Windscreen repairs - bad service

silverwatch

I am after having the worse consumer experience of my life.

I got a chip on my windscreen over the weekend and I called my insurance to find out what company they have an agreement with to repair the chip.

Unsure if I am allowed to name the company here but they were so rude. The woman on the phone consistently called me by the wrong name and was very abrupt with me on the phone. I am 25. Imaging if an elderly lady called her.

She advised me that someone else would call me after lunch. The person who called me (and I am not being racist or judgemental here) had not two words of English. On their website it says that the service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The man on the phone advised me that this is only the case in the event of an emergency and that they are only available Mon-Fri 9-5. I pushed the issue and he then said that they have a depot that's opened on Saturdays. I asked would I need an appointment and he said that 'No it is only available Mon-Fri'. @ this point I was starting to loose my patience a little and he then advised me that he had me booked in for Saturday. He didn't even tell me what time it was for. I asked where the depot was and he was unable to direct me.

If the website says that the service is available 24/7 without specifying that this is on an emergency only basis then surely this is false advertising!

whippet

silverwatch wrote: »

The person who called me (and I am not being racist or judgemental here) had not two words of English. On their website it says that the service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The man on the phone advised me that this is only the case in the event of an emergency and that they are only available Mon-Fri 9-5. I pushed the issue and he then said that they have a depot that's opened on Saturdays. I asked would I need an appointment and he said that 'No it is only available Mon-Fri'. @ this point I was starting to loose my patience a little and he then advised me that he had me booked in for Saturday. He didn't even tell me what time it was for. I asked where the depot was and he was unable to direct me.

well first of all, as you managed to paraphrase the majority of your conversation I would classify your comments as being racist, especially as you said he didn't have two words of english.

I have had to deal with a few of these companies down through the years after being referred by the insurance company and never had a problem.

You must understand that you are not the customer of the repair company. Your insurance company is the customer as they will be paying them. The emergancy 24 hour service is more than likely for customers who are paying the full rate directly as opposed to people who will be using the service through their insurance company. The insurance company will have negotiated a special level of service for a heavily discounted price, I would be quite sure this wouldn't be a 24hour service.

If you have cause for complaint check out what service level was offered in your insurance policy ... as you paid your insurance company the contract is with you and them.

I am sure if you were paying out of your own pocket you would have been offered the 24 hour service.

keithclancy

whippet wrote: »

well first of all, as you managed to paraphrase the majority of your conversation I would classify your comments as being racist, especially as you said he didn't have two words of english.

I have had to deal with a few of these companies down through the years after being referred by the insurance company and never had a problem.

You must understand that you are not the customer of the repair company. Your insurance company is the customer as they will be paying them. The emergancy 24 hour service is more than likely for customers who are paying the full rate directly as opposed to people who will be using the service through their insurance company. The insurance company will have negotiated a special level of service for a heavily discounted price, I would be quite sure this wouldn't be a 24hour service.

If you have cause for complaint check out what service level was offered in your insurance policy ... as you paid your insurance company the contract is with you and them.

I am sure if you were paying out of your own pocket you would have been offered the 24 hour service.

Worst post ever.

1. The Company are getting 'the full rate' from the Insurance Company.
2. The OP was given conflicting information over the phone, was open saturday, then wasn't, then was.
3. The OP wanted a Chip repaired, the whole point is that its repaired quickly so that a windscreen replacement is unnecessary.

I'd ring and ask to speak to a Manager, get an address to send a letter of complaint to. That way they can examine where the problem is with their service and improve it.

Would also let the insurance company know as they recommend and have some sort of agreement with this company.

whippet

i'll a have a go at this point by point

keithclancy wrote: »

Worst post ever.

really?

1. The Company are getting 'the full rate' from the Insurance Company.

Have you any evidence of that, no insurance company in their right mind would put this volume of business through at the 'full rate'

2. The OP was given conflicting information over the phone, was open saturday, then wasn't, then was.

Trying to deciper the OP, it seems like the depot that they wanted wasn't open on a saturday but there was an alternative

3. The OP wanted a Chip repaired, the whole point is that its repaired quickly so that a windscreen replacement is unnecessary.

a day or two isn't going to be a massive issue in this regard

I'd ring and ask to speak to a Manager, get an address to send a letter of complaint to. That way they can examine where the problem is with their service and improve it.

as always this is the best option, but I Would advise the OP use fact and bullet points rather than ramblings, rambiling complaints rarely get any proper consideration


Would also let the insurance company know as they recommend and have some sort of agreement with this company.

Its more than a recommendation, the insurance company have a contract with the repair company and will send their insurance customers there to have it repaired and will pay the bill. The insurance company is the CUSTOMER in this example not the OP. The OP is a customer of the insurance company

silverwatch

whippet wrote: »

i'll a have a go at this point by point

@ what point did I say that I wanted another depot that was opened on Saturday? I didn't.

All I wanted to know was if anyone could repair it at the weekend as I work Mon-Fri 9-5.

Also, if I am a customer, not of the windscreen repair company and only of the insurance company, why am I in receipt of their services and not the insurance company?

Thanks for your advice though and in light of this I will address my complaint to the insurance company seeing as though I appear to be a customer of theirs. Had not thought of it from that angle.

whippet

silverwatch wrote: »

@ what point did I say that I wanted another depot that was opened on Saturday? I didn't.

Sorry that was the impression I got from your original post

silverwatch wrote: »

Also, if I am a customer, not of the windscreen repair company and only of the insurance company, why am I in receipt of their services and not the insurance company?

The insurance company would be subcontracting the windscreen repair services to this company to provide the service to you. Much like an online retailer would be subcontracting the delivery of your order to the likes of UPS / DHL etc. as the retailler wouldn't have delivery vans of their own.

silverwatch wrote: »

Thanks for your advice though and in light of this I will address my complaint to the insurance company seeing as though I appear to be a customer of theirs. Had not thought of it from that angle.

If I were you I would forward a letter of complaint to the insurance company and CC the manager of the repair company. But I would be careful as to how it is worded. Using language like 'didn't have two words of english' etc .. is emotive, objective and will not help your case.

I would also seek clarification of what service level the company have agreed with the insurance company. It might well be the case that the insurance company have agreed the 24 hour service but the repair company may be chancing their arm not providing it as they would take a chance that the end user (the insurance claimant) might not be too pushed as they are not actually paying directly for the service.

keithclancy

whippet wrote: »

Have you any evidence of that, no insurance company in their right mind would put this volume of business through at the 'full rate'

To have a chip replaced costs around 15 euros in store and 30-40 euros for mobile service, there is no discounted rate. I recieve a copy of the invoice as a customer that is forwarded to the insurance company.

whippet wrote: »

a day or two isn't going to be a massive issue in this regard

Have seen two Windscreens go within a day of a chip, my own included. Any kind of knock can cause it to crack, especially when its very cold or very warm weather.

Its in the Insurance companies best interest to get a Chip fixed as a Windscreen replacement (necessary if crack is over 5cm) will be necessary.

Your logic is flawed, If I have Health or Pet Insurance and the Vet/Doctor paralyses myself or my dog I have to go complain to the Health Insurance company because i'm not the Customer.

Or for example if I got a new laptop via house insurance and there was an issue with it, i'd have to go to my Home insurance company and get them to deal with it ?

Dymo

whippet wrote: »

well first of all, as you managed to paraphrase the majority of your conversation I would classify your comments as being racist, especially as you said he didn't have two words of english.

People like jumping on this bandwagon and calling everyone racist, I think it's natural to expect someone employed to do a service to be able to communicate properly.

dudara

Posters - stop bickering and answer the question at hand. As far as I can see it, the OP's real issue relates to the possibility of false advertising.

dudara