My Costco membership has allowed me to get some products at good discounts. However, I don’t have a current membership card, so I called the customer service number at 800-774-2678 to see if the company could update it over the phone. In addition to membership inquiries, consumers might call Costco customer service to ask about store locations or products.
My call began with a voice response system letting me know I had reached Costco Wholesale and offered some prompts for getting assistance. I could press one for membership, executive rewards, or services, which is what I did. The voice told me to have my member number ready.
I had no idea where my old Costco membership card was, so when the system directed me to enter the member number, I couldn't do that. It told me if I needed time to find my number, I could press one, and if I was not a member yet, I should press two. I selected two, hoping I would get to a representative.
The system told me I could sign up for a new membership at the local Costco membership counter or go to the customer service webpage and search for a new member option. The system then instructed me to press star to repeat the information or hold for the next available representative.
I remained on hold, and the system said again that it was transferring me to the next available representative. It then informed me that the company records calls for quality assurance.
The system told me it was experiencing longer hold times due to high call volume and apologized. It said expected wait time was 12 minutes. Then, it said that all the representatives were busy with other customers and someone would answer my call in the order they received it. After that, I listened to music playing for about two minutes before I decided to end the call.
Based on the automated system’s information, I could have spoken with a representative if I had waited 12 minutes. That was more time than I was willing to spend waiting, and going to the website seemed like a good idea because I didn’t want to drive to the Costco store.
When I pulled up the website, I saw a button that allowed me to renew my membership. Clicking on the button took me to a login page for current members and an area where new members can sign up.
Overall, the call was okay. The menu prompts were not excessive, and the system’s recommendation concerning where to find what I needed on the website was accurate and the most convenient option.