It pays to complain

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Julie

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Post by Julie » Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:36 pm
I am a stickler for good customer service and it really grates me when I'm on the receiving end of "couldn't care less attitude".

I recently went to a "drive thru" at maccy d's as a treat for eldest grandaughter. Order was simple (or so I thought), appy meal and 1 big mac. It was fairly quiet so I expected to order, pay, collect and "drive thru"...but alas, I was told (not asked) to park in a bay and my meal would be with me in 5!

I wasn't prepared to accept this - a simple order on a quiet day...if I wanted to park up, I wouldn't have gone via the drive thru! So I pulled up the handbrake and "parked up" at the "collect window!" Heard a few "comments" from the staff, so complained and today had a very nice phone call apologising and free meals! The grandaughters will be happy!!
 
 

Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Mon Mar 21, 2011 7:39 pm
Result :-)
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

Julie

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Post by Julie » Mon Mar 21, 2011 8:16 pm
[:)] I'm happy that the complaint was handled so well and hopefully training will be delivered to improve service...of course the freebies will be enjoyed too [:D]
 
 

flow13

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Post by flow13 » Tue Mar 22, 2011 11:14 am
I have found this as well. I complained to asda once and got a £20 voucher. xx
Its now time to start living and to make some some wonderful memories!
Read my blog at http://flow13.blogs.iva.co.uk/ 'Aiming for the finish line'
 
 

Wizzzard

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Post by Wizzzard » Tue Mar 22, 2011 12:29 pm
I like a good moan too Julie, especially if I win .... too many 'customer service operatives' out there who have no idea what service means.
The best psychological health comes from admitting your faults and recognizing they're caused by someone else.
Wizzzard xxx
 
 

Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Tue Mar 22, 2011 1:22 pm
I work in a "customer facing environment" and customer service has been superceded by target hitting (still under the guise of improving customer service! ).

I liken it to the refuse disposal service we now get. Years ago the bin man would pick the bin up from the side of the house, carry it and it's contents to the van and tip the rubbish in. He would then carry bin and lid back to the side of the house. It would take him three minutes.

Now, the householder has to leave the wheelie in a pre-determined spot (if it's not there it doesn't get emptied), the bin man drags it sideways to the van, spilling it's contents onto the road, tips the rest into the van and throws the wheelie somewhere near the side of the road to be retrieved later by the householder, who also has to re-fill it with the spilt rubbish. The bonus is that this (for the bin man) only takes ONE minute!!

The customer gets the service in less than half the time -- TARGET HIT! (ignore the fact that the customer only gets less than half the service too).

Sorry .... going off on one ......
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

animaleyes76

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Post by animaleyes76 » Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:47 am
Nice one Julie :)

It's funny you mention customer service though, because here in the Czech Republic it still pretty much doesn't exist.
If you ask the assistants anything they generally huff and puff and scowl at you like "How dare you waste my time" etc lol. The younger generation are a lot better though. I guess it's still a part hangover from communism, only 22 years ago...

The funniest customer service was when i was sat in a restaurant with some work colleagues and we were still eating our starter dishes and the main courses were put on the table.

I asked "Why have the main courses been brought when we haven't finished the starters yet?"

The reply?.... "Because the Chef has cooked them, that's why" Then she walked off. Talk about being lost for words :)
Last edited by animaleyes76 on Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
 
 

antm

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Post by antm » Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:43 pm
I find the problem with us in this country is sometimes we want too much, ive experienced a bit of that over the last few weeks.

Case 1:
A customer returned some pots and pans she brought over 12 months ago, she openly admitted they where brought when we first opened the store, she admitted no proof of purchase, and to look at they were standard pots and pans that all the food retailers sell as the basic model, she claimed they weren't non-stick anymore, on closer inspection she had scraped them with a knife or something. I refused a refund, she stood there shouting and shouting, i stood my ground, no reciept and the product was clearly damaged and tbh we have a 28 day return not 365 day return!! half hour later still shouting, in the end the police removed her from the store, after she threw the pots and pans at me.

Case 2:
A customer brought £1000 of mobile phone top-ups in small amounts, all went through the till and he paid, he got back to his shop (guessing he was selling them on) and O2 had deactivated about half of them due to a fraud case. Said customer came back to us, shouting and screaming he wanted his money back, i pointed out his reciept said clearly its not tesco issue that all issues after point of sale should be directed to O2 but no its my fault and i personally ripped him off, errm i was sat on a beach when that happened!!

I could go on, but sometimes we want too much and seem to think just because tesco is the UK's biggest retailer we can afford to pay everyone back for every smallest thing.
Last edited by antm on Wed Mar 23, 2011 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 
 

Julie

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Post by Julie » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:14 pm
Sorry antm I don't agree we want too much. Yes, you will always get some people who want to try and get one over on companies, but I expect good customer service at all times.

In a previous role I was a customer service manager, so know how tough it can be....but not impossible.

Hubby had a beaut in store just before Christmas, a women complained the turkey she had prdered was not like the one in the glossy picture....the glossy picture showed a cooked turkeywith all the trimmings and she honestly expected her trukey to come cooked and with veg! [:D]
 
 

Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:20 pm
I like the telephone call to ASDA customer services from the guy who had just bought a pizza and was complaining that it didn't have any topping ... halfway through the call he realised he had opened the box upside down ... then got irate when the ASDA chappie started to giggle !!!!
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

antm

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Post by antm » Wed Mar 23, 2011 7:58 pm
For me its the current store, my previous store was Cradley Heath in the Black Country, every customer went away happy, my current store is in a high ethnic area the customers here are very tricky!!

I had one shout and rant at me yesterday for a good hour, then at the end shuck my hand and agreed i was right!
 
 

MrsKnight

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Post by MrsKnight » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:09 pm
Worst ones I used to get being on reception in the hotel trade was:

"My Kettle is not working" send a porter up to check only to find it would help if the customer had put some water in it!
Along with my TV does not work - send a porter up again only to find it just needs to be turned on.
And another I wanted a sea view room (they had a sea view room) but I cant see it when Im in the bathroom!

I used to hate & feel upset when a guest had spent a night/week n then give me loads of rubbish on checking out - speak up people especially the British! x
Final IVA payment made in April 2013, never ever thought we could do it or get through it but we did! X



An IVA.co.uk Mentor is someone sharing from their experiences of dealing with debt

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Foggy

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Post by Foggy » Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:28 pm
I must admit, to my shame, when banking with Lloyds, I thought there was an error on my statement. In those days you went into the branch to discuss these things. So, in I go, armed with statement and well rehearsed arguement. The teller didn't agree with me and I was getting quite "excitable" (so I have been told).[B)]

Halfway through a particularly verbose rant I realise that I was wrong ! I thought (in an instant) "Pooh ( or words to that affect) what do I do now?"[:0]

My male pride wouldn't let me 'fess up, so I continued my rant to the end, picked up my statement and stormed out of the branch .... never to return [:I]
My opinions are merely that .. opinions based on experience. Always seek professional advice.
IVA Completed 23rd July 2013 .... C.C. 10th January 2014
 
 

Shining

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Post by Shining » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:10 pm
Love that Foggy!
IVA final payment left the bank on the 26th January 2013...looking forward to a debt free future.
 
 

Judo

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Post by Judo » Wed Mar 23, 2011 9:20 pm
LOL Foggy! That made me giggle :)
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