Is the whole world useless ?

[Wij]

I ordered a dining room table and chairs from Allders months ago. They've just rung me to tell me, for the third time, that it won't be coming today. Fortunately neither me nor the missus booked a day off to wait in for it this time but she's already wasted two holidays. They've had the money for over a month. How fucking useless ?

 

[Wazzerphuk]

This much.

 

[Guest]

Just tell them you want you're money back and and see how fast they deliver your stuff.

 

[Wij]

Just tell them you want you're money back and and see how fast they deliver your stuff.

Nah - I'm pretty sure they'd give it back. Then I'd be back to square one.

 

[WPKenny]

I ordered a dining room table and chairs from Allders months ago. They've just rung me to tell me, for the third time, that it won't be coming today. Fortunately neither me nor the missus booked a day off to wait in for it this time but she's already wasted two holidays. They've had the money for over a month. How fucking useless ?

Happens to everyone mate.
I ordered some stuff from Scam a few years ago and friends and family wasted 5 days sitting in my house waiting for a delivery that eventually they had to own up to having lost (suspected stolen). They only admitted this when I jokingly said "So where's my parcel then? Someone stolen it?" and the reply was "It looks like it." He then went onto explain police were investigating the staff. Nice of them to keep me informed so my family and friends didn't have to waste 5 days of their life sitting in for a delivery that was never coming in the first place.

I have a theory that if it ain't arrived by 2pm, then it ain't coming. "Hello, I'm expecting a delivery today can you confirm it's actually in the van?"
"Yes, my records indicate it should have been on a van this morning. The drivers do deliver up to 6pm."
"I understand but this is the 4th time I've been told that and it hasn't shown up. Can you contact the driver to make sure he has got the parcel and knows where to deliver it?
"I'm afraid we're unable to contact the driver."
"Right, so I have to wait in till 6pm for the 4th day running on the off chance it MIGHT be on the van this time?"
"Yes."

I hate couriers.

 

[Damini]

I think we had to wait 6 weeks for our washing machine (when we paid for fortnight delivery). I was going apocolyptic on the phone, eyes bulging, nerves fraying, tourettes developing. In the end they refunded me forty quid, but then only put in my store account, so I'd have to buy something to get the money back.

Just hassle them. Invoice them for the time off. Demand to speak to managers. Invoice them for time spent on the phone if you have to pay to call. Write e-mails. Make so that everytime you call a warning notice flags on their system. Go to a local branch that has a display model and inform them that if your set doesn't arrive, you'll be hiring a van and making them pay the bill to get it delivered.

Being a bastard is the only way sometimes to get these people to pay attention.

 

[echo]

BUT, for the poor sods in the shop who can't help how shit the delivery service is, you come across as a ****.

 

[Damini]

But it's all the same company, and therefore the delivery service is representative on the company as a whole. Besides, who cares what you come across as? It's not like they'll stop sending you christmas cards.

 

[WPKenny]

Yeah, that company has decided they want Shitty-Link or Parcel Farce to deliver their parcels and so must feel that the standard of service these courier's deliver is representitive of their company as a whole.

After the fuck up I described above I noticed on Shitty Link's website that they offer double the delivery charge back if things go tits up. I pointed this out and they said that it was the company I ordered through that were the customer so if any refund was to be made it would be going back to them. You can fucking bet Scam made sure they got a refund AND the orginal parcel was insured so they actually made more money by things going wrong. Did any of this get passed on to me to keep me sweet for the future? Did it fuck. Have Scam ever got any business from me since? Have they fuck! Have I spread the word about how shitty Scam can be? Bloody right I did. RAR! It makes me mad.

 

[echo]

Well if someone was half-nice to me I'd do my best to sort out their problem there and then (indeed, as a shop we have a guy with a van who can do installs last minute, but only for customers we like).. If someone wasn't nice, they'd get a new delivery date (usually 5 more days away), and even then maybe later. Just my take, being a pissed-off shopworker.

 

[Damini]

You can do these things without being irate with people. You don't have to go into the shop, frothing at the mouth and insulting everyone. You state the facts, state the way it is, and state what you plan to do. It doesn't need to get personal. Whenever I've worked in a shop, you get people who are angry at the system but who don't take it out on you personally, and there are people who direct thier anger at all and sundry. As long as you don't do the latter, I think such actions are fine.

 

[WPKenny]

Well if someone was half-nice to me I'd do my best to sort out their problem there and then (indeed, as a shop we have a guy with a van who can do installs last minute, but only for customers we like).. If someone wasn't nice, they'd get a new delivery date (usually 5 more days away), and even then maybe later. Just my take, being a pissed-off shopworker.

It's easy to be polite the first time but in Wij's case and mine you've wasted days of your time on the phone chasing the thing and sitting in all day afraid to go to the toilet for fear of missing the delivery. Your nerves tend to get a bit frayed.

 

[Cask]

Reminded me that I've got an outstanding order from 23rd June for some sports equipment that I'd forgotten about. I believe that was sent shitty-link too. I chased one of their vans that had my parcel onboard down the road once (told this story a million times) after the man had left note while I was in.

 

[Damini]

Yeah, they've done that to me before too! Left a note saying they tried to deliver, but I was in, and they didn't even ring the doorbell or knock. What's that about??

 

[Mazling]

We got an lcd monitor recently (benq 17ms response 17in model, nice!) which promptly, typically, went kaput. So we rang and asked for a replacement a few days ago and it has arrived today, when they said it would. It took 5 days from phoning up about the problem to receiving the replacement. I'm not saying shit doesn't happen but things do get done. So be nice.

Stupid me gave the cables back aswell though, in the 10 seconds between getting out of bed and handing the box over. Now I'm stuck on this POS.

Badum *tish*, d'oh, etc. Shush.

 

[nath]

In the end they refunded me forty quid, but then only put in my store account, so I'd have to buy something to get the money back.

Of all the things I've read on this thread, that's the thing that pissed me off the most. Aren't they required to give your money back, you paid for a service you didn't get and thus, should bloody well be refunded. A credit note is not a refund.

*rage*.

 

[Mazling]

Actually, I lied. My monitor has a 12ms response time.

 

[Tilda]

Yeah, they've done that to me before too! Left a note saying they tried to deliver, but I was in, and they didn't even ring the doorbell or knock. What's that about??

I had that once, the post woman assumed because my families normally out, we wern't that day, so didnt ring our bell, i heard the post come through the door and chased her down our road in my dressing-gown!!

Tilda

 

[Ono]

MESH computers are fucking useless.

Ordered a PC from them in July. 2 weeks delivery quoted.

Phoned up on day it was due and geezer says that I should have been informed of the delay (due to trouble sourcing the 6800 Ultra) by phone. I wasn't. Told it would be 2 more weeks to first week September.

Phoned first week September on day it was due to be delivered. Told that I should have got phone call to say that delay in getting the card meant system due in last week of September! Hear that they now have 6800 GT cards in stock. Promptly cancelled original order and spec'd new (better) system with GT card.

Delivery day was today.

Phoned up twice yesterday to ask if they had shipped it. They say yes. I take day off work.

Phoned up at 9.30 am this morning to check. It has shipped.

Phoned up 2.30pm - it *WILL* be with me today.

Phoned up at 5.50pm - not our fault. Must be courier.

Day wasted.

Ergao MESH computers are shit and will not be used by me again.

 

[GReaper]

If you're paying for the delivery within an expected date, phone up and demand a refund of the postage and packaging charges.

You're paying for a service you're not receiving, so why should you pay for the delivery of it? Don't take any excuses if they try to shift the responsibility onto the courier or someone else. You've paid for a reliable delivery and not got it.

Be awkward!

 

[Paradroid]

It helps if you know who you should be talking to in the company. Phone up, nice'n'sweet (girlfriend best to do this) and find out who the Customer Services manager is, and, who their boss is etc.

Then inundate them with complaints, send letters & emails over their heads to the company boss if possible. CC in the consumer advice bureau, legal aid company - fekin watchdog ffs. Get the wind up 'em.

Oh, and complaining to respective customer service managers in their partner companies and/or suppliers (if poss) is a good one too - get them from all angles.

Direct action is the best solution. Threaten to picket their offices/shop (done locally in my town fairly recently), no one wants bad PR - got a mate who works for a newspaper? Get a photographer & journal on your case - good local story! Create a webpage detailing how bad your experience was, advise customers to stay away - send it to the company managers & threaten to spam this to everyone!

And, yes, send them bills. Why should you have the expense of taking time off outwith the agreed dates?

You'll probably get free shit straight away after all that.

If they're the sort of company who aren't effected by this, get your money back and right it off as a waste of time....'cause what happens x months down the line? What's their after sales service going to be like? Companies like these don't deserve to survive tbh. Help them go under (that'll learn 'em!) by taking your business elsewhere.




PS I've delivered quite a bit of customer service training over the years and the stories I've heard would make you laugh/cry. I also work quite closely with our customer sevices manager, so we see a lot of it from the companies perspective (tho' in our business MPs get involved too)...

 

[Aada]

Do you think the poor sods in the shop like this kind of bullshit? do you think they can have a dining room table and chairs with them by the click of the finger?

Im sure they would be more then happy to deliver your purchuse on time because then they would'nt get some uptight fuck breathing down there neck on the phone every 5mins...


As someone said people like you just come across as a complete fuck arse who has no paitence...

Yes they probably said they could get it in 2 weeks or whatever but if they dont its a thing called life

It really would'nt suprise me if you get your table and theres something wrong with it.. thats the poor the folks in the store way of getting there own back..

been there done that retail stores dont like arseholes and there are ways and means of really fucking you about without breaking trading standards..

good luck lol

 

[Wij]

What are you talking about ? I'm not whinging at the people in the store. I'm complaining at their customer services that three times I've waited around for my stuff to be delivered, at my own inconvenience and I find out at the end of the day that they've lost it. My whole holiday ruined. That's fine is it ? Wouldn't bother you in the slightest ?

 

[Driwen]

Yes they probably said they could get it in 2 weeks or whatever but if they dont its a thing called life

actually its a thing called bad service and I guess the company could even get demands for a refund because of it.
Lets say you are having a party and needed that extra table, you buy it 3 weeks ahead. 2 weeks delivery, so all is fine right? Well no as for some reason the delivery is to slow, which ruins atleast abit of the party and wastes atleast one holiday you used as you are waiting for the table to get not delivered.
Sure it isnt the fault of one person in particular, so you shouldnt be impolite to anyone. However you can tell people you are pissed off about how the company is treating you without being impolite.
Also your attitude towards repaying customers who might not be so nice, is most likely gonna bite your company in the ass. Do you think that person or any of his friends are going to buy anything from your branch again? And that will most likely after a while reflect on you, as maybe the other branch, while also thinking such guys are assholes, do actually help him and earn more money in the end.

 

[TdC]

Aada = fuckwit tbh. Wij, I like the idea of billing them for your lost time. Why don't you try that. at the least, it will be a distraction while you wait

 

[echo]

Half the time the people in the shop can't do a lot for you, especially if it's ordered from somewhere else (I work near Nottingham, have to order stuff for people from Sheffield), and have to go by a 'next delivery slot' system, which can be yonks.

BUT; here's something I've noticed:
Delivery drivers for the company i work for get paid bonuses for completing successful deliveries. They drop the stuff and run, or if you aren't in, they leave a "we called, tough fecking luck" note.
Now whether the goods are on time, complete, intact, even the right item (if they get a signature) doesn't matter.. or if the person isn't in: they count as a completed delivery and get the drivers a bonus. And the person in the shop (me) gets a shitload of aggro and sod all wages. Nicey!

Sorry if that's really bad english, i'm recovering from a wee hangover. Anyway, treat people in shops nicely.

 

[TdC]

wtf? how can it be delivered if the customer doesn't have it?

 

[echo]

Exactly! They tried, but failed. And get a nice bonus. Is there any wonder they don't give a shit? It's usually the delivery guys who balls everything up, not the boys and girls on the other end of the phone/in the shop

 

[Damini]

Do you think the poor sods in the shop like this kind of bullshit? do you think they can have a dining room table and chairs with them by the click of the finger?

Im sure they would be more then happy to deliver your purchuse on time because then they would'nt get some uptight fuck breathing down there neck on the phone every 5mins...


As someone said people like you just come across as a complete fuck arse who has no paitence...

Yes they probably said they could get it in 2 weeks or whatever but if they dont its a thing called life

It really would'nt suprise me if you get your table and theres something wrong with it.. thats the poor the folks in the store way of getting there own back..

been there done that retail stores dont like arseholes and there are ways and means of really fucking you about without breaking trading standards..

good luck lol

Firstly, it is possible to take action without having to be a raving angry loon about it. If you don't lose your temper, and you act civil, but demand what is yours because you paid for it, then if someone decides to break you're stuff because of it, I'm pretty sure that you're not the one being an arsehole.

Secondly, you obviously have a job where they are simply delighted at you taking repeated days off work in short succession and at short notice. Or perhaps, rather than spending your holiday allowance on somewhere like Greece, or Rome, you'd like to spend it sat by your front door, unable to even pop out to get a newspaper incase the delivery driver turns up, and then only to find that yet another day has been wasted. It has sweet F.A. to do with patience. If it was, then that would be a case of "two week delivery is too long, I WANT IT TOMORROW." It's not. It's a case of losing wages, losing holiday allowance, paying for a service you don't recieve, being made to act like a housebound pet, waiting patiently for master to arrive, and then being given the run around by people on the phone.

Not only that, but having PAID for delivery for an item you don't get, and then losing days from work only to be screwed around, you also don't have the item you paid for. It kind of added insult to injury for me having to go through all that crap with the Washing machine, and on top of it all to have to lug all my stuff down the laundrettes and pay out more money there too.

/rant over

 

[Xtro]

Aada = fuckwit tbh.

Indeed. Too many hormones stored up now that Buffy is off air. Go crack one off son, you'll chill out!