Losing Business and Money

by Ed

Recently, I found out that our local 7 Eleven is a pick up point for courier service. I was quite happy to discover that because 7 Elevens are everywhere. The usual office boy service that use from time to time have increased their prices and imposed a surcharge for further distance and the price is getting way too high. I don’t have that many documents to send to warrant starting an account with a courier company. So usually I do with the office boy service that up until recently, was reasonably cheap and reliable.

When I found out that a bigger courier company X does a pick up from 7 Eleven with cheaper prices compared to the office boy that I used, I was happy. But my happiness was shortlived. Today I had some urgent documents to courier to a client. When I went over to the nearest 7 Eleven with is about 2 km from where I stay, they ran out of courier envelopes! Since it was fairly urgent for the document to reach my client, I decided to head to the next 7 Eleven. Alas, I was told the bar code on the last envelope was torn and the nice lady told me, she can’t sell it to me. It would not reach the destination anyway. This exercise is getting less and less convenient by the minute

So I headed over to the 3rd convenience shop and finally they have the envelopes I wanted. I paid to have the documents sent out and drove back thinking about the whole thing that took me more than an hour. I asked the lady at the first 7 Eleven, “How come there all the envelopes were sold out?” The reply, we have to order them. Apparently, they are not replenished by the courier company X when they do the collection. Individual 7 Elevens have to order them. I just wonder whether company X realize just how much money they lose or even the potential goodwill they lose when they let the customer down like that. Imagine this scenario. You have an ultra urgent document to send out and all the time, you depend on this company to do their job. But then, then you found out something you have to go hunting around for alternative company to fill in.

After going through this whole affair, I went to gas station to enquire about whether there is another courier company in the neighbourhood and yes, there is! But, these guys don’t collect after 5pm. Another no no. And yet both these companies are not maximizing the opportunity to provide a level of reliable and convenient service to their customers. I’m pretty sure there is a market for sending documents, otherwise both these courier company would not have started the service in the first place. But the level of service leave much to be desired.

Technorati Tags: quality services, customer dissatisfaction