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

wmpdd3

WOW ^^

Knit wit

A quick quick note to say brabantia have great customer service. Had a problem with my bin lid -it wasn't closing properly. My bin is 2 years old ... Logged onto website and logged details of problem. Ordered a new lid on Sunday which arrived yesterday by courier at no charge. I didn't need proof of purchase or to send back broken part ... Delighted. I thought a 10 year guarantee for a bin was silly but now I'm happy to have it.

keithclancy

Knit wit wrote: »

A quick quick note to say brabantia have great customer service. Had a problem with my bin lid -it wasn't closing properly. My bin is 2 years old ... Logged onto website and logged details of problem. Ordered a new lid on Sunday which arrived yesterday by courier at no charge. I didn't need proof of purchase or to send back broken part ... Delighted. I thought a 10 year guarantee for a bin was silly but now I'm happy to have it.

Would bloody want to be with the price of the bins

daenerysstormborn3

Amazon, I'm always praising them on here but yet more praise here again.

Recently bought a t-shirt from Cafe Press (through Amazon) and it didn't show up. I contacted them and they got back to me pretty much immediately, said they would send another t-shirt at no extra charge and if the other t-shirt showed up in the meantime, no need to return it. Less than 5 days later, I got the new t-shirt.
It has happened maybe 3 times in the past with things I have bought through Amazon that they didn't turn up and the seller has immediately offered to send a replacement at no extra charge.

Bought a new microwave and slow cooker from Amazon 3 days ago and they were delivered this morning Super quick and waaay cheaper than argos.

take everything

Worst: easily emobile.
Misinformation. No continuity (having to repeat your story with every new person you're put through to).
Just terrible.

Best: usually non-irish companies they tend not to gouge for everything and anything. Eg a company called step tropic who sent me out laces for chukka boots I bought recently after I stupidly broke them. Couldn't find the laces anywhere here. They sent them out with no fuss, no charge, nothing. With a nice accompanying note. Small thing but it's this kinda thing you miss.

I can only imagine an Irish company would charge through the nose for postage etc etc.

The Cool

Had pretty customer service just now in Spar on Capel street.
As usual nipped in for a bit of breakfast before heading into the office and was at work tucking into my sausage sandwich when I noticed a clump of hair sticking out of it - maybe 5 hairs rolled together. They had obviously been cooked along with the sausages as they were covered in some cooking grease but it was unmistakeably hair.
Went straight back down, the manager wasn't around but spoke to one of the girls that's always behind the counter and seems to act as manager when the manager's not there. She snapped at me to go speak to the deli staff. The girl in the deli listened to me and seemed embarrassed, offered me another sandwich (which I refused) and then offered me my money back, which I accepted. I followed her to the till where she explained to the first girl I'd spoken to - I don't know what they were saying as they were speaking an eastern european language. The girl behind the counter was very rude and impatient as she tried to explain to me that this was stuff off the cooking tray. I replied no, this was definitely hair, I had spat more of it out with my food. She continued trying to argue with me, with a tone as if she thought I was completely stupid and wasting her time. I told her that I knew what she was talking about as I used to work in a deli myself (although the kind of grizzle she was trying to pass this off as, wouldnt happen if your cooking equipment was clean!!!) but that I knew that it was blatantly hair. She snapped at her coworker to give me back the price of the sandwich and kept trying to argue with me until I left.
It's a shame because I go into this shop every morning on my way to the office and maybe again for lunch, but won't be returning again after that. The girl did not even offer an apology and spoke to me as if I was a total imbecile. Very annoyed since as I said they see me in there every single day.

gugleguy

report this to the food safety authority Cool

carlyam2

i had ordered yankee candles online they were being delivered by dpd usually get a phonecall when they are near to make sure someone is in the house. no call came my husband came back from a walk and there was a note in the door with no tick as to where my package was and a number. husband rings me to tell me we need to collect it.
then i get a text message this morning to say delivery between 8-11am this morning.i assume its being redelivered so i take the day off work to make sure im in as himself had to go to the landfill as were doing up the house. so 1230 comes no package i ring and after 10 mins someone answers and i say i get a very rude man on the phone who says nothing was to be delivered to me i ask where it is and he goes off to find out and comes back says no wasnt due today so i ask where it is since i got the text message and took the day off work. he says he will ring me back he rings back says no nothing was scanned and yours was delivered yesterday nobody was there and they rang and left messgaes i said nobody rang if they had someone would have been in the house he goes off to check did anyone ring and comes back with oh well ill put it in one of the vans later if you will be there. which to me means nobody rang
while it seems to have been worked out i am not impressed with their attitude i will not be ordering anything that comes delivered by dpd again.

For the first time in a very long time, I had to return something to a shop.

Last night I purchased a sat-nav for the car in Tesco. I purchased it at about 11.30pm. Went home with it, opened the box and seen that the power cable was missing (my own fault, I assumed, as they probably sell it separately). Also noted no instruction manual which I found strange.


Anyway, I started charging it up and after about 2 hours decided to try and power it on. No luck, it wouldn't pass the "Garmin" logo screen. Did a bit of Googling and apparently it's a common fault in certain models (I had a Garmin Nuvi 40).

Ended up looking at one of those silly Youtube 'unboxing' videos and seen that it should have a manual and power cable included in the box (I actually noticed it says so on the side of the box too, but I never noticed it originally).

Brought it back to the store today, looking for a refund. Was prepared for a big argument and a whole back and forth with them about it (I'd have assumed they might have thought I bought it, stole the cable and manual, and didn't want the actual sat-nav, so went to return it).

So as I was approaching the desk, I was preparing for a lot of standing around, quoting rights, arguing with managers, etc.

I'd say I was refunded in full with an apology in less than 30 seconds. I was genuinely shocked at how well it was handled.

I'd generally be the type of person who'd be hesitant to buy anything electrical from Tesco in the first place, but having seen how they dealt with that return/refund today, I'd have no issue using them in future. Stellar service.

echoindi

Deleted User wrote: »

For the first time in a very long time, I had to return something to a shop.

Last night I purchased a sat-nav for the car in Tesco. I purchased it at about 11.30pm. Went home with it, opened the box and seen that the power cable was missing (my own fault, I assumed, as they probably sell it separately). Also noted no instruction manual which I found strange.


Anyway, I started charging it up and after about 2 hours decided to try and power it on. No luck, it wouldn't pass the "Garmin" logo screen. Did a bit of Googling and apparently it's a common fault in certain models (I had a Garmin Nuvi 40).

Ended up looking at one of those silly Youtube 'unboxing' videos and seen that it should have a manual and power cable included in the box (I actually noticed it says so on the side of the box too, but I never noticed it originally).

Brought it back to the store today, looking for a refund. Was prepared for a big argument and a whole back and forth with them about it (I'd have assumed they might have thought I bought it, stole the cable and manual, and didn't want the actual sat-nav, so went to return it).

So as I was approaching the desk, I was preparing for a lot of standing around, quoting rights, arguing with managers, etc.

I'd say I was refunded in full with an apology in less than 30 seconds. I was genuinely shocked at how well it was handled.

I'd generally be the type of person who'd be hesitant to buy anything electrical from Tesco in the first place, but having seen how they dealt with that return/refund today, I'd have no issue using them in future. Stellar service.

Fair play to Tesco, if it was Garmin themselves Id say you would have had a battle and a half.

Chris_5339762

Garmin are known (for their handheld units anyway) as having quite good customer service. Second hand information though!!

Pink Fox

I have had problems with DPD too, on three separate occasions I have had to collect parcels from their depot myself because they said they got no answer at the door even though there were people in the house all day. Nor did they send any texts or leave messages saying when they would deliver. An Post annoy me when they bang the door down to deliver a parcel but at least I don't have to go to their collection depot. I am always taking in parcels for neighbours.

I have now stopped buying from a supplier who use DPD so they are adversely affecting their customers' business.

Back to An Post - I nearly jump out of my skin when they bang on the door, and the postman climbs over my wall into my neighbours garden and walks through his flower bed.

echoindi

Chris_5339762 wrote: »

Garmin are known (for their handheld units anyway) as having quite good customer service. Second hand information though!!

I would stay well clear of garmin they are diasterous, i gave 70euro for an upgrade map for my sat nav when i had it put on roads that had been finished 3 years previously was not on the upgraded map. They refused point blank to listen to me. Stay very far away from garmin.

Queen-Mise

I got excellent customer service from The Nike Shop yesterday in Kildare Village. It was above and beyond what they had to do.

A few weeks ago, I was given a 50% off voucher for Nike shop. And my son needed clothes badly. So between his stuff, ours & a few things for our daughter, before the reduction it came to over 300euro - so there was bags of stuff.

Anyway one of tracksuits had the wrong bottoms to it (aged 12/13 top & 6/7 aged bottoms).

When I went to find receipt, I could only find the credit card receipt & not the proper one.
Rang them Friday, and the girl was shocked that that kind of mistake was made, as those kind of things should always be checked. Told me to come back in the next day, and they would sort it.

So went in on Easter Saturday - and they changed it no problem.

I am really, really, impressed. Albeit it should have been copped at the till, I picked up what I thought was a full tracksuit. But I lost the receipt.

So thank you Nike shop. Damn impressive customer service.

3rdDegree

echoindi wrote: »

I would stay well clear of garmin they are diasterous, i gave 70euro for an upgrade map for my sat nav when i had it put on roads that had been finished 3 years previously was not on the upgraded map. They refused point blank to listen to me. Stay very far away from garmin.

Yes, this is frustrating, but Garmin are not actually responsible for the map content. They get it as a package from Navtec. I have had nothing but excellent customer service from Garmin in the past.

Snoopy1

Queen-Mise wrote: »

I got excellent customer service from The Nike Shop yesterday in Kildare Village. It was above and beyond what they had to do.

A few weeks ago, I was given a 50% off voucher for Nike shop. And my son needed clothes badly. So between his stuff, ours & a few things for our daughter, before the reduction it came to over 300euro - so there was bags of stuff.

Anyway one of tracksuits had the wrong bottoms to it (aged 12/13 top & 6/7 aged bottoms).

When I went to find receipt, I could only find the credit card receipt & not the proper one.
Rang them Friday, and the girl was shocked that that kind of mistake was made, as those kind of things should always be checked. Told me to come back in the next day, and they would sort it.

So went in on Easter Saturday - and they changed it no problem.

I am really, really, impressed. Albeit it should have been copped at the till, I picked up what I thought was a full tracksuit. But I lost the receipt.

So thank you Nike shop. Damn impressive customer service.

I second the Nike shop. I was there last week, and got the new guy on the till. I think I drove him mad, but between him and his supervisor, they sorted everything, and were so polite.

Nonoperational

carlyam2 wrote: »

i had ordered yankee candles online they were being delivered by dpd usually get a phonecall when they are near to make sure someone is in the house. no call came my husband came back from a walk and there was a note in the door with no tick as to where my package was and a number. husband rings me to tell me we need to collect it.
then i get a text message this morning to say delivery between 8-11am this morning.i assume its being redelivered so i take the day off work to make sure im in as himself had to go to the landfill as were doing up the house. so 1230 comes no package i ring and after 10 mins someone answers and i say i get a very rude man on the phone who says nothing was to be delivered to me i ask where it is and he goes off to find out and comes back says no wasnt due today so i ask where it is since i got the text message and took the day off work. he says he will ring me back he rings back says no nothing was scanned and yours was delivered yesterday nobody was there and they rang and left messgaes i said nobody rang if they had someone would have been in the house he goes off to check did anyone ring and comes back with oh well ill put it in one of the vans later if you will be there. which to me means nobody rang
while it seems to have been worked out i am not impressed with their attitude i will not be ordering anything that comes delivered by dpd again.

You must really like your candles!

But ya, it's very annoying when they don't give you a ring.

The_Conductor

Topshop and DPD. Ordered a dress from Topshop by express courier for my wife (its a birthday present). I was advised it would definitely arrive by the 4th (yesterday). This morning- having heard nothing- checked the tracking information and it says delivery on 9th or 10th. Rang Topshop customer care. They advised they were late sending the dress out, but that it should still have been here yesterday. They checked the tracking information and confirmed that yes, delivery is for Tue/Wed of next week. They offered to refund the shipping off my next order (like I'll ever order anything from them again). Cancelled the order- when they were unable to advise when it would in fact be delivered, and were unable to redirect it to work. I can't take days off on end to wait for a non-existant courier.......

Just noted- Aria in Manchester now have DPD down for deliveries. Thats it- no more computer gear from Aria for me.......

It would be nice if we could find a list of companies who use DPD for deliveries- so we could avoid them......... Does such a list exist?

pleasant Co.

smccarrick wrote: »

It would be nice if we could find a list of companies who use DPD for deliveries- so we could avoid them......... Does such a list exist?

I wish I thought parcelforce where the worst courier I had dealt with, until I had to use dpd a couple of times, it's funny now how calamitous an experience I had with them the last time I used them, but at the time I was raging - days (yes days/half days) off work due to an organized collection (confirmed by dpd each time) where the courier didn't show and their head office later said no collection had been organized for day "X" (this happened 3 times). Eventually cancelled the collection and used an alternative, over a week later DPD driver shows up to collect the cancelled collection, phones me at work asking where I am, he gets told the collection was cancelled over a week ago, isn't very polite, gets hung up on.

I would gladly pay more to avoid DPD, and just don't order from places I know that use them as their only courier.

ynul31f47k6b59

Some online beauty companies use DPD, I absolutely cannot deal with them, I live in a very rural area and always end up having to get someone to meet them in the nearest village (I don't drive).

Just a note - I haven't stopped using these companies, I've contacted them on twitter or via e-mail to ask them to please send my orders via An Post as I have difficulty with couriers.

Couriers in general do my head in. I point blank refuse to use Debenhams online because they use Nightline and the driver was the most ignorant man I'd ever dealt with, he said he was too busy to call out to my house and told me to either pick a shop in the town to leave my package in or he'd leave it in the petrol station. Appalling.

skinny90

To the young american lady in Born Clothing,headford road galway.
had my eyes on a pair of jeans in jack and jones for a while for about 70quid.After finally deciding to get them i found out that they where end of line and on clearance.All the JackJones either had no stock or didnt have my size. I stumbled into born to discover that all their menswear is Jack&Jones so i chanced my arm and asked the young lady whether she stocked them.She told me that they too where outta stock,however she told me to hold on a sec. after ringing 2 or 3 stores she came back to me and said she could get them posted up from another store.not only that but that they were on sale for 25quid!!!
Most stores wouldnt check their stockroom for a sale soo small,This lady went above and beyond for the business!great service



id give her a 9/10 also:cool:

Pink Fox

I know we should take good service as normal for a business but unfortunately that is more often not the case. If someone is very helpful and friendly to me, I like to tell the manager personally if he/she is on the premises or else drop a note. It can really boost a person to get a compliment and encourages them to keep up the good work.
Often you will find a good or bad attitude starts at the top.

Mr. G

Best: Dunnes Stores- I went in after an elderly relative had a fall in the store and ended up in hospital- she tripped off someones foot towards the exit. Thankfully there was a nurse (which was a coincidence) and the manager just barely got a phone number off of her. After that she lost all her confidence but likes to be independant, not the type that would like to be put in a home.

So we went in and asked a staff member for the manager, it turned out it was him. He had a piece of paper with him with our number and names and knew who we were. In fact he knew the whole story. They showed us the cctv and gave a card wishing her the best of her recovery. We also got his name and he said that if we ever had a problem just to contact him. Great service

PeteK*

Mr. G wrote: »

Best: Dunnes Stores- I went in after an elderly relative had a fall in the store and ended up in hospital- she tripped off someones foot towards the exit. Thankfully there was a nurse (which was a coincidence) and the manager just barely got a phone number off of her. After that she lost all her confidence but likes to be independant, not the type that would like to be put in a home.

So we went in and asked a staff member for the manager, it turned out it was him. He had a piece of paper with him with our number and names and knew who we were. In fact he knew the whole story. They showed us the cctv and gave a card wishing her the best of her recovery. We also got his name and he said that if we ever had a problem just to contact him. Great service

You're sure he's not worried you'll sue?
I'd imagine that's why he showed the CCTV of what had happened. :pac:

Mr. G

PeteK* wrote: »

You're sure he's not worried you'll sue?
I'd imagine that's why he showed the CCTV of what had happened. :pac:

I thought that aswell . We asked to see CCTV (he didn't mention it to us). He was quite casual and helpful and I didn't get the feeling he was afraid of us sueing, she had other falls before anyway.

Scar Tissue

Best: Redbubble.com

Bought a t-shirt for someone, but realised that the sizing charts they used were different from the American Apparel one that she checked, and it would be too small for her. Quick size change request form later on Saturday night, and I got a reply the Sunday morning promising me the updated size t-shirt will be sent asap, best of all was that they said I could keep the old one and use it/give to someone, even though it was my fault originally. Got a dispatch e-mail this morning and it didn't cost a cent. Delighted.

ibarelycare

Scar Tissue wrote: »

Best: Redbubble.com

Bought a t-shirt for someone, but realised that the sizing charts they used were different from the American Apparel one that she checked, and it would be too small for her. Quick size change request form later on Saturday night, and I got a reply the Sunday morning promising me the updated size t-shirt will be sent asap, best of all was that they said I could keep the old one and use it/give to someone, even though it was my fault originally. Got a dispatch e-mail this morning and it didn't cost a cent. Delighted.

I think I've posted about them in here before, great business, and so quick at getting back to you. I had exactly the same problem (my fault that I'd picked the wrong size) and exactly the same result. I've ordered from them a good few times since as a result.

Scar Tissue

ibarelycare wrote: »

I think I've posted about them in here before, great business, and so quick at getting back to you. I had exactly the same problem (my fault that I'd picked the wrong size) and exactly the same result. I've ordered from them a good few times since as a result.

I was impressed before, but they definitely made a repeat customer out of me after that

Babooshka

The Big Red Button wrote: »

Pacinos on Suffolk Street (at the bottom of Grafton St) has fantastic customer service. I've been there many times, never a bad experience, and the food is amazing too!

I once had a complaint, that my food took too long to arrive. They were very apologetic - did not charge me at all that day - and have given me a 20% discount many times since.

Would very much recommend them for lunch, for anyone working in the area.

I had my worst experience in there last week..after about 2 yrs of good eating experiences there, (mind you hadn't been in there for a good few months maybe the management has changed) Pizza was disgusting, pools of oil sitting on tasteless cheese and fatty bacon (or maybe pancetta as stated on the menu) I did a review on trip advisor and the manager replied but mainly just to argue the point (because I said I thought it was fatty rashers not pancetta).

I don't really care about who is right or wrong, maybe it was pancetta, either way, it was disgusting!! You'd think that listening to a customers views is more important than just shooting back a knee jerk reaction mail asserting that you, the management are right. He even said I was being unfair deciding not to go in again having had good experiences there previously...huh??? You're only as good as your last meal, and that was bloody rotten. Why would anyone go back and spend more money somewhere they had a sh*t meal? Also the staff were very evasive once they brought out the food it's like they deliberately avoided eye contact, and we had to make our way to the till to pay ourselves (probably because we left over half a pizza behind and we were sharing it!)

Downstairs also smelled of cheap disinfectant trying to cover the smell of something...else, when I went down to the loo...not a nice feel to it any more, was very disappointed, crappy-aye-oh.

fehin

Broke the latch on an 8 year old Brabantia 30l bin. Emailed info to them and within 4 days a new lid was delivered to my
home today, no proof of purchase required. If that's not living up to their warranty I don't know what else to say.
I'm very pleased with their service.