Utter Stupidity in Bureaucracies

Eupher

Eupher

U.S. Army, Retired
Location
Arkansas
No, this is not a rant about politics. Nosirree, Bob. This is a different kind of rant. I call it a soapbox rant.

It's a rant about utter stupidity when ordering an item online and being confronted with completely inane questions.

Setup: I need a particular type of pellet for my parrot. This pellet (a food item) cannot be procured except through the company (in California, I might add) that manufactures it. Further, the pellet requires a veterinary prescription.

OK, after having to once again follow up with my vet (after a number of phone calls and a personal visit last week), I finally got the written prescription this morning. Grrrrrrrr. This particular vet is not the most responsive on the planet, but let me put my growing pisstivity aside on that just for a moment.

Another phone call with the company (in California) last week indicated that once I procured the necessary prescription, I could merely forward that through email to their customer service email, which is posted on their web site. OK, I thought, we now have a plan.

So after I finally got the requested prescription, I dutifully forwarded it to the company's CS email address.

Here is the exchange:

Me: Please note the attached prescription for your Roudybush Formula AL Liver Care.

When this prescription is processed, please contact me VIA EMAIL what the packaging options are, the cost for the product, and expected shipping costs. I will then call you to arrange payment.

(You'll note I bolded the section above, because I am accustomed to people NOT reading the instructions they've been given.)

And sure enough, here's their response:

Good morning,

Thank you for the prescription. Are you also trying to place an order, and is this your first time ordering from us?

Me:

Why would I send you a prescription if I didn't intend to place an order with your company?

Yes, this is the first time.

Now, please provide the information I requested in my opening email.

I can understand the question about "first time ordering". Makes sense -- even after I provided my name and address in my opening email. (Though I could harp upon that for a while -- this CS "person" could very well have done a bit of research on her/his end by simply doing a search on their database -- but I digress.)

This kind of stupidity and failure to critically think is the primary reason I retired from the workforce. Some people (primarily youngsters, but not always) are so accustomed to being spoonfed, coddled, and provided their every bit of information they need to process an action it's a wonder they can even get out of bed in the morning.

It's disgusting.

Soap box rant over.
 

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Would a customer service person really be able to access your record or would it be they can order it for you, but check the box marked returning customer? I can think of a reason why they wouldn't allow that person access to your records.
 
I run into the same problem all the time with customer service. Maybe a phone call to a supervisor would help. I also wondered if your vet could order it for you and let you pick it up at their address.
 
I get fed up with comapnies not knowing what their right hand is doing.

In the last few days I've had my internet supplier tell me ( the date a few days hence) when they're changing me over to the latest superfast Broadband... then a day later tell me it can't be done on that date and to call them, so I called them, they denied all knowledge, and said it was going ahead on the orifginal date.. today I've received yet another mail from them saying it's not going ahead on the original date, and will be 2 days later .....but a different dept of the same company have sent a seperate email saying to call them and arrange a new date * sigh *



Then just yesterday, I ordered new distance glasses, online from a company I've bought from in the distanct past ..

I knew the drill . Choose the glasses . Complete the online form giving all the info on my latest eye prescription, then upload the prescription and send it with my completed form...

Well that started a whole raft of emails from them...

What were the glasses for ?.. Distance I replied... back comes not one but 2 mails telling me that did I realise if I bought Distance glasses, I wouldn't be able to use them for reading ?.. (no chit sherlock ).... I reply yes I know this.. back comes another 2 emails essentially saying the same thing, and that was ... for an Invoice.. then yet another email asking if I was sure I'd completed the online from with all my details for distance glasses... I replied somewhat curtly this time saying'' . If you're able to read the prescription I sent I'm sure you can work it out for yourselves ''..

All in all 9 emails about one simple order...
 
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hollydolly said:
I get fed up with comapnies not knowing what their right hand is doing.

In the last few days I've had my internet supplier tell me a the date a few days hence) when they're changing me over to the latest superfast Broadband... then a day later tell me it can't be done on that date and to call them, so I called them, they denied all knowledge, and said it was going ahead on the orifginal date.. today I've received yet another mail from them saying it's not going ahead on the original date, and will be 2 days later .....but a different dept of the same company have sent a seperate email saying to call them and arrange a new date * sigh *



Then just yesterday, I ordered new distance glasses, online from a company I've bought from in the distanct past ..

I knew the drill . Choose the glasses . Complete the online form giving all the info on my latest eye prescription, then upload the prescription and send it with my completed form...

Well that started a whole raft of emails from them...

What were the glasses for ?.. Distance I replied... back comes not one but 2 mails telling me that did I realise if I bought Dstance glasses, I wouldn't be able to use them for reading ?.. (no chit sherlock ).... I reply yes I know this.. back comes another 2 emails essentially saying the same thing, and that was ... for an Invoice.. then yet another email sking if I was sure I'd completed the online from with all my details for distance glasses... replied somewht curtly this time saying'' . If you're able to read the prescription I sent I'm sure you can work it out for yourselves ''..

All in all 9 emails about one simple order...
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@hollydolly , amazing, this all sounds too familiar. It's my theory that a lot of business today is being handled by young folk who are afflicted with ADHD, and not getting any treatment. Of course, with your broadband issue IT people are notoriously spread thin, and are juggling tasks, work orders and such, barely keeping their chin above water. shrug.gif
 
Nathan said:
@hollydolly , amazing, this all sounds too familiar. It's my theory that a lot of business today is being handled by young folk who are afflicted with ADHD, and not getting any treatment. Of course, with your broadband issue IT people are notoriously spread thin, and are juggling tasks, work orders and such, barely keeping their chin above water. View attachment 401239
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You may be right Nathan.... but it's very annoying...
 
Twostep said:
Somewhere I missed the problem. Prescription and verification.
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Look at it this way.

Out of the blue, I sent an email WITH A PRESCRIPTION ATTACHED. The rep asked me if I "wanted to place an order." This is, in my view, a phenomenally stupid question.

Why would anyone send them a prescription for bird pellets if they didn't want to place an order?

The "critical thinking" part comes in when the rep asked me if I was a "first time" customer. The rep could've answered her own question by checking her OWN DATABASE.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I run into the same problem all the time with customer service. Maybe a phone call to a supervisor would help. I also wondered if your vet could order it for you and let you pick it up at their address.
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Part of my pisstivity involves just this issue. This particular company refuses to work directly with the vet. I first had to pester my vet to get the written prescription, then forward it on to Roudybush. Other animal-related online companies do this routinely -- chewy.com and california pet pharmacy, to name two right off the top of my head. But Roudybush's "business model" doesn't allow that.

God only knows why. Is it merely trying to cut costs and eliminate a task for the CS reps? Or is is perhaps snobbishness? This company touts themselves as offering "premier" bird food.

I should add they don't spell any of that out on their web site. Roudybush's web site says to contact them if you want to order a product requiring a prescription. I did that last week and was stunned to learn, nope -- the customer has to spoonfeed Roudybush with the prescription. They refuse to contact the vet.
 
StarSong said:
Yeah, it seems vets are always pushing their foods at eye-watering prices. Hard pass.
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Two pounds (32 oz.) of bird pellets for $70. Believe me, I wouldn't be buying this stuff if the vet didn't suggest it. The bird has the beginnings of fatty liver disease, which means discontinuing the pellets I have had her on from the beginning, using these pellets which apparently are formulated for birds with liver issues, and employing other diet-related changes.

I could get into the weeds about this, but it would probably bore you to tears.
 
Eupher said:
Look at it this way.

Out of the blue, I sent an email WITH A PRESCRIPTION ATTACHED. The rep asked me if I "wanted to place an order." This is, in my view, a phenomenally stupid question.

Why would anyone send them a prescription for bird pellets if they didn't want to place an order?

The "critical thinking" part comes in when the rep asked me if I was a "first time" customer. The rep could've answered her own question by checking her OWN DATABASE.
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You send an email and a prescription. Responding to questions to verify your intent to purchase and to locate your account. You never sent a email in error, ordered the wrong size or moved?
 
Followup to the OP:

The CS rep sent me a snarky reply, saying, "Thanks! That would've been useful to know in your original email."

First of all, how in the hell am I supposed to know what THEY want to know at the outset? All I knew was - at their invitation - I could send them an email with the attached prescription. This I did, and this rep could use her brain to answer her own questions.

Second, I sent a very sarcastic reply in return, but attached their order form. (Their web site does not accept online orders, evidently - if you want something, you have to fill out their order form by hand, scan it, then send it back to them. No big deal for me, but I haven't seen this type of online ordering in 30 years.)

The rep almost immediately replied to my sarcastic email and haughtily informed me that she'd referred my request to "upper management" who indicated they would decline to fill my order.

I replied back to that one, saying "Perfect! Roudybush is the poster child in 'how not to conduct a business'. Can't take criticism, can't take observations, but more than happy to accuse me of 'abuse.'"

But I'll be damned if somehow I didn't get her attention. She sent me another email a couple hours later saying, "You're right. I flew off the handle and apologize" and some other appropriate comments, which I appreciated.

So we're moving forward on that basis.

As I get older, I have less and less patience for stupid shit. It's really that simple.
 
Twostep said:
You send an email and a prescription. Responding to questions to verify your intent to purchase and to locate your account. You never sent a email in error, ordered the wrong size or moved?
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No. I sent an email, drawing attention to the attached prescription and asking that person to provide cost and shipping information. Just like I laid it out in the first post in this thread.

I knew nothing about packaging options, cost, or shipping data. Which is why I specified wanting to know that information as the prescription was being filled.
 
Eupher said:
No, this is not a rant about politics. Nosirree, Bob. This is a different kind of rant. I call it a soapbox rant.

It's a rant about utter stupidity when ordering an item online and being confronted with completely inane questions.

Setup: I need a particular type of pellet for my parrot. This pellet (a food item) cannot be procured except through the company (in California, I might add) that manufactures it. Further, the pellet requires a veterinary prescription.

OK, after having to once again follow up with my vet (after a number of phone calls and a personal visit last week), I finally got the written prescription this morning. Grrrrrrrr. This particular vet is not the most responsive on the planet, but let me put my growing pisstivity aside on that just for a moment.

Another phone call with the company (in California) last week indicated that once I procured the necessary prescription, I could merely forward that through email to their customer service email, which is posted on their web site. OK, I thought, we now have a plan.

So after I finally got the requested prescription, I dutifully forwarded it to the company's CS email address.

Here is the exchange:

Me: Please note the attached prescription for your Roudybush Formula AL Liver Care.

When this prescription is processed, please contact me VIA EMAIL what the packaging options are, the cost for the product, and expected shipping costs. I will then call you to arrange payment.

(You'll note I bolded the section above, because I am accustomed to people NOT reading the instructions they've been given.)

And sure enough, here's their response:

Good morning,

Thank you for the prescription. Are you also trying to place an order, and is this your first time ordering from us?

Me:

Why would I send you a prescription if I didn't intend to place an order with your company?

Yes, this is the first time.

Now, please provide the information I requested in my opening email.

I can understand the question about "first time ordering". Makes sense -- even after I provided my name and address in my opening email. (Though I could harp upon that for a while -- this CS "person" could very well have done a bit of research on her/his end by simply doing a search on their database -- but I digress.)

This kind of stupidity and failure to critically think is the primary reason I retired from the workforce. Some people (primarily youngsters, but not always) are so accustomed to being spoonfed, coddled, and provided their every bit of information they need to process an action it's a wonder they can even get out of bed in the morning.

It's disgusting.

Soap box rant over.
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What type parrot ?

There are few wild types in area with my favorite being the smaller love birds which interestingly enough over decades have lost all color and a wild green hue , friend has Greater Hill Mynah in outside aviary and though not a parrot the pair are incredible talkers , I have owl and zebra finches separate cages

Don't know if you have ever been to Ft Sherman , Panama but macaws all over . A bird lovers treat .
 
Eupher said:
Part of my pisstivity involves just this issue. This particular company refuses to work directly with the vet. I first had to pester my vet to get the written prescription, then forward it on to Roudybush. Other animal-related online companies do this routinely -- chewy.com and california pet pharmacy, to name two right off the top of my head. But Roudybush's "business model" doesn't allow that.

God only knows why. Is it merely trying to cut costs and eliminate a task for the CS reps? Or is is perhaps snobbishness? This company touts themselves as offering "premier" bird food.

I should add they don't spell any of that out on their web site. Roudybush's web site says to contact them if you want to order a product requiring a prescription. I did that last week and was stunned to learn, nope -- the customer has to spoonfeed Roudybush with the prescription. They refuse to contact the vet.
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I feel your frustration. I wouldn't have been as patient as you in trying to fix this problem. I probably would have given up on that company and tried finding an alternate product instead. But from your post #16, it appears all may work out after all. If so, then your persistence is paying off.

It was really thoughtful of you to take the time you did to go back and individually address the comments you received from SF members.

I've never had a parrot, but I have owned birds, and they were special to me. I hope all works out for you.
 
NotCompSavvy said:
What type parrot ?

There are few wild types in area with my favorite being the smaller love birds which interestingly enough over decades have lost all color and a wild green hue , friend has Greater Hill Mynah in outside aviary and though not a parrot the pair are incredible talkers , I have owl and zebra finches separate cages

Don't know if you have ever been to Ft Sherman , Panama but macaws all over . A bird lovers treat .
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Congo African grey. She's a rescue bird I've had since 2018 or so. Some issues with her (I call her a "special needs" bird), but she's mine (or vice-versa) and I definitely want to take care of her. Jackie is about 18 years old.

I've always admired macaws and fostered a blue and gold for a while about 20 years ago. Would not own one today. I'm getting too long in the tooth.
 
MACKTEXAS said:
I feel your frustration. I wouldn't have been as patient as you in trying to fix this problem. I probably would have given up on that company and tried finding an alternate product instead. But from your post #16, it appears all may work out after all. If so, then your persistence is paying off.

It was really thoughtful of you to take the time you did to go back and individually address the comments you received from SF members.

I've never had a parrot, but I have owned birds, and they were special to me. I hope all works out for you.
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Thank you for a very kind reply. I was really surprised to see that the CS rep "saw the light".

I had hoped to alleviate some of the misunderstanding that some SF members may have had. I did not put in every single detail of the email conversations I'd had with Roudybush, but I'd hoped I put in enough for most to get the drift. I may have cut out more than I should've, but my main point is simply this:

If you're going to do business with the general public, you need to be clear about communication. Roudybush is definitely NOT clear about how they operate and what they expect from their customers. Had I known how defective they were at the outset, I would've consulted my vet accordingly and sought alternatives. I do not need their failures.

If you're in the customer service business, you need to employ critical thinking skills in answering your own questions. Failure to do so makes YOU look stupid, not the customer.
 
I don't have experience with online pet prescriptions but I do have experience with frustrating bureaucracy. My property taxes were due by Jan. 31. I always put them on my credit card so I get either miles or points. I went on the Dallas County website and went through the process of setting up a "profile" just to pay my taxes. When I got to the part where I was to confirm that my info was correct, part of the box was cut off and there was no button to acknowledge anything. I tried everything. Scrolling via various methods but none worked. I thought maybe it was my laptop so I used another one. Same thing, so I was unable to pay online.

I called the phone number and had to listen to how I could pay my taxes online before I got to the option to pay by phone. I then chose #3, spoke my account number and was greeted by "I didn't hear anything". So, I entered the account number via the phone keys, then my credit card info and finally paid my taxes. It was a 30 minute process just to give the government money!
 
Eupher said:
Look at it this way.

Out of the blue, I sent an email WITH A PRESCRIPTION ATTACHED. The rep asked me if I "wanted to place an order." This is, in my view, a phenomenally stupid question.

Why would anyone send them a prescription for bird pellets if they didn't want to place an order?

The "critical thinking" part comes in when the rep asked me if I was a "first time" customer. The rep could've answered her own question by checking her OWN DATABASE.
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Sounds like Ai.

Like "chatting" to get answers....I want a human, not a predetermined set of questions and answers that, after TEN minutes says: "Let me get you a live customer support person". :mad:
 
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