Millions wasted due to a wrong partnership choice

Hi there,

I wanted to share a recent experience with you that taught me a valuable lesson about the consequences of choosing the wrong partner. As a branding and communications expert, I've always believed in the power of personal experiences and their impact on a company's reputation. So, let me tell you a story about my journey with T-Mobile and UPS.

Customer journeys matter for success

Being a TMobile customer for over a decade has shown me the importance of customer journeys in a company's success. T-Mobile has invested heavily in ensuring their clients are well taken care of. However, it seems they didn't anticipate the consequences of partnering with a service provider that doesn't align with their quality standards. This decision has resulted in wasted resources.

A frustrating experience

A few weeks ago, I decided to purchase a new phone from TMobile and called their service number, which was promptly answered. The order was completed within 10 minutes, and I received confirmation that UPS would handle the delivery. Unfortunately, on each scheduled delivery day, UPS claimed they missed me, despite no evidence of any delivery attempt recorded by my Ring doorbell.

Summary of a two-week ordeal

To summarize the subsequent two weeks, here are the key points from my interactions with UPS:

• I called UPS at least 7 times, with an average wait time of 30 minutes.
• UPS claimed I could schedule delivery online, but the website directed me back to the 1800 number.
• The representative I spoke to lacked the authority to change delivery options.
• Requests to speak with a manager resulted in being left on hold indefinitely.
• Eventually, UPS admitted to losing the package but stated they do not report such incidents to senders.
• They asked me to stay at home all day on at least 4 separate occasions to wait for the package.
• A UPS representative just decided to hung up on me.

A visit to a UPS center left me frustrated after one of their representatives laughed at me when I mentioned the phone was taking too long, despite my work commitments.

A horrible customer experience

This entire ordeal, which should have been a simple delivery, turned into a nightmare, wasting at least 10 hours of my time. It was a terrible customer experience that left me feeling bullied and frustrated. UPS failed to deliver on their core business.

Lessons learned

The choice of partners significantly impacts the customer journey and overall client experience. Companies must exercise caution when selecting their partners.

Select partners aligned with your values and priorities, not just industry leaders or those who can get the job done. Ensure they respect and adhere to your standards.

If a partner falls short or fails to keep up with your expectations, explore creative solutions and be open to alternatives.

Partnerships are essential for growth, better service, and innovation. Approach partnership decisions with a multidisciplinary mindset. Your choice affects operational efficiency, client satisfaction, loyalty, and ultimately, your survival.

Listen attentively

During one conversation with a TMobile representative, they expressed a desire for their own delivery method to ensure quality. This indicated that similar issues had occurred before, possibly indicating a larger organizational problem.

Establish a system to listen at all levels of your organization. Valuable ideas and improvements often stem from lateral thinking. Optimizing the millions invested in customer service requires a comprehensive understanding of the entire customer experience.

In conclusion, T-Mobile's partnership with UPS has proven to be a costly mistake. This experience emphasizes the importance of selecting partners carefully, ensuring alignment, and maintaining an open, listening culture within the organization.