Service of Double Check/Confirm or You Could Be in For a Nasty Surprise
December 8th, 2022
Categories: Confirmation, Double Checking, Restaurant, Retail, Taxi, Website
Confirm or forever hold your peace—this seems to be a crucial strategy these days, another time sponge just when folks are busier than ever.
I went to Williams Sonoma last week to buy something that on the website appeared to be available instore. I know, I should have called. They didn’t have it. (And the store couldn’t be more inconvenient for me to reach. I have only myself to blame.)
I share Nancie Steinberg’s frustrations which were the inspiration for this post. She wrote about two exasperating experiences that happened recently, both involving websites with out-of-date information.
Her examples:
Restaurants post their menus online but when you arrive you too frequently learn that the prices and options listed are different. (And the prices are never less.)
“On a recent trip to Michigan,” she added, “I was referred to a taxi shuttle that was cheaper than a standard cab. It turns out that the shuttle hadn’t updated its website!! The price was not as much of a bargain as that posted on the website.”
I plan to meet friends over the weekend at a restaurant that opens at Noon according to the website but elsewhere on the web I saw 2:00 p.m. –so I called. It’s noon. Do I feel secure about the information?
Have you been snookered by an out-of-date website? How much time do you spend to confirm information?
Tags: Williams Sonoma
I have learned never to trust prices on websites…Websites are a good idea as long as they are updated regularly and I have found most, or least the ones I use, are not. And I always assume that prices will be higher than the ones posted on restaurant menus. Now I notice that a few restaurants are adding a small percentage to the bill if you pay with a card, credit or debit. Ieef this becomes widespread, it may encourage more use of cash.
Linda on Facebook: I try to confirm info but typically I find websites are not updated, especially so for smaller businesses versus big box stores.
Rosemary on Facebook: Or they don’t provide a phone number and then don’t reply to any request for information.
Rosemary, Funny you should mention that: it is an upcoming topic for a blog post! Great minds…
Linda,
A person wonders about the value of an outdated communications tool. Can’t guess what will take the place of websites once enough of the public considers them obsolete and useless.
ASK,
An interesting turn of events…cash! What a concept. I keep thinking everything old is new again…
However, I don’t like carrying it around and I find that I have a firm grasp of expenses if they are all in one place–on my credit card. I imagine a business likes cash because not all of it lands on the books. I try to have enough cash on me for tips at restaurants.
Linda on Facebook: I could be behind the times but I don’t see websites as outdated. Not getting updated regularly could be due to limited/ineffective personnel or management erroneously, IMHO, not seeing the value of maintaining the site.
Linda,
If enough people are turned off by the slipshod approach and inattention a company gives its website, it will no longer have value as a way of informing the public and it may be replaced by something that is dependable. We shall see.
Lucrezia on Facebook: Nothing is perfect, and that includes business practices. A customer caring shop will order a desired item which may be temporarily unavailable and send it to the buyer at no cost. A wise restaurant won’t trip up its regulars and will welcome newcomers in hopes of seeing them again. Styles and customs will change., but thoughtful salesmanship inspires many happy returns!
Lucrezia,
A manager may not have the flexibility to offer to ship free though that would be a good idea. I imagine margins are slim at restaurants these days. Inflation has hit them too making it hard to offer prices off revised menus. It would all be put to rest with a stringent review and frequent website updates.