I just had the strangest customer service phone call. I was about to place an order for 20 Air-Eze Deep Breathing Devices (because I am a voice teacher, and I use them to help my students strengthen their breathing.) I called the toll-free customer service number at Jansen Medical Supply, who claims on their website to be the most respected company in their field. Here is how the conversation went:
Me: Hi! I need to order some Air-Eze Deep Breathing Incentive devices, but I had a couple of questions first.
JMS: We don't answer questions.
Me: Really?
JMS: You need to speak with a respiratory therapist about your questions.
Me: Oh, no! I don't have any questions about the devices, just about ordering them.
JMS: We don't answer ANY questions.
Me: (Thinking the guy is pulling my leg...) Are you kidding?
JMS: I am not kidding. We don't answer questions.
Me: (Still thinking the guys is joking...) You can't be serious.
JMS: I am DEAD SERIOUS.
Me: (Inquiring...) So, then, why do you answer the phone? You are the customer service representative. What do you usually do when you pick up the phone?
JMS: (no answer...this obviously made him mad)
Me: Well, then, I am not quite sure what to do. I need to place a large order and you won't answer my questions.
JMS: You will not be placing a large order with us.
Me: I won't?
JMS: We don't want your money. You need to take your business elsewhere.
Me: What? May I please speak with your manager?
JMS: Missy, you need to go away. You need to go away right now.
And then he hung up. That was the funniest and strangest customer service call I have ever made. Thought you might find it humorous. After the call, I went back to their website which states that they have a "Toll free customer service line to answer all your questions." Obviously not.
We contacted Jansen Medical and sent them a copy of the exchange, and asked what was going on. Naturally, since that was a question, they have chosen to ignore us.
]]>"dump grandma on the floor" - I can't stop laughing. You made my morning. Thanks!
The funniest part is that if you google the phrase "dump grandma on the floor", the Jansen medical product description page for the Med-Lift 5500 is the first result
]]>@Liz Henry:
@Rachacha above brought up this point as well. I was thinking the same thing as both of you. Companies that actually do all of their business via insurance and/or Medicare -- and provide equipment that is a necessity have no incentive to provide good customer service :(
In other words, this guy is a class A toad just looking for an easy $
@Rachacha:
I was thinking the same thing, his custeromer is actually insurance or Medicare not the end customer, so he really doesn't give a crap about the people using his products.
@Dave: I work in a call center and after reading those reviews, I want to call and talk to him just to hear this in person. All the review talk about a rude male. I have a feeling it's the same guy. They may not have anyone else working there. I think it would be a blast to mess with this jerk. Hell, everyone should flood his phone, being as annoying as possible all at same time. Give him a little pay back for being an ass.
]]>Funniest...comment...ever!
]]>Considering their BBB rating is an F and very similar complaints about an extremely rude customer service individual, this is the normal operating procedure for the company.
]]>@blogarsay: "You have selected...Brown Eyed Girl"
]]>There's this one too:
896-4050jeff@jansenmedical.com
]]>jansenmedical@earthlink.net
]]>I did that too; I'm one number different than Child Support Enforcement. I finally changed it to one like this:
(Imagine twangy fake Southern accent in a high-pitchedvoice)
"Hiiiiiiii...I'm an answerin' machine in a private house. If you are callin' for Chaaahld Support, you've daahled the wrong number. Please hang up and daaahl again. If you're lookin' for (NAME), please leave a messaige. Thanks. Baayyee!"
It worked!
One lady called and left her Social Security number on my machine. I called her back and said "DON'T DO THAT!!"
]]>That was FUNNY.
]]>@scoosdad: That's what's been going through my head, too. He's the med-supply nazi.
]]>"As an attorney, Mr. Jansen has, among other things, defended manufacturers of medical devices and pharmaceutical products, as well as having defended orthopedic surgeons and anesthesiologists against medical malpractice claims.
All of our employees ascribe to the same values as its founder - honesty, integrity, quality, and customer service are their highest priorities. We treat each of our customers as if they were members of our own families."
]]>@GMFish: I once got a phone number that was one number off the movie listing number. I called the phone company within two weeks to get a new number and told them why, and she said they'd flag it to never give it out again (I was getting about 20 calls a day).
]]>@David Brodbeck: My guess is somebody misinterpreted instructions not to answer medical questions (good advice) to don't answer questions. I think they're using the boogeyman of med-mal lawyers to justify not doing their job.
]]>@smokinfoo: In college, my dorm phone number was one off a local used-car dealer. I would politely tell people that they got the wrong number, but once or twice got a series of increasingly irate phone calls for not returning messages, even though my outgoing message was something like "Hi, you've reached Babyruthless...I'm not in right now, so leave a message." That sounds pretty =/= the outgoing message Smith's Used Autos might have.
]]># Toll FREE Customer Service : We offer toll free Customer Service to answer your questions. Call us at (888) 896-4050.
It seems that answering questions is NOT what this phone number is for at all.
]]>Med-Lift uses solid Oak for their frames. Every joint is glued and stapled. Our seat and back frame is a one-piece C&C Routed design. Med-Lift's Uni-Construction seat/back assembly is the strongest available in any lift chair.
Their description is just too funny. Unbreakable staples?! I should note, also, that it is typically referred to as a CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled ) Router. Maybe this company has a couple guys named Chester and Chuck who do all this handcrated routing.
I was hoping that Jansen came up with this information, but it looks to be parroted from Med-Lifts website.
]]>Perhaps the rod from the linear motor that is used to raise the lift assist chars went through the seat cushion and got stuck in his @$$.
]]>@Marianne Stabile: I am only speculating, but if he is a preferred vendor for certain insurance companies (as most of his products are very specialized and likely to be reimbursed by insurance companies) consumers may not have a choice except to 1) deal with crappy service and get the product for free (covered by insurance), or 2) pay for the equipment out of my own pocket, shich if I am retired, I probably don't have enough money to waste on something insurance is willing to pick up.
]]>@Sarcastikate: Read the other comments. This is for real. Read the links posting to reviews. This guy is off his rocker.
]]>@pecan 3.14159265: [local.yahoo.com]
Those are some HORRIBLE reviews. Something tells me he may have caught wind of this story if he's not treating you like dirt.
]]>@breny:
I really want to order something from them now just so I can call.
]]>@pecan 3.14159265: Read some other comments here. Their written policies/FAQs are really, really weird, many bordering on over the top snarky.
]]>@Donathius: Shit. You can say shit here.
]]>Can't be for real...I think I would have immediately verified the number and then called them again just to be absolutely sure this was happening. I get a lot of calls for a medical diagnostic center, and when I get more than one call from a person, I call back to let them know they are calling the wrong number and give them the right one. Just a human thing to do. Usually elderly people. You'd think they would realize something wasn't right when they keep getting my answering machine, but.....oh well, we'll all get old some day, God willing.
]]>I think you cracked the case. Same exact tone.
]]>Anyone else tempted to look this company up just to call them with a question or two?
]]>@Necoras: I actually had one too. I bought my condo from a woman who was wheelchair bound (who had passed away, so I guess I bought the condo from her sister). Her sister left the furniture as she didn't need it. I held onto it until I bought my own furniture. This one looked pretty old, and grandma dumping technology has surely improved since then, but I wouldn't call it "dumping grandma" as much as "very slowly allowing gravity to pull grandma to the floor." Really, it took forever for it to recline and, um, un-recline.
]]>He was a "take no crap kinda guy." I once saw him go all batsh** on the student body president. Funniest thing I ever saw.
]]>Reading is fun!
]]>I wonder if those people dialed the same wrong number?
]]>That is just awesome and horrible at the same time.
We had a similar experience with a local pizza place when we wanted to know where our pizza was after an hour of waiting. Apparently our pizza wasn't coming anymore and were told they didn't want our business and hung up on us.
Amazing customer service!
"Oh yeah, you think a hole in your wall is bad? I've got guys who have giant holes in the floor and have to spend all day staring at the people living down below. And they're paying twice the rent you are! And you should be happy it's just your heat that isn't working...."
And so on.
]]>or you can go here and do a search under the company name, unbelievable
[www.complaints.com]
So one day, I took their reservation. :)
]]>Ah! He does have a history with the BBB... They gave him an F. 11 complaints in the past 36 months.
]]>I wonder if the BBB has a record on him.
]]>I SAID GOOD DAY!
]]>Along with "What would you say ya do here?"
]]>@winshape:Well, she spoke to the owner, so I guess the guy failed to train himself properly. :P
]]>There are 5 5-star reviews (at least four of which look fake) and then ALL of the remaining reviews are 1-star.
How does this guy stay in business?
]]>@takes_so_little: [www.zoominfo.com]
It's right there. :)
]]>We had a number one off for a local Pizza Hut ... my Mom just started taking orders on a regular basis.
I'll bet the caller got a wrong # and the dude that answered is tired of taking calls for this company.
]]>JMS: You will not be placing a large order with us.
it seems he tried to use a sith/jedi mind trick on her!
]]>The answer is way too long that way anyway. All they had to say was, "Because all our chairs are built to order through Med Lift & Mobility we are unable to accept returns. All sales are final."
There's no reason to go into all the previous bad reasons people asked for returns or to be all, "These chairs are so freaking awesome no one in their right mind should want to return them!"
]]>I really want to call him and see if he acts like this on every call.
]]>I think Mr. Jansen is beginning to realize that the way he treats people on the phone is finally going to matter.
]]>I wonder how much business you lost that agency.
]]>@exconsumer9:
The issue isn't with the policy, it's with how they explain that policy. It's definitely snarky.
Seems the jerk is also a lawyer, too.
From [www.zoominfo.com]
The company's founder and president, Jeff Jansen, grew up in Wisconsin and is a licensed attorney who graduated in 1993 with honors from the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas.Before attending law school, he served as an Air Force officer after graduating in 1984 from the United States Air Force Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree.During the late 1980s, Mr. Jansen owned and operated a medical equipment leasing company and later worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for one of the largest medical companies in the world.As an attorney, Mr. Jansen has, among other things, defended manufacturers of medical devices and pharmaceutical products, as well as having defended orthopedic surgeons and anesthesiologists against medical malpractice claims.
]]>JMS: You will not be placing a large order with us.JMS: We don't want your money. You need to take your business elsewhere.
These aren't the droids you're looking for.]]>Move along.
Or, it was possibly dialed wrong to someone who frequently gets wrong numbers for them and is ticked off about it. I used to get calls for real estate agents and after a while started setting up appointments.
]]>"We also take personal checks for payment, but the shipment will be held until the check clears (sorry about this, but after being burned one time too many, we have no choice - "the innocent suffer from the deeds of the few"...)."
How ironic.
]]>Can we just add the tag to the post now, to save time?
]]>So I think the OP probably dialed the wrong number by mistake. They answer with "Jansen Medical" not, "hello?"
]]>It seems it was the right number and it is the owner that is answering the phone.
All of the other review sites have similar reviews.
]]>I would take them up on that.
]]>I am not sure about te wrong number. I took a look at the "dump grandma on the floor" link, and some of the responses to their questions are pretty snarky. There are some nice ways to explain why you will not accept returns...this is not one of them:
Q. Can we return a lift chair after we have purchased it?
A. In a word, "No." Our lift chairs are built to order by Med Lift & Mobility, who is the finest, and has the best customer service, of any lift chair manufacturer in the country. However, we have had customers ask for refunds, not because of the quality of the chairs, but because: 1) "The chair didn't exactly match my curtains"; 2) "The chair measures 18 1/2" from the floor instead of 19"" and 3) "The chair won't fit the turntable that I built for it..." Because those folks at the factory are so nice, they worked with us to get partial refunds for these customers, but we cannot ask them to do it anymore. We would love to sell you a lift chair; we think you will find that it is the highest quality, best made chair in the world today. However, if you order it, it is yours, and all sales are final.
I agree with their rationalle, but their are nicer ways to say that our customers are old and complain too much (which is essentially what they are saying).
I have tried some chairs similar to the ones advertised, and I think the probably would dump grandma on the floor, although a young spry 30 something trying to pretend that he is 80 and hunched over with arthritis may not be the best test.
]]>You know, I bet you're right. My inlaws' phone number used to be one number off from a local movie theater. They'd get calls constantly about movie times.
When I'd answer those calls I'd always pretend they got the number right, but I'd be a prick about it. Give wrong start times, tell them certain movies were not playing, tell them to call back later because I'm busy making popcorn, etc.
My inlaws took a different approach. Every week they'd cut out a copy of the movie listings and keep it near to phone to help the idiots calling.
]]>I think my granny orders from these people, that's the craziest thing I have ever heard. I hope that was just some sort of rogue CSR and not their standard business practice.
She was asking about breathing devices for christ sake, not "May I please make a large order for Moo Moo's and Oxycontin"
]]>