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

dhidra

Bought a sander in Atlantic Homecare today. Opened it when I got home to find that several pieces were missing and so was the instruction manual. :mad:
So I phoned the store, and they said, yeah bring it back. I told him they had no more in stcok as I got the last one on the shelf and he said he didn't know when there would be a delivery. This was before I even told him which item I had bought! :eek: I asked could I get it exchanged in another store, and he said yes, but I'd have to bring the original one back to them first. FFS it was their mistake, not mine! Asked for a manager, put on hold, and told he was on the phone, he'd call me back later.

So I phoned a different Atlantic Homecare store and the guy I got coul;dn't have been more helpful, said I could switch them there no problem, he went to check they had the same one in stock and has it on hold for me. Gave me his name and all to ask for when I get there.

Such extreme experiences from two people in the one chain of stores! Just goes to show, it all depends on the one person you're dealing with.

partyatmygaff

dhidra wrote: »

Bought a sander in Atlantic Homecare today. Opened it when I got home to find that several pieces were missing and so was the instruction manual. :mad:
So I phoned the store, and they said, yeah bring it back. I told him they had no more in stcok as I got the last one on the shelf and he said he didn't know when there would be a delivery. This was before I even told him which item I had bought! :eek: I asked could I get it exchanged in another store, and he said yes, but I'd have to bring the original one back to them first. FFS it was their mistake, not mine! Asked for a manager, put on hold, and told he was on the phone, he'd call me back later.

In fairness to the first guy he couldn't of done much for you. He told you to bring it back and they probably didn't have any stock as you noticed. Usually all their stock is delivered in one go from their distributor so that explains one part. It could of been packaged wrong in the factory so who knows who fault it is.

the groutch

these guys ring me every time they spot a transaction that looks any way suspicious to make sure I know about it (mainly payments to companies outside UK & Eire), feel really safe using their credit card

smurff

I've found Dublin Bus staff extremely helpful...don't know the city well at all. When I arrived at the airport they had staff to assist people...told me what bus to get, where to get off, ticket prices etc.

KTRIC

smurff wrote: »

I've found Dublin Bus staff extremely helpful...don't know the city well at all. When I arrived at the airport they had staff to assist people...told me what bus to get, where to get off, ticket prices etc.

They'll tell you were to get off alright :rolleyes:

rupamede

This is probably my worst customer experience in Ireland:

I refer to an eye test appointment I had with <snip> at O'Connor's Optician Listowel on 10th June 2009.

A month has now passed and I am still waiting for a fitting for my glasses.

My initial reasons for choosing this optician was due to the very good impression the assistant <snip> made and she was very helpful when it came to choosing the frames. She also scheduled an appointment for me.

It was at this appointment that the nightmare really began. The optometrist who attended me - <snip> - I am very sorry to say, was extremely rude. She enquired as to whether I was taking any medication to which I informed her "yes" because of migranes. Her response was rather strange with a sarcastic "oh really" . When testing my eyes with the usual small letters for sharpness etc. she was so impatient to receive my replies she actually requested that I hurry up. To me the letters were neither small nor sharp but I felt so confused, intimidated and pressurized to give some sort of an answer as quickly as possible. Seeing as we are dealing with my eyes and not a pair of shoes in Shaws, I thought this was completely unacceptable and unprofessional behaviour on <snip>´s part.

Bearing in mind the inaccuracy of this test and the long delay in being given an appointment for a fitting I feel that I cannot accept the lens any more and unless O'Connors Optician can provide me with a thorough and accurate test by a different optometrist, I feel it would be irresponsible and even damaging to my eyesight to accept those which <snip> has prescribed.

I am willing to pay for the frames, of course, but unless an alternative testing can be conducted I am no longer willing to pay for the lenses.

I don´t know if <snip>´s behaviour was the result of a "bad-hair-day" or she was over-challenged in some way by me but I feel it is important not to let this sort of behaviour in anybody go unmentioned. It is on behalf of those less capable of expressing themselves that I chose to go ahead and explain my experience. I would hope, of course, it would be in the interest of future good business at O´Connor´s Opticians as well.

We have informed O'Connors Opticians by registered letter. I know the letter was received because I have the receipt which can be verified with the AnPost website. No contact has been made for a fitting - is this the correct way to conduct business? I dont think so. I have dealt with other opticians in ireland before and none has been as arrogant as oconnors opticians, do they actually expect me to collect glasses without a fitting???

This is unbelievable and since I am a foreigner I cannot stop thinking they're just being racist...

SerialComplaint

rupamede wrote: »

This is probably my worst customer experience in Ireland:

I refer to an eye test appointment I had with <snip> at O'Connor's Optician Listowel on 10th June 2009.

SHe should stick to making music, I guess.

ejmaztec

SerialComplaint wrote: »

SHe should stick to making music, I guess.

Nothing compares to a good optician.

rupamede

ejmaztec wrote: »

Nothing compares to a good optician.

One good thing about the Irish is their sense of humour ;-)

Thanks, it did cheer me up.

Kenmare

Brought Asus's top of the line motherboard. The bloody thing broke. Since its after 30 days since purchased from the retailer, they are refusing to do jack sh1t.

Went to Asus who directed me to this british site where I have to send my motherboard at huge expense, plus a £28 charge.


****ing annoyed.

Elessar

Kenmare wrote: »

Brought Asus's top of the line motherboard. The bloody thing broke. Since its after 30 days since purchased from the retailer, they are refusing to do jack sh1t.

Went to Asus who directed me to this british site where I have to send my motherboard at huge expense, plus a £28 charge.


****ing annoyed.

If it's an irish retailer, they are obliged by law to deal with repairs since the contract is with them. They can't tell you to go anywhere. Mention the small claims court and see how they react.

pab_lowe

About 5 years ago I bought a juicer from Roches Stores. After about thirty days the unit broke. I can't remember what exactly the fault was but it was physically cracked or broken somewhere (not dropped but from usage)

Anyway I brought the unit back and the polite older lady I was dealing with didn't really know what to say so she deferred to a gentleman who seemed to have better things to do.
He asked me what I had been juicing in the machine and I told him oranges only. He said that this juicer should only be used for potatoes!!!!
I must have been having a bad day because I couldn't find the words to explain on how many levels that this answer was a crock.

jenzz

There was a CIE bus driver on his break on Bray beach yesterday morning. They always stop before the Aquarium.He was in the middle of the road for ages holding up the traffic crossing older ladies over the road. Fair play to him not many people would bother themselves & he was doing it over &over again. 2 here 3 there. ( Think there was an OAPs association day out going on).

O2 Staff. Have yet to have a bad one.

Tesco in Bray have this polish lady who is the rudest most aggressive person I have ever met. So bad so when I shopped there I refused to use her till. She always had the shortest queue so I musnt have been the only one who noticed.

Liz Annes coffee shop - These people deserve an award for niceness.

Sonic_exyouth

Trying to get my problem sorted with Ryanair..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055339093&page=51

It's frustrating as hell!

Called Reservations.

They said it's a Head office issue.

Called Head office, they said call 2480856

Turns out that number is Reservations.
Told them Head office advised me of that number .
They didn't believe me, and said Head office would have marked a note if I had have done that.
I asked the Helpdesker why that was, and she said because I hadn't actually called the head office.

In the mean time I have faxed Ryanair on 01 5081702 and 8121676.

The Helpdesk also refuse to believe that my issue is possible, which is nice.
Ahh! Frustrating, to say the least!

ectoraige

O2/Digifone - have always had excellent service from them, only blip in the last 12 years was when I had some trouble with an insurance claim, but in fairness that was outsourced to Eagle-Star, and it was sorted as soon as I got back onto O2 about it. Consistenly helpful people.

Chorus/NTL - mostly harmless, but had an awful time moving account to a new address, got stuck in a catch-22 for a few days due to their genius.

Eircom - nothing but bad experiences, the time they sneaked upgrades to my mother's broadband service without mentioning the increased charges stands out.

Oh, special mention for Three, they appeared to go out of their way to provide the worst customer service to my wife, from the day she signed up, to the day she quit again, and a for a few weeks after that too.

Also, Littlewoods Ireland - took them about six months to actually close my wife's account, despite pretty much each call ending with an assurance that it had, indeed, been shut.

Lizzykins

Thumbs up to Aer Lingus who traced and returned to us a suitcase that had been taken by another passenger by mistake. Very professional.

Another thumbs up to Bord Gais who had my boiler repaired and back in action not 24 hours after the fault had been reported. A very professional friendly guy did the work.

oneweb

One of the worst...

Tesco Clearwater yesterday. Using the self-serve checkout I changed my mind about something and meekly called over to the girl at the end of another self-serve checkout.


"Whah?" she shouts over, before lookin to the guy beside her.

"I'm noh on tills" he says.


Jaysus, sorry for keeping you in a job!

daveyid89

worst has got to be ryanair flight to london.... they cancelled it, uncancelled it, recancelled it, made us wait in queue for 4 hours (mass cancelation), they gave us a refund easily enuf, but the goddamn queue....

best customer service?.... check this out...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61239804

Dublin_Gunner

A huge thumbs up to Dell. Yes, DELL.

HDD ailure over the weekend on a new laptop (2 months old). I performed the required tests myself (as I know a bit about these things lol).

Called them Monday evening, and was placed on hold for about 1/2 hour. But... got through to a tech support guy, told him the situation, he asked me for error codes, which I duly provided - and straight away said he would send a new HDD out to me (and even to my place of work, wherever I wanted it sent) by today.

Low and behold, I get an email from UPS this morning, saying my package is en route. Received the HDD this morning, and another e-mail stating they would collect the old one tomorrow.

Very pleased

dudara

Thumbs up to Ted Baker online store.

Bought himself a Ted Baker shirt - same size as others that he has. When it came, he didn't get around to trying it on for a week. When he did try it on, it was swimming on him - far too big. At this stage the tags had been taken off, and all the original packaging thrown out.

I emailed Ted Baker asking what they could do for me. They sent me an RMA, so I packed up the shirt as best I could, along with the tags, and returned it. Just got an email saying that full refund will be processed to my card.

Excellent service.

Kashkai

Just to be different, I thought I'd post up a note about some good customer service for a change.

I bought an dual in car DVD player from Aldi last week which stopped working after 4 days of light use. So I brought it back to Aldi this morning and before I could get the words "It broke after a few days" out of my mouth, the manager came over, apologised, said it was the first one that had been brought back, that he didn't have any others left but he'd ring round other stores to source one if I wanted a replacement, or else I could have a full refund, no questions asked (or endless bs about how I/my kids might have broken it - I'm talking to you DID!).

I chose the refund option as the kids didn't really want to use it after the first day's novelty wore off (it made them carsick they claimed).

Anyways, I walked out of Aldi with my €120 in my pocket less than 3 minutes after I walked in expecting a long drawn out struggle to get a refund like you'd have to go through with most other retailers.

Full marks to Aldi. I'd have no trouble buying gear off them again despite my DVD player dying after a few days when I know that I'd have no trouble getting a refund.

Cormac2791

we returned a home cinema system to lidl a few years ago because it stopped working. no questions asked, just got a full refund.

Dozen Wicked Words

Totally agree about ALDI, I have had no problems with them. I bought a portable DVD player the time before last when they had them. Screen packed up after a week, took it back and they offered refund or replacement, I took replacement that has worked perfectly ever since.

Bought a DVD recorder in another supposed electrical store, it ate a dvd and refused to do anything other than "loading", took it back asking for money back, they refused, saying it must have been something I did, after 15 minutes and discussion with manager best I got was a credit note and heartburn.

PinkTulips

aldi, lidl and dunnes are all absolutely cool about returns, never had a seconds hassle from any of them even when they were legally within their rights to tell me to bog off

dudara

Merged into sticky thread.

dudara

rco2000

Ebuyer - very poor service when something goes wrong - you have to ring a UK premium line number & always put on hold b4 anyone answers for 10mins+:mad:

craiginireland

UPC are an absolute nightmare.. Nothings too much... unless you actually want something that is......

One of theire clowns disconnected me when setting up one of my new neighbours... I rang them and they told me i'd have to wait 8 days and pay a service fee to get it reconnected...

Then they took money out of my account, claimed I never paid at all and disconnected me again..... After they realised their mistake they reconnected me but still decided to charge me a late payment fee.

In the space of 2 weeks i spent upto 5 hours on that dreadful phone system that they have. Finally i decided to email them and got an auto reply saying we'll be back to you in 2 days....... The must be on Mars time cos it was nearly 2 weeks before the bothered to reply.

Finally if anyone can tell me why they insist on theire phone line saying join UPC today and get free installation.... I'M ALREADY JOINED.... HENCE WHY I I'M RINGING YOUR TECHNICAL SUPPORT LINE! GRRRRRRRRR

cuckoo

Thumbs up to Cadburys Ireland.

Got a couple of mangled bars in a funsize bag, sent them to into them.

Two days later had a nice letter of apology, with stamps attached to cover the postage I had paid. Then the next day a box of milk tray and some other chocolate bars arrived.

citizen_p

hmv....
just brought back in a broken ps3...showed the receipt and was asked if i wanted cash or another ps3.

under warranty but no hassle...

norrie rugger

I remember when CMP used to deliver milk to Cork houses.
Not too long ago early to mid 90's

Got a glass bottle and went to shake it. Noticed a load of gravel, in the bottle, and told the milkman the next morning.

That evening a representative from CMP called out with a massive gift hamper and a written letter of apology from his boss with 1 month free milk.