Useless staff at B&Q Trafford Park

rev_henry

My OH and her mother went to B&Q last weekend, while I was away, and bought a flat pack TV unit. When I returned on Monday the OH told me it needed to go back as one of the chipboard pieces was broken. I said OK fine, then on Tuesday called B&Q to ask, as the thing was quite bulky, would it be ok to just return the broken piece and replace it. The girl I spoke to said yes that would be fine, as either way they'd end up with one broken unit to send back or whatever they do with them (you can tell what's coming already can't you?!).

So we took just the broken piece back that day, went to the returns desk etc etc. The girl looked on the computer and first said, 'We don't stock this, did you order it in?' No, it was straight off the shelf. So she sent another woman to look for it, who after a few minutes, surprise surprise, found a pile of them, then went wandering round looking for someone or something I presume. Then after faffing around for a while, the original girl told us no, we'd have to bring the whole thing back. I told her one of her staff had already said that wasn't necessary and kicked up a bit of a fuss, but she didn't really care and just said 'Whoever's told you that's told you wrong' and that was that. So we went home, and the next day I called around all the B&Qs that were nearer than Trafford Park (we live on the other side of Manchester) to see if I could just take it there, but none of the 3 I called had this specific TV unit. So of course we had to fight to get all the bits in the car (as the packaging of course needed totally destroying to get into the thing), get sawdust all over the car take the whole thing back to Trafford Park. We then successfully exchanged it for an unbroken one without issue.

What annoyed me was the general attitude of the staff. They just didn't really care, and treated us like a nuisance, even though it was their product that was broken when we got it. The girl also made no effort to find out who'd 'told us wrong' and do something about it happening again. I also asked if they would come and pick the thing up and was of course told no.
Trafford Park must be one of their flagship stores as well, it was a huge B&Q warehouse place, albeit staffed by about 4 people it seemed.

I'm going to write to the manager as well, but thought they deserved a bit of internet badmouthing. Next time we'll know to go to Wickes or IKEA.

bosseyed

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Fat Barry stood at the returns desk in B&Q. The silence was almost a physical thing, a weight that pressed down upon his shoulders as he scanned the store, left then right. He sighed in frustration, the unused box of tiles now starting to pull on his shoulder muscles as he waited in vain by the returns desk for a member of staff to appear and process his reciept.
In the distance the gentle rumble of cars outside on the dual carriageway, inside just silence, oppressive, uncaring silence. Fat Barry grunted and hefted his box of tiles higher before setting off down to end of aisles 1-7 looking, searching, questing for someone, anyone in an orange apron. His trainered feet squeaked gently on the polished concrete floor as he strode to one end of the shop, then turned and lugged his tiles all the way back to the other end.
He stood, frustrated at the end of aisle 30 and then, suddenly, incredibly a flash of orange, glimpsed in the half light away down by aisle 4, screws and fixings. Barry set off, quickly now, almost scuttling along. He reached aisle 4, breathing hard. Fat Barry wasn't built for speed. Aisle 4 was deserted. His shoulders sagged and then a clatter, a crash and a manic chuckling that set his hair on end at the back of his sweaty neck - he spun to face the noise as a bucket rolled out of Aisle 6, painting and decorating materials. Barry calle out "Hello?" and the exposed metal cladding of the warehouse bounced his voice back to him, mocking him. He reached aisle 6. Nothing there. The bucket lolled brightly at his feet. A chucking from Aisle 7, the scuffling of feet and then Barry was running towards the noise, puffing and panting with the exertion - Aisle 7, brooms and sweeping equipment lay quiet and undisturbed and Barry lost his temper "Where the f**k are you! Show yourself! I just want to return these tiles!"
Barry started suddenly as the store speakers came on, muzak, The Girl from Ipanema and Barry spun again in a circle feeling the madness close in on him. He sank to his knees dropping the tiles. He squeezed his eyes tight to hold back the tears. A shadow fell over him and he glanced up. In front of him, resplendant in an orange apron stood Hello my name is Simon. Barry choked back his tears and proferred his hands to Hello my name is Simon. "Simon! Please!" help me, I just want to return thiese tiles" he motioned towards the broken heap at his side "Thats all I want to do and I've been wandering around here for days trying to find one of you orange b******s". Hello my name is Simon just stood there and then Barry noticed the slack jawed expression, the vacant eyes and his mind shattered like glass before a rock, tipping his body to the floor in a blubbering mess "Please, please please I just want to get my money back and goooooo" And Hello my name is Simon just stood there, like a lemon and smiled his mad smile as the muzak rose to a crescendo.

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:rotfl: Yes I'm bored. Essentially what I'm saying is be glad you even found a member of staff and when you did find one, they at least had some manner of functioning brain. Love B&Q and all the do for me.

GemJar_2

What do you expect with them working so close to 'the Swamp'? It literally sucks out braincells. I know because I live a 2 minute walk away from said swamp, my IQ is going down daily.

rev_henry

bosseyed that is wonderful!
gemjar do you mean the Trafford Centre or that area in general?!

GemJar_2

rev_henry wrote: »

bosseyed that is wonderful!
gemjar do you mean the Trafford Centre or that area in general?!

Manchester United ground actually