Ex WREN employee turns whistleblower

Laz123

Four candles or fork handles?

totallybonkers

I am currently arguing with them about the delivery of my kitchen - one of their team, somewhere along the line, brought forward the delivery date, stating that we had requested this. THIS IS A TOTAL LIE! After having confiormation from a saleman in store last week that the kitchen delivery was postoned, low and behold it still arrives this morning, so we refuse it. This salesman is now denying he told us this, and HQ are taking their word over ours, and now we have been given one of two "resolutions" - either accept a redelivery of the kitchen today, which is impossible, or pay a storage and redlivery charge for their courier to deliver in a weeks time. None of these resolve my issue, in that their whole process has been built on lies; they cannot provide evidence of these calls taking place, and as such are believing their word over ours. Avoid Wren like the plague. This is before we have even received our kitchen....

Downdraft_Extractor

Regards first post in this thread

I am an ex employee too, I'm a very experienced kitchen designer and I admit I was using Wren as a earn money whilst passing time before moving to another company a few months later.

Like all new starts it was off to the training course to a hotel weighed down with stories of how to be on your best behaviour and you are being watched at all times. Oh, we were being watched all the time

The course had three experienced designers and the rest were unqualified inexperienced, and in some cases, so completely out of their depth I did wonder how they managed to tie their own shoe laces

The company, in my opinion is like a cult

The quality control is laughable

The waste factor is enormous

The fitters dictate what happens in store for schedules and many are average at best

The managers spend almost all day dealing with problems

From the day I started I fielded phone calls all day every day from furious customers

The contract is a nonsense (I still made some good money because I am good at designing and selling)

Ethically it is shocking, it is the hardest of sells dressed up in the most beautiful showrooms backed up by a culture of fear and intimidation. Thank goodness I was using this place as a stop gap. I quickly realised that I couldn't work there for any length of time

I was told I couldn't phone HR but had to go through management with any private queries. That's just one of many things.

The crucial thing in consumer sales is quality, service and value for money. Truthfully, when the product is right and comes complete and you get the best fitter, then yes, their kitchens are all three of the above.

The main point though is "when". Sadly from my 6 month experience with Wren, "when" was a very rare occurrence.

I'm not disgruntled, I made good money, I had a good laugh, I managed my projects as best I could to avoid the total breakdown of communication and authority.

Just be very careful

PS. It also helps when working for Wren if you are of a certain gender with a certain colour of long hair wearing high heels and nice clothes and a senior member of the company "structure" takes a shine to you

Tainted_Chihuahua

I can understand why some would consider the O/P's post as that of an embitter employee but it is all true.

Wren is a pseudo direct sell operation full stop.

I am also an ex-employee, an Author and developed at web site with impartial advice. At one time I was in the top ten designers in the south region for Wren. For a short period of time I was an Area Installations Manager for them.

Wren's problem is that they have expanded too quickly. They are trying to do too much, too fast with too few people.

There are some very dedicated and competent staff who can provide some excellent results but they are in short supply, and many have left.

At this time I would warn anyone to think very carefully before approaching Wren and defiantly would not use the installation service - it doesn't exist.

Tainted_Chihuahua

Jmacca1975 wrote: »

Do you know who wren buy handles from?

Some are from Hafele but you can get most of them from places like Screwfix, Ironmongery Direct and Marches.

In fact just Google Kitchen Handles and loads turn up :A

VanessaKim

Hi there, I'm fighting for compensation for the 6 months of hell we have been through with Wren. Has anyone been successful in claiming and got any advice for me? I would be so grateful for any help.
Thankyou.

neilmcl

VanessaKim wrote: »

Hi there, I'm fighting for compensation for the 6 months of hell we have been through with Wren. Has anyone been successful in claiming and got any advice for me? I would be so grateful for any help.
Thankyou.

A bit of detail would be nice?

Tainted_Chihuahua

VanessaKim wrote: »

Hi there, I'm fighting for compensation for the 6 months of hell we have been through with Wren. Has anyone been successful in claiming and got any advice for me? I would be so grateful for any help.
Thankyou.

I used to fight compensation claims (not with Wren) and on rare occasions right up to solicitor level. Basically you will only win compensation for:

Personal injury.
Loss or damage caused by company employee's
Out of pocket expenses such as having to spend nights in hotel because home could not be used due to their incompetence.

Other items such as vet bills caused by noise of power tools giving the cat anxiety attacks, and the mental stress caused by fitters walking in house in a racist fashion (both genuine compensation claims thrown at a company) don't really get very far.

ionians1965

Like many others, we were impressed by the spacious Wren showroom, excellent kitchen displays and detailed design service.

And so the nightmare began in October 2014 when we handed over £22000 in cash for a kitchen and utility room. As of today, 18th April 2015 we are still not happy and the job is not complete.

Poor quality cabinets, atrocious fitting, staff who do not care or do their jobs in the stores or at head office etc etc. The list goes on and on. I have so far come across 4 ex Wren fitters and their stories about life working for Wren would shock you.

Nobody ever rings you back as promised and they have an excuse for every reason and let's face it - you are not going to buy another kitchen soon so what do they care, they don't have to deal with you ever again.

Our biggest mistake other than trusting a big company was paying in cash in full - if they needed a sign off signature on a completion form to get paid from the finance company you can bet they would be more eager to finish the job.

DO NOT place your dreams with Wren kitchens - go to a small local business who appreciates you as a customer and will be good to their word. Good luck.

SavvySparky

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

I'm still suspicious of your agenda in posting as you have.

As a recently become ex appliance installer, on the Wren installation contract, I can safely verify that the author of this post is entirely correct. This is based on my experience of going to customers houses to install their delayed (significantly) appliances.
The stories I've been told by customers about the shoddy fitting, terrible customer Service. But above all, some of the kitchen fittings have been laughable. My kids could have done better in some cases... I kid you not!

I'm really surprised there aren't more whistle-blowers from this truly awful company.

I have qualms about libel ever being called on this subject, because knowing what I do now, about Wren, then I will tell all of you, including the naysayers and trolls....if you want to play pot luck with this company, then do so at your own risk, because I have seen very few complete success stories, when it comes to Wren.

This company should be put into liquidation, pure and simple!