Costco Customer Service — You Just Lost a Customer for Life
I would like to start this email saying that I never in my life have complained about customer service. But I was treated so poorly at your Maui location that I searched hours for a place to place my complaint. We started our weekly, yes I said shopping at Costco around 1:30 and got done round 3:30. When we went to wait in line to exit. Approaching the exit, I noticed an employee standing outside the exit ,staring at me rather intently. He stared at me so aggressively that it made me feel uncomfortable. Soon it was our turn to hand the door attendant our receipt.
The man immediately approached our cart and asked that I open my baby bag and let him search. This has never happened to me in my whole life of shopping at Costco. Nevertheless, I obliged. He and the door attendant proceeded to rip apart my bag grabbing my newborn daughters formula, touching her clothing and diapers. I then realized they were searching for stolen merchandise. But when the door attendant and the so called 'loss prevention ' agent found nothing, he just left and the door attendant told us to exit.
No apology no explanation. Hell, the man didn't even say his name! I was so taken aback and at a loss of words that when we went to the food court and sat down I was holding back tears. That's when I went to the door attendant in the entrance and asked to speak to the manager. The entrance attendant was helpful and polite. Very refreshing experience after just being so disrespected just minutes before. I thought it couldn't get any worse.
But I was indeed very wrong. The manager comes. She does not introduce herself and her demeanor was like I was a huge inconvenience and I was interrupting her work time. Perhaps interrupted her lunch? Or maybe she just was poorly trained in customer service? I digress. I told her what happened. I explained to her that I witnessed 3 families exiting with larger bags than the one I have for my daughter. The man was not outside nor were the attendants asking to search. Here is where I got disrespected for a 2nd time in a matter of minutes from the first time. She told me I perhaps caught the eye of an employee.
Then she accused me of acting suspicious, and that he was alerted because an employee saw me steal. When in fact I did not and the savage search of my belongings proved so! Then she proceeded to tell me 'if they found something I would be arrested' she told me that twice. I told her but they didn't find anything, and I got no apology or explanation in fact, the man left immediately after the search. She then had the audacity to tell me 'ya next time be careful cause if they found something, we would have you arrested.' Patted me on the back and left.
Did not hear my complaint out just told me it was policy to check bags.if this is so, then why is it that I have never witnessed this happening to other people. Oh I forgot that its only policy if an employee feels you are 'suspicious' how completely bias and unprofessional! Who trains these employees? She basically accused me of stealing again! So two times I have been accused of stealing after the search lead to nothing. The manager, attendant and the 'loss prevention agent' managed to make me the horrible one when I fact I was treated so horribly when I sat back down with my family I started to cry.
Maybe Costco should actually train employees to treat suspects and actual thieves and customers instead of treating all three the same. I am so appalled I told my family I will never step foot in Costco again. I'm sure this does not concern Costco, but I just feel so disgusted that I just had to leave this complaint before I stop shopping, filling up my gas tank, getting my tires serviced, eating and paying for my membership. I would normally end an email with my best regards but since I do not wish my best I will simply say bye for life.
