One of my first real jobs I worked for a company who had big banks, finance, lots of old school companies as clients. I worked tech support. The east cost folks could be direct, but they were professional.
Then one day we picked up Walmart as a "customer"... I say customer because Walmart IT convinced some sales guys to convince some executives to ship them some equipment for free and provide support. Walmart IT then proceeded to spend months shoving 20 pounds of data in a 10 pound hat, and when they got more equipment they'd do it again and throw a fit and demand someone make it right. Every contact with them was like they were trying to manufacture blame. Meanwhile Walmart IT dangled some absurd idea of them actually paying for something one day so the cycle would not end.
Every Monday on schedule I'd get the same call at 6:00 am, Walmart's sync / backup solution was behind and failed. The person on the line would lie to me about what they were doing, and then swear at me ... they were the only customer we had who would do that. Eventually their account manager mentioned one day "don't take it personally, they do this at that company to each other every day, it happens on every call I'm on". It was horrifying to think about that kind of place.
Finally our CEO stopped imagining making money that would never come, and told them to go find someone else.
Everyone who worked support refused to shop there, it was one of those experiences where you just didn't want anything to do with them.
I wonder if their old vibe they're trying to shake has to do with that kind of thing, word gets around.
duxup•7mo ago
Then one day we picked up Walmart as a "customer"... I say customer because Walmart IT convinced some sales guys to convince some executives to ship them some equipment for free and provide support. Walmart IT then proceeded to spend months shoving 20 pounds of data in a 10 pound hat, and when they got more equipment they'd do it again and throw a fit and demand someone make it right. Every contact with them was like they were trying to manufacture blame. Meanwhile Walmart IT dangled some absurd idea of them actually paying for something one day so the cycle would not end.
Every Monday on schedule I'd get the same call at 6:00 am, Walmart's sync / backup solution was behind and failed. The person on the line would lie to me about what they were doing, and then swear at me ... they were the only customer we had who would do that. Eventually their account manager mentioned one day "don't take it personally, they do this at that company to each other every day, it happens on every call I'm on". It was horrifying to think about that kind of place.
Finally our CEO stopped imagining making money that would never come, and told them to go find someone else.
Everyone who worked support refused to shop there, it was one of those experiences where you just didn't want anything to do with them.
I wonder if their old vibe they're trying to shake has to do with that kind of thing, word gets around.