both for good and bad. Now, bear with me while I indulge in some serious stereotyping for a moment. In my 3.5 years in Dublin, people working in the service industry here are RUDE, with very, very few exceptions. Conversely, having lived in Vancouver for most of my life, I've always found service industry professionals to be smiley, polite and helpful.

Well. Something about the Wedding Industrial Complex (WIC - a term I picked up on a wedding forum) has turned this all on its head. I don't know whether it's the effects of the recession on Irish suppliers, or whether Canadian suppliers have just become complacent... but whoa.

Case(s) in point:

Customer Service Fail:
It's hard planning a wedding from 5000 miles away, so when I started emailing venues and photographers at home, I wasn't sure what to expect. We'd already sorted out our Irish photographer (yes, we're doing 2 ceremonies, mostly because I love hassle!) and were looking for a photographer with a similar style over in Canada. Easy, right? Well... not exactly. I approached one couple via email, said I loved their style and would be interested in using them for our wedding... with a few minor changes. Since we're not in the country we don't need an engagement session, and we're also not looking for albums at the moment. Basically we just want the photos.

So Canadian Photographer Girl (CPG) emails me back and tells me it's fine if we don't want the "extras", but that the regular package price will not change. Oh, and despite saying they'll travel anywhere in the Okanagan Valley on their website, they're going to charge $200 to go from Kelowna to Osoyoos. That's at least 4 times the cost of petrol.

Excuse me? You're seriously going to charge me your astronomical quoted amount despite the fact that we won't be availing of 2/3 of your services? And when I wrote back to "check" if they could be a bit more flexible, I was told quite bluntly that said astronomical quote is the minimum they charge to remain in business. Never mind that I don't even make that in a MONTH...

Fail.

Customer Service Wins:
Every potential supplier thus far in Ireland. Seriously. I have been so impressed with everyone I've spoken to. People are flexible in their prices, willing to help us out at every turn, willing to throw in added extras, and seem genuinely happy that we are considering them. It makes such a difference.

And it's not as though being nice or flexible is costing them much. Nice is free... and the recommendations that I'll be giving them to ALL my likely-soon-to-be-married girlfriends over here will likely MORE than make up for being flexible on prices.

Remember, CPG - "A happy customer tells a friend. An unhappy customer tells everyone." I'm only a potential customer, but I'm unhappy, so here I am telling the blogosphere.