Making Complaints

glitter123

Who would you normally complain to about customer service particularly in chain stores?

Do you just contact customer services or do you go higher?

I recently had a problem with a major supermarket. Made my complaint to their customer services and received a reply basically saying sorry but theres nothing we can do about it. I then escalated to the CEO and on the same day got a call from someone in his office saying he didn't understand why customer told me X because that clearly wasn't right and he rectified it immediately.

Also do you always say what you want? A friend of mine works for customer services for a high street chain and she says they only give compensation to those who ask (even when the company is in the wrong). Bascially if you don't ask you don't get.

jenniewb

I always complain if something gets to me enough. However I am normally plugged into an MP3 player so alot just goes over my head. I do think though that the reason I complain is due to having worked on the shop floor and in customer service for a collective 4-5 years. It taught me alot about how things work but more importantly for some reason, made me value customer service alot more. It costs the staff nothing to smile or to be pleasant and give full attention to whomever they are dealing with- its not alot to ask! In response though I would expect customers to act accordingly- not to be on a mobile phone when being served (this I class as rude) and not to talk down to staff. I don't do any of those things so I'd expect the same degree of respect back.

I have complained several times to various stores when I feel staff are out of order. I don't do it for compensation, I do it to name names and to give feedback. I can only hope that if others do similar that bad staff will be spoken to and hopefully will change their ways.

mum2one

Its go through the chain of command, usually it gets sorted out in store, but I have taken complaints through to head office espically after a rather bad supermarket experience, (I'm on crutches, so not the fastest), I asked the cashier could she put them throu in 2 transactions, one was school clothing, the way I got treated was appealing I was in tears.......
I left it with the store, for about 6 weeks, kept getting palmed off with head office are aware, got hold of head office, they knew nothing about it, a week later a £30 gift voucher as an apology.

Most places will want to keep it at store level as it basically can be swept under the carpet.

I've been known to contact my local paper on a couple of ocassions, thou trying to drape my "plus size" body over the bonnet of the car with a dodgy sat nav..... not a pretty site, but by heck it worked.

On the other hand thou if I've had really good service, I will make a point of saying thank you, and if theres a manager around, will go and say how impressed I was.