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Claiming back cost of phone calls to customer services
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lather30
Posts: 28 Forumite
A few weeks ago, I ordered two check shirts from an online clothing retailer (Clifford James) which I needed for work. This started a saga of incompetence on their part that had me almost literally banging my head against the wall in frustration.
The items as ordered were 100% cotton long-sleeved shirts with two button-down pockets in size XL. When the delivery arrived, the shirts they'd sent were size XL, but were short-sleeved polyester/cotton blend with a single open pocket - so not the items that I'd ordered.
Having received the incorrect items, I called their customer service number to inform them and try and arrange for them to send the correct items. This they agreed to do, and e-mailed me a return label for the original package, which I sent back to them the following day.
A day or so later, another package arrived from them containing the replacement shirts. This time, they'd got the style right, but had sent size XXL instead of XL. So I called them again to let them know they'd sent the wrong size. The customer service agent I spoke to said that they'd send another return label (which they did) and send out another pair of shirts in the correct size.
Another couple of days go by, and another package arrives. Again, the shirts were the correct style, but yet again they'd sent XXL instead of XL! So another call to customer services, another return label sent out, and this time the customer service agent said that they'd confirmed that the correct size was listed on the order on their system. So they said that they'd personally speak to the people in the warehouse to get them to make sure they were sending out the correct size.
Again, another couple of days goes by, and yet another package arrives from them. What did I get this time? You guessed it - while the shirts were the correct style, they'd sent size XXL yet again! So yet another call to customer services to complain and arrange a return, and another promise from customer services to personally speak to the warehouse staff to get them to make sure that they sent the correct size.
The following day, I get a call from customer services to inform me that, while the saga of the incorrect sizes had been going on, the colour I'd ordered had sold out in size XL and wouldn't be back in stock for quite some time. So they wanted to know if I would be prepared to accept another colour instead. While I didn't really want to, I really needed the shirts as my old ones had worn out and replacements were difficult to find at a sensible price. And, as all of the shirts were basically beige with just different colour thin stripes on them, in a way it didn't make a huge difference. So I agreed a little grudgingly to accept a different colour, and they promised that I'd have the shirts the following day.
The following day came, and so did another package. Finally, they'd got both the style and the size right - and it had only taken them five attempts! As I'd said to one of the girls I'd spoken to in customer service, who were always very professional and as frustrated as I was at how things were going, while once is an honest mistake and twice is understandable, three times or more is incompetent. (Not only have I worked in a warehouse in the past, I also have two members of my immediate family who have many years of past experience as warehouse managers, so we know how things work...)
So I finally had my shirts, but that's not the end of it. Today, I got my phone bill, and was shocked to see that it was significantly higher than it normally is. Looking into it, I realised that the bulk of the extra was due to all of the phone calls to customer services to try and get things sorted out. As it is an 0871 number, not only is there the 11p per minute access charge from the phone provider (EE), there's also the 13p per minute service charge that Clifford James charge for you to call the customer service line.
As the calls I'd had to make had totaled 42 minutes and 45 seconds, this meant that the calls had cost a total of £10.26. This is £10.26 that I'd not have had to spend on phone calls to customer services if their warehouse and dispatch staff had been doing their jobs properly and picking and packing the correct items as ordered.
So my question is, given that this was 100% their fault, and likely caused by the incompetence of their warehouse staff, is there any way that I can claim back the cost of the phone calls from them?
The items as ordered were 100% cotton long-sleeved shirts with two button-down pockets in size XL. When the delivery arrived, the shirts they'd sent were size XL, but were short-sleeved polyester/cotton blend with a single open pocket - so not the items that I'd ordered.
Having received the incorrect items, I called their customer service number to inform them and try and arrange for them to send the correct items. This they agreed to do, and e-mailed me a return label for the original package, which I sent back to them the following day.
A day or so later, another package arrived from them containing the replacement shirts. This time, they'd got the style right, but had sent size XXL instead of XL. So I called them again to let them know they'd sent the wrong size. The customer service agent I spoke to said that they'd send another return label (which they did) and send out another pair of shirts in the correct size.
Another couple of days go by, and another package arrives. Again, the shirts were the correct style, but yet again they'd sent XXL instead of XL! So another call to customer services, another return label sent out, and this time the customer service agent said that they'd confirmed that the correct size was listed on the order on their system. So they said that they'd personally speak to the people in the warehouse to get them to make sure they were sending out the correct size.
Again, another couple of days goes by, and yet another package arrives from them. What did I get this time? You guessed it - while the shirts were the correct style, they'd sent size XXL yet again! So yet another call to customer services to complain and arrange a return, and another promise from customer services to personally speak to the warehouse staff to get them to make sure that they sent the correct size.
The following day, I get a call from customer services to inform me that, while the saga of the incorrect sizes had been going on, the colour I'd ordered had sold out in size XL and wouldn't be back in stock for quite some time. So they wanted to know if I would be prepared to accept another colour instead. While I didn't really want to, I really needed the shirts as my old ones had worn out and replacements were difficult to find at a sensible price. And, as all of the shirts were basically beige with just different colour thin stripes on them, in a way it didn't make a huge difference. So I agreed a little grudgingly to accept a different colour, and they promised that I'd have the shirts the following day.
The following day came, and so did another package. Finally, they'd got both the style and the size right - and it had only taken them five attempts! As I'd said to one of the girls I'd spoken to in customer service, who were always very professional and as frustrated as I was at how things were going, while once is an honest mistake and twice is understandable, three times or more is incompetent. (Not only have I worked in a warehouse in the past, I also have two members of my immediate family who have many years of past experience as warehouse managers, so we know how things work...)
So I finally had my shirts, but that's not the end of it. Today, I got my phone bill, and was shocked to see that it was significantly higher than it normally is. Looking into it, I realised that the bulk of the extra was due to all of the phone calls to customer services to try and get things sorted out. As it is an 0871 number, not only is there the 11p per minute access charge from the phone provider (EE), there's also the 13p per minute service charge that Clifford James charge for you to call the customer service line.
As the calls I'd had to make had totaled 42 minutes and 45 seconds, this meant that the calls had cost a total of £10.26. This is £10.26 that I'd not have had to spend on phone calls to customer services if their warehouse and dispatch staff had been doing their jobs properly and picking and packing the correct items as ordered.
So my question is, given that this was 100% their fault, and likely caused by the incompetence of their warehouse staff, is there any way that I can claim back the cost of the phone calls from them?
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Comments
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Nothing stopping you asking, but they may want itemised phone bills showing the charges.0
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were you warned/told of the charge before calling them, I think they have to do that.
maybe you could have asked for a call back, even so I think they should refund your call charges0 -
You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means - Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride0
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If you have to call them again, try the 018 number https://www.saynoto0870.com/companysearch.php0
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Dodgy sounding company:-
https://www.saynoto0870.com/cgi-bin/forum/YaBB.cgi?num=1131470192
There's geographical numbers on the above.0 -
Id use another firm for your shirts.0
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unholyangel wrote: »
On top of this, there's legislation that makes premium rate numbers like 0871, 0845 illegal for customer service contact by consumers.0 -
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/41/made
That right there is the legislation that makes it illegal for premium rate 084, 087 or 09 numbers to be offered for after-sales enquiries and issues.On top of this, there's legislation that makes premium rate numbers like 0871, 0845 illegal for customer service contact by consumers.
The regulations require a "basic rate" 01, 02 or 03 number or a free 080 number.
Regulation 41(2) requires the illegal call charges to be refunded by the company that you called.
The CJ website "contact us" page is in very clear breach of the BIS regulations that came into force on 13 June 2014. Additionally, failure to declare the premium rate call charges immediately adjacent to the number every time is a clear breach of Ofcom regulations in place since 1 July 2015.
If you get nowhere, report just the illegal call charges issue (not the whole sorry saga of the shirts) to the Citizen's Advice national Consumer Helpline on 0345 404 0506 or via the report form on the CA website. CA collates reports and forwards them to Trading Standards for review.
The failure to declare the call charges immediately alongside each number can be reported to either ASA or PSA.0 -
On top of this, there's legislation that makes premium rate numbers like 0871, 0845 illegal for customer service contact by consumers.
It is NOT illegal to use such numbers - it sounds like you have been misinformed by much of the trash you can find on the internet nowdays.
The legislation quoted is the appropriate legislation that applies to consumers that are bound to use such numbers.:)0
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