Substandard customer service morphs into our host's @PCGS_Hy FTW
allnewsanchor
Posts: 170 ✭✭✭
I'm starting to think "customer service" at PCGS is an oxymoron. First, I applied for membership using the same form I used for my first submission (which I posted about a few weeks ago). I couldn't have printed more clearly, yet the agent handling my membership obviously misread my email address. The confirmation email from PCGS never came, since it was sent to the wrong address.
I sent customer service a message (using their online form) yesterday. When I heard nothing back by midday today, I called again. Customer service confirmed my contact info and read back my email address, which as I mentioned was written down incorrectly. The customer svc person said she had to have a supervisor approve any email change, and said someone would text me to give my approval. I did so a few minutes later. I then asked the same person who texted to email a confirmation to the NEW address and to send the original membership confirmation that was sent to the wrong address.
I've yet to receive that email. So we have screw-up on top of screw-up. Yet another customer service agent wrote me, apologizing, and asked me for membership info which I didn't have because they hadn't given it to me yet. I wrote yet another explanation to that person mid-afternoon Pacific Time. He hasn't gotten back to me, nor has anyone else. Clown car? Shite show? Keystone Kops?
Let's just say my confidence in the TPG that fancies itself #1 is not very high at this point. If these simple things can't be fixed properly in a timely manner, what else might PCGS screw up with my membership, or worse, my submission of coins. At this point, the likelihood of me re-upping my membership when it expires or making any future submission is doubtful. And if our host wants to boot me for my legitimate gripe, so be it.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
Comments
No worries you can always come back under another new name.
My Collection of Old Holders
Never a slave to one plastic brand will I ever be.
Okay. So you're unhappy with their customer service.
What on earth does that have to do with US coins, which is the topic of the forum? Or any of us, for that matter?
If they didn't have a ton of happy customers, we wouldn't all be here now, would we? Seems kind of rude to use a platform they provide us, for free, to discuss coins, to publicly complain about a customer service issue that is specific to you, has absolutely nothing to do with coins, and really does not impact anyone else. At all.
Entitled much? Go away - I'm pretty sure that without your $125 membership, the whole organization will fold up and disappear.
At a minimum, you get the responses you deserve. Try treating customer service staff like the people they are and you might get a better response.
Perhaps a senior CSR has many things on their plate, things that have been around longer or are higher priority than correcting an email address (and perhaps due to limitations in the systems is more complex than you imagine...)
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
The initial responses in this thread are somewhat surprising to me. As I’ve seen many other customer service (edited for typo) complaint threads that elicited considerable empathy.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Take a deep breath and slow down.
Sounds like you want everything done on your clock.
I know how that feels because I used to be that way.
I've traveled down a rough road to be where I am now.
Keep working at it patiently and you will get it squared away.
You will not be a winner being a hot head.
Good luck.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
Successful BST transactions with: Namvet Justindan Mattniss RWW olah_in_MA
Dantheman984 Toyz4geo SurfinxHI greencopper RWW bigjpst bretsan MWallace logger7
Customer service.
USPS nondelivery
Possible grading or printing error
More tribulation may come.
Save some outrage.
It’ll work out.
@BStrauss3 and @NJCoin Gosh, folks, really appreciate the empathy. I guess you don't realize that, by screwing up my email address, my membership number and personal info are in the hands of anyone who might have the email address they sent it to. Also wonderful to know that when a company makes promises, it either doesn't keep them or fulfills them when they feel like it. Y'all have a wonderful day.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
@MFeld said: The initial responses in this thread are somewhat surprising to me. As I’ve seen many other customer service compliant threads that elicited considerable empathy.
That was my thought as I read the replies, so I checked the OP's post count and got my answer: a relative newcomer receiving what seems to be the typical treatment here. Consider: if any number of members had posted this same thing they would have gotten the empathy noted by the CoinGuy, it just makes me shake my head and reinforces the fact that my choice to lessen involvement here was the correct one.
Now please proceed with your flamethrowers.
And perhaps you don't realize this is a private forum, provided by our hosts for their customers and potential customers to interact. Politely. With respect.
If I were in charge, I'd refund your money and permanently block you. In a few posts, you've proven to be precisely the kind of participant we don't need/want here.
ANA 50 year/Life Member (now "Emeritus")
As usual, the responses received can be predicted based on the OP.
Please speak for yourself, not for others.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
I haven’t posted much lately and am a little surprised by some of the responses I’m seeing.
Changing an email address is a big security issue with anyone dealing with money or private information. Just think of all the things a bad guy could do with that.
I'm sorry this turned into such a mess. PCGS will probably contact you using the phone number they have on record.
A bad first impression for you but unfortunately sounds too familiar from what I have experienced this year. Hopefully they will correct your problem soon and become better at serving members like they did in the past.
I have to respectively disagree.
If I was running a company, I would always welcome feedback, good or bad.
I'd listen to the 'bad' feedback and make corrections or adjustments to my company in order to better maintain my high degree of standards and or service.
PCGS is considered the world's top coin grading company, so it would follow that their customer service department should be at least in the category of 'a very high standard'.
Just common business sense to me.
Sometimes there are issues that need to be brought up. If everyone operated under your definition of polite and respectful, progress would never be made.
Young Numismatist • My Toned Coins
Life is roadblocks. Don't let nothing stop you, 'cause we ain't stopping. - DJ Khaled
That’s no fun.
Most collectors at some point in their collecting endeavors experience situations that could have been handled better. In this instance, your experience is unfortunate. I am certain that our host will work to rectify this. While this is an inconvenience, let’s not loose perspective. Using descriptive words such as clown car…Keystone Cops will not likely create much in the way of empathy that you may otherwise receive.
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
I've found that @PCGS_Hy is a very responsive, and proactive, customer service rep here on the boards. I'll almost bet that he has already sent you a message offering to help.
Collector, occasional seller
fwiw, a month ago I sent an email to customer service - brief, positive simple question - unanswered, I didn't follow up
Hasn't yet, Chris. @PCGS_Hy You're welcome to PM me anytime.
@BStrauss3 Thank you for speaking on behalf of our entire community. Didn't know that was in your job description. Or perhaps I just didn't know you chair the Inquisition Tribunal. I deeply apologize for not living up to your oh-so-exacting member standards. But hey...you know what they say opinions are like.
Zai gezunt, my friend. Perhaps lose the venom.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
What? You don’t think such threads are “compliant”? 😉
Typo corrected in my previous post - thanks.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Maybe because they related to actual issues involving grading actual coins, rather than a rant provoked by a typo in an e-mail address, and then a team not stopping in its tracks to address the situation on the OP's timeline. Maybe. Or maybe we all just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. As, apparently, did the OP.
Hello,
Constructive criticisms and feedback are always welcome, however, please be sure to follow forum rules.
@allnewsanchor I will reach out to you by DM regarding your issues.
@tcollects Please be sure to reach out through our Contact Us form on our website at PCGS.com. Our direct email inbox is not monitored and will likely result in your request being missed. I apologize for this inconvenience.
Best,
PCGS_Hy
PCGS Customer Care Representative
Need Assistance?
Visit our Help & Support page.
@PCGS_Hy - thank you for the responsiveness you continue to display here.
I’m curious, if the direct email inbox isn’t monitored, why have it?
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
Thank you, Hy. I finally got my account set up properly today after all the issues and discovered my submission was labeled a Problem Order. I called the phone extension that PCGS lists for that. I'll tell you about it when you reach out via DM. If you've already intervened with your folks to escalate the issue, I thank you doubly. Look forward to hearing from you.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
thanks, I responded to an earlier customer service email but it had been a few months so it seems it wasn't seen, I wasn't persistent - I appreciate your fast friendly help, all I want to do is send a lot of money to you guys as soon as possible
I'm a little superstitious about grading so let me say publicly that I'm okay not understanding all the world's mysteries
Big thanks to Hy for personally looking into my issue and smoothing it out.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
That's funny! Probably true for me as well. Afterall, I've done critical identification work for a living for 3 decades on objects much smaller than coins and can quickly recognize competence levels in id-work, regardless of whether the object in question are coins, insects, or diatoms. From what I see, I'm becoming one of their "problem customers." Maybe they'll offer me a job, who knows?
I sent those photos of two overdates to their staff. I was told that they cannot tell for certain that they are 55/54 overdates (WB-2 and WB-1, respectively, which are the more prominent overdate DMs, but I'm not asking for DMs here). The coins need to be attributed again, and I've been told there is no guarantee that they will be determined to be overdates. A boilerplate remark, perhaps, but they are in fact clear overdates, and any confidence in the ability of PCGS staff to attribute coins will vanish if they don't validate the overdates.
Add in their failure to do a reed count on another order to distinguish an R6 coin from an R2 coin as instructed by the client, then I wonder how many submissions, resubmissions, charges, and frustration they will have to go through to get a coin attributed properly.
@PCGS_Hy
Thanks for your continuing to reach out and help here. I sent an email with close-up photos of the overdates (failure to verify them as 55/54 is really not an option here), plus new concerns over failure to follow my specific instructions on another misidentified coin (49666386) in this submission. They must do a reed count on this coin to verify that it has 146 reeds.
Came in here late, glad it was resolved. I see lots of eggs got cracked and ended up on the faces of a few posters here.
10-4,
My Instagram picturesErik
My registry sets
I also want the record to reflect that I did not request a reed count
That's a really rude reply. Do you know the OP and have something against him for you just to come out and post something that rude? Curious about that...
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
The moderator was very gracious in his response, but he started out with this:
Constructive criticisms and feedback are always welcome, however, please be sure to follow forum rules.
I took that to mean that the OP was a little inappropriate. It seems to have ended well, but those (including me) who were a little bothered by the tone seem to have been vindicated.
That's just his MO. Not the first time and unlikely to be the last.
To be fair, he does provide advance warning on his personal world wide web page, https://www.burtonstrauss.us/
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
To quote NJBoot from another thread, fair enough.
@allnewsanchor I'm happy you're here. I think you've comported yourself well, and I'm happy that you politely raised an issue that I too have experienced (and probably complained about here). Sometimes I feel my voice isn't heard.
Your feedback was heard, and you got a PCGS rep to respond. You challenged them to provide customer service and they rose to the challenge and this is laudable.
I'm an old guy and I hear a lot of other old (guys mostly, a few gals) talk about how "coin collecting is a hobby in decline" and "we need to attract YNs (young numismatists)." Perhaps. But I think if we all treated folks like you, with lower message counts, with simple human decency there'd be less hand-wringing about who's going to buy our sets when we pass them on (or pass on!)
You're entitled to customer service because you're a PCGS customer. And you're entitled to use this forum as you will, as long as you follow the rules (as @PCGS_Hy reminded us all above!)
For people that pick on folks with low message counts: why don'tcha quit punching down and punch up instead - @PCGS_Hy only has 14 posts!
Jeez, I hate bullies.
New website: Groovycoins.com Capped Bust Half Dime registry set: Bikergeek CBHD LM Set
Or the moderator was talking about the responses to the OP, in which case...
I don't think insults are the same as "snark". There was no sarcasm in the response.
My only comment is that I am shocked that the Mod didn't shut down this thread.🧐
6 months ago this kind of thread was CLOSED or totally extinguished not tolerated at all.
@WQuarterFreddie I'm glad it hasn't been shut down. Important matters of both customer service and courtesy are being discussed.
@Bikergeek Thank you, thank you, thank you. We geezers gotta stick together, no?
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
I just received my last order today complete with copies of the submission sheets I filled out. They confirm that PCGS ignored my request to do a reed count on a 40-O SLH, so it came back to me labeled simply as a "WB-11" (R2) instead of "WB-11, 146 reeds" (R6). They took $20 and did nothing.
AAARRRGGGHH!
“The thrill of the hunt never gets old”
PCGS Registry: Screaming Eagles
Copperindian
Retired sets: Soaring Eagles
Copperindian
Given the thread title I expected this thread to be already locked by now. Kudos to Hy for a) stepping up to resolve things and b) not just pulling rank and closing the thread and/or bamming OP. Good outcome all around.
RIP Mom- 1932-2012
Banning the OP (yours truly) for presenting a factual account of his experience? As they say in Minnesota, "Real good then." Have a marvelous weekend.
"Brother, can you spare a dime?" (Especially a 1975 no S proof?)
I am afraid that you are missing the point, which the moderator alluded to:
Constructive criticisms and feedback are always welcome, however, please be sure to follow forum rules.
You used language and characterizations about our host that were inappropriate and prohibited by the forum rules:
Clown car? Shite show? Keystone Kops?
Threads have been closed and posters have been banned or put in forum jail for less.