Wednesday, March 09, 2011

How many Walmart employees does it take to answer a question?

Okay, so this very frustrating. Tell me am I wrong here? Was it me who was confused? I don't understand what the problem was with these questions, but I'm going to copy and paste some support emails bouncing back and forth between myself and Walmart.

Before we go on, let's discuss how Gmail works, briefly. I love Gmail for so many reasons that this deserves its own post, but for now I just want to make sure you understand what the "- Show quoted text -" means. Let's consider a few emails.

I'll send this to my husband:
Can you pick up a loaf of bread on the way home?
In any other email client, his response would look like this.
Yes.
> Can you pick up a loaf of bread on the way home?
Gmail will cut that quoted part out for me, so that I'm not presented with a jumble of previous stuff to read if I don't need to. Instead, his response would look like this in Gmail:
Yes.
- Show quoted text -
Then if I want to review the previous thread, I just click "- Show quoted text -" and I can view the whole thing.

Okay, now let's move on.

This was what I first wrote to them:
The following message was received on March 06, 2011 09:33 AM, by the
Walmart.com Help Desk:

First Name : XXX
Last Name : XXX
Comments : Where are my reviews? There is no link anywhere that I can find. Shouldn't this be under My Account? I can see everyone else's link to their reviews but no way to view my own!
Okay, so do you understand my question? I thought it was a simple enough question.

So this was the response I got:
Sun, Mar 6, 2011 at 5:05 PM
Dear Name,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding your reviews.

We are sorry but most reviews will post in five to seven business days of submission and there is no Archive of reviews, all reviews are on the site. If we have not fully answered your question or you have additional questions, please reply to this email
- Show quoted text -
Wait, what? Did I ask about archives or how long it takes to post?

No, I was asking about my reviews and how to get to them. Okay so I thought maybe they needed an example. So I wrote them back.
Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 8:06 AM
No. My question was NOT 'when do they get posted?'. I have written reviews ages ago. How do I get to them at the website? There is no link anywhere under My Account.

Take this page for example:
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Paula-Deen-Signature-Wood-Rolling-Pin/13866848

There is a link to Momofone09's reviews that says, "Read all my
reviews". When I click that it takes me to this page:
http://reviews.walmart.com/1336/e5ef57b49e381c15f62fb2b25a1287e0/profile.htm

Okay, so where is MY page like that? This should be under My Account,
but as far as I can tell, I don't have a link to this page.
- Show quoted text -
Now this cannot be any clearer, right? I've even given them examples of what it is that I'm looking for. Surely I will get an answer now, eh?

Oh no, it gets much worse...Grammar is correct.
Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 3:24 PM
Dear Name,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding how to see reviews. I apologize for any confusion in thi matter. I have checked and there are no archives on reviews to see.

There are three ways to submit a product review:
1. A few weeks after you order an item from us, we'll send you an email inviting you to review it. Use the link provided to get to the review form.

2. Sign in to My Account and click on the order number for the product you want to review. On the order detail page, there is a "Review this product" link under the item name that will take you to the review form.

3. If you see a product on Walmart.com that you already own, even if you did not purchase the item from Walmart, you can click the "Rate and review this product" link next to the Review Snapshot on the product details page and write your review.

If we have not fully answered your question or you have additional questions, please reply to this email.
- Show quoted text -
Can you believe this?! I even gave them a freaking example, and they still cannot figure out what it is that I'm asking. If they are calling my reviews an "archive" they are wrong. They are most definitely archived as I prove... twice! There are only two conclusions here and I've not yet decided which one it is.

1. They are so incredibly unintelligent that they just do not understand the question, no matter how I explain it to them.

2. They don't care and are not even bothering to fully read it and ignored my example.

As much as I would love to point out that it's number 1, it obviously is number 2, which makes me mad. I can forgive stupidity, I cannot forgive an uncaring attitude.

So... of course I replied. I made it short sweet and to the point. This is where it gets really good.
Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 3:29 PM
Can someone please read my question? I'm not trying to submit a product review. I'm not going to explain this a third time.
- Show quoted text -
I was not going to spell it out any further and I shouldn't have to. So their response?
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 12:22 AM
Dear Name,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding viewing your product review.

Unfortunately, not all product reviews are published online. Here is a quick overview of why your review might not have been published.

Please keep the following guidelines in mind when you review a product. Following these guidelines will help ensure your review is posted for others to benefit from.

* Focus on the product and your experience using it
* Provide specific details about what you did and didn't like about the product
* Remember that the purpose of submitting a product review is to provide insight for other customers who are considering purchasing the product
* Keep in mind that all submitted product reviews are subject to the terms set forth in our Terms of Use

We reserve the right not to post a product review if it contains any of the following:

* Obscenities, defamatory language, or other language not suitable for a public forum
* Prices, advertisements, "spam" content or references to other products, offers, websites or competitors
* Email addresses, phone numbers, links to websites, physical addresses or other forms of contact information
* Critical or spiteful comments about other reviews (or their authors) posted on the product details page

Please note: Product reviews will not be posted if the reviewer does not have experience using the product. Product reviews must meet all guidelines and be written in English.

A new review will appear on our site within five to seven business days. If you have recently written a review, please check back soon to see it posted on the site.

For more information about product reviews please visit our help section below:
http://www.walmart.com/cp/Customer-Product-Reviews/610419#92530
- Show quoted text -
Yeah. They didn't even read what I wrote, apparently. My response:
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 4:05 AM
This does not answer the question. Please review the question again. I happen to know my reviews were posted. I can find them via Google, now where are they under my account?

Why is your tech support so inept? This is a simple question.
- Show quoted text -
Now it is important to note that this next email is the first time that they actually call me Magnolia, literally. Until this next one, they have been using my formal first name, which I never use. This is clear proof that they are not reading the previous questions and answers. That's the "- Show quoted text -" part and each email still has the entire email thread written in every response. Since they seem to have "forgotten" my real name, it appears to be proof that they're ignoring the thread.

Now ready for the audacity of their response? Grammar is correct.
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 1:01 PM
Dear Magnolia,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding your questions about review

WalMart.com reviewsPlease keep the following guidelines in mind when you review a product. Following these guidelines will help ensure your review is posted for others to benefit from.
- Show quoted text -
I hardly know what to say now. They have just blown my mind by this point. So my response is...
Tue, Mar 8, 2011 at 2:23 PM
This does not answer the question, please review my actual question. The Walmart ineptness is at such a magnitude I can scarcely believe it.
- Show quoted text -
Now in this next message they revert back to my name. This tells me that someone actually tried reading the messages and then wanted to clarify it, but this is too little too late. I am still angry because in truth, if they had read it carefully enough the question is obvious. I could understand it if they misunderstood the first one, but once I gave an example, they should have understood.
Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 4:46 AM
Dear Name,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com regarding your recent inquiry.

To help resolve your issue in a quick and efficient manner, please provide the additional information requested below.

1.) Please clarify your ssue and how we may assist you. I am unable to view your original question because it is not contained in this email. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Sincerely,
Walmart.com Customer Care

Original Message Follows:
- Show quoted text -
Perhaps I should have been more polite, but these emails have been bouncing back and forth for several days. Half awake this morning, and angry that they seem to not care at all about what it is that I'm asking, I fired off this angry email. Well, tough. I've been fairly patient until now, so it is to be expected, I believe.
Wed, Mar 9, 2011 at 6:55 AM
I have tried to clarify this only for you all not to even bother reading the question. I don't know how much more clear I can make this.

In my account, where is the link to this page:
http://reviews.walmart.com/1336a/1378b57058804641cdd2527ab35f935f/profile.htm

These are MY reviews. I want to know how to get to MY reviews from MY
account. It's that simple. There is no link anywhere to MY reviews
under MY account. The only reason I managed to find them was via
Google. Surely there is a way to view them under MY account.

Instead, you explained that not all reviews are posted, how to post
reviews and on and on. No one has bothered to even read my question
and just sent answers it thought I was asking. What does this say
about Walmart?

These emails, are going on the web! I am disgusted with the so-called
"service" I've gotten. I have a right to view my reviews and yet you
all would have me believe that none were ever posted! Go back and read
this thread.
- Show quoted text -
Stay tuned for more updates. Obviously I have figured out the answer here, but I'm going to make them admit it. They do not have links under My Account to the said user's reviews, which is preposterous. Others can view your reviews, but the said user cannot! Not without searching at Google and that is idiotic.
My other post(s) you may be interested in:

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