OFFICE DEPOT SHOULD CLOSE DOWN

SPECIAL POST

It's not very often... I can't even remember doing it... that I would take up valuable blog space to go after a merchant.  But, this is an exception. 

I had been an Office Depot customer for many, many years.  In 2009, I did well over $10,000 in business with them and last year did over $6,000.  I had an item of printing that I needed done, a business plan for a client.  I took it to Office Dept and asked them to print me six copies off of my flash drive, which they did;  this was a 7o page document.  I went back a few days later with the same flash drive and the same file and asked for 25 copies bound with a nice cover and they told me that they could not print off of my file; it was the wrong format?  Well, I objected and the gal basically told me to take a hike.  I got it done at Fed-Ex. 

I fired off a complaint to Office Depot by email and they never responded, but they did send me an email asking me how I liked their service on the first transaction.  So, I responded with another email, and never got a response.  

That was last year and that's why I spent $4,000 less with them last year than the year before.  

I just needed a heavy duty stapler. I live in the sticks, 60 miles from the nearest store of any significance.  Reluctantly, I ordered it through Office Depot on line because they guarantee overnight service.  After thinking about it, I also ordered two packets of binder clips because I was running a bit low.   The next day, the binder clips arrived in a big box with nothing else.  So, I called them and got an apology and they said that I would definitely have the stapler the next day, a Friday.  

Well, no stapler, so I called them again and they told me that they had shipped the day before as promised, but they were too late to get it here overnight, so it would be here Monday.  Monday came and no stapler arrived.  I called again.  This time, the girl told me that the previous reps had lied to me and that she was guaranteeing delivery Tuesday.  I asked her why the problem and she told me, believe it or not, that UPS has actually returned the first stapler because it was wrong, and a new one was on its way.  Well, the shipping slip said three items all in one carton.  Is UPS going to open the carton and check the contents?  I think not; they never have.  

Tuesday comes and no stapler, so I called again and asked for a supervisor.  The agent would not let me speak to a supervisor until she had taken my name, order number, customer number, phone number and blah, blah blah.  Then, she proceeded to start to tell her own version of what was going on and I had to make it clear that I wanted to speak with a supervisor.  When I got this guy on the phone, he proceeded to tell me that it was on the UPS truck and would be delivered today, (Tuesday).  I told him the UPS truck had long since come and gone and he assured me that it would be here... "it was shipped yesterday" in plenty of time.  

He then had the audacity to suggest that, if I was having a big problem with this, why don't I just go to the store and buy one?  That really ticked me off, like he is so great at customer service he's chastising me for using his internet store?  Well, I finally came unglued and he told me to hang on while he called UPS.  Now, either he hung up, or the call got dropped, but he never called back.  He did have my number, you know.  

About an hour later, UPS called and said they had my package and that it had been shipped late the day before and had come in too late to be delivered today.  When I told him my story, he said, "They lied."  

Yes, they lied.  One person on Thursday, two on Friday, two on Monday and this supervisor all lied.  That tells me that they now have lousy service and so many complaints that they have developed a culture of lying to people just to get them off the phone.  That kind of a culture goes all of the way to the top echelon of a company.  And, maybe that explains why the last time I was in an Office Depot, it was deserted.  

They need to pack their bags and go out of business.  

That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.