ASDA Not Answering To Customers

renegadefm

Has anyone been experiencing the same problem as me when you try to call Asda's customer services recently? 
When I press the option for am I a customer, and option for customer services is just says (Due to unprecedented demand we are unable to answer calls) And it cuts me off.
Its been like this for about a week or so,  and I have tried loads of times during different times of the day and week, but to me its ironic as well as frustrating because the questions I wanted answering meant I had to physically go to my local branch to get my questions answered, something I was trying to avoid as we are told to make trips to the shops as infrequent as possible,  so surely its ironic to not answer customers calls as I didnt even need food on this occasion. 
You'd have thought its ever more vital to keep phone lines open during these times wouldnt you?
The thing is they are not attempting to even try and answer customer calls and I'll explain why I know this. If you choose the option if your a college someone answers. This I found out by mistake after I already had my question answered in person,  I accidentally clicked I am a college instead of I am a customer and someone answered straight away.
So why are ASDA lying to us by saying its due to unprecedented demand they can't answer calls, when they are deliberately not answering calls to customers when the need to speak to them over the phone has become ever more important. 
You have to beg the question why? 

custardy

vital to answer phones or actually get on with providing goods/services?
The busineses left open are swamped across the board. This is unprecedented.
People seem to not grasp that things arent going to happen overnight.
EG I need to contact DVLA. Webchat is removed and they have a message not to contact by phone unless it relates to key workers providing services eg HGV drivers

renegadefm

custardy said:

vital to answer phones or actually get on with providing goods/services?
The busineses left open are swamped across the board. This is unprecedented.
People seem to not grasp that things arent going to happen overnight.
EG I need to contact DVLA. Webchat is removed and they have a message not to contact by phone unless it relates to key workers providing services eg HGV drivers

I just think to deliberately not attempt to answer calls when the customer doesnt need to go to the shop other than ask a question is ridiculous. Its as if they have set up the phones to cut customers off. But if you choose option 2 as if your a college they answer straight away so what does that tell you?
Were told not to go to shops unless its vital, but I had to go just to get a few questions answered. How ironic is that? 

Abbafan1972

I am still waiting for a refund for 2 items I sent back on my last delivery, called them and they said it's being processed but still haven't had anything.  Had to hold on the phone for ages.

renegadefm

Abbafan1972 said:

I am still waiting for a refund for 2 items I sent back on my last delivery, called them and they said it's being processed but still haven't had anything.  Had to hold on the phone for ages.

I know crazy isnt it?
I think during these times its vital to answer callls even more than normal. 
Oh by the way I enjoyed that ABBA program last night. 

pumpkin89

Abbafan1972 said:

I am still waiting for a refund for 2 items I sent back on my last delivery, called them and they said it's being processed but still haven't had anything.  Had to hold on the phone for ages.

I have to agree with custardy on this one - do you honestly think your refund for 2 items is as important as somebody else's delivery?  They have systems in place, they will get round to it, but we all need to have a little patience.

Nicotene

pumpkin89 said:

Abbafan1972 said:

I am still waiting for a refund for 2 items I sent back on my last delivery, called them and they said it's being processed but still haven't had anything.  Had to hold on the phone for ages.

I have to agree with custardy on this one - do you honestly think your refund for 2 items is as important as somebody else's delivery?  They have systems in place, they will get round to it, but we all need to have a little patience.

I have to disagree with you there. They are still providing a service and taking money but failing to refund or respond to any communication via phone,email or social media. Not knowing what his happening with your refund adds to the stress of all this and the money they have can be spent on essential food or utility bills.

I've been waiting for an order to arrive for 2 weeks now. I got a despatch email but nothing has arrived yet. I checked my order online and it says delivered even though I have been in all day but it is coming from their supplier so that may be the reason.  If I'm not in shouldn't it have been returned? Luckily I paid by PayPal so I can raise a dispute with the Resolution Centre.

pumpkin89

I've been waiting for an order to arrive for 2 weeks now. I got a despatch email but nothing has arrived yet. I checked my order online and it says delivered even though I have been in all day but it is coming from their supplier so that may be the reason.  If I'm not in shouldn't it have been returned? Luckily I paid by PayPal so I can raise a dispute with the Resolution Centre.

If it's a whole order then yes, I can understand the concern.  But 2 items from Asda is very unlikely to be a significant amount of money.

MysteryMe

Asda, like all the other supermarkets are attempting to deal with matching up the lists of tens of thousands of highly vulnerable people provided by the government, contacting them to arrange delivery of vital food and other supplies. These are people who are the highest vulnerability and if they do not have their supplies delivered they starve or die. The supermarkets then have to deal with the logistics of getting those orders from their stores to those people. Delivery vans and staff to drive them don't just arrive with the tooth fairy. They have also had to deal with the morons panic buying, they have had to introduce social distancing measures in stores to protect their staff and customers, they are likely to have had staff shortages with those having to go into isolation.  I don't work for a supermarket or know anyone that does by the way so if I can take the trouble to understand the current issues so can others.
There has been no directive that people not in isolation should avoid going to supermarkets. What they don't want people doing is going shopping every day.  

Steve_L

Sorry to come late to this party, but, even under normal circumstances, debit card and especially credit card refiunds can take ages, due to the bank or credit card company. My latest ASDA home shopping refund (Sorry, cloves are not a substitiute for black peppercorns: they give your fried or poached eggs an unwanted oriental "je ne sais quoi".) was processed by them very promptly, but I'm not holding my breath until it appears on my credit card account.

Steve_L

Also, ASDA aren't even monitoring their customer service e-mail address, because they're busy.

I'd noticed some unamended information still on the website. I knew this was too technical for the people on the 'phones, so I e-mailed them. I got an automated reply as above. This is like the captain of the Titanic refusing to take a call from the lookout, because he's busy steering the ship as there are icebergs about. So, I just copied my e-mail into a letter. They'll have to read this before deciding to bin it or action it. My conscience is clear.