How Cisco Turned Desire for Flip Cameras Into Concern About Doing Business With Them

[Please read all the way to the bottom for an update on how Cisco responded]

Lumbering beuracracies destroy brands by trading effectiveness for efficiency.  I got a humorous yet painful reminder today when I tried to buy a bulk quantity of customized Flip video cameras from Cisco using the chat function on the product's website.  Instead of getting their product, I got the runaround when their "customer service representative" relied on the company's scripted responses (efficient) instead of listening and responding to me as a real person (effective).  Here's the transcript of our chat.

Kirby J. (27064) has joined this session.

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Hello Greg Stielstra! Thank you for contacting Flip Video Support. How may I help you?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
I am interested in buying a bulk quantity of Flip cameras with custom graphics for a project my company is doing in California

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
May I know which country you are based in?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
The United States. We are in Tennessee. The project is in California

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Okay, please email us with your concern at flip-marketing@cisco.com.

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
I don't have a concern. I want to buy a bunch of your cameras with custom graphics. Should I still send an email to the address you gave?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Yes, this is our Live Chat Technical support you may send us an Email or contact our E-commerce department for this concern.

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
Is there a living, breathing person at Flip that I can call to discuss my needs?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
You may contact our E-Commerce for this concern.

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
The number to call is 888 222 6689 (Option 3-1-2-2).

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Is there anything else that I can happily assist you with?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
What is the email address for e-commerce? Also, may I suggest that management remove the word "concern" from the scripted responses? It casts a negative light on these chat conversations. I wanted to buy your product, but now I'm feeling uneasy because three of your responses included the word "concern."

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
E-commerce email address?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
For bulk orders Email us at flip-marketing@cisco.com.

After ending the chat I called the number Kirby gave.  The person who answered--a female call-center operator with broken English--was unable to answer my questions or take an order for cameras.  She told me to "send an email to E-commerce."  But wait a minute, hadn't I called the E-commerce phone number?  Apparently not.  So, either Kirby gave me the wrong number or she was lying.

To make matters worse, the email she gave me was different than the one Kirby had provided.  This gal said the E-commerce email address was Bulkorders@theflip.com.  Unfortunately, I sent a message to that address three weeks ago and still haven't received a response.  That's why I decided to go to the website and initiate the chat. 

Cisco, are you listening?  Are you monitoring social media? Will you find my very public complaint and try to satisfy me before I buy a competing product? 

Spread the fire. GS

Update:  After writing this post I sent an email to Bulkorders@theflip.com and heard back from a gentleman named Colin almost immediately.  He was personable, and helpful and provided the information I needed.  Two days later I received an email from Martin, a Senior Director in the Consumer Products Division at Cisco.  Martin had seen my blog post and was personally reaching out to help.  He directed me to Colin.  I thanked Martin for reaching out and let him know that Colin and I had already connected.

So, while my initial experience was frustrating, the way Cisco chose to handle the situation was admirable.  Thank you Cisco for monitoring social media and for following up to make sure I could act on my desire to buy your products.  GS

 

Comments

[Harris Silverman - Business Coach]

I think this issue goes beyond customer-service scripts. Many companies frown on their employees' doing any thinking. Thinking is equated with insubordination. Part of this is restrictive policies and bureaucracy, but a lot of it comes from controlling managers and managers who feel threatened by capable subordinates. Most companies say they value creativity and ideas, but not very many actually do. This is counterproductive, because the best results often come from involving lower-level, front-line personnel in decision-making and analysis.