Interactive Customer Evaluation

Comment Regarding Housing:

I believe that the house hunting assignment process could be improved. For example, when I found out I had been assigned a counselor, I thought that person was going to be showing me places and that was not the case. I work in customer service so that is dear to my heart. I believe once a service member is assigned to a counselor, the counselor should call to introduce themselves and offer help, but that did not happen. In fact, I called my counselor and the connection was bad, and he did not even attempt to call me back after.

The primary reason I am here is because I did not like my interaction with the counselor who handled appliance delivery. For starters, I did not receive any training on how to operate the washer when it was delivered to my house. There was no written instruction given to me either. The guy turned it on and that was it. I was given an Italian washer and because it was taking 2-3 hours per load, I contacted the counselor to express my concerns and he was rude. I then decided to go to housing in person to have my washer changed. He was once again rude, and he said that I had to keep the washer or I would be charged for the delivery of a new one. I notified him that I did not choose an Italian washer and that I did want to keep it because it would run up my bills. We ended up speaking with his supervisor who advised against charging me for the delivery of a new washer. The counselor was then tasked by the supervisor to have someone look into the logistics involved with swapping the washer.

A whole week went by, and I never heard from the counselor, who apparently decided not to take any action on the matter. I decided to go back to Housing for a second time, and I got to speak to Ms. Ivana, who was extremely helpful. She helped to schedule the delivery of a newer washer, and I really appreciate her assistance. She demonstrated the level of customer service that I expect and that should be given to everyone seeking assistance on the base.

Response:

Thank you for taking the time to highlight your concerns about economy housing processes. Moving overseas is a stressful time, and the Housing department is always looking for ways to improve its customer service to help smooth that transition.

Regarding the house hunting process, all incoming personnel are initially assigned a housing counselor as their primary point of contact. During peak PCS season, that person may or may not also be the person who escorts you on house hunting tours. Given the high number of personnel coming and going during the summer, we can’t always guarantee that your POC will be leading your tours. Feel free to include the Housing referral email address, nassig-housingreferral@ eu.navy.mil, on any house hunting correspondence. The entire referral staff will be able to read your email in case your assigned counselor is out of the office. Nonetheless, customer service is always important to us. Please reach out directly to the Housing Director, Peter Faulk, at 624-4070 or peter.faulk@ eu.navy.mil if you feel that your needs are not being met in a timely fashion.

Regarding the problems you experienced with your washing machine, we strive to make sure that the appliances we deliver meet your needs. We encourage all prospective tenants to consider the space available for appliances and the associated costs of operating them. Housing can help you estimate your bills before you commit to your lease. Generally, once a tenant accepts appliances upon delivery, they are their responsibility for the duration of their tour or until the unit needs to be repaired or replaced. In your case, since the appliance wasn’t operating correctly, Housing retained responsibility for the delivery of a new unit. At the time, they were switching to a new appliance warehouse, which likely caused some delays in deliveries.

We are actively working to improve our appliance placement service. This summer we ordered over 100 new washers. In addition, a new process allows tenants to request digital copies of appliance manuals at NASSIGHousingFurnishings@eu.navy.mil, as well as making sure that manuals are also delivered along with the initial appliances. Upcoming internal Housing Department training sessions will also focus on providing follow-up customer service for trouble calls. Again, please feel free to contact the Housing Director for any future concerns.