Tesco Click and Collect - Making a complaint - Advice needed!

Happy_bunny

Booked a Tesco click and collect order for today and had a complete nightmare so want to make a complaint but have no idea where to start - Looking for a few pointers and who/where to complain to - any and all advice welcome!

Made note on order that I would be arriving on the hour, during my lunch. Actually arrived 15 minutes or so early due to light traffic, on arrival pressed the intercom buzzer and heard an auto message saying 'staff advised and would be out shortly' - at the same time staff member came out and said the message has been heard and colleagues would be out shortly - he was on lunch.

Waited till 12, thinking maybe there was an issue as I stated an exact time but still nothing - pressed the buzzer every few minutes till 12.15, no staff emerged - a driver going in said he'd give them a shout but still nothing.

Went to store customer service who spent 10 mins trying the internal system for the department but no answer at all, either the warehouse or managers line being answered! Duty manager in store advised me they can rearrange 'if you come back later' - dunno how as they couldn't get hold of anyone?!

Told CS desk that I had to leave - was picking up order, dropping home and off to work, by now I was going to be late for work so wouldn't have time to drop off and loads of fresh and frozen so couldn't leave it in the car.

Called Tesco call centre who apologised and told me they can get the order cancelled 'by midnight as you will not have collected it' and that my bank would be refunded - this 'can take up to seven days, usually within 5'!

So net result, no order, a wasted hour in time and petrol and had to go elsewhere to do a mini shop just for lunch stuff and can't afford now to do a big shop till the refund arrives meaning limited shopping budget!

Sorry for the length but really do need to vent my annoyance!:mad:

redfox

we move threads if we think they’ll get more help elsewhere (please read the forum rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com"]forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

[Deleted User]

I think this should have been moved instead to the Praise & Vents board.

There is no Consumer Rights issue here. The OP simply wants to complain about what they regard as poor customer service. Click and Collect services are an extra which retailers currently offer, but they are not legally obliged to provide them within an hour of ordering...

The refund takes a few days to be returned to the customer's account and the circumstances are really no different than if the OP had ordered something which was out-of-stock...

unholyangel

Moneyineptitude wrote: »

I think this should have been moved instead to the Praise & Vents board.

There is no Consumer Rights issue here. The OP simply wants to complain about what they regard as poor customer service. Click and Collect services are an extra which retailers currently offer, but they are not legally obliged to provide them within an hour of ordering...

The refund takes a few days to be returned to the customer's account and the circumstances are really no different than if the OP had ordered something which was out-of-stock...

I dont think OP meant it was within an hour of ordering. I read it as he'd ordered the goods at some point before and made a note that he would be arriving at 12 noon (on the hour).

Of course there is possibility of breach of contract/damages (even if you dont have to do something, if you offer to do it as part of a legally binding contract then you're bound to do it), but only for the petrol money at most. And I include "at most" because OP could potentially mitigate losses by collecting while doing their weekly shop.

Any complaint about the refund stopping them from buying a "big" weekly shop is a waste of time - because if the contract had been completed correctly, they wouldn't be getting that money refunded.

Tbh if OP complains again, tesco will probably send him a £10 voucher which would cover petrol costs & then some.

Fosterdog

I've not heard of Tesco Click and Collect on groceries before, not available in my area but just had a quick look at the T&Cs, it says that you are supposed to book a collection slot before ordering, did you do this? What slot did you book?

I only ask as you mention adding a note to say 12pm and not that 12pm was your officially booked slot. How long are their slots? 10 mins, 1 hour, 4 hour? How many people can book the same slot?

[Deleted User]

Fosterdog wrote: »

I only ask as you mention adding a note to say 12pm and not that 12pm was your officially booked slot.

Yes, it does appear as if the OP had not actually booked anything, but simply believed or hoped that adding a "note" would suffice. It's likely a 12pm booking slot was not actually available...

While this does not excuse him not being attended to by someone at the Desk, it does go someway to explain why he was subsequently told by a Manager that he'd have to come back later..

Companies need to make it harder for customers to misunderstand how to use "Click and Collect". I've known people to make a "Click and Collect" purchase in the car park outside and then proceed to wonder why their items weren't immediately ready when they walked inside!

naedanger

Fosterdog wrote: »

I've not heard of Tesco Click and Collect on groceries before, not available in my area but just had a quick look at the T&Cs, it says that you are supposed to book a collection slot before ordering, did you do this? What slot did you book?

I only ask as you mention adding a note to say 12pm and not that 12pm was your officially booked slot. How long are their slots? 10 mins, 1 hour, 4 hour? How many people can book the same slot?

At my local Tesco's click and collect service for groceries you must book a two hour slot before your order is accepted. You can then turn up at any time in that 2 hours and your shopping will be ready to collect. I don't know how many can book the same slot but the most that has ever been ahead of me is two cars, usually I don't wait at all but that may be partly because I have found a good time to arrive.

It sounds like the op's service is slightly different as at my local store it is always manned and you never need to ring for service.

verityboo

You have to select a time slot or you can't pay

I think the OP just made the point on the order that the time slot was 12 to 2 say, and they would arrive bang on 12

Pretty poor of Tesco to sell time slots but not have staff available (but from our experience of Tesco not surprising!)

agrinnall

Assuming you actually want an answer to your question rather than just an opportunity to vent, then most Tesco contact details are on this page:


https://www.tesco.com/help/contact/


although I note that doesn't include social media, which you might want to consider.

[Deleted User]

agrinnall wrote: »

Assuming you actually want an answer to your question rather than just an opportunity to vent

None of us know which forum this was originally posted in, but I agree it sounds rather more like a vent than a question about Consumer Rights.

Happy_bunny

Thanks for al the replies - To clarify I booked within a 2 hour slot when ordering/paying and added the 'Will arrive at 12' note as I thought this might be helpful to the staff!

TBH I'd love to know if I can make an official complaint and to whom? Just a general one to customer service? Would that do?