Unhelpful M&S customer service

opinions4u

Ms_Brush wrote: »

Thank you for answering, but I probably didnt explain myself properly here... it is only a crisis as in I havent had time to worry about my finances for the last couple of months, and my deals expired and I havent sorted them out because I have been using EVERY spare minute I can find to finish a disseration for my masters degree (the source of the debt, and yes, it does take up a lot of time that does include lunchtime, when I get one!).

Ok, many other people have busy lives too. They somehow manage to sort their affairs out with posting offensive comments about call centre staff - who probably don't earn a huge amount of money. There was a misunderstanding, driven by your assumptions. Get over it.

BTW, the main priority is graduating, funny enough, after spending £20k to get the qualification...

And good luck with that.

To get started with my finances, I decided to use this site to help... and Martin's guidance to get me going http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/cut-credit-card-interest - and as M&S apparently will offer existing customers better deals, I thought I'd try it out. It didnt work, but I didnt expect assumptions that I am stupid or sarcastic answers to my questions.... I was looking for some other idea how to get going.

You are the one who set the tone for this thread.

Now, has anyone got any sensible suggestions that dont entail spending an entire day on the phone?? Please?

You've had some helpful suggestions already.

I dont have an attitude

Seriously, you do. Life can be stressful and sometimes we prioritise different things, which is fine, but your attitude stinks to high heaven.

I agree that there have been some sensible suggestions (thank you for these)

And how many times have you clicked on the button to acknowledge them?

, but also some that made me even more cross than not being able to walk into my local bank on a saturday the way I used to until a few months ago. I spend all day dealing with issues and problems on the phone at work, so the last thing I want to do when I get home is start all over again.

So book a day off work. Have a lie in. Wander down to the bank mid-morning (make an appointment in advance though), have lunch with a friend, spend the afternoon giving the dissertation quality time.

I am not worried about my finances, because they are basically fine, but I dont want to be spending any more on interest than I need to, which I'm sure is the same as most people

Yet you can't find 10 minutes to talk to a call centre? It does only take 10 minutes. Not all day and all night as you seem to suggest.

- especially as there is a Tsunami is about to hit public sector finances and jobs.... So far, it is not possible to tell what this means to me personally, but I do feel the need to be ready just in case something does happen. And as I have been fortunate enough to never had credit card debt on the card after the rate expires, and certainly not debt on two cards at the same time, I was really not sure what to expect from the credit card co - and I thought (perhaps naively) that they would be helpful, which has always been my experience to date, but the woman I spoke to today really didnt seem to have a clue.

Pre-credit crunch they would almost certainly have had some sort of offer for you. The money has dried up, so they want to make a profit out of you now or see you leave. There is the simple choice. Pay the rate or move the debt to somewhere that wants your business at a lower price.

And as (I assume) no one listened in to my conversation, I would think it is slightly presumptious to make the assumption that the customer service was top notch and I was asking for something that was off-limits...

Who said the service was "top-notch"? But from what you've posted it does sound like you approached this expecting to be offered something. That assumption is what generated your attitude and tripped you up.

I basically know what is needed, and I was going to spend a few hours today trying to make a start. All that happened is I wasted ages trying to get through, then got no-where trying to do what had been suggested to reduce the burden of the debt, and getting a big headache to go with my frustration in dealing with financial institutions who have lost sight of the customers needs.

If the customer needs something that is going to lose the provider money, then it is a need that is best unmet.

For the more opinionated, perhaps you could think about how your answers might be perceived by others... My biggest mistake was asking for some support from people who clearly dont care what effect their thoughtless responses might have on other people. Quite frankly it doesnt bother me if people think I have a bad attitude because it really isnt important. But, I would think that some users of this site will get very upset with nasty comments and the righteous "dont you know anything" attitude - and that is not fair to anyone, especially those who have asked for advice in good faith.

You set the tone dear.

It may be worth considering how your attitude is perceived by others in the workplace. What with all these cuts coming you might find that those up the line blue-print the way forward unfavourably if you're not onside.

themull1

How are you 'inadvertently' overpaying £200 off your mortgage?

keith1950

Ms Brush, you have set the tone for this discussion by calling the call centre assistant an 'airhead'. Why on earth should M&S reduce your interest rate, you signed for a deal , now accept it or move your card. Why should you get better terms than everyone else , you certainly seem to consider yourself as 'special' and as others have said, you come across as being a very arrogant person and if you toned your attitude down and talked to people in a reasonable way they might be inclined to listen. It would appear from your tone that you are in fact the opinionated one here. I usually come on here to try and help people, but your attitude stinks.

exel1966

Ms_Brush wrote: »

I dont have an attitude, I am just seriously fed up with this site and a small number of users of it. I agree that there have been some sensible suggestions (thank you for these), but also some that made me even more cross than not being able to walk into my local bank on a saturday the way I used to until a few months ago. I spend all day dealing with issues and problems on the phone at work, so the last thing I want to do when I get home is start all over again.

Read the comments on this thread from all and try to learn from them. The attitude you apparently don't have is there for all to see. Maybe you don't realise and are ignorant of it, maybe it's just arrogance ? How do you think other people manage ? They get on with it without whinging about it. You don't have everything the way YOU want it. It's called life !

but I didnt expect assumptions that I am stupid or sarcastic answers to my questions.... I was looking for some other idea how to get going.

You've had plenty of advice and as already pointed out and not thanked anyone for it. A quick read of the other threads you've participated in shows 2 common themes from you. You never thank anyone and you have a bad attitude.

Now, has anyone got any sensible suggestions that dont entail spending an entire day on the phone??

What kind of time zone are you in ? 5-10 minutes perhaps, 15 if you're unlucky, get real ! How much time have you dedicated to venting here ? Time which would have been far more productive making a few calls. Speaking of sarcasm, am I sensing some sarcasm in your tone? Pot, kettle, black !

For the more opinionated, perhaps you could think about how your answers might be perceived by others...

It's evident for all to see that perhaps you're the one who should be thinking even more carefully as you're attitude and arrogance stinks! Are we all wrong ? It's not going to do you any favours when :-

there is a Tsunami is about to hit public sector finances and jobs

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To recap some of the advice given ;-

1. Obtain another 0% card to BT.
2. Overpay the card to clear it quicker, not the mortgage.
3. Use any spare funds to start paying off the debt with the highest APR, while keeping up minimum payments on the rest.
4. And the most important, lose the bad attitude and you'll find people more accomodating to your needs.

Good Luck !