Example of Poor Customer Service

I tried out a new networking group yesterday. I don't think I will go again, but the experience was worth sharing. I had contacted the executive director of the group and she invited me to come and attend their (at the time) upcoming event as a guest and even registered me for the event. I looked at all of the information on their website and even read through the additional information she had shown me.

When I showed up for the luncheon, she said that it was $20. What?!?! It was not about the dollar amount, but rather the fact that there had never once been a mention of me having to pay just to explore this group. I have attended MANY different networking groups and have never had to pay to explore a group for a single attendance. This rubbed me the wrong way, but the executive director did not care in the least. The event was fair at best.

Upon my return to the office, I looked over all of the information I had seen previously to see if there was ever any mention of cost of attendance and there was not.

I decided to write her to share my feelings and findings. This is my complete e-mail to her without the headers or signature block (and event name and web addresses removed):

Hi Pat~

Thank you for having me as a guest today at the XXX luncheon event. I wanted to readdress the cost issue that I was shocked by when I arrived.

Looking back at your website, there are no prices/costs to attend listed on any of the event pages I looked at which included:

[web address removed]
and
[web address removed]

Perhaps if I had registered myself there would have been mention of a cost during the registration process, but you registered me so I did not go through that process.

Twenty dollars is not the end of the world, but as I said there was never mention of it before actually showing up at the event and that definitely rubbed me the wrong way.

Cheers,

Paul

Here is her response with headers and signature block removed (nothing else has been altered):

I am not sure why it got left off as I entered the price when I put the information on the website. It is on their for other monthly meetings.

She did not even want to address that I was bothered by this. She did not address the e-mail to me, nor even sign off. I don't believe that she even cares whether I join or not.

This is a great example of someone simply not caring nor standing behind their work. I find it quite unprofessional and off putting.

The awareness for today is to listen to your customers/clients/patients when they are put off by something and do your best to resolve it while addressing their concerns.
~Paul