Zales The Jewelry Experts, Customer Care, not so much..

Zales Customer Care,

I am assuming that by sending this e-mail to your department, perhaps
it will be forwarded to the appropriate personnel. However based on
recent experiences I shall remain doubtful.

I recently purchased item number 17906918, which was your The Shared
Heart® 1/10 CT. T.W. Diamond Pendant in 14K White Gold as an
anniversary gift for my wife. What I received in the mail was The
Shared Heart® 1/10 CT. T.W. Diamond Tilted Pendant in Sterling Silver.
Needless to say, my wife was very disappointed. When we called to ask
what could be done about this mistake, the preponderance of rectifying
this error was put upon us; we were told that we could not return the
necklace to any of the stores in the area for an appropriate credit,
that our money would not be credited to our account until the necklace
is received via mail, and that there would be no discount in the
purchase of the appropriate necklace that will arrive long after our
anniversary.

This makes me believe that your company feels that the customer is the
least important aspect of your business, that the customer that can
only afford one of your less expensive items is beneath contempt and
not worth being treated with any sort of respect. Would I have gotten
better customer care had a bought a higher-end piece? I suspect had I
spent $2000 as opposed to $200, people would have been doing their
best to make this situation right and I would have been compensated in
some small way for an error by your company.

Is this how you establish a loyal customer base? I would hope at some
point to be able to buy my wife nicer jewelry. Based on this
experience I do not think that I will buying that jewelry from your
company. Not only that, but I feel so upset by this I feel I will go
out of my way to recommend to my friends and colleagues to absolutely
avoid your company in their own purchases.

I have bought items from your company in the past, but based on how I
was treated by your customer service representative on the phone, I do
not think that I will continue to do so.

Quite frankly I am completely surprised that in the current economic
climate your company would treat the average customer so shabbily.

Sincerely,
Robert Hausknecht