E-mailed UD and...

[Qwikflipz]

This is what I said:

I have strong concerns for the hundreds of collectors out there. Sport Card message boards cannot go one day without this being mentioned. Cards that haven't be sent out in years, replacements that haven't been sent out. And the fact that even MORE redemptions are being made. How a card in 06/07 hasn't been produced yet but there is new stuff of said player in 09/10? Other card companies do not have this issue. ITG for example never has an issue. Why made redemptions if you cannot fulfill them? People shouldn't have to wait years to get a players card. For example, a guy has almost every Bill Randford card, but one card in 06/07 was a redemption. He hasn't got the card yet. You think he wants a replacement? No, he wants that card, but it seems he will not ever get it. Customer Service also is hard to get ahold of. Why not hire people who actually likes cards? Seems that some do not, nor care. Is Upper Deck ran from a basement? Because right now, for being a big business, you guys are failing miserably in making the customer happy. There is many ways to fix this, yet you guys cannot find one way to fix it.

UD responses with:

We are completely committed to working with our customers on any situations they have. We know collectors love hard-signed cards so that is what we try to provide them. In doing so, it creates potential issues with redemption cards which we work very hard to avoid and get fulfilled in a timely fashion. If you have a situation you’d like us to address, we would be happy to do so, but I don’t show anything pending for you.

I respond back with"

I don't deal with UD with redemptions. Why are you trying to avoid the question? Your customer service obviously stinks. 4 years is a timely fashion? You guys haven't tried working with customers, only recently has UD actually send out replacements that were equal in value. Why does everyone at Upper Deck try to step around the situation? Collectors should file a law-suit against Upper Deck for not providing cards to people. Why would I buy a box from you guys, to only get a redemption that probably won't be fulfilled? I'm not the only one who feels that way, I am just one of hundreds.

They replied with:

I don’t think I could tell you anything that would change your strong opinions about our company from what you’ve read second hand on message boards. I can just tell you as someone who works for the company you are talking about that if any of our customers has a problem, we are dedicated to working with them on a solution.

I said: Than why can people not get ahold of you guys for days? This isn't about me, this is about us collectors as a whole.

Well we don’t work on Saturdays or Sundays, but we are in Monday through Friday to assist with any issues customers have. Since you don’t have any issues, I hope you don’t mind if I spend my time working with people who may.

Your thoughts?

[RGM81]

I'm surprised they even gave you a response at all.

Sending in a message like that isn't helpful. It only delays their ability to respond to those customers who do have questions about their cards, and frankly, it's rude. They're aware they've got shortcomings, and having somebody who only wants to treat them with more vinegar won't do anything to improve the mood of the customer service agent that isn't responsible for the problems but still has to deal with the brunt of them from people.

[Qwikflipz]

Updated with full convosation

[Qwikflipz]

I'm surprised they even gave you a response at all.

Sending in a message like that isn't helpful. It only delays their ability to respond to those customers who do have questions about their cards, and frankly, it's rude. They're aware they've got shortcomings, and having somebody who only wants to treat them with more vinegar won't do anything to improve the mood of the customer service agent that isn't responsible for the problems but still has to deal with the brunt of them from people.

The 3 minutes it took to type everything really affects them? I don't think so. It is coming from a customer who isn't happy. Just like any customer who isn't happy, they will e-mail and call to voice their opinion. I think what they are doing as a company is pretty dang rude myself.

And you obviously aren't happy with the fact your Georges card hasn't come in yet. Just because I actually want to let them know makes it rude? I don't think so.

[RGM81]

I've actually had the card replaced. Long ago.

There are ways to express frustrations with a company. Some are right, others are wrong. Yours is in the latter. Seriously, if somebody you've never met in your life called you up at work or left an email in your company mailbox telling you that you're failing miserably, that you obviously don't care about your job, and that your work gives off the appearance of working from your basement, how good would you feel? Would that just make you sit there at your desk and think, "I'm so glad that this is the first thing I've read today, it really makes me feel happy to be in the business of serving people"?

I'm guessing that you've never worked in a service-related field. I have, and let me tell you, no matter how tough an exterior you've got, when you get people trying to crap on you for something that is the responsibility of other people in your company, it doesn't feel good and it doesn't last for the duration of the conversation.

Like I said, I've got my frustrations with UD, and obviously so do many others. But to write them a message like you did, which serves no positive purpose and only poisons the well? That's not right and that's not fair to the guy that has to answer your negativity. There are still a lot of good individuals at that company who have to deal with too much as it is because of decisions made by other people in other areas of the company - piling on like that without offering anything remotely resembling a constructive criticism or alternative suggestion for them to improve doesn't help anybody.

[Qwikflipz]

I've actually had the card replaced. Long ago.

There are ways to express frustrations with a company. Some are right, others are wrong. Yours is in the latter. Seriously, if somebody you've never met in your life called you up at work or left an email in your company mailbox telling you that you're failing miserably, that you obviously don't care about your job, and that your work gives off the appearance of working from your basement, how good would you feel? Would that just make you sit there at your desk and think, "I'm so glad that this is the first thing I've read today, it really makes me feel happy to be in the business of serving people"?

I'm guessing that you've never worked in a service-related field. I have, and let me tell you, no matter how tough an exterior you've got, when you get people trying to crap on you for something that is the responsibility of other people in your company, it doesn't feel good and it doesn't last for the duration of the conversation.

Like I said, I've got my frustrations with UD, and obviously so do many others. But to write them a message like you did, which serves no positive purpose and only poisons the well? That's not right and that's not fair to the guy that has to answer your negativity. There are still a lot of good individuals at that company who have to deal with too much as it is because of decisions made by other people in other areas of the company - piling on like that without offering anything remotely resembling a constructive criticism or alternative suggestion for them to improve doesn't help anybody.

I work in one right now. I am sure I am not the first one to send an e-mail like this. Everyone has gotten e-mails like this, I have, and I have to deal with it. Your can have your opinion, but what I did was with many people do with many businesses, and that is voice their opinion. It is okay to bash UD on SCF, but than I e-mail them and it is bad? I had questions and nothing was answered because I had no issues with them. I don't see that being good customer service. How about answer the question? Something they seem to always have an issue with. Upper Deck is failing (proof is in the pudding), and I am sure I am one of many who has mention this to them.

And yes there are many good people there, I have met many, and some people are very good there, very nice, very helping. But to say we are available Monday-Friday, yet people call and don't get answers in days? It seems the best way to reach them is Facebook. And to me, that isn't professional at all.

[RGM81]

Like I've said twice already, it's all in your delivery. When you come out guns blazing like that, it's immediately off-putting. What did good old Barbossa say? "I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." What possible motivation would that service rep have to give you anything remotely resembling a full accounting of the reasons that things are they way they are after you dumped all over the company? Seriously.

Sean is fully capable of dealing with his outstanding Ranford card - he has contacted them a number of times for updates. It's *his* issue to resolve; Upper Deck does not owe *you* an explanation for the status of that card.

Here are your sentences in that email that end in question marks:
How a card in 06/07 hasn't been produced yet but there is new stuff of said player in 09/10?
Why made redemptions if you cannot fulfill them?
You think he wants a replacement?
Why not hire people who actually likes cards?
Is Upper Deck ran from a basement?

Of those five questions, three, possibly four, are openly hostile and truly there's no way for that service rep to answer it. The first one falls under the "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request" category. For the rest, would it really have satisfied you if he answered (in order): "We try our hardest to fulfill all redemptions and all redemption cards inserted into packout are intended to be fulfilled," "I'm sure he does," "That's a great idea; I'll forward it to our human resources team so that they can add 'Must Love Cards' into future job postings," and "No" - would that have satisfied you?
When writing a message like that, always keep in mind "honey works better than vinegar" and "kill them with kindness". Like I said, you're fortunate that the rep even bothered to give you a terse reply; I would have simply hit delete and moved on to helping actual customers with outstanding issues.

[Qwikflipz]

Like I've said twice already, it's all in your delivery. When you come out guns blazing like that, it's immediately off-putting. What did good old Barbossa say? "I'm disinclined to acquiesce to your request." What possible motivation would that service rep have to give you anything remotely resembling a full accounting of the reasons that things are they way they are after you dumped all over the company? Seriously.

Sean is fully capable of dealing with his outstanding Ranford card - he has contacted them a number of times for updates. It's *his* issue to resolve; Upper Deck does not owe *you* an explanation for the status of that card.

Here are your sentences in that email that end in question marks:
How a card in 06/07 hasn't been produced yet but there is new stuff of said player in 09/10?
Why made redemptions if you cannot fulfill them?
You think he wants a replacement?
Why not hire people who actually likes cards?
Is Upper Deck ran from a basement?

Of those five questions, three, possibly four, are openly hostile and truly there's no way for that service rep to answer it. The first one falls under the "I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request" category. For the rest, would it really have satisfied you if he answered (in order): "We try our hardest to fulfill all redemptions and all redemption cards inserted into packout are intended to be fulfilled," "I'm sure he does," "That's a great idea; I'll forward it to our human resources team so that they can add 'Must Love Cards' into future job postings," and "No" - would that have satisfied you?
When writing a message like that, always keep in mind "honey works better than vinegar" and "kill them with kindness". Like I said, you're fortunate that the rep even bothered to give you a terse reply; I would have simply hit delete and moved on to helping actual customers with outstanding issues.

You hit delete, you lose a customer. That is their issue, not reaching the customer. If someone comes at me with a compliant, I want to resolve it. And I was stating examples to the man. I never said he cannot deal with it himself. I was stating an example I read.

How would you feel if you bought a Price card on eBay for $100. The guy states he isn't responsible for damage in the mail. He sends it in a plain envelope, and there is not a big crease on it. He was wrong in sending it that way, but he didn't state how he shipped, nor he said he isn't responsible for damage. So than he refuses a refund. I am sure you would be pretty angry at that. As a customer, you have the right to voice opinion, good or bad.

I've dealt with redemptions all the time. I sell one on eBay, customer doesn't get the card, than they want a refund from me. It isn't my issue, so I tell the buyer to bring it up with them. They shouldn't be taking years to fulfill redemptions. Now if they cannot get an autograph, ok, but if they don't even have the card produced, than why have a redemption in the first place? I see bad business right there.

[RGM81]

Question: if you did not get a response to your query, would you be any angrier with them than you are now? Truth be told, I would not complain about a lack of reaching the customer if the customer is only going to use the venue to rain on my parade.

Also, you might want to re-word what you've written about my hypothetical Carey Price eBay purchase. If "there is not a big crease on it," why would I want a refund? Moreover, eBay/PayPal's policies regarding safe delivery of items clearly overrides any listing statement to the effect that a seller is not responsible for damaged goods. If the card arrived damaged, and the seller was not being reasonable and willing to issue a refund, I would file a PayPal dispute, I would win, and I would get my refund.

[Qwikflipz]

Question: if you did not get a response to your query, would you be any angrier with them than you are now?

Also, you might want to re-word what you've written about my hypothetical Carey Price eBay purchase. If "there is not a big crease on it," why would I want a refund? Moreover, eBay/PayPal's policies regarding safe delivery of items clearly overrides any listing statement to the effect that a seller is not responsible for damaged goods. If the card arrived damaged, and the seller was not being reasonable and willing to issue a refund, I would file a PayPal dispute, I would win, and I would get my refund.

You know what I mean, if there was. And just the hassle of it. Heck I can go the other way and what if you sold a card, the received it damaged. Now you have to issue a refund and you lose a card. I am sure you would of not been happy.

And I would be angry that I didn't get a response. It would tell me that this is another example of not caring for the customer. Will I buy Upper Deck still? Yes, but will I buy them if they lost their licenses completely? Probably not. I am happy I got a response, not happy with the way the response was given. But at least I was acknowledge.