Technology

‘Put on Your Big Boy Hat and Wait It Out’: Email Exchange Reveals Horrible Customer Service by Marketing Firm

Online gift-giving can often come with the need to call or email customer service representatives.  The Penny Archade (via GeekOSystem) — a videogaming-related online comic by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins that includes news and commentary – reports a recent email conversation sent to them from a reader of a shocking customer service representative who must have lost his holiday cheer.

Shocking Customer Service from Marketing Firm Toward Customer Over Avenger Controller

Avenger controller by N-Control.

The email exchange between Dave and Ocean Marketing over an order for Avenger controllers, a specialized video game controller from N-Control, begins with Dave amicably asking when his controllers would be coming since he had expected them to be under the tree Christmas day.

After some back-and-forth clarification and Dave asking if, since his controllers hadn’t shipped, could he get the $10 off promotional deal advertised on the website more recently, Dave received a rather condescending email from Ocean Marketing’s representative. Here is one of the emails sent from Dave and Ocean Marketing’s response:

From: Dave
To: Ocean Marketing
Dec 26, 2011, at 9:47 AM

I noticed the updated info on the webpage, and I don’t understand why there is absolutely no benefit given to those like me who have already ordered, and paid their money.  You’ve had my money interest free for nearly two months, yet now ANY new order will get $10 off….meaning I should just cancel my order for 2 controllers, get my money back, then re-order.

My other questions is regarding item compatibility.  Ocean Marketing seems to be involved with the Xtendplay controller holder, so I was wondering if the Avenger N-Controller can be used in conjunction with the Xtendplay (for both Xbox and PS3)?  Thanks

From: Ocean Marketing
To: Dave
Dec 26, 2011 10:14 AM

Yes it can be used with xtend play if you remove the stand and no one is allowed to cancel and re order if we catch anyone doing it we will simply just cancel your order all together and you can buy it retail somewhere else.

Things happen in manufacturing if your unhappy you have 7 days from the day your item ships for a refund. You placed a pre order just like any software title the gets a date moved due to the tweaks and bugs not being worked out and GameStop or any other place holds your cash and im sure you don’t complain to activision or epic games so put on your big boy hat and wait it out like everyone else. The benefit is a token of our appreaciation for everyone no one is special including you or any first time buyer . Feel free to cancel we need the units were back ordered 11,000 units so your 2 will be gone fast. Maybe I’ll put them on eBay for 150.00 myself. Have a good day Dan.

After this last email from Ocean Marketing, Dave responds asking that his order be cancelled and saying he would be sending a complaint about poor communication that had ” stooped to childish levels, a patronizing attitude, and threats.” Dave got a bit heated in this exchange with Ocean Marketing, but here’s how the rep responded:

From: Ocean Marketing
To: Dave
Dec 26, 2011 2:19 PM

LOL Thanks for the Free PR I know the Editor N Chief of Kotaku , IGN , Engadget I’ll be meeting them at CES .The noise complaint was for people high up on the food chain in a corporate world of real estate you have no clue about.  Thanks for the Rice Rocket Compliment too love me some motorcycle . Send that over to Engadget you look like a complete moron swearing and sending your customer service complaints to a magazine as if they will post it or even pay attention do you think you’re the first or the last what are they going to do demand us to tell you were your shipment is or ask for a refund on your behalf … Really … Welcome to the Internet ? [...] Grow up you look like a complete child bro. I Don’t have my controller so im gonna cry to the world … Really ?? Hey take that free time and do something more productive.

In seeing the email exchange, Mike Krahulik co-founder of Penny Exchange got involved saying that if the company had a booth at Pax East, a gamer festival put on by Penny Arcade, he would make sure they weren’t welcomed. The email exchange then turns between Krahulik and Ocean Marketing, getting rather heated. The Ocean Marketing representative goes on to say they would “smear” Krahulik and his site.

1UP notes that this is not the first time customers have had issues with Ocean Marketing. It also states that N-Control has yet to release a statement over the PR company it uses for the controller.

Comments (125)

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  • swiftouch
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:45pm

    Dumbest story ever. Dave the customer is an idiot. Customer support dude is spot on. And Dave the idito customer is all up in arms over…

    …a gaming controller. GROW THE !@#$ UP DAVE THE IDIOT! It’s a !@#$ing GAME controller!

    Gamers are friggin lunitics.

     
    • myrwo6
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:25am

      It’s the principle of the matter idiot.

      Report Post »  
    • Primekid
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:29am

      You sir are a complete offish dope. The customer disservice representative was the obvious infant, as is usually the case. But then you are probably an uneducated, childish, spoiled brat yourself; much like the Ocean Marketing dolt.

      Have a nice day.

      Report Post »  
    • nelbert
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:51am

      So, SwiftTouch, do you usually just roll over and give up?
      Ocean Marketing deserves to go down in flames. I certainly would and will never do any business with them because of this article. That’s called loss of good will.

      Report Post » nelbert  
    • GETLIFE
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 4:02am

      Well “Welcome to the internet” to you too, Ocean Marketing Customer Service Person…

      Report Post » GETLIFE  
    • orionreplay6607
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 5:19am

      The customer should speak with his wallet and NOT order the stupid game controller. Yet in the course of the email exchange he still insists that he wants the controller. You’re not helping your own argument out dude. He claims he will cancel, but then later writes how he still wants it.

      Just cancel the gosh darn thing. Post the email exchange on Penny Arcade. Let others see the “service” and voila! You and 10,000 others do not order the freakish looking controller. Where’s that leave these creeps then?

      Report Post » orionreplay6607  
    • TheSurrealTruth
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:01am

      Doesn’t matter if it was a stick of gum, the fact is, he paid money for it. Anyone who has ever worked with the public knows you DO NOT treat customers like this. They’re the reason you get a paycheck. You help them out in any way you can. It’s not only good business sense, it’s also the mark of a decent human being.

      Report Post »  
    • crackerone
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 6:43am

      Think the (your twenty minutes early) store manager from Wal-mart is looking for a job.

      Report Post »  
    • loriann12
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 7:05am

      It sounds to me like the guy at customer service (or as said in a previous post, disservice) is a college student who does on line stuff from his mom’s basement. He’s obviously had NO training in customer service. As a 911 operator (and it was mostly dealing with the public in a non-emergency situation) we were told that even if you got 300 calls for the same thing, they didn’t know they were number 300. You treat each one as if they were the first.

      Report Post »  
    • C-C-C-C-COMBOBREAKER
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:06am

      I signed up JUST to reply to this ignorant comment.

      This story is well known in the gaming community. The controller was designed so disabled kids could play games easier and enjoy the experience without having to sacrifice ability due to a malformation in the hands, or from a previous trauma. The sticks allow for the player to access the entire controller without needing the use of all 10 fingers to interact with the different buttons and triggers.

      Also, the person at OceanMarketting is not the creator. He is merely a hired PR guy for the actual creators of the device. He handled a large amount of orders for these products and in fact, screwed up almost 10,000 orders.

      The reason why the customer continued to get the product was because the PR firm (this guy) stated that because the product had already been processed he could not get his $150.00 back (for 2 controllers)

      These controllers are a great product for disabled kids and for people with arthritis. This PR firm was staining their image because the guy is an ass.

      Please, educate yourself before making ignorant comments. It saves us all time.

      Report Post »  
    • biohazard23
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:21am

      Swiftouch is Paul Chistoforo

      Report Post » biohazard23  
    • Average_JoeMN
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:32am

      SWIFTOUCH, you’re a moron.

      As one who runs a large online operation, I would fire the Ocean Marketing guy and fight unemployment benefits.

      Report Post »  
    • rosecityken
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:31am

      @swiftouch so when you have been waiting over 2 months for something that has been delayed multiple times with no explanation, and you get ahold of their loosely termed “customer service” rep who tells you to go get F@(kt, it’s your fault….that makes no sense…and the so called company “REPRESENTATIVE” (that means he REPRESENTS the company…see where this is going dousche?) threatens one of his vendors over it? whatever…what are you an occupy wall streaker? no responsibility for thwe company to actually deliver what they promised? have a nice day

      Report Post » rosecityken  
    • Americanaiko
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:18am

      You must work for the post office.

      Report Post » Americanaiko  
    • Ruler4You
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:15pm

      caveat emptor: the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made. ORIGIN early 16th cent.: Latin, literally ‘let the buyer beware.’

      Any “marketers” out there? The above “IS” the holy grail of marketing. Marketing is the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising.

      Keyword: Selling. Marketers aren’t interested in your happiness. Once you have consummated the sale, its over. I win, you lose. And since Americans can’t learn or be taught you lose AGAIN.

      Report Post » Ruler4You  
    • Hugh Williams
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:39pm

      You are a perfect example of the problems our country is facing. In customer service you deal with idiots every day but the top 2 rules of customer service are.
      Rule 1. The customer is always right.
      Rule 2. If the customer is wrong refer to rule # 1.
      What part of not being rude to your customers don’t you understand? If you owned a business and ran it like this company you will not be in business long.

      Report Post » Hugh Williams  
    • Hugh Williams
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:47pm

      RULER4YOU
      You are correct about buyer beware. However any company that wants to stay in business for the long haul must have repeat customers. Companies that trick and shaft their customers do not stay in business long.

      Report Post » Hugh Williams  
    • briylaln
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:54pm

      Do you work for that ignorant company???

      Report Post » briylaln  
    • Trish1981
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 1:14pm

      The customer has every right to inquire about a product he ordered, paid for and was promised delivery of by a specified date. There’s nothing childish about that.

      I work in a customer service related environment for 40+ hours a week, and as much as I‘d love to say what I’m thinking to customers, I don’t. It‘s my job to to help them even when I don’t feel like it.

      So it makes me angry when customer service people don’t live up to what their job is or when idiots defend them.

      Report Post » Trish1981  
    • DrFrost
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:37pm

      Swift obviously has a bone to pick with gamers so his opinion seems less than objective. To me the customer representative is acting in a very inappropriate manner. If it were my business he’d be fired immediately and a public apology would be issued. You’re going to have difficult customers. You have to be cordial to them regardless, otherwise you invite a PR nightmare. Most companies would rather fire rude representatives before taking a hit to revenues.

      Report Post »  
    • scheduler
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:46pm

      Overall idiots.

      http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos

      Report Post »  
    • jado1981
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 3:02pm

      @ RULER4YOU,
      Why is it that capitalism means someone wins and someone loses? In most cases capitalism is a win-win scenario. If I am selling a widget for $10, I have decided that I don’t want it, and have put a price on it’s supposed value. If you want to buy a widget and agree that $10 is acceptable, we complete a trade, and you win by getting the widget, and I win by getting the $10. I believe it’s only a win-lose deal if the seller is cheated out of money or if the consumer is cheated by the product.
      It’s a paradigm shift that must be made, too many of the occupy bums have the win-lose mentality.

      Report Post »  
    • Patriot Z
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 9:29pm

      its called customer service. would you not be upset at paying money for a product…any product…and not recieving it, plus attitude when inquiring where it was? the original from the customer was very polite considering and the response was idiotic. then the idiot rep thinks he can name drop. reps need to understand they are CUSTOMER SERVICE reps…aka they work for the customer, not the other way around. Im a tech and I know how nasty customers can be. there are even some i had to drop over the years. but the best way to ‘get even’ with a nasty customer is to provide the service and get their money. all this guy did was piss off the customer and make the company look bad, as now his company has alot of “free advertising” of the worst kind. sorry mate but companies have to take bad customers to survive, customers DO NOT have to take poor service from companies.

      Report Post » Patriot Z  
    • wdvander
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 10:28pm

      are your really that Christoforo dude posting on this blog as an imposter? really. since when is a customer not allowed to inquire the location of an item after the promised delivery date? You must work in the gaming industry customer service department. Wow.

      Report Post »  
    • foobear
      Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:39am

      Swifty, you obviously didn’t read the exchange, then. The “Customer Service” guy is basically a thug with no understanding of the English language, who lies and belittles everyone he comes across.

      Unfortunately, he drew the ire of Gabe from Penny Arcade (not “Penny Exchange”, Blaze, seriously), which caused the internet to explode in his face, and he got fired.

      Report Post » foobear  
    • hypnos
      Posted on December 29, 2011 at 12:00pm

      I couldn’t agree more. Mindless antisocial behavior email,tweeting,Facebook. What ever happened to adleast phone call with civilized dialog. I will stop now so as not to be too hypocritical.

      Report Post » hypnos  
    • II_Peter3_3
      Posted on December 29, 2011 at 2:23pm

      Nice try swiftouch aka “Dan from Ocean Marketing” you must be him OR just like him to have such an assenine opinion. I’m glad this kind of stuff is brought to light, I’m so sick of all the derelicts that “work” out there in customer service positions. They are losers who will never go anywhere because they have the same stupid “occupy” entitlement mentality – I hope he gets fired and someone who wants and needs a job takes his place!

      Report Post » II_Peter3_3  
  • Man is not free unless government is limited
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:28pm

    Come on Blaze where is your editing? “Mike Krahulik co-founder of Penny Exchange“ should read ”Mike Krahulik co-founder of Penny Arcade”.

    Report Post »  
  • FaithfulFriend
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:17pm

    What? You’ve never been cranky?

    Report Post » FaithfulFriend  
  • SuperSparky
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:07pm

    And that my friends is how capitalism works. No government involvement, just people choosing to not do business with a sleazebag, and let them go to someone who treats them better. Thus the one who treats them better will have the business in the end, and the sleazebag will just bite the hands that feed him.

    Can you imagine if that were the only company to choose from, especially if they were government owned? No, I will take the free market any time.

    Report Post »  
    • glashole
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:27pm

      Exactly, it is called freedom to choose. Nuff said

      Report Post » glashole  
    • Chuck Stein
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:37am

      Very well said.
      Information + Freedom to Choose = Natural Market Regulation

      Report Post »  
    • C-C-C-C-COMBOBREAKER
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 8:10am

      Problem with this is this company was merely hired PR, not the creator of the device or the business who makes them. He was putting a stain on the product which is designed to help disabled kids.

      Report Post »  
    • Gotchyaback
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 3:39pm

      Good Point!!
      Social Security; Medicare; Obamacare.
      This IS what happens in a SINGLE PAYER MODEL.

      Take your pill and shut up!

      Next!

      Report Post » Gotchyaback  
  • xZEVENx
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:29pm

    I have a email that you could add in addition to your story regarding that marketing firm called Ocean Marketing with a similar case of a representative behaving inappropriately. I can send you an email with the entire conversation if you guys are interested. BTW its the SAME exact rep that I delt with.

    Report Post » xZEVENx  
    • foobear
      Posted on December 29, 2011 at 10:42am

      No, no, “Ocean Marketting”.

      Two t’s.

      Seriously. You can’t make this stuff up.

      Report Post » foobear  
  • xZEVENx
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:18pm

    Wow this is amazing this is the SAME company and SAME guy I delt with when they launched there product when they gave us an offer a the next model free because they pushed back delivery for over 3 months. Then I contacted them again later making sure the offer they gave us was still in effect and the guy pretty much calls me a liar and behaves very childish. This entire company is ran and operated by bullies. If I can find my email transcript I will post it on here aswell.

    Report Post » xZEVENx  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:42pm

      This sounds very much like a guy I bought some collectables from on E-Bay. After 2 months I asked when it was going to ship, he started out nice, but the next email he went nuts. Then I got an email explaining he has bipolar, he appologized and asked me to be patient. I did get my product and he sent an appology. Chistoforo should contact this guy and get his doctors name, ironically, the guys company is in Boston also, maybe its the water, or the Patiots?

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • CaptMickeyd
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:14pm

    If you go to Penny Arcade’s site, the entire exchange is posted. It is actually pretty funny when the marketing guy starts telling Krahulik how many people he knows, and hilarious when he realizes how big Penny Arcade is and that the guy actually does run PAX. The marketer was a bully, in the most basic sense of the word and really, he got what was coming to him.

    Report Post » CaptMickeyd  
    • scheduler
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:21pm

      I am not surprised.

      http://politicalbowl.com – Political Videos

      Report Post »  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:38pm

      That young punk surely did get SPANKED! he is pretty much blacklisted from working in the field ever again.

      It is well worth the venture over to Penny Arcade to read the entire story…..

      Report Post » Stoic one  
  • conservativewoman
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:03pm

    I worked in customer service for six years, back in the 90′s. My company demanded we give world-class service, and we did. I was called every name in the book by customers, but if I had the slightest attitude back, I would have been fired on the spot. We bent over backward for our customers.

    Because of my work experience, I am a stickler for good service, but now days it is rare to find, because of the class of people companies hire to do it.

    Report Post » conservativewoman  
    • HorseCrazy
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:13pm

      and the minimum wage they pay folks now to do customer service at most companies draws a motley crew. companies have to pony up the dollars to get a good customer service department. you really do get what you pay for. I just fired one of my customer service folks 3 weeks ago for giving attitude.

      Report Post »  
    • Republic
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 11:09pm

      Most customer service now consists of me speaking English and the customer service rep speaking what I think may be English; not sure though. Anymore when dealing with a customer service rep you need subtitles.

      Report Post »  
  • evmybryan
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:54pm

    Wow. I wouldn’t even know what to do with an email like that. I would expect better service for my money.. I don’t know what kind of company that is, but they deserve to go out of business… That is just terrible..

    Report Post » evmybryan  
  • Ronko
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:54pm

    Very bad reporting by The Blaze, you edited out the emails and you didn’t list the real bad guys name in this, Paul, who basically told Dave to go screw himself and I’m saying that nicely because he used stronger language. What happened with the emails is the perfect example of how 2 or 3 emails can destroy a person’s reputation and possibly his company too. It’s just like what Herm Edwards said earlier to the rookies this year about Twitter, “Type it out and then press Delete”.

    Report Post »  
  • wisehiney
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:41pm

    No more good customer service left for weak American idiots who put up with it. When you put up with crappy service, that is all you will get. More importantly, when you give up their rights, soon you will have none. Every government “benefit” comes with strings attached. Soon these strings become your noose.

    Report Post »  
  • nzkiwi
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:41pm

    @Blazers

    I recommend that you guys follow the links all the way. Your jaws will drop with astonishment, I kid you not!
    Paul Christoforo of Ocean Marketting (sic) has been dropped by the “Avenger” guys and everybody else, it seems, thinks he is an idiot and won’t support him (the very people who he says do support him).

    The whole saga borders on the surreal!

    Report Post »  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:32pm

    Amazing company, the big guy answers customer complaints and inquiries. Now that‘s a company that’s well run. When I have a problem with an order, I expect the big guy to respond directly. Not. This guy will be lucky if he gets a job at the drive up window after this. It sounds like he needs to put on his big boy pants and hit the pavement. But then again, if this guy is the big guy in this advertising firm, that firm is toast.

    After reading that email, I keep thinking of the fat geek from The Simpsons emailing Cartman from South Park. Oh the humanity.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • CookieMonster
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:29pm

    lol…

    a**hat- 0 Customer-1

    Report Post »  
  • Jenny Lind
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:22pm

    This is what people are turning into. Both sides need a kick upside the head. (which one will say, He started it mom!) Sometimes you have to wait for orders , sometimes you have to polite with people. what has happened to manners in this country? It’s all anger and filthy name calling and throwing around swear words.

    Report Post »  
    • Balthazor
      Posted on December 29, 2011 at 2:34pm

      You really have to read the entire exchange, what’s been paraphrased here does not do it justice. The customer was not whining about a delay as much as he was just simply trying to get a coherent answer from the company as to when he could expect to get the product he paid for, and it was after several incoherent and/or snotty emails from the company that he responded with the email posted here.

      Report Post » Balthazor  
  • 11:11
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:21pm

    that’s not bad, how about i ordered my hubby his gift on my email address and on Christmas day HE got an email to rate HIS christmas order???? boy thanks Legendary Whitetails for blowing the surprise???!!!

    Report Post » 11:11  
  • KickinBack
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:20pm

    Was Rose-Ellen the rep for Ocean Marketing? It was difficult to read since those emails were in some serious need of grammar fixes.

    Report Post » KickinBack  
    • COFemale
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 12:20am

      He claims he is 38 years old on another site where the entire package of emails can be read. He apparently is: Not a college graduate and a Liberal. I’d be surprised if he graduated high school. He definitely is in the wrong profession.

      Report Post » COFemale  
  • schroeder123
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:15pm

    Put that mother in front of me…please

    Report Post » schroeder123  
  • comsense08
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:13pm

    Big man with a keyboard. Hope he goes hungry for a while. I hate dealing with customer “service” because you NEVER get SERVICE!

    Report Post »  
  • RoAdFiXeR
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:02pm

    My game controller is a point and shoot 45 cal. model it hasn’t failed me yet…..

    Report Post » RoAdFiXeR  
  • HuckleberryFriend
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:00pm

    This was all over the gaming world today. If you see the followup on Kotaku, a gaming blog, they show the Ocean Marketing falsely speaking for the N-Control company. N-Control has subsequently fired Ocean Marketing, who is probably now blacklisted from all gaming industry work after all the high level namedropping he did in conjunction with being a smug contrite jerk.

    .

    Report Post » HuckleberryFriend  
  • nosharia
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:00pm

    Take your purses and your wallets elsewhere and write an honest review on the net for all to see.

    Report Post »  
    • PatrioticTechnogeek
      Posted on December 28, 2011 at 2:08pm

      If you do, be sure your review is not of either the Avenger controller or its creator, but of Ocean Marketing, who has now been dropped and replaced.

      Report Post »  
  • Shrugged
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 8:58pm

    This marketing guy should hold one of Obama’s cabinet positions. He’s got the perfect condescending, egotistical attitude. The answer is the same in both cases – vote them out ASAP with your dollars or your 2012 vote. Make ‘em weep.

    Report Post »  
  • paperpushermj
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 8:57pm

    paperpushermj general rule for life # 47
    It’s cheaper to keep a Customer…. then getting a new one.

    Report Post » paperpushermj  
  • Baddoggy
    Posted on December 27, 2011 at 8:48pm

    Look for the Union label…ROFL…Has to be a spoiled snotty nosed kid or a Union worker with an attitude like that.

    Report Post » Baddoggy  
    • chips1
      Posted on December 27, 2011 at 9:01pm

      How come I’ve never heard that Obama appointed a Gaming Czar?

      Report Post »  
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