Your best and worst customer service experiences [rant & praise]

L1011

This thread is a trainwreck.

Don't name people. I'll edit the title when I'm on a PC in about 20 minutes

The slab falling out sounds like either corrosion or bad handling. Not really much a retailer can do or you can expect them to do 5 years out for corrosion that was unreported and bad handling isn't their problem

Xcellor

I bought an Indesit 6 years ago. It broke. I accepted that machines that spin at high velocities and are not commercial grade break. I went to shop and bought a new one.

Washing machines cost less than they did back in the 70s even when you factor in inflation. While many people say "they don't make them like they used to." It's true because if they did they would cost multiples of what you are paying. Plastics , cheap metals etc


Sometimes you can be lucky, I'm on my original fridge and oven for over 10 but most things with movable parts/pumps/motors will break... i.e. washing machine/dishwasher have both been replaced.

dudara

Merged into Best / Worst customer service thread

dudara

L1011

Xcellor wrote: »

Washing machines cost less than they did back in the 70s even when you factor in inflation. While many people say "they don't make them like they used to." It's true because if they did they would cost multiples of what you are paying. Plastics , cheap metals etc

.

People who say that also don't understand that they are applying survival bias to said older items.

Remember how often appliances needed repairing in the past? They were actually worse than they are now but the small few that survive to become ancient distort people's perceptions

My dishwasher was built in 2000 but I imagine most of the same production run have been WEEEd by this stage

punisher5112

Wow it's a good thing the thread was merged and the attack against did was removed somewhat.

I would love to know how these people get on in life and in fact how they actually dress themselves and operate on a day to day basis...

The human brain is one very complex and on occasion a very dangerous tool.

The person complaining about a 5 year old appliances needs to cop on and learn how the real world actually works.

Shame on you also for putting a person's name up to defame them.
Most machines these days come with 10 year warranty but the catch is the call out fee and it covers parts only.

Usually around €120 so at 5 years or older not really a good idea as another part could fail which then it would have been cheaper to just buy new.

Good God this is why I hate working with the public.

gmisk

Best
The very sound guy in the boots photo department who gave me really excellent help getting things printed in a rush despite the place being rammed as it was christmas.

Worst
Very recently in barber, appointment 520 (its not a cheap spot).....it got to 545....not a word from the barber....she apologised but was still mid waxing yer man even though he hadnt even booked for a haircut never mind a waxing...I have been going there for about a year and a half but never again.

godtabh

wrong thread

seagull

Worst - Ticketmaster CS system. I made a mistake with my booking, and it took 2 weeks of trying to call them before I finally got through. I filled in the online help form, got the response, and nothing more since. Every time, spend however long listening to a lengthy waffle before finally being able to press 5 to try to talk to someone. Hit 5, and get the engaged tone and get disconnected. If I know the option I want, let me skip all the crap that I've heard several hundred times already this week. Just let me call the number, and hit 5 straight off without listening to the same message again. Finally gave up and went into a store to see if they could do anything. No complaints about the service there, but the answer was "Sorry, it's an online booking, you have to go through the CS number, we can't help you". Finally managed to get through today.

Good - Ticketmaster CS staff. Having actually got through, the service was very good. There's no complaint with the staff, just the way they have their system set up.

garhjw

Best
Bose shop in Dundrum. Exchanged 13 month old earphones without question
Nike.com exchange and returns.... brilliant every time

Worst
Board gains energy..... institutionalised incompetence

L1011

Very good service after an initial issue - Hickeys Pharmacies - took a set of passport photos that were too close in to be acceptable for a passport; rejected by the DFA website.

Took a new photo, supplied it digitally as that is what I needed anyway and then refunded the money paid for the printed ones - which I was offered to keep if I wanted them (I didn't have any need for).

Wasn't expecting the refund, only told them digital was OK to save me time scanning. Even after telling them I didn't expect it I was still given it as they didn't think it was right to charge to send an email.

Black_Knight

With all the high praise of Amazon I've finally found flaw in them.

I bought a sander about 15 months ago from Amazon. It's still in warranty so I checked up Amazon and seen they suggest going to a registered repair tech. Repair tech in Cork told me Amazon are a bit different with this, and to contact them. Grand sure, Amazon CS is excellent, and to be fair they had no problem sending me out a replacement sander, no questions asked, so I can't fault them there.

That all said, the CS agent was delighted to inform me that they "have successfully arranged replacement of the item with fastest delivery and now your parcel will dispatch deliver on Friday, 22 June 2018."
Over 3 weeks! And if I were to buy off Amazon themselves it would take 5-7 days to be delivered. Given 2 days to deliver from UK to Ireland (fastest option), what are the other 20 days for?

In the end I just got money back as an Amazon voucher. Sander is in woodies for a few euro more than it is on Amazon currently and if it goes bust i've an easy returns option.

Overall not the worst experience, but considering Amazons history it was surprising.

Fiend-Foe

Black_Knight wrote: »

With all the high praise of Amazon I've finally found flaw in them.

I bought a sander about 15 months ago from Amazon. It's still in warranty so I checked up Amazon and seen they suggest going to a registered repair tech. Repair tech in Cork told me Amazon are a bit different with this, and to contact them. Grand sure, Amazon CS is excellent, and to be fair they had no problem sending me out a replacement sander, no questions asked, so I can't fault them there.

That all said, the CS agent was delighted to inform me that they "have successfully arranged replacement of the item with fastest delivery and now your parcel will dispatch deliver on Friday, 22 June 2018."
Over 3 weeks! And if I were to buy off Amazon themselves it would take 5-7 days to be delivered. Given 2 days to deliver from UK to Ireland (fastest option), what are the other 20 days for?

In the end I just got money back as an Amazon voucher. Sander is in woodies for a few euro more than it is on Amazon currently and if it goes bust i've an easy returns option.

Overall not the worst experience, but considering Amazons history it was surprising.

I had a similar issue with a drill from Amazon.

I was told by someone that the longer delivery time is because replacements are usually refurbs, not new units so would be coming from manufacturer or warranty/repair center, on to Amazon, then on to you.

my3cents

Fiend-Foe wrote: »

I had a similar issue with a drill from Amazon.

I was told by someone that the longer delivery time is because replacements are usually refurbs, not new units so would be coming from manufacturer or warranty/repair center, on to Amazon, then on to you.

This is one area where Amazon fails big time. I got a "refurb" air filter unit last year as a replacement for a unit that had died. The replacement was just a unit another customer had used abused and returned. What I got was a replacement air filter that had a filter that was incorrectly installed and jammed in place and stank of tobacco smoke. Even after removing and replacing the filter the unit still stank and filled the room with the smell of smoking.

Amazon did refund everything including the €60 I spent on returning the second unit so I had a air filter for free for 23 months but I'd still be using it and buying replacement filters if they hadn't sent out such a "stinker" of a "refurb".

Silentreader

Got a cash and carry kitchen recently and fitter did a not so good job of it as he seemed to be in a hurry to finish the job.

Despite several emails and calls customer service folks at the Long mile centre do not seem interested to help. Probably they are too busy to help

Costly lesson learnt there's no such thing as free fitting as they advertise and had to pay extra money for correcting some of the issues.

Now I'm concerned how they will service the warranty if any other issues crop up

In hindsight should have gone for a IKEA kitchen and a good fitter who knew his job.

columok

Having similar issues with one of their neighbouring suppliers.

What kind of issues happened to you?

dudara

Merged into Best/Worst Customer Service thread

Silentreader

columok wrote: »

Having similar issues with one of their neighbouring suppliers.

What kind of issues happened to you?

1) Incorrect fitting
2) Damaged worktop
3) Missing shelves
4) Missed the hole on the wall to connect the extractor and was advised to use charcoal filter!!

Since the money is paid upfront there is never a timely response to follow-ups

L1011

Went in to a small chain optician (Mullins & Henry) looking to buy a replacement nosepiece for glasses not bought there.

Nosepiece fitted, glasses cleaned, zero charge. I know its sort of expected for glasses bought somewhere but these clearly weren't (manufacturer own brand).

Due an eye-test soon, know where I'll be going.

FanadMan

L1011 wrote: »

Went in to a small chain optician (Mullins & Henry) looking to buy a replacement nosepiece for glasses not bought there.

Nosepiece fitted, glasses cleaned, zero charge. I know its sort of expected for glasses bought somewhere but these clearly weren't (manufacturer own brand).

Due an eye-test soon, know where I'll be going.

That's the sort of review that would make me go to them. For a few cents of goodwill, it could be worth thousands in sales and customers.




Edit.....am a glasses wearer so it's kinda relevant to me lol

seefin

Ordered a freezer, waiting over a month. Track online is a load of c**p...said it left Wigan depot 2 weeks ago and then on Monday, it said it had been just loaded on van at Wigan! Numerous chats online and calls to customer service where told couriers will deliver in 24 hours etc. Then today was on phone for almost an hour ,only to get through to some department where was told the order was cancelled by someone. If I haven't had a stroke today, it'll never happen! Am I just unlucky or are they always like this? Have been freezer-less for the past month, all because I wanted a bloody black freezer. Any recourse to this? Can I complain them to anyone? It's not so much the late delivery as the lack of information and incompetence and lies I've been fobbed off with by customer service.
Grrrrrrr

MoyVilla9

Do a search for Littlewoods reviews and you'll get a fair idea.

I bought one thing off them and swore to never again.

Hannibal91

When you send a like new faulty Lenovo phone under the warranty to fonfix Ireland and they return it unrepaired after a month without a single explanation... They said returned unrepaired as requested !!!

seefin

MoyVilla9 wrote:

Do a search for Littlewoods reviews and you'll get a fair idea.

MoyVilla9 wrote:

I bought one thing off them and swore to never again.

Goddammit. Why didn't I google beforehand. Just hoping now I get the refund quickly and have no more hassle. Will never buy from them again and telling everyone I know to avoid like the plague. I pity the people on their customer service helpline as must be dealing with the worst abuse every day from frustrated customers.

Prominent_Dawg

Bus Eireann has to be the most unprofessional customer service I’ve ever encountered

punisher5112

Prominent_Dawg wrote: »

Bus Eireann has to be the most unprofessional customer service I’ve ever encountered

Illaberate a little???

Prominent_Dawg

punisher5112 wrote: »

Illaberate a little???

Reported an incident I witnessed on board one time involving a defenceless customer being interrogated and threatened by a member of staff to customer “care”.. there was absolutely no care what so ever shown.. another incident that coming to mind it getting a bus from dublin airport and the driver having an altercation with ground staff, referring to them as "****ing ****"!.. Never mind half the time the bus doesn’t even show up!.. Three and Aer Lingus are definitely up there when it comes to bad customer service involving your money!

thalia_13

L1011 wrote: »

Went in to a small chain optician (Mullins & Henry) looking to buy a replacement nosepiece for glasses not bought there.

Nosepiece fitted, glasses cleaned, zero charge. I know its sort of expected for glasses bought somewhere but these clearly weren't (manufacturer own brand).

Due an eye-test soon, know where I'll be going.

Went to Mullins and Henry after got something in my eye, they checked my eyes out, put drops in them to check for damage, then rinsed them out and put in different drops and all no charge.

I recommend them to everyone. Always found their customer service fantastic.

AndTheirMum

I am going through an ordeal of dealing with the company called Wriggle. They sell iPads and schoolbooks and treat the customers like total crap. The company boasts on the website that they partnered with 250 schools and manage 40000 devices. Yet, they don't feel like they have to expand their operations and customer service. I paid over 700 euros to them because, for some mysterious reason, my school requests buying both, an iPad loaded with ebooks AND paper books, and had to wait four weeks for the iPad to arrive (after schools intervened) and am still waiting for paper books. When I was calling their customer service they would put me on hold for 30-60 minutes.
They are full of 'smart' business ideas, like charging 80 euros for showing to customers how an iPad works or adding a tenner to your bill for 'managing the device'.
Anyone had a bad experience with them, too?

dohouch

Remote= Superior Freedom 4 in 1 USB. Ended up with this remote. The software did not have a code for my Sony Home Cinema BVD E280 player. Emailed them more in hope on Thursday 8th Nov, got auto reply that servers were down until Monday 12th.
Monday 12th got email saying software had been updated and to try again after 18.30 GMT I did and there it was. Am gobsmacked and delighted of course

Bedsit Bob

Got home tonight, to find a letter from an Insurance company, who have taken over from my previous home insurance company.

The letter enclosed a DD Mandate to sign and return.

I've already completed and returned a Mandate, about a week ago, so I rang them to find out what has happened to it?

I spent the best part of 10 minutes punching keypad numbers, selecting the subject I was ringing about, and entering my policy and agreement numbers, then the voice told me the office was closed.

How hard would it have been, to inform me of that when the process first started?