Bad customer service or just bad customers.

SlowCooker

Money-Saving-King wrote: »

The effect being?

You might get a voucher but as I said very little else probably happens.

After spending hours on the phone with clueless and/or rude cs, a voucher and an apology are better than nothing.

System

Morglin wrote: »

You would be surprised how effective a proper letter, addressed to a CEO can be

Do you realise that CEOs don't read these? Makes no difference as most companies all letters from customers are dealt by one department. Some companies, writing to the CEO only makes the letter take longer to reach that department.

Before anyone replies 'well i did get a letter from the CEO. But the chances are that the CEO wrote it is nil.

Most major companies have a correspondence team. I worked for one, though we did sign the letters by ourselves.

Linegeist

I think you’ll find that Britain has a continental reputation for studied rudeness in its service industry.

Herself and I have had the good fortune to live and work in several countries, and each time we’ve returned to the UK after a few years away, we’ve been struck by the markedly poor customer service culture here. How many times have you telephoned a CS number to be immediately greeted by the stock phrase, “Sorry, but we’re currently experiencing unusually high call volumes……”? What, every time I ring you??
Its sheer ubiquity makes me suspect that this phrase simply a euphemism for “We don’t actually have enough call centre staff because we’d have to pay for more – so you’ll just have to jolly well wait”.

I’ve given up expecting much in the way of service in the UK to the point where, when I DO get it, I make a point of writing to that company to tell them. Sadly, I don’t get to write that many complimentary letters. I don’t even complain much – there’s not much point because UK service providers have developed thick skins and thin veneers. You can FEEL the indifference, even on a telephone. Sadly it's a genie that, once let out of its bottle, is difficult to get back in .............

There seems to be a pervasive British attitude that customers are money on the hoof at the point of sale, and a PITA afterwards. Complaints departments are often just conveyer belts for brushing off complaints as cheaply as possible and helpdesks are staffed by the most cost-effective means possible – meaning product training as at the back of the skillsets required.

Is it surprising that British customers have become more aggressive/assertive and less forgiving? We try to save our big purchases for when we go back to France. That way, we don’t have to put up with the UK’s ‘Service with a veiled sneer” and we get to vote for decent service with our money.

Money-Saving-King

Linegeist wrote: »

Herself and I have had the good fortune to live and work in several countries, and each time we’ve returned to the UK after a few years away, we’ve been struck by the markedly poor customer service culture here

I think this is the rose tinted glasses effect. This has come up time & time again and many don't agree with this. My main experience is with the States and there is more or less no difference at all. One noticeable thing this year though is Walmart in the States. Now they've gone widespread with self service tills I've seen a number of very, very large Walmarts (If you've ever been to a USA Walmart you'll know what I'm on about for the size) over there with only 2 manned tills this year with queues about the size of UK Supermarket queues at Xmas!

Linegeist wrote: »

Is it surprising that British customers have become more aggressive/assertive and less forgiving? We try to save our big purchases for when we go back to France. That way, we don’t have to put up with the UK’s ‘Service with a veiled sneer” and we get to vote for decent service with our money.

Just a quick edit as I remember not too long ago possibly in the last 6 months this came up and one poster was particularly critical of the service in France. This is why I really do think that it is a rose tinted glasses effect. Are consumer rights laws are also superior to the EU ones.

Fosterdog

Linegeist wrote: »

I think you’ll find that Britain has a continental reputation for studied rudeness in its service industry

You'll also find that Britain also has a reputation for being quite stuck up, snobby and rude. Sometimes it's the attitude of the customer that is the problem.

Do you have any idea how often people in customer service roles are told "I know my rights, the sales of goods act says this, my solicitor told me that, i'm getting trading standards, I'm entitled to this, the customer is always right, everything in the UK has a six year warranty"

I get at least some of those on a weekly basis, the customers rarely have any clue at all what they are talking about when they say this stuff.

The customers I deal with who do actually know their rights don't ever have to quote them where I work because we explain from the start where we and they stand in a situation and what we will do to resolve it, they then have no need to enforce their rights because we do abide by the law (as do most UK businesses) and even go beyond what the law says.

I had a customer last week with a three year old PC full of viruses and he was threatening to call the police because he knew his rights and the PC we sold him three years ago was "faulty" and he was demanding a new one.

I had a customer the week before with a failed external hard drive, almost at the end of the two year warranty, demanding that we get the data back for her. She had failed to keep a backup of the data and the only copy she had was on the drive which had failed. We would swap the drive itself no problem but data always has been and always will be the users responsibility.

Another customer about a month ago came in with a faulty laptop, I could see in his hand he had a copy of the SoGA printed in a clear folder with certain parts highlighted. He had obviously done his research and come prepared for a fight. When my first words were, "not a problem sir, just bring in the laptop and I'll get it tested. We carry out some repairs in store and others we send to the manufacturer depending on the fault. We aim to complete in store repairs within three days, manufacturer repairs can take up to thirty days but are generally done in ten to fourteen days."

He didn't quite know what to say when I had just offered him everything he thought he would have to fight for. It turned out to be a faulty stick of RAM so he had it back the very next day with a new chip and full testing run overnight. I had the following day off work but came back to a thank you card and a box of chocolates. I had done my job, nothing more and nothing less, all customers get the same level of service but some demand and feel entitles to more/better.

If you go in with realistic expectations you will be pleasantly surprised at how well most companies deal with things. It's when you go in demanding this, that and the other and acting as if a faulty item is a personal slight against you and demanding a brand new item, plus £20000 compensation for the inconvenience that things go wrong.

System

Today I was in a supermarket. Whilst I was scanning my few items on self scan, there was a couple buying some reduced items. For some unknown reason, reduced items don't always register - customers just hear the beep and put in bagging area.

This couple had the unexpected item. The cashier overseeing the self scans explained to the couple about the above, took the reduced item that did not scan, and scanned it. The man snatched the product from the cashier shouting 'i'm not a child and don't speak to me like that'. The cashier backed off and the man kept on shouting 'i'm not a child...'. The poor cashier bit her lip throughout and it got to her. All she did was to explain that reduced items don't scan all the time.

The cashier was so shocked at the unwanted tirade of abuse that she left the shop floor to compose herself. Everyone else customers and staff around all backed the cashier.

All other customers either thank the cashier or have a little joke like 'stupid woman's referring about the female voice of the self scan.

There is no need to talk to anyone like that.

DevilsAdvocate1

CHRISSYG wrote: »

My peeve is when someone comes in for a refund with a partners card as our refunds require a signature or they say will my cards for the same account refund onto my card then err no can do !

I must admit, I don't understand this at all. I have a card on my husband's account. Both cards have the same PIN. If we're out and I haven't got my card, my husband gives me his and vice versa. There is no problem spending using his card as I know the PIN.

But then I want to take the item back and suddenly its noticed that the name on the card is a man's. So they won't do it without my husband there. I don't see who is being protected by refusing to do the refund especially as the card details match the purchase (as both cards are on the same account, this is not fraud).

Most companies just get you to put the card in the machine and the credit goes back on, but a handful make you sign. I can't understand why these companies want you to sign. What is the purpose of this or is it just a legacy from the previous system where you had to sign for both purchases and refunds?

DevilsAdvocate1

Littlestars wrote: »

The best one the other day was a customer who was given a purse as a present about a year ago and the zip went and wanted a replacement but had no proof of purchase nor could get this and was appalled by my customer service skills.

I tried to return a faulty pushchair once. I didn't have the receipt though I did have the credit card slip which proved I'd spent £220 in the store 3 weeks before. I didn't want a refund, I just wanted an exchange as I'd had it 3 weeks and one of the wheels had fallen off.

Anyway, the staff member said the same as you - that I couldn't prove I'd purchased the pushchair from there so they couldn't do anything. So I asked her if she was saying that I had stolen it. I then pointed to the pushchair on the display where a large sign said "New design, exclusive to xxxx" (where xxxx was the store name).

I was very polite throughout the process but I think the staff member thought this meant I could be walked over. It was only when I became angry (when she implied I must have stolen it) that the manager came over. I explained that it was embarrassing in a busy store that it had been implied I was a thief. At this point I was given a full refund in cash (I only wanted an exchange). I never shopped at this brand of store again despite having 2 more children. Prior to this I had been spending around £200 a month there.

So I don't agree that being polite always works. Sometimes they think you will be a pushover.

System

DevilsAdvocate1 wrote: »

I must admit, I don't understand this at all. I have a card on my husband's account. Both cards have the same PIN. If we're out and I haven't got my card, my husband gives me his and vice versa. There is no problem spending using his card as I know the PIN.

But then I want to take the item back and suddenly its noticed that the name on the card is a man's. So they won't do it without my husband there. I don't see who is being protected by refusing to do the refund especially as the card details match the purchase (as both cards are on the same account, this is not fraud).

Most companies just get you to put the card in the machine and the credit goes back on, but a handful make you sign. I can't understand why these companies want you to sign. What is the purpose of this or is it just a legacy from the previous system where you had to sign for both purchases and refunds?

When processing a sale I don't see or touch the customers card so if its being used by partner etc that's up to them, but our system only requires a signature for a refund.

It has to be the same card so the retailer can be refunded the sale processing fee the card issuer will have charged them at the point of sale.

Its not a left over procedure as we used to do chip and pin refunds but that was changed some time ago.

Esqui

Fosterdog wrote: »

Do you have any idea how often people in customer service roles are told "I know my rights, the sales of goods act says this, my solicitor told me that, i'm getting trading standards, I'm entitled to this, the customer is always right, everything in the UK has a six year warranty"

I have to wonder what sort of people go "Oh no, my laptop has stopped turning on. I will ring my solicitor at once!"


One trick I've usually found is that when people say "I know my rights" what they mean is "I have no idea what my rights are, I'm going to make something up to suit me." The people that actually do know their rights never have to make a point of telling you.