There is nothing quite like trying to build or renovate in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and discovering that, apparently, customer service is an optional feature.
I say this as someone who has been trying to source building supplies: some businesses really need to do better.
Take ACE, for example.
Trying to get someone to answer the phone in the department you actually need? Good luck.
And then there is product knowledge.
I recently called ACE looking for a particular product. The young lady who answered assured me — very confidently — that the store did not have what I was looking for.
I told her, “But your website says you have it.”
“No.”
Not “Let me check.”
Not “Let me confirm with someone in the department.”
Just NO.
So, naturally, I went to the store myself.
And guess what?
Someone else found it for me.
At that point, I had to wonder: Why am I doing the inventory research, product identification AND customer service training while I’m trying to spend money with you?
Then we have WhatsApp.
Many businesses now provide WhatsApp numbers as a convenient way for customers to reach them. In theory, fantastic.
In practice?
Sometimes you send a message and wait long enough to wonder whether the person has migrated to another island.
And then there was my interaction with Gibsons.
I WhatsApped asking about a particular item. I was given the price.
Excellent.
I was sent off to buy it.
Only to find out that the item was out of stock.
Now, in fairness, perhaps this one was partly my fault. Maybe I should have asked the obvious follow-up question:
“Is it actually in stock?”
But here’s the part that made me laugh.
After discovering that the item wasn’t available, I went back to WhatsApp and specifically asked whether they had it.
The response?
“It is unavailable.”
Well…yes. I had just discovered that.
This isn’t about expecting perfection. Things go out of stock. Phones don’t get answered every single time. Mistakes happen.
But there is a bigger issue here.
Communication. Product knowledge. Responsiveness. Accuracy. Follow-through.
These are not extravagant demands from customers. They are the basic building blocks of good customer service.
And when you’re building, these things matter even more.
People are spending significant amounts of money. They’re coordinating contractors, shipping materials, arranging transportation and trying to keep projects moving. When a business gives you incorrect information or takes hours — or sometimes days — to respond, it doesn’t just inconvenience you.
It can cost you money and time.
I have dealt with several businesses in SVG while working on my building project, and I have to say:
OSV’s customer service is a cut above the rest.
They have shown me that good customer service is, in fact, possible.
So, to the other businesses dealing in building supplies:
You suck.
Okay, maybe that’s a little harsh.
But honestly…
Do better.
Because some of us are trying to build houses, not test our blood pressure.
An Irate Consumer
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