B & Q- who to complain to ?

John_Pierpoint

Having read this none too wonderful thread, I am surprised someone who works for B&Q is not prepared to defend then.
[Even HMRC has members of staff who try to defend the indefensible, like: Write a letter and have it read in 10 weeks time if you are lucky]

So I'm not too hopeful that anyone can explain this situation:

We have two B&Q's one about 10 miles in one direction the other about 10 miles the other way. Let us call them East and West.

DW is on a project to renovate our fitted bedroom.
One method is to give the existing units new handles.

So two or three weeks ago, during the 20% off campaign, DW finds suitable handles in B&Q West.
But Oh dear we need three boxes of handles and the branch only has one box left in stock.
"No problem - we will put the other two on back order and you should be able to pick them up within 10 days".

By chance we went into East today and blow me they have several boxes on the shelves.

So let us 'phone West and see what the score is:
"Oh dear did we not get back to you? We have had some more in and sold them!"

"Not to worry we are in East branch, so we can pick them up here, lucky we phoned you"

"You cannot do that you will lose your 20% discount!"

"So you are saying we have to make an unnecessary 20 mile round trip just to collect two boxes of handles from B&Q W instead of B&Q E?"

"Yes that is right that is the system".

"So when will you be getting in some more handles?"

"Well we should be getting one more box next week?"

At this point DW seemed to think this was a reasonable situation and I was being difficult.

[As I see it I could have had two choices:
Chuck two boxes of handles over the back fence and then go back to the till and ask them what they wanted to do about it.
"Yes officer B&Q has had my money and here is my receipt"
or
I buy two extra boxes of handles and when the handles eventually arrive from B&Q West I take them back to B&Q East and ask for my money back but that is another 20 mile round trip.]

The only similar situation like this I remember was in communist Cuba, where two hotel managers in different branches of the same chain were trying a similar "It is the system" and getting a small party of us to pay twice.
I chose the first of the two options above and simply sat there saying "I am waiting for you to call the police and have me taken away" - funny thing manager two backed down.

Any B&Q insiders care to comment ?

cs7bad

They are useless

Don't even enter the shop / go to the store

Save time, aggro, and stay happy!

Shop somewhere else!!!

John_Pierpoint

Just for the record, someone in B&Q West did get the handles transferred and next time we were passing we collected them.
Like a lot of big organisations there are individuals who "go the extra mile" but the systems are not set up to reward the responsible workers and identify responsibilities.

Do it once and get it right is my philosophy.

biscit

If a complaint is serious enough, I think it's worth writing a formal letter and sending in through the post rather than just sending an email.

havenoclue

We had B and Q install a Cooke and Lewis Oak kitchen late November 2010. It is now Novemeber 2011 and we are still having issues. Once we have sorted this one out - which had the potential to cause a fire - I will never deal with B and Q again.

Along with the mulit-tude of issues over the last year - including warning them the above would happen at some point. I have decided to re-name B and Q ..... Bodgit and Quick

Friday1974

i went to B&Q today to purchase a saw some blades and some wood, i placed these items all on there wounderful!!!! trolleys and the blades i placed on the top of the box which contained the new saw had gone.

i was in a rush to get back to work and i just went and payed at the counter i then got asked to look in the box which contained my new saw and there were the blades i believed to have fallen off the trolley.

i then got ask to follow the store manager and the security chap and then was quized to why the blades were in the box and all i could do was say they must hve fellin to the box when i was pulling the rickety old trolley surely they new this was a mistake but no i am now banned from B&Q and have also be told that i might get a letter from a cival court to pay for there time.

What a crock it was a pure mistake and now they have lost a very upset customer.

why is it the inocent always get blamed.

Homebase it is all the way for me from now on.

thanks B&Q for making see the light of your great customer service.

ThumbRemote

Yes, but did you get to keep the blades?

Friday1974

no i didnt plus if the power tool i brought break i have been told because i have been banned i cant take it back

i have a receiot surely they cant do this as its against my rights