Wal-Mart Drops Phone Support For Its Web Site

Wal-Mart no doubt is the worlds largest retailer which will generate some $351 Billion in 2007 in sales. Yet over the years this mega retailer has struggled to maintain a web presence and it would appear feels more comfortable with its brick and mortar sales machine. So I wasn’t totally surprised when I read that Wal Mart was going to eliminate telephone support for its Web site as part of what they called a ‘Customer Contact Reduction.’

I guess when Dell and others started farming out their tech support to India, they may have called it ‘Customer Language Reduction.’

What is amazing about the Wal-Mart decision is that it leaves the customer with no option to resolve a glitch or ask a question concerning a product. Most of us have been on a Web site trying to place an order, only to discover some type of a glitch with the ordering process. Having an 800 number to call usually can resolve the problem and the order gets placed.

Which makes one wonder. How many folks are going to place an order, have a problem, find no customer service phone number and just give up ordering the item? With so much competition in the market place, most folks would order the item from another company.

I know I would.

Comments welcome.

[tags]wal-mart, customer, service, competition, ordering, glitch, [/tags]