John Lewis - surprised at such bad customer service

Eastie77 · 9 January 2011 at 12:57PM

I always shop at John Lewis when possible as their level of customer service is usually great but I'm shocked at my latest experience. I ordered a TV online last week and paid for named day delivery (Saturday) as I work during the week. On Saturday afternoon around 2pm decided to call to double check the item was on it's way as when I checked my JL order online the status was 'processing'. I was informed that it wouldn't be delivered as the item had sold out! I asked why no-one had informed me, re-iterating that i had paid £6.95 for a named delivery day but the customer services person, although apologetic, just kept saying 'well it's sold out, I don't know what else to tell you'. He then said 'oh I can see we've ordered some more but I can't tell you when they'll arrive'. He assured me someone from JL would call me back later that day.

That call didn't materialise so I called back and this time decided to suggest that I could pick up the TV myself from a JL store if there were any available in-store. I logged onto to my JL online account to get the order number and saw that the order had been updated to status 'Despatched'. Great! However when I called JL I was told that 'Despatched' actually meant that the paperwork for the TV had been sent to a depot but not the actual TV due to some kind of mix-up and all TVs had def. sold out and they were awaiting a new batch.

I was then told that I would have to call back on Tues/Wed next week to find out when I might expect delivery.

To end the story on a high note, the Customer Services person then reminded me that the TV I had ordered was at a clearance price. The next batch of TVs which were arriving would be sold at normal price (they are exactly the same) and so I would have to 'speak to someone to try and ensure that you don't have to pay the extra for it as the clearance one you ordered has obviously sold out'.

Not impressed!

zppp · 9 January 2011 at 5:06PM

Eastie77 wrote: »

I always shop at John Lewis when possible as their level of customer service is usually great but I'm shocked at my latest experience. I ordered a TV online last week and paid for named day delivery (Saturday) as I work during the week. On Saturday afternoon around 2pm decided to call to double check the item was on it's way as when I checked my JL order online the status was 'processing'. I was informed that it wouldn't be delivered as the item had sold out! I asked why no-one had informed me, re-iterating that i had paid £6.95 for a named delivery day but the customer services person, although apologetic, just kept saying 'well it's sold out, I don't know what else to tell you'. He then said 'oh I can see we've ordered some more but I can't tell you when they'll arrive'.He assured me someone from JL would call me back later that day.

Not sure what they could have done here really. They have apologised for the error, stated that stock is due and arranged a call back.

Eastie77 wrote: »

That call didn't materialise so I called back and this time decided to suggest that I could pick up the TV myself from a JL store if there were any available in-store. I logged onto to my JL online account to get the order number and saw that the order had been updated to status 'Despatched'. Great! However when I called JL I was told that 'Despatched' actually meant that the paperwork for the TV had been sent to a depot but not the actual TV due to some kind of mix-up and all TVs had def. sold out and they were awaiting a new batch.

I was then told that I would have to call back on Tues/Wed next week to find out when I might expect delivery.

Again, their solution seems reasonable, to contact you when they have a lead delivery time for the TVs.

Eastie77 wrote: »

To end the story on a high note, the Customer Services person then reminded me that the TV I had ordered was at a clearance price. The next batch of TVs which were arriving would be sold at normal price (they are exactly the same) and so I would have to 'speak to someone to try and ensure that you don't have to pay the extra for it as the clearance one you ordered has obviously sold out'.

As you have had no refund, I would expect that they will honour the price for you unless the TVs are a different model. Where they are a different model, it is up to their goodwill to rectify this.

Eastie77 · 9 January 2011 at 5:54PM

I just expected John Lewis to phone me to let me know that the item was out of stock and would not be delivered. I paid for it to be delivered on a specific day and waited in only to find out it was out of stock when I phoned the customer service line myself.

It would have taken them 5 mins to call or e-mail to let me know the item would not be delivered on Saturday.

I still don't know when/if it will be delivered and can't get through to the 'refund' department to get request a refund.

I've sent e-mails to the complaints department (was advised to do this over the phone). No response. No apology. Nada.

jiggy2 · 10 January 2011 at 5:41PM

which TV set was this for?

I am expecting a delivery tomorrow for a TV that I bought from the clearance section and is now showing as out of stock so hope they aren't going to repeat this.

Eastie77 · 10 January 2011 at 5:53PM

It's a Panasonic 32" flat screen TV and was priced at 329.000 GBP in their clearance sale.

I phoned again today and they still cannot tell me when/if the TV will be delivered. The person I spoke to said my issue had been escalated to the customer services complaints team who would call me before midday today. I haven't received a call. I leave to go on holiday on the weekend and can't really take time of during the week to wait in again which is why this is so frustrating. The person I spoke today said she had refunded my same day delivery fee which is something!

It is no longer visible on the website so clearly out of stock. At this stage I would just like a refund since it doesn't look as if it will appear but I cannot get through to the refund department.

jiggy2 · 10 January 2011 at 8:02PM

i have ordered the 32 inch sony one. I think it is the fact that they didn't call to let you know is where they could have done better!

Fingers crossed, mine turns up tomorrow.

Eastie77 · 10 January 2011 at 11:29PM

They have just sent me an automated e-mail thanking me 'for my recent purchase' !

Eastie77 · 12 January 2011 at 6:27PM

Oh well, it clearly wasn't meant to be!

Yesterday morning I made yet another call to the customer services line to find out what was happening with this delivery. I told the person I spoke to that I had been waiting for a call back since Saturday and she apologised. She then looked into my account and said 'The courier is delivering the TV to you today (Tuesday)'

I asked why no-one from John Lewis had called to let me know as I work during the week and would not be around to sign for it. She apologized again. Fortunately I live in a block of flats with neighbours I get on well with and knew that 2 would be in all day so asked the customer services person to ensure that the courier knocked on either of their doors. She put me on hold while she phoned the courier and then came back to me to say 'Yes, they are on their way to your flat this morning and will deliver the item to one of your neighbours'

The courier did not arrive yesterday.

I phoned again this morning. This time, the CSP told me that he could see that the TV had been scanned in for delivery at 07.51am and had no idea what had happened to it. He assured me that someone would call me back before midday to explain everything.

I did not receive a call.

I made my final call this afternoon and finally got through to someone who was able to refund my money which I was told would take 5-10 days (so I'll have to wait at least another week before being able to buy a TV elsewhere) I asked him if he had any kind of explanation as to why a TV which was on it's way to me simply did not arrive. His answer was no, none at all and "since you've requested a refund our support team will no longer be investigating this matter. Can I help you with anything else? No? Goodbye then":)

miniemma · 12 January 2011 at 6:35PM

It is a terrible shame that John Lewis online are so different to their stores, I believe they are run as separate companies, I have had trouble with them online in the past and will only ever shop in store with them now.

vyle · 13 January 2011 at 10:36AM

Wow, that really is !!!!.

I think the big difference between online and offline for companies is that in store, one can speak to the delivery guys, and lay one's hands on stock there and then.

Online, the orders are taken by a machine, the call centre staff stay at their desks and probably don't know what the inside of the warehouse even looks like, or what they're selling or dealing with.

It's then shipped off by courier who doesn't know what he's delivering, or where it's come from. There's nobody in the chain who knows what is actually happening.

John_Lewis_CR · 13 January 2011 at 5:31PM

Hi Eastie77, I'm sorry you've had a negative experience with JL.com. If you would like us to investigate what went wrong, please make contact on [EMAIL="email_us@johnlewis.co.uk"]email_us@johnlewis.co.uk[/EMAIL]
Thanks, Jaime
Customer Services, John Lewis

John Lewis - surprised at such bad customer service

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