Laura Ashley... very unhelpful customer Services

rainbowaftertherain

Hopefully this is the right section, could anyone give me some advice please.
In January I ordered a Charlotte bed frame and mattress from the website of Laura Ashley.
They arrived in April, as they had a three month waiting list! I have had the product for 3 weeks. The mattress is so uncomfortable, it is like sleeping on the floor, it has no give at all. We end up with a bad neck and back. We decided to give it a try incase it was just us getting used to it, but moved back into our spare bed. It is impossible to lie comfortable on it, even with a topper that we have purchased.
I contacted the customer services (who are curt, unhelpful and basically say... tough we are not interested) and explained. They said they could do nothing.
I emailed and lodged a complaint, got the same answer sorry but you have used the mattress (for 7 nights in total), not our problem its all about perception!! whatever that means???
I have again emailed to say I am appauled at their attituded, no one has asked any questions or investigated as we had tested the mattress instore and it is not the same one, its impossible to sleep on. They have said basically they are not interested.
Originally the mattress and bed was £1k and we got it in the sale for £500. We have wasted our money as the mattress is of no use at all.
We are stuck as where to go now or what our rights are as Laura Ashley are having nothing at all to do with it, or even suggest any help or guidance. We feel very let down by them.

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.. thank you all.

Pinkypants

I would start by writing to the company and asking nicely for someone to come out and at very least have a look at the mattress. Especially as you say it is different from the one you tired in the shop. The mattress in the shop, was it on the same frame as you purchased? It may have been on a sprung edge divan base, which will make it feel softer then on sprung slats.

In terms of perception, they are saying that what is firm or soft to one person is not always the same to everyone else.

Sorry to say that you have no real legal rights that I can see, but good customer service should kick in and they should at very least look at the mattress for you.

Is it this bed by any chance? http://www.homestagingconsultants.co.uk/Laura-Ashley-Furniture-Sale.htm

Sorry to say it's never worth £1000.

Keep pushing I think you may have sent me the wrong mattress line as this one is much harder.

Wish you luck with it.

rainbowaftertherain

Hi Pinkypants
Thank you so much for your kind advice.
Yes it is the same bed... and alot cheaper!
The one we tested in the shop was the same bed that was delivered, but the mattress is solid on our bed with no give.
I have requesteed that someone come out and see the mattress, which they say they will agree to after the bank holiday, I think they are getting fed up of my emails and think they will get rid of me that way. But they say the answer will be the same and there is nothing they can do.

I do not hold out much hope.. we will probably have to fork out for a new mattress.

Still lesson learnt, I 'was' a loyal Laura Ashley customer.... but not anymore! :mad:

Kind wishes and enjoy the long weekend.

boonkoh

Just had an encounter with Laura Ashley customer services myself relating to a sofa delivery, and as you said, they’re professional – but extremely unhelpful and a bit arrogant.

Basically, the van turned up, but couldn’t deliver because it was too big for the road, and for health and safety and insurance couldn’t leave the van unattended. I’m annoyed because I had to take a day off work. They want to charge me £60 – said it was in their “Terms & Conditions”, which is 2,600+ words long. Said I should have known of any delivery van restrictions on the road and the fact that they can’t leave the van unattended.

WHAT!!!

So they’re now expecting the consumer, who probably doesn’t have a clue about big delivery vans, if it can fit on the road and also details of the delivery company not allowing them to leave it unattended? Also I was told “well, the van size was in the T&Cs” (not even sure if it’s actually there) and basically implied that I had to work it out myself if the van could fit.

Surely you should train your delivery team, who are the experts, to confirm over the phone when setting the delivery date if the van is able to fit on the street or not.

The fact that Laura Ashley are still trying to wrangle £30 after all the inconvenience and unhelpfulness is making me think of going all the way to court or OFT and not accept a compromise.