Jerome

For some time now, my girlfriend and I have received some appallingly bad service from various "service" providers. The list of places that have fallen well short of providing service of an acceptable standard - in mine and my girlfriend's opinion - are listed below. As my girlfriend is from Canada (a country rightly proud of good service), she is getting increasing disillusioned (as am I) with this country. What does it take (apart from millions in the bank) to get good service in this once great country?!

Banks (Lloyds, NatWest (worst of the worst by far), Barclays)
Credit/debit cards (Providian (these guys are unreal [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]), RBS Advanta, American Express, Capital One)
Mobile phone providers (Orange, BT Cellnet)
Pastimes (Mail order company)
Harrods (mail order division)
Delivery firms (various)
Cable/land-line phone providers (NTL)
South West Trains ([img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img])
Westminster City Council
Army and Navy (Victoria Street, SW1)
Tesco (Pimlico, SW1)
Sainsbury's (Victoria Street, SW1)
Marks & Spencers
The Metropolitan Police (senior management and policy makers only)
Dorset Police (the originators of, and rigid enforcers of, the "speed kills" rubbish)
Solicitors
The French Horn, Sonning, Berks (appalling and condescending service)

Before anyone complains about me naming some of the companies/organisations above, I am more than happy to detail exactly the poor service these places are responsible for. In fact, I'm more than happy to detail my grievances against these organisations in a public arena, if necessary.

Just to even things up, I thought I'd mention some places I've had good or excellent service from recently, and would heartily recommend:-

Amazon.com (bloody fantastic - prompt delivery, excellent website)
Easycar (competitive, good service, excellent website)
The Ivy, West End, London (Food to die for, the best service I've ever had)
The Gap (clothes shop not afraid to give good service - modelled on their North American operation)
Selfridges (Oxford St)
Metropolitan Police (Inspector rank and below)
Magnum Car Company (Farnborough, Hants)
The Euro Store (Convenience store), Pimlico
First Direct (the lesser of numerous evils)

I hope this post doesn't get deleted, because I feel the British public - by nature - are appalling at complaining. We therefore get repeatedly bad service. The same bad service that isn't tolerated anywhere else in the western world. It's about time we stood up to these organisations and (constructively and honestly) voice our disapproval whilst at the same time praising those organisations that do give good service.

Funkii Munkii

Couldnt agree more
This country is going down the toilet, they should remove the Great from Great Britain.

My Favoutite recent one was in Maccy D's on the A4 "Peggy Bedford"
Me: Two Bacon rolls with Ketchup Please

Macs staff: Uuggghhh?

Me: Sorry what dialect of the English language is that

Macs staff: What?

Quality
One day I'll be on fries - no chance

We are all turning into impolite miserable bast@rds, no more thanks for letting someone pass in a crowded area, holding doors open.

My favourites are the shop keepers who just say 35p no please and then as you stand there with your hand out awaiting your change they dump it on the counter and they bemoan the demise of the corner shop F*ck em im off to the supermarket at least the ladies on the tills there always like a little chat to relieve the tedium of their day.

Sorry bored and nothing to do at work.

DazV

Did good service EVER exist in this country ?

BarryK

Oddly enough, the best service I have experienced recently was at the Subaru dealers I use.

Robinson's of Rochdale.

It is weird going there. They actually make you like spending your money with them.

Isn't that what it's all about?

In contrast. You know in restaurants when they ask uyou if everything is OK? My wife and a female friend of ours were asked this very question in a local restaurant and they said "no". One of their meals bore no rsemblance to the dish ordered. The question asker said "Oh dear" mumbled something and disappeared. ie. if you don't answer "yes" they couldn't give a monkey's anyway.

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Best Service - my Subaru dealership (Bell & Colville).

Worst - Natwest by a country mile (oops, forgot about NTL!)

DP.

ScoobydoobyDave

One Company I can defo recomend is Blackstar.co.uk there customer care is amazing! they have 24 hour email support (always get a personal reply!). They are not the cheapest for online ordering but customer service goes a long way with me and there deliver times are ace too! check them out http://www.blackstar.co.uk/scp/id/maxxed

Cheers
Dave

(P.S Dont work for them, Part of there affiliate scheme tho as I highly recomend them)

thecirsch

S & S Services in Ayr. I'm from London, saw a car advertised on their web site, phoned them and flew up the next day. Could not do anymore to help, picked me up from airport, agreed a good price for a car, lift back to airport. Following week, flew up again with a cheque in hand, picked up from airport, car immaculate, good hand over. Drove away VERY happy. Received a letter following week recognising I travelled over 400 mles to buy the car. Proved there was a personal touch with them.

I've always found the best way to complain is NOT to cause a fuss. Example, Pizza Hut off Oxford Street in London, whilst munching through a pizza found a 'foreign' object. Called the waitress over and asked her to take it away. Manager comes over asks if there is a problem, point out the object. He asks if it can be sorted, we decline, stating it doesn't matter. It dawns on the Manager that the could be serious and a PR nightmare, result, One new pizza, two (free) rounds of drinks, four(free)desserts & 25% off the bill.

I'm sure had we kicked up a fuss we'd never have got all of that. I appreciate we could have left without paying the bill but thats besides the point.

Ed

NBW

I can sympathise - we spent 3 weeks in Canada last September, and it's amazing what service you get - whether you're spending $5 or $500, it doesn't make any difference. Even people doing the lowest paid jobs - gas station attendants, for example - seem so happy to be doing the job and to give good service.

Got home, took the Scooby out to fill with petrol, nearly punched the bloke in the garage for being so god-damned rude.

My personal 2001 awards for crap service will have to go to my dealer, IM and Tesco Insurance. No surprises there then.

On the other hand, Amazon, Argos on line shopping, and a bloke in Wales who made us a lovely custom wrought iron curtain pole get top marks in my book!

JackClark

I get great service from pretty much everywher. Depends on your expectation I guess.

dsmith

Best by far recently

www.gadget.co.uk

rung me up within 5 mins of placing a web order to check where I worked so they could give me a staff discount. (from my email address).

Royal Mail

Every sinlge thing I ordered before christmas on the Internet which came by post was delivered on time.

I must admit I dont come across bad service too often. I really dont find too much to complain about.

Deano

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I'm surprised by the comments about Canadian service. My wife and I went to Canada last summer; the service in many places (restaurants around Vancouver and Calgary) was dreadful (worse than England), and yet we were still expected to give American-sized tips too. I don't mind (much) leaving a 15% tip where the service really has been excellent, but I refuse to do it automatically when we haven't been properly looked after. We were really disappointed.

On the plus side, I have had excellent service from:
Adams Subaru in Aylesbury (very efficient, always lend me a car when mine's in for service)
David Reid Motorsport (can't argue with £20 for a s/h PIAA lens when mine was smashed - David's a top bloke IMHO)
Let's Automate (X10 and general gadget shop - Mike is a top bloke too)
Dabs Online (returns procedure that doesn't involve lots of whingeing, excuses and delays!)
John Lewis (the one store in which the staff actually seem to know more about the products they're selling than I do)

[rant]

I'm sure it's no coincidence that many of the companies that really stand out are small businesses, whereas the worst offenders are almost always big companies with so many customers that they can afford to lose a few. A few years ago I had two companies trying to charge me for gas (that was fun to sort out - not), and more recently an electricity firm threatening to cut me off because they'd never managed to send a bill to my correct address (although the cut-off notice was addressed perfectly, go figure). I refuse to subscribe to satellite TV because of the terms & conditions of the contract allow the provider to abuse my personal details for marketing and other purposes - something which IMHO is equally disrespectful to customers as other poor service.

[/rant]

Andy.

MY01WRX

Some of the worst service I have experienced this year has been to do with Subaru's.

Inter*ational *otors
Local Dealer
S*ooby*por*

Bully for you if you have had good service, but not everybody has an easy ride. Makes my blood boil [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

MY01WRX

AllanB

Without a shadow of doubt the most pathetic and piuss poor service I have ever had was from Captial One credt cards. Not only did it take them months to get my address right despiute writingin to them a number of time but they often sent me statements after i was due to pay them and tried to charge me late payment fees. I had to write to them 3 tiems to shut my account. Staff were occasionally rude and generally poor.

Amongst the best serice I have had was from a specialist music retailer called gravenews. Excellent service and very helpful. www.gravenews.demon.co.uk

I do feel that some customers expect far too much at times. The amount of people who buy a computer chuck the packaging away then find it deosn't work is staggering. Despite stating you need to keep the packing on the terms and conditions and on the delivery note they still expect a repalcement next day. I think if some people helped themselves more we'd all get a better level of service.


AllanB

Shark

You get good and bad, you have to take the rough with the smooth. I don't belive that this country is any diffrent to any other.

I've recently had a major battle with Tiscali Internet ADSL, and in the same month had some great service from a computer parts company - Cheers Allan

David

NBW

I don't see how you can blame the customers for expecting too much. Is it my fault for expecting Subaru to manufacture a car that doesn't have clutch judder!!! That is just plain crass!!!

I think the original point was, in comparison to Canada, we generally get poor service here:

If, when I first arrived in Canada, I went into a shop to spend $2, my expectations would be pretty low - as this is how I have become conditioned by the generally low service in the UK.

However, what I invariably got over there is a pleasant smile, you get to pass the time of day and a polite interest in where you're going / what you're planning to do during your visit.

I bought a pair of boots out there, and as we were chatting to the shop owner, we mentioned that we were getting married in the Rockies. Next minute he's throwing $12 hiking socks in the bag, free, as 'an early wedding present'. This guy will probably never get a another cent out of me and I was already happy with the service.

Try walking into the Levi store in Vancouver some day.... you will be shocked!!!! You will spend three times as much as you intended and it will be a very, very, very pleasant experience.

If in the UK we just accept poor levels of service, then it will get even worse!!! The reason it's become so bad is we just accept it and never complain!!!

Good customer service pays off, try this test:

On a Saturday afternoon, go to your local Curry/Comet/Dixon superstore. Walk round the almost deserted white goods section, get ignored by numerous sales bods, who don't give a ****.

Next go to John Lewis, which will be heaving, with people queuing up to talk to sales advisers. Wait your turn, then get to talk to somebody who knows about the products, and can advise you, then get them to match the price of aforementioned superstores, which they'll happily do!!!

<rant mode off>

NBW

One more thing - try pulling up outside a big UK hotel and waiting for someone to get your luggage out of the car and whisk it into reception (let alone your room) - you'll have a bloody long wait.

In most big hotels in Canada you'll hardly have time to turn the engine off. If that happened over here, you'd think some b@stard was stealing your luggage!!!!



[Edited by NBW - 12/29/2001 7:37:26 PM]

plug

I saw this on a website (www.radar-detector-shop.co.uk) the other day so at least some companies are still giving good customer service. Looks like it was delivered next day from sunday to Monday on a Christmas Eve. Now that's good service. Shame I didn't order mine from them I had to wait for ages.

"Hello Stuart,
I just wanted to let you know that I've rarely had such good customer
service, I confirmed the Geodesy order on Sunday morning and I received it here in
Somerset at lunchtime on Monday, Christmas Eve as promised, in time for
Christmas day. And also thanks for the bonus gift, it was the icing on the cake.

Once again thanks for the excellent service and good luck in the new year.
Please also pass my thanks onto your staff for their help.

Mark,
Somerset."

plug

I saw this on a website (www.radar-detector-shop.co.uk) the other day so at least some companies are still giving good customer service. Looks like it was delivered next day from sunday to Monday on a Christmas Eve. Now that's good service. Shame I didn't order mine from them I had to wait for ages.

"Hello Stuart,
I just wanted to let you know that I've rarely had such good customer
service, I confirmed the Geodesy order on Sunday morning and I received it here in
Somerset at lunchtime on Monday, Christmas Eve as promised, in time for
Christmas day. And also thanks for the bonus gift, it was the icing on the cake.

Once again thanks for the excellent service and good luck in the new year.
Please also pass my thanks onto your staff for their help.

Mark,
Somerset."

plug

I saw this on a website (www.radar-detector-shop.co.uk) the other day so at least some companies are still giving good customer service. Looks like it was delivered next day from sunday to Monday on a Christmas Eve. Now that's good service. Shame I didn't order mine from them I had to wait for ages.

"Hello Stuart,
I just wanted to let you know that I've rarely had such good customer
service, I confirmed the Geodesy order on Sunday morning and I received it here in
Somerset at lunchtime on Monday, Christmas Eve as promised, in time for
Christmas day. And also thanks for the bonus gift, it was the icing on the cake.

Once again thanks for the excellent service and good luck in the new year.
Please also pass my thanks onto your staff for their help.

Mark,
Somerset."

plug

I saw this on a website (www.radar-detector-shop.co.uk) the other day so at least some companies are still giving good customer service. Looks like it was delivered next day from sunday to Monday on a Christmas Eve. Now that's good service. Shame I didn't order mine from them I had to wait for ages.

"Hello Stuart,
I just wanted to let you know that I've rarely had such good customer
service, I confirmed the Geodesy order on Sunday morning and I received it here in
Somerset at lunchtime on Monday, Christmas Eve as promised, in time for
Christmas day. And also thanks for the bonus gift, it was the icing on the cake.

Once again thanks for the excellent service and good luck in the new year.
Please also pass my thanks onto your staff for their help.

Mark,
Somerset."

mutant_matt

OK OK Plug, we got the picture

Andy,You're the first person (ever!!!) that I've heard that's got anything good to say about DABS Customer Services!!!!!!

I've just had an absolute nightmare with them, no response to two phonecalls over two days (after the obligatory 30 mins on hold to speak to someone [img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img] ), no response to three further emails to Customer Service and no response to an email to the Managing Director after all these other "no responses" rolleyes:[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img][img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

The only way I got it resolved is that I know someone who knows some of the big wigs @ Dabs and I got him to "have a word" with them. Funnily enough, it was sorted the very next day

Dabs know they have a big CS problem and to their credit are trying to do something about it, but I will NEVER use them again and just to ram the point home, a friend at work cancelled some orders with Dabs after they have been messing him around for several months the same day I had a word with my m8..........

In general, I do think that we recieve pittiful customer service and we will continue to do so because mostly, we do nothing about it and let them get away with it!!

Matt

P.S. Happy New Year BTW

Maz-old

I don't think that many service providers care about their customers anymore because they have so many of them that if they lose one or two, it doesn't matter. At the top of big companies, the Executives do not realise that the service is so poor because it appears not many complain.

The WORST service has to be on the trains. LATE, DIRTY, and no one gives a damn about how you feel. They're never late during the day, only during rush hour. No excuses, no explanations, just cancellations, delays and then a hefty price increase. What really narks me is when the train is delayed by half an hour and then a ticket inspector comes on and asks to produce your ticket to prove to him that you're stupid enough to PAY for the cr@p service they provide. Did you know that to get ot Bolton in the morning costs teh same as a flight to Boston, USA? £175 return.

Shops aren't much better.

We pay over the odds in this country for smaller/less than in every other country. When was the last time you left food on your plate in a restaurant in this country, or were offered a refill for your coffee and had the extra waved away?

Dave P

I tend not to deal with customers much in my line, but when I'm out shopping, eating in restaurant's etc. I find that being polite and courteous to the staff works wonders. A smile and a pleasant greeting seems to bring out the best in people.

When you hear what some people whinge about it must be a thankless task to serve!

Dave

JackClark

I find that leaving a huge tip works wonders for your next visit.

zoog

Yea but then you've got to repeat it ! And go back regularly enough for them not to forget.

humbug

One of the reasons shop assistants are so bad is that they are paid appallingly - if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

I notice that out of the South East service in shops etc is generaly slower but much more friendly and personal - couldnt believe how pleasant and chatty the assisants were in Edinburgh over New year.

zoog

I went into Dixons just prior to Xmas for the little printer that goes with the IXUS V and they simply hadn't heard of it - and thats with it all over the TV ads for the last 4 weeks!

Ended up buying a grey import from Tottenham Court road.

Jerome

It's all very well smiling and being pleasant to staff in restaurants/shops etc, but what if you still get poor service, despite being pleasant to them? I am always polite to people in general, let alone in a restaurant/shop etc, but it often seems to get me no-where.

Anyway, many of the organisations that I have a gripe with don't deal face to face anyway.

ChrisB

I've used Dabs a few times. I had a problem a few years back, although since then I've been happy with the service.

Here's part of my fax I sent them..

I placed the order at around 4pm on November 25th. I was told next delivery was available , and thus paid for it. When the shipment did not arrive on the following day, I rang the sales line to be told that my order had not been shipped for next day. The sales person promised a refund of the £5 extra charge for next day delivery over two to three delivery. I have yet to see this refund on my credit card or as a credit note.

When I finally received the goods, I found that the wrong product had been shipped. I had ordered a Pace TV & Radio card, but received the TV only version - the Dabs label on the box was for a TV + Radio card, but the box is quite cleary marked TV Card. I arranged the return of the product (RMA xxx) and finally took delivery of the replacement around one week later.

This however, was again the TV only card (right label, wrong box). I again called Customer Services and spoke to xxx, who issued a second RMA xxx and promised to have the warehouse staff check the goods before shipment. This morning I received the card back, only for it to be the wrong model AGAIN!

Indeed, the packinging is damaged which, I suspect, is from it’s previous visits to me. The first mistake, whilst annoying, is acceptable because everyone makes mistakes, the second was careless but now the third is pure incompetence (IMO).


I was after a new clock radio a while back. Went into a major electrical retailer and asked to have a demo of one, only to be told they don't do demos. Fair enough, so I walked out and went to a local independant. Guy in the there couldn't have been more helpful so they got my coin.

[Edited by ChrisB - 03/01/2002 12:22:16]

druddle

Basically with any service or shop, as long as I "get what it says on the tin" with a polite please/thankyou approach I am happy.

Its only when i dont get what I paid for or the service is appalling that i get irate.

P.S. Dont start me on NTL.........

Dave