Corporate Customer Service & the Peter Principle

So I decided to try gaming.  After lots of research, I finally decided to order a gaming computer online rather than visit a big box store.  I eventually decided on one particular site, went through the checkout process, then paused.  Delivery requires a signature and I was about to go out of town.  I needed to speak to someone to confirm a ship date.  I took a screenshot of the order in the hopes the store would honor the 5% discount the following day. 

When I was on the phone with the agent the next day, I noticed the price had increased by $100, and the discount had been replaced by a $150 coupon.  This was a net loss of $50.  I asked the agent why the sudden price change.  She was unable to provide a reason.  She said their pricing was subject to change at any time.  That seemed arbitrary to me, especially since the promotional offer had also changed.  What?  You guys just make up pricing ever night at midnight?

I asked her if I could send her my screenshot so she could honor the previous pricing.  $50 is a big deal to me.  She took it to her supervisor who denied my request.  I was flabbergasted.  I couldn’t believe they were going to risk my sale over $50.  It didn’t make sense to me.  I know they make more than $50 off a computer.  It was in their best interest to honor the original pricing and get the sale.  It’s not as if this was a word of mouth, trust situation.  I had the screenshot.

Needless to say, I went to a big box store the next day.  When I told them what happened, they honored the online store’s pricing.  They got the sale.  I took the computer home that same day.

Is this the Peter Principle in action?  Someone got promoted to Supervisor who can’t think for himself?  Someone who started as a customer service agent, was good at their job, got promoted, and is now incapable of understanding the larger picture?  Or was this a situation where “I promoted my best buddy who has no clue what profit margins, first time impressions, and customer loyalty means?” 

Regardless of what we call it, I think we can all agree we see more and more incompetent people in high places.  Did you know CEO’s are taught in school to go into a company and maximize profit, CEO wages, and bonuses even at the cost of running the company into the ground?  The idea is you go in and get rich fast and then move onto the next company or make enough your first go around to retire, never once caring for the people who work for you.

I hope we have reached a point where some values return to the workplace and replace this unnecessary greed.  Sure, you need profits to survive.  However, you don’t need excessive profits to the point of exploitation.