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IF YOU HAVE A COMPLAINT BE PERSISTENT - THE QUALITY OF CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES IS QUITE VARIED.

My family has had home delivery of the Boston Globe for over 35 continuous years. We continue to subscribe to the Globe even though we also access reliable on-line sources because we value the paper and a free press. That is why despite the frustrations of last winter's delivery debacle, we did not drop our subscription. However for the past year I have been trying to get a refund for two weeks when the paper did not arrive and your phone systems were so overwhelmed that that we could not report them missing to receive a credit.

Frustrated by the lack of response to my written queries and phone conversations about this problem, I stopped paying the bill and called the Globe for a final attempt to straighten out the situation before paying the balance and canceling our subscription. To that end my husband called customer service and spoke with respresentative. He did clarify the billing which was coming twice a month at two different amounts, but did not address the two-week credit for undelivered papers. I called back yesterday, several days later, to give it one last try. I too spoke to the same woman and explained the situation. She was abrupt, talked over me constantly and perhaps because of that behavior seemed not to fully understand the nature of the problem. Only after I repeated myself twice did she finally understand what the issue was. Her response, after a pause to look at our record, was that there was nothing that could be done to remedy the failed deliveries since we did not call at that time. She did not seem able to grasp, the crux of the matter '“ i.e. that we tried to call but were unable to reach anyone at the Globe during that time period. Given her failure to either acknowledge or understand the issue, I asked to speak to a supervisor. She told me that wasn't possible '“ a first ever in dealing with a customer service representative. I persisted in asking and she took my phone number but would not say when someone would call back. I hung up wondering if she would deliver my request.

Today I called back since I didn't feel confident that my concerns would be forwarded and another service rep answered the phone. Again I explained the circumstances behind our dissatisfaction. He listened respectfully and thoughtfully, immediately grasping what the situation was. Within minutes he came back with a satisfactory solution. The bill was paid and all is right with the world and our Globe subscription. Same person (me), same circumstances talking to a different much more professional customer service person and the problem was solved pleasantly in less than 10 minutes.

How many other customers might be less persistent and so would simply decide that with all the other on-line options for news, they did not have to tolerate such an unhelpful and unpleasant experience if by chance they spoke with the first rep?

While I typically write to praise someone who's been helpful like the second representative I spoke with, I don't typically complain - anyone can have an off day, but my husband had the same experience. The first representative was really unprofessional and unpleasant to both of us several days apart.

I've written an email to a senior customer rep with the names of both persons since I did not wish to put those on-line. If the Globe wishes to follow up with either person, the information is available.


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