The peon team members do not have email access through the company. The supervisors and higher-ups do. It is the MSC's fault not their employees.@Angel wrote:
I've been shopping since like 2007 or so and in all that time, there's only been 2 companies I can think of that I stopped doing business with because of their practices. Maritz is about to be #3. The people are always nice enough when you talk to them but I am sooooooooo frustrated with the inefficient processes! You can email them till you are blue in the face and ask for a return email about whatever the issue is and they still ignore the request and leave you voicemail asking for you to call them. It's so inefficient and annoying!
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
@thegov2k2 wrote:
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
All of which are anecdotal evidence.
@SoCalMama wrote:
Average age of their employees is well over 60 years? Computers are scary for them. That's my experience.
@bgriffin wrote:
@SoCalMama wrote:
Average age of their employees is well over 60 years? Computers are scary for them. That's my experience.
While there may be millions of over 60 people who are computer literate, my experience has been similar to SCM's. Maritz employees are scared of their computers and most often cannot understand how to operate their own systems.
I once called about a location and the nice lady was confused because she could not find it. I gave her the full address over and over including the location name. Finally she said maybe I should try searching 75 miles from your zip code instead of 50. I was like ma'am this location is 300 miles from my zip code, I've already given you the zip code of the location, you won't find it searching my zip code. She was absolutely and totally flustered and replied that she had no idea how to find something outside of my zip code and she wasn't even sure they assigned shops more than 50 miles away.
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
@BirdyC wrote:
@thegov2k2 wrote:
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
All of which are anecdotal evidence.
Sybil is correct.
I am 61, and have been working with computers since 1976. I am as computer literate, or more so, than many younger people. My husband is 57, and has had to teach people at work who are younger than him to use computers efficiently and productively.
@nevercoldinhouston wrote:
Your proof please?
They are over 60 years old?
Prove it would be good.
@SoCalMama wrote:
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
Perhaps she should work at Maritz?
You have no idea where I work so you can not accurately make that statement.@SoCalMama wrote:
Neither of you work at Maritz.
@SoCalMama wrote:
My experience (I have worked for them since the 1990's) is that most of the people in the office are old and are better on the phone than on the computer. Feel free to argue that old people use computers as well as young people. In some cases, that may be true. In most cases, it is not true.
@Angel wrote:
I've been shopping since like 2007 or so and in all that time, there's only been 2 companies I can think of that I stopped doing business with because of their practices. Maritz is about to be #3. The people are always nice enough when you talk to them but I am sooooooooo frustrated with the inefficient processes! You can email them till you are blue in the face and ask for a return email about whatever the issue is and they still ignore the request and leave you voicemail asking for you to call them. It's so inefficient and annoying!
I had a shop that was supposed to be done on Saturday. They got back to me Friday afternoon and left a voicemail asking me to call them rather than simply confirming the information I had asked about in my email! I've explained that I'm often out and calling is not convenient at all, plus my cellphone provider has informed me that I can be charged for even toll-free numbers to the states. But the biggest reason is it's a hell of a lot easier for me to get my answers by email and also gives me a paper trail I can refer back to if necessary. They just keep ignoring this regardless.
I got another voicemail today which was incomplete in addressing my questions (which are not extensive by any means.) I'm willing to try to complete this last shop and then I plan on deactivating my account once I'm paid. There's just no working with a company that refuses to modernize their communication process and ignores repeated requests from agents.
Signed,
Super Frustrated Angel
@AustinMom wrote:
I prefer e-mail also. But I try to keep in mind who the customer is. As independent contractors, we are service providers. We are not the customer in this instance and we have no expectation that the company will meet our terms or give us good customer service. It's not up to my customer to change their expectations to make things easier for me. It's up to me to work with my customers (the MSCs) in the manner in which they wish to work. If I am uncomfortable with the manner in which a customer works, then I (the service provider) need to stop asking for work from that customer.
@thegov2k2 wrote:
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
All of which are anecdotal evidence.
@Sybil2 wrote:
@SoCalMama wrote:
@Sybil2 wrote:
That is an ageist statement. Most seniors I encounter are well versed with computers, tablets and Facebook. My grandmother uses a desktop computer and she evens has a color printer.
Perhaps she should work at Maritz?
Don't you f'ing smack talk my grandmother. She is suffering from Alzheimer's and computers are a great tool for her mind. So get off your high horse. Maybe you will live long enough to become old.
@AustinMom wrote:
I think we have gotten off track here. I have little interest in whether Maritz employees are young or old (I've encountered all ages) or whether they are computer literate in their personal lives or not. The decision to use telephone communication almost exclusively appears to be a Maritz corporate decision rather than a decision made by individual employees.
I prefer e-mail also. But I try to keep in mind who the customer is. As independent contractors, we are service providers. We are not the customer in this instance and we have no expectation that the company will meet our terms or give us good customer service. It's not up to my customer to change their expectations to make things easier for me. It's up to me to work with my customers (the MSCs) in the manner in which they wish to work. If I am uncomfortable with the manner in which a customer works, then I (the service provider) need to stop asking for work from that customer.
I think the best answer here is for Super Frustrated Angel to walk away from Maritz and find other customers who work in a manner in which she is more comfortable so she can give good customer service while being happy with her work.
@MDavisnowell wrote:
Maritz chooses to communicate on the telephone. That's the way they do business. I would rather use email. They don't care. I want to work for them. I adapt.
It's got nothing to do with who is old and who is not old. I'm old. Most of the ladies and gentlemen there are younger than I am.
If you can't adapt, then you are the one who is truly aged.
@MDavisnowell wrote:
Working for Maritz is frustrating for you because you're fighting their system. I find the Maritz program different from most but realize they're a major force in what we do. Every year I shop for fewer and fewer MSCs working the convenience stores and I shop for more and more brands under the Maritz banner. I do believe they're doing their job. I'll try to do mine. And I still believe it doesn't matter what age you are, if you refuse to adapt that handicaps you. Of course, if you don't want to adapt, that's different. In any case, yes, you should move on. No point in throwing gas on a burning bridge.
@bgriffin wrote:
While there may be millions of over 60 people who are computer literate, my experience has been similar to SCM's. Maritz employees are scared of their computers and most often cannot understand how to operate their own systems.
I once called about a location and the nice lady was confused because she could not find it. I gave her the full address over and over including the location name. Finally she said maybe I should try searching 75 miles from your zip code instead of 50. I was like ma'am this location is 300 miles from my zip code, I've already given you the zip code of the location, you won't find it searching my zip code. She was absolutely and totally flustered and replied that she had no idea how to find something outside of my zip code and she wasn't even sure they assigned shops more than 50 miles away.