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

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119862840#Comment_119862840

As someone who had to change many details with Irish Companies in the past six months, I was able to do all via their websites or email without a hitch.

Potential-Monke

BIG shout out to Electric Ireland for using none of that €380 million after tax and exceptional items profit to hire more staff to answer their phones. I don't doubt for a second it's deliberate. Mother, recently widowed, rang to get the bill changed over into her name. Smart meter installed but not on a smart plan. Half an hour wait to get through to 1 of 3 options (wasn't anything to do with the first 2 options, the 3rd is "all other queries"). The man took details and had to transfer her. Another half hour wait (at least without the annoying "we care" BS you hear while on hold), for the person on the other end of the phone to tell her she needs to give a meter reading (defeats the purpose of the smart meters, no?) before it can be done. She's 74 and not very mobile. But wouldn't do a single thing more until she got that.

So I tried, but we don't have the tool and the lad who put in the smart meter looks to have welded the thing shut, no matter what I try I can't open it. So I rings them to ask why we need to give one. 24 minutes on hold, through to a Dub who said the same, had to transfer me but when I asked if I'd be waiting another half hour he confidently said "oh no" and transferred me. 34 minutes later I get through to a foreign sounding gentleman, one I suspect of Indian descent but had to know with the few words he said when he asked for the account number. I gave it and asked if the last person didn't forward that to him, and he just hung up.

So, Electric Ireland, ye are a disgrace of a business. Just like the rest of them. Will 100% be moving as soon as possible from them.

callaway92

Instead, they reinvest their massive profits into sponsorships for Sport etc. for Sportswashing essentially

They are a grimey company, there’s no two ways about it

Caranica

In fairness they gave customers a €50 credit before Christmas. I wish my gas company had done that!

HildaOgdenx

Agree re Electric Ireland, one of the worst when it comes to customer service, imo.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120119650#Comment_120119650

And I would say the exact opposite. I've found them to be perhaps the best of the utility companies to deal with,

MOH

Good

Worst: Virgin Media

Their broadband support was appalling before, but I'm in the process of trying to transfer my mobile account to them and the incompetence is just staggering.

Put in the new SIM and immediately get two texts.

The first is a link to set up internet APN settings - it opens a page listing various handsets, clicking on any of them just brings up an endlessly loading window. There's no link to just view the correct settings. Have to google separately to find the correct APN settings.

The second is to port my number. The link supplied is wrong, it just redirects to the main VM mobile sales page which mentions nothing about porting. Google again to find the correct URL for porting.

Fill in all my details, get a text a few minutes later saying there's a problem because I've chosen the wrong current provider (spoiler: I haven't). This text comes from a random 089 number and includes a shortened bit.ly link that could be going anywhere, which I'm obviously not going to click on. Check the link on PC to confirm it's legit, and try porting again making sure details are correct, get the same text again.

Ring 1908 as advised to try porting that way and start wading through automated menus. First, have to enter mobile number with prefix so type it in exactly as on the welcome letter (including the 353 prefix). Get a recording saying the number isn't recognised, I should talk to customer service ... by calling 1908 again, which requires a number before you can talk to anyone.

Try again omitting the 353 prefix and number is accepted. Then told that the current wait time is over 20 minutes.

Filling in the cooling off cancellation form now, figure that's a bullet dodged.

forumdedum

UPS. Wow. There are no words. It would take me so long to describe how bad they are at delivering 1 small package. They provide me with a phone number. I can only speak to a robot. The robot asks me to read out the tracking number but even though I'm speaking clearly it misinterprets some of the digits, even on repeat. So it tells me I've to wait minimum 20 minutes to speak to someone.

Also on same issue I emailed them over 10 times, not a single response.

Technology is not the solution.

MOH

Good

Worst: Revenue

Sent me a letter about a change in status which included a note to "notify this office immediately" with any queries.

First the phone number provided at the top of the letter is no longer in use.

Then the new number was answered with a solid three minutes of recordings about all the other ways I can contact Revenue for various things (bizarrely all in different voices)

Then finally got through to a hold queue of over 15 minutes.

muffler

Bought a usb stick from Amazon which was faulty. Went through the returns procedure last night and will be posting it back later today. Got an email this morning confirming a replacement has been dispatched and will arrive tomorrow. Can't beat that!

Glencarraig

Vodafone. I was leaving them for broadband having been out of contract since 2015 !!!!!. They sent me a "we are so sorry to hear you intend to leave us" message and proceeded to tell me why I should stay, will do you a great deal on fibre etc etc. Could you please contact us on the following number.........so rang the supplied number and yes you guessed it......."this number is no longer in service".

Says it all really, a pathetic company.

NewbridgeIR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120936040#Comment_120936040

I had their home broadband until 2008. The product was sh*t and the service crap.

They still call me every couple of months trying to tempt me into "signing up for our great home broadband deals"

No matter what I say, they won't take me off their lists.

Jim_Hodge

I know Eir take a lot of flack but I reported a fault on our phoneline on Saturday and a technician arrived at the house at 9.15 Sunday morning. The fault was an extension box in the house which he replaced. He called at 5pm just to check all was still fine. Excellent service.

JayRoc

My local Aldi has stopped supplying baskets for some bizarre reason.

You've basically a choice of manouevring one of those stupid clunky yokes with wheels around a busy shop or nothing.

Irritating.

And no explanation offered by staff when I asked about it

thesandeman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121388397#Comment_121388397

My local has two different types of wheelie ones. The blue ones are ok but they have grey ones with a fixed handle that either take the calf off you or you trip over it

z80CPU

Ordered a LED light component online click & collect from a certain photography / videography "enthusiast" shop in a street near Stephens Green.

Received confirmation email ok.

Rang the store today to find out when the device would be ready for collection from the store.

The unit I ordered is not in stock and will not be available from the supplier. I was offered an alternative brand. I accepted. However, the agent said that they had "tried to ring" me about the situation. (No missed call on my phone)

There's no update to my account with the store that I made. Oh, and when I try and access the "Tracking Page" for my order on the site, it says

Page Not Found.