Lidls customer service and chocolate teapots

Guss

I've been missing my Milbona Natural Yoghurt Full Fat 1Kg pots for coming up to 2 months now from my local West Sussex Worthing and Littlehampton Lidl stores. When I queried the staff they basically had no idea and when I sent an email to Lidl Customer Support this was their reply...


Re: Big Pot Full Fat Natural Yogurt
Thank you for enquiring regarding the availability of the above item.
I have checked our systems and can confirm that this item should be available in your area. I recommend that you visit your local store as I am unable to provide current stock level information.
Thank you again for your contact.
Yours sincerely,
For and on behalf of Lidl UK GmbH

Janine Melville
Customer Service



Okay so they are completely clueless that this has not been in stock for ages!!! Staff confirmed this product hasn't been in stock for the last few months AND lots of customers according to the store assistant I spoke to, were querying what had happened to it.

God help us if Lidls put the likes of Waitrose, Sainsburys, Tescos, etc out of business because at least they give from okay to excellent customer service. I'm worried it will be a case of the lowest common denominator will rule.

Doc_N

Lidl customer service is, I agree, appalling - and considerably worse than Aldi's.

It's the price you pay for low prices, I suppose, but by choice I'd always shop at Aldi. It's a smaller, much older, store than the bright spanking new Lidl, but I just find Lidl so poor at customer service of any kind that I avoid it when I can.

Eenymeeny

I don't know if it's any help but I've just purchased Milbona Whole Milk Organic Natural Yogurt 500g size in my local South Tyneside store. It's labelled as new and I think that it's the first time I've seen it there as I usually have to buy organic from Morrisons as Lidl's didn't stock it?
Maybe they are trying it in different areas so ran out of stock?
I don't know if it's the same product and realise that you are asking about the larger size but just a thought.

VfM4meplse

Doc_N wrote: »

Lidl customer service is, I agree, appalling

I've not found it so. My use has been restricted to product suggestions and praise for the staff though, they did get feedback back to the store quickly for me.

Aldi I agree does offer good CS. Unfortunately with most companies the CS function is never a consideration until you have to engage with the process! That is what makes or breaks a customer's decision to keep purchasing.

System

Aldi need a separate CSD - not manned all the time. Bought an electrical item which became faulty. I had to have the refund done on a checkout and awaiting a manager's approval whilst several pieces of paper were filled in. Could feel the customers in the checkout queue tutting at me. Don't blame me, blame Aldi

The experience has put me off buying more electrical items from Aldi again.

Guss

Got a response a couple of days ago as follows...


Re: Availability of Big Pot Full Fat Natural Yogurt
Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding the above item.
This item is not available in our stores at the moment and I am unable to provide a specific date for its return. I am hopeful that this will be available in the future. I am sorry for any confusion caused by our previous email. In the meantime, I have noted your interest in this item.

Thank you again for contacting us.

Yours sincerely,
For and on behalf of Lidl UK GmbH

....Yes this is what I've been telling you before this message but you've not paid attention and simply fobbed me off with template responses. At least I've got an acknowledgement (again most likely a template response) but no information as to what is going on. So I'll be switching my shopping elsewhere for this and probably some other products.


All in all I feel this was a waste of time and I shouldn't have bothered following this through for all the good it did me.


BIG CHOCOLATE TEAPOT TO YOU LIDLS :eek:

PLRFD

Awwwww but it gave us something to read.

VfM4meplse

Guss wrote: »

All in all I feel this was a waste of time and I shouldn't have bothered following this through for all the good it did me.

They've checked, and noted internally that there is demand for this product. Shorts occur in every system for a variety of reasons. I don't know what more you expect a CS team to do.

I dread to think how you would have reacted if told the product line was discontinued!

Murphybear

We've got a Lidl fairly near, first time for years. I have bought some clothes and found they tend to be much smaller than the size states. I found a really nice cotton polo shirt but the size 18/20 looked much nearer a 12 or 14 at most. I emailed them and when I eventually got a reply all they said was to take it back for a refund, nothing was said about my query re the sizes. I bought some socks and they would have just about fitted my childhood teddy bear :rotfl:

My experience of German firms is that their clothes sizing is generous. Am I being cynical or is this another way they keep their prices low?

gardner1

ScarletMarble wrote: »

Aldi need a separate CSD - not manned all the time. Bought an electrical item which became faulty. I had to have the refund done on a checkout and awaiting a manager's approval whilst several pieces of paper were filled in. Could feel the customers in the checkout queue tutting at me. Don't blame me, blame Aldi

The experience has put me off buying more electrical items from Aldi again.

Aldi & Lidl are both discount supermarkets so you'll never see an CSD

gardner1

Doc_N wrote: »

Lidl customer service is, I agree, appalling - and considerably worse than Aldi's.

It's the price you pay for low prices, I suppose, but by choice I'd always shop at Aldi. It's a smaller, much older, store than the bright spanking new Lidl, but I just find Lidl so poor at customer service of any kind that I avoid it when I can.

Depends where you live......2 new Lidl around here are fantastic but 2 Aldi are bl00dy awful