Homebase customer service
Gordon Chandler
customer service at Homebase before others suffer the same
fate that I did.
I bought two cans of store brand "Dark Oak" timber paint from the
Homebase in Cambridge early this September. Thanks to the
inclement weather conditions I had to wait until early this week to
paint my new fence. To my horror I discovered that what Homebase
described as "Dark Oak" as in fact more like "Mustard." I even
compared the contents to old "Dark Oak" timber paint from Focus
and confirmed that it wasn't my eyes playing tricks on me.
I went to return the cans to Homebase today but was told that the
28 days refund period had expired. I claimed that this was a refund
instigated by them selling mislabelled goods but the customer service
representative and manager would have none of it. They claimed
that the label on the can (clearly "Dark Oak" in colour) was not
necessarily a true indication about the colour of the contents.
Furthermore the colour would "change when applied applied to
the fence." They only offered to return the cans to the supplier for
examination but refused to offer a refund.
I returned my Homebase card and decided to leave the cans
behind at the store rather than waste any more of my time. I made
it clear that I would not come to their store again. I'm not sure whether
I was at fault in not checking the paint earlier but I would have thought
that having spent a significant amount at the store in the past would
have afforded me some leniency.
As a postscript, I went to Focus to get replacement cans and
discovered that the colour was as expected.
---
Gordon Chandler
Darren
"Gordon Chandler" <gcha...@nospam.dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
And that's whats wrong with the customer service industry in the UK. I
remember one time going to Curries with a Canadian lady who had just started
at my company because she wanted to spend about Ł2,000 on top electronics
for her new pad. Well even after saying to the manager things like 'she is
just my work colleague', 'she is the one spending the money, not me!', etc
he would only deal with me and continued to show me all the new products and
ignore my friend.
To cap it off when asked about a certain function on a video recorder he
disappeared to find the manual and had us waiting for half an hour with no
apology!
I think my friend was bewildered at the sexist and incompetent service from
the store manager! Needless to say no money was spent there that evening!
Andy Hall
"Gordon Chandler" <gcha...@nospam.dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
We've had this kind of silly nonsense from Homebase before if you look back
through the threads,
although in that case they were demonstrably out of line on consumer
legislation.
In this case, if you applied a "reasonableness" test your argument would be
that goods were not fit
for purpose - i.e. the description is out of line with the label and your
expectation and other products of the same type. You could also demonstrate
that because of the weather, you had been unable to use the product.
Their argument would be that 28 days was a reasonable time to check the
product.
The point is that they have stuck religiously to their store policy by
refusing a refund and have lost another
customer. They lost me some while ago for behaving similarly inflexibly.
Basically they have traded the small
profit on one transaction from the much larger ones that they would have
continued to make on other purchases.
On the one hand they go to a lot of trouble to encourage you to have a store
card to gather market data on your purchasing habits (and give you a tiny
bribe for your loyalty); and then in one minute of stupidity blow the whole
thing.
This kind of attitiude is, I am sure partly responsible for their decline.
The reality is that they probably don't even realise why.
This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
.andy
Peter Crosland
Homebase HQ brought rapid results.
--
Regards from Peter Crosland g6...@hotmail.com
"Gordon Chandler" <gcha...@nospam.dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
Mark M
Only if someone else is working at a better level of customer service.
Stuart
>
Must have rubbed off on Sainsbury's-aren't or weren't they the same
company ??
I recently ordered some groceries on-line with no delivery charge as
an invite to new customers and ordered a Reward card at the same time
. I got the card but as I didnt have the card at the time I placed the
order the points werent included on it . I sent an e-mail asking that
the points be put on -got no reply after a week,telphoned and spoke to
some clone who said the points DEFINITELY couldnt be added,asked to
speak to a supervisor-none avaialble-they would phone me back-several
days later none had phoned so I phoned again . This time got aomeone
with brains who made enquiries and said I needed to go to my local
store and they would put on the points.
I e-mailed them a couple of days later -on 2nd October--suggesting
that in all the circs they should offer me another free delivery .
Despite a reminder e-mail I am still waiting on an answer .
Stuart
---------
Remove YOURPANTS before E-mailing Me
Andy Hall
"Mark M" <m...@sink.drain> wrote in message
news:0x0y7.18414$oE5.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> > This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
>
> Only if someone else is working at a better level of customer service.
>
I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with a
suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
here, not primates.... :-)
.andy
joe jackson
Stuart wrote:
Get a life
Colin Rosenstiel
Crosland) wrote:
> I had a similar problem in that the Manager would not budge. A letter
> to the Homebase HQ brought rapid results.
Also try County Council Trading Standards. In the book.
Colin Rosenstiel
Ed Sirett
Andy Hall wrote in message <3bc882f9$1...@nt1.hall.gl>...
>
>This kind of attitiude is, I am sure partly responsible for their decline.
>The reality is that they probably don't even realise why.
>
other sheds (except on -10% days).
>This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
Even allowing for the occasional mishap and the current slow service (due to
their understandable popularity) how long before Screwfix are going to
cause at least one chain of sheds to hit the dust?
- -
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
Stuart
<joe.ja...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
>Get a life
>
Bet it took a lot of thought to think that one up ?
Mark B
Mark
Tracy
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> customer service at Homebase before others suffer the same
> fate that I did.
<snip>
How did they know that you were outside the 28 day period? Did you give
them a receipt? I've found sometimes that it's better to not have the
receipt, take a credit note (and buy anything to get rid of it), and then
never cross their doorstep again. At least then you're not out of pocket
But I do suggest writing to their Customer Services in this case
Tracy
Brian Watson
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> customer service at Homebase before others suffer the same
> fate that I did.
While we're in a bitchin' mood about Cambridge businesses...
Twice last week (once at 7pm, then at five to midday the next day), I tried
to book by phone a table for five on Friday 5th Oct at Old Orleans,
Cambridge, to take advantage of their current "25% off for card holders"
promo.
Having got the answerphone at the joint one evening then again the following
luchtime, and having had no call-back from my first call, I phoned their HO
in Northampton.
Credit where it's due, this went straight through to Customer Relations who
got me a call back from the restaurant within five minutes.
On arrival on the Friday, I was told they would need to retain my Visa
behind the counter "for security reasons" if I was going to buy a round of
drinks and charge 'em to the restaurant bill before going through for the
food.
No: 1 Son tells me this is usual practice in Cambridge restaurant/bars so,
not wishing to make a a scene in front of Ma, former SO, and Son & Daughter,
I aquiesce while inwardly snarling.
As the rest of family later went through to the restaurant part, I have to
fix member of the bar staff with my steeliest glare and raise my voice to
get my Visa back, quoting *my* securirty reasons.
Onfce sat, one starter arrived with plainly unwashed salad content and was
sent back with the new-but-trying-hard waiteress promising to "of course"
knock it off the bill.
Main courses were OK, but one dessert was lacking the promised hot fudge
sauce.
Come coffee time at around 10-10.30, they apologised for being out of milk!
My suggestion that they either send someone out for it, or get a cab to
bring some in from Tesco/Sainsbury, was passed on (maybe) but not acted
upon.
Daughter saw storm clouds gathering on the horizon at this point and beat a
hasty retreat to the bar.
The bill arrived and (predictably) the dirty starter had not been deducted.
Mother headed for the bar...
At my request, the Duty Manageress came to the table and did her best to
pour oil on our very troubled waters.
Given a list of the evening's cock-ups and misdemeanours, I accepted a
substantial reduction in the bill and her promise of a letter of apology
after the event.
Needless to say, I'm still waiting for the letter.
I don't expect Cordon Bleu from a chain like Old Orleans, but competance at
what they *do* offer would be nice.
--
Brian
joe jackson
Stuart wrote:
nope
Hywel Jenkins
darrenTAKETH...@yahoo.co.uk says...
> And that's whats wrong with the customer service industry in the UK. I
> remember one time going to Curries with a Canadian lady who had just started
> at my company because she wanted to spend about Ł2,000 on top electronics
> for her new pad. Well even after saying to the manager things like 'she is
--
Hywel I do not eat quiche
Web Site http://hyweljenkins.com/
WIP http://hyweljenkins.co.uk/
MicroFAQ http://hyweljenkins.co.uk/mfaq.php
The incredible Sulk
stopped serving decent food, and started serving crap with sullen staff
and who knows what else.
Basically, its a cocktail bar, not a restaurant. Don't go again.
If you want a decent meal at a sensible price, try teh Eraina taverna or
Don Pasquale.
--
Great Sayings of the past:
"He who shits in the road will meet flies on his return" (Mr Natural)
"De Heffalumpis semper disputandum est" (Winne Ille Pu)
Chris Brown
>
>I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with a
>suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
>here, not primates.... :-)
What have reptiles done to deserve that?
--
/* _ */main(int k,char**n){char*i=k&1?"+L*;99,RU[,RUo+BeKAA+BECACJ+CAACA"
/* / ` */"CD+LBCACJ*":1[n],j,l=!k,m;do for(m=*i-48,j=l?m/k:m%k;m>>7?k=1<<m+
/* | */8,!l&&puts(&l)**&l:j--;printf(" \0_/"+l));while((l^=3)||l[++i]);
/* \_,hris Brown -- All opinions expressed are probably wrong. */return 0;}
Tim Ward
news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>
> that the label on the can (clearly "Dark Oak" in colour) was not
> necessarily a true indication about the colour of the contents.
> Furthermore the colour would "change when applied applied to
> the fence."
I've used stuff like this that really is a completely different colour when
dry to what it looks like in the tin.
--
Tim Ward - posting as an individual unless otherwise clear
Brett Ward Ltd - www.brettward.co.uk
Cambridge Accommodation Notice Board - www.brettward.co.uk/canb
Cambridge City Councillor
Alun Morris
> I've used stuff like this that really is a completely different colour
when
> dry to what it looks like in the tin.
Like when Blair dried the Labour Party and it went blue?
Alun
Tim Ward
news:X4iy7.24563$fo2.2...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
Yes, a bit like that, it *was* quite a dramatic colour change.
Alun Morris
missing (they fall out when the polythene cover is opened and they don't
jump back in themselves) but the real bummer was all the cuts were too short
by up to 13mm. The best was 3mm out (which is the usual tolerance)
As it happened that didn't stop me using them, but comepare to Ridgeons who
made 6 cuts on a sheet of mdf and they were correct to 1mm.
Homebase worktops are several times cheaper than Ridgeons' though.
Alun
Andy Hall
"Ed Sirett" <e...@makewrite.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:1003012104.8316.0...@news.demon.co.uk...
>
> Andy Hall wrote in message <3bc882f9$1...@nt1.hall.gl>...
> >
> >This kind of attitiude is, I am sure partly responsible for their
decline.
> >The reality is that they probably don't even realise why.
> >
> Along with the fact that they are _generally_ a bit more expensive than
> other sheds (except on -10% days).
>
> >This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
>
> Even allowing for the occasional mishap and the current slow service (due
to
> their understandable popularity) how long before Screwfix are going to
> cause at least one chain of sheds to hit the dust?
>
>
The first steps of consolidation have been happening because there are too
many chains and the density of stores in a lot of areas is too high.
Homebase acquiring Texas a while ago.
Great Mills, Wickes and FDIA "merging".
Even with that, B&Q/Castorama are by far the biggest DIY chain in Europe
having over 7% market share (next nearest is Obi, a German chain at around
half that). In the UK, B&Q has over 20% market share and again is by far
the largest according to at least three market reports I've read.
The business concensus seems to be that unless Homebase is acquired or
merges with someone like Auchan's Leroy Merlin chain, they will probably
fade.
There is also repeated conjecture on both sides of the Atlantic about Home
Depot's desire to move into Europe. That would change the situation
completely for reasons of buying power among others - probably game, set and
match for some of the smaller chains.
My own feeling is that there's probably room in the UK market for 2 large
chains in the long run, so that leaves Homebase and probably FDIA in a
rather precarious position.
.andy
Andy Hall
"Chris Brown" <cpb...@ntlworld.no_uce_please.com> wrote in message
news:16tbq9...@gecko.localdomain...
> In article <3bc8...@nt1.hall.gl>, Andy Hall <an...@hall.gl> wrote:
> >
> >I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with a
> >suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
> >here, not primates.... :-)
>
> What have reptiles done to deserve that?
>
Nothing at all - (actually I am into herpetology as another hobby) - perhaps
I should have been more specific and used "dinosaurs". Unable to adapt to
changing conditions fast enough.....
.a
Mark M
Well, in my personal experience B&Q has customer service several orders of
magnitude worse than Homebase, BUT I believe that to be due to the random
fluctuations. It almost certainly evens out over the population.
The point is, there isn't anyone doing better customer service in the
sector.
Primeval swamp? Luxury!
Mark M
Phil W
long you'd had the stuff - if it was three years then I think you may have
some difficulties, but the "28 days" thing is their own and doesn't affect
your statutory rights. Not that you should have to fall back on those of
course.
If you bought it with a credit card then I think that you could just dump
the stuff (try to avoid the temptation to dump it upside down on their floor
;-) and get your card company to issue a chargeback. I think this puts the
ball in their court if they disagree. I think that Merchant Acquirers have a
six-month time limit on chargebacks; your credit card issuer may suggest
something smaller, but they're generally on your side (it's not their
problem as the problem goes straight back to the retailer).
(I don't know what I'm talking about so don't rely on me for legal stuff.)
I bought an electrical fitting from Cambridge Discount Electrical on
Saturday. When I got home it didn't work. I took it back and they replaced
it with one which retailed at twice the price and threw in something else
along with their apology. They didn't treat me like I was a thief. That's
why I go there, and why I'll keep going there.
Phil W
standing in the queue for Dojo's that there's this huge empty place just
across the way. I think it's for the tourist trade - tourists will never go
back to a place so it doesn't matter what they get charged & served. I
suspect that the town centre isn't a good place for meals generally for this
reason.
Andy Hall
"Phil W" <a...@c.com> wrote in message
news:9qcnp7$pes$1...@neptunium.btinternet.com...
>
> I bought an electrical fitting from Cambridge Discount Electrical on
> Saturday. When I got home it didn't work. I took it back and they replaced
> it with one which retailed at twice the price and threw in something else
> along with their apology. They didn't treat me like I was a thief. That's
> why I go there, and why I'll keep going there.
>
>
Exactly. for the cost of a couple of quid they've got a loyal customer and
a recommendation. If it's a branded product, the manufacturer will take it
back anyway.
.andy
Jonathan Larmour
Tim Ward <t...@brettward.co.uk> wrote:
>Gordon Chandler <gcha...@nospam.dial.pipex.com> wrote in message
>news:2F_x7.15005$fo2.1...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>>
>> They claimed
>> that the label on the can (clearly "Dark Oak" in colour) was not
>> necessarily a true indication about the colour of the contents.
>> Furthermore the colour would "change when applied applied to
>> the fence."
>
>I've used stuff like this that really is a completely different colour when
>dry to what it looks like in the tin.
I was going to say exactly the same thing. We bought a Ronseal stain and
varnish thing that claimed it was "Cherrywood" which you would expect
to be quite red. In the tin though, it was a light and very creamy
looking brown. But once dry on the door it did indeed live up to its
label.
So I think Homebase may be right, so it may indeed be "fit for the
purpose". Why not try a little on some different wood first?
Jifl
--
Red Hat, Rustat House, Clifton Road, Cambridge, UK. Tel: +44 (1223) 271062
Maybe this world is another planet's Hell -Aldous Huxley || Opinions==mine
Tony Sayer
oar in and spake thus
Highly recommended outfit. Not quite the product range of the big
electrical wholesalers, but good advice and very helpful. Use them all
the time...
--
Tony Sayer
Bancom Communications Ltd U.K. Tel +44 1223 566577 Fax +44 1223 566588
P.O. Box 280, Cambridge, England, CB2 2DY E-Mail to...@bancom.co.uk
TL447-553 52* 10.57'N 0* 6.96 E
Marky
Yes, yes, I think I encountered your style of service only the other day.
"joe jackson" <joe.ja...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:3BC976A6...@ntlworld.com...
Dan Sheppard
>We've had this kind of silly nonsense from Homebase before if you look back
>through the threads,
>although in that case they were demonstrably out of line on consumer
>legislation.
Their free DIY leaflets are good, though. I've had bad experiences
with Homebase too, but I have gone in and taken one of their free
leaflets from time-to-time. When you've read it you're ready to have a
conversation with an assistant in MacKays. :)
Dan.
Jon Green
>
> "Mark M" <m...@sink.drain> wrote in message
> news:0x0y7.18414$oE5.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> > "Andy Hall" <an...@hall.gl> wrote in message
> news:3bc882f9$1...@nt1.hall.gl...
> > >
>
> > > This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
> >
> > Only if someone else is working at a better level of customer service.
> >
>
> I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with a
> suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
> here, not primates.... :-)
Whenever I've returned stuff to B&Q they've refunded without questions
or delays. At Homebase, I've had to argue the case a little more, but
have never been refused.
Sounds like you just got the wrong person on the wrong day. Take it to
Head Office, preferably identifying the person who was breaking the SOGA
and SASOGA for retraining.
Jon
--
SPAM BLOCK IN OPERATION! To mail, swap 'green-lines' for 'deadspam'
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Jon Green
> I bought an electrical fitting from Cambridge Discount Electrical on
> Saturday. When I got home it didn't work. I took it back and they replaced
> it with one which retailed at twice the price and threw in something else
> along with their apology. They didn't treat me like I was a thief. That's
> why I go there, and why I'll keep going there.
Yup, top place. Likewise the plumbing place nearby.
Andrew Bolt
> You're obviously one of these oiks who works in these places then.
Marky, Joe Jackson appears to be a denizen of uk.d-i-y. They
probably want him posting there as little as anyone wants to see
him posting in cam.misc. It's best not to encourage him at all.
Apart from that, I agree with you - Joe definitely seems to have
a great customer-services attitude... :-)
By the way, the standard posting etiquette round these parts is
to trim any quoted material from the previous message down to just
the salient parts, then write your own text below the quoted text.
Cheers,
Andrew
--
Andrew Bolt, Andre...@arm.com
110 Fulbourn Road, Cambridge, CB1 9NJ, ENGLAND, +44 1223 400650
Chris Shore
I agree. As a family we eat out quite regularly in the city centre but are
on the point of concluding that service has deteriorated so far at all of them
that we will stop doing so. Pizza Hut and Bella Pasta are two where we have
recently had particularly bad experiences. Like you, I don't think these places
are interested in repeat business any more because they don't have to be.
There is a never-ending stream of tourists to fill them.
Chris Shore
> Highly recommended outfit. Not quite the product range of the big
> electrical wholesalers, but good advice and very helpful. Use them all
> the time...
> --
I've long given up going anywhere else for anything remotely electrical (likewise
the heating/plumbing place next door). I have found it impossible to beat them
on price, they happily give a cash discount and usually knock something off
anyway without being asked. They will replace/refund without question
Mark Ayliffe
news:3BCAA930...@arm.com...
>
> I agree. As a family we eat out quite regularly in the city centre but are
> on the point of concluding that service has deteriorated so far at all of
them
> that we will stop doing so. Pizza Hut and Bella Pasta are two where we
have
> recently had particularly bad experiences. Like you, I don't think these
places
> are interested in repeat business any more because they don't have to be.
> There is a never-ending stream of tourists to fill them.
And our council(s?) seem to think that tourists should be encouraged... I
wonder which part of the electorate they are responding to?
Mark
Robert Macmillan
t...@brettward.co.uk (Tim Ward) wrote:
> Alun Morris <alu...@DELETEtesco.net> wrote in message
> news:X4iy7.24563$fo2.2...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> >
> >
> > Like when Blair dried the Labour Party and it went blue?
>
> Yes, a bit like that, it *was* quite a dramatic colour change.
Or when Paddy dried the LibDems and they went red?
Robert
Tim Fitzmaurice
> I simply haven't been there for years, ever since they got 'trendy' and
> stopped serving decent food, and started serving crap with sullen staff
> and who knows what else.
I find it tends to go in phases....a period of good food and service then
its dire for a while....
Tim
When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart
ICQ: 5178568
Tim Steele
started
> for her new pad.
Write out 1,000 times
"I will not go to Currys for electrical equipment. Robert Sayle is cheaper,
friendlier and more helpful."
Tim
Tim Steele
My last meal there (some years ago) featured uncooked main course, frozen
dessert, and a food fight between the staff and some customers which passed
over our table; some of it hit my date and I. Were it not for my romantic
entanglement I would have refused to pay. Sigh.
Tim
Tony Sayer
<chris...@arm.com> stuck his oar in and spake thus
Ah yes them as well, quite agree good free advice and prices as good as
anywhere else. Bit like Gees over the bridge....
Ought to have preservation orders on the lot of 'em....
The incredible Sulk
Tim Fitzmaurice wrote:
>
> On Sun, 14 Oct 2001, The incredible Sulk wrote:
>
> > I simply haven't been there for years, ever since they got 'trendy' and
> > stopped serving decent food, and started serving crap with sullen staff
> > and who knows what else.
>
> I find it tends to go in phases....a period of good food and service then
> its dire for a while....
>
Well the restaurants *I* use, because they are cocnsitently accurate in
value for money stakes are
- The Eraina Taverna in Free school lane. Filling, nutritious, cheap,
and cheerful.
- The Don Pasquale Pizza place on teh market. Amazingly better pizzas
than any of the 'chains' and full of delightfully accented foreign
ladies who serve you (food) :-)
- The Sala Thong thai place on the mill.
- Occasionally the Italian at the top of bridge street
- Random curry houses when in the mood.
Apart from that, I can't think of *any* places I frequent. I ocasionally
eat at the various pubs, and I admit to the odd Mcdonalds or burger
king, when in a huury. At least you know the food quality will be on the
scant side of edible, and the service non existent, but its not an arm
and a leg is it?
Every time I go to Browns/Old Orleans/Pizaa express/setc. etc. its
always the same. Loud, unpleasant, crap service, badly cooked food,
pared down to the bone in terms of food quantity.
I used to cohabit years and years ago with a catering manageress. She
explained why this is so. Basically, in a family owned business, the
family makes th eprofits, and have a vested interest in seeing repeat
business and happy customers. In a chain business, the staff are all on
salsries, and whether the franchise is a success or not, is of no
interest to them. They also get given a fixed budget for the booked
meals and fixed supplies.
So, what they do is as follows.
- They steal food from teh allowed budgets, and take it home. This is
why you only get one anchovy and one caper on your pizza. Someone has
stolen the stock, and sold it.
- They do deals with suppliers. The company gets invoiced for 'prime
chicken wings' but in fact what is supplied is abbatoir scrapings, and
the manager and the catering supplier split the difference.
- They water the drinks, fal to cash up a few percent, and pocket the
difference.
- They fill the single scotch optics with cheap blends, and double the
price anyway.
- They don't run your cash through the tills. It gets pocketed and split
up amongst the staff. In fact there may literally be two separate
businesses being run - one a legal above board system, and a second
illicitly supplied, and cash traded on the side business.
- They love to have disputed bills. With all that crossing out, its easy
for them to *claim* that what they got from you was the lesser amount,
but what you paid was more..and the difference is pocketed.
- They are also the place best to grab your credit card, run it through
a card copier as well as the till, and then sell the information to
another guy down in east london who makes up fake cards and sells em at
£50 a pop.
Basically, don't eat at 'chains' except McDonalds....for the simple
reason that they spend all their money on brand image marketing, fancy
premises, and none whatsoever on food, staff training, staff bonuses or
indeed the products they deliver.
Contrast your 'family' resetaurant who is merely cheating teh VAT and
Taxman, not usually the customer....
> Tim
> When playing rugby, its not the winning that counts, but the taking apart
> ICQ: 5178568
--
Great Sayings of the past:
"He who shits in the road will meet flies on his return" (Mr Natural)
"De Heffalumpis semper disputandum est" (Winne Ille Pu)
LNR
"Tim Steele" <tjfsn...@tadpole.co.uk> wrote:
>
>"I will not go to Currys for electrical equipment. Robert Sayle is cheaper,
>friendlier and more helpful."
Actually Currys couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful when we
realised that the cooker we had ordered from them wasn't going to fit
(for more than one reason) and quite happily took it back, refunded us
no problem when the one we picked instead was cheaper and delivered the
replacement fairly quickly. And they deliver at weekends which is more
than Sayles do.
--
l...@lspace.org http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~eleanorb/
Colin Rosenstiel
mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk (Mark Ayliffe) wrote:
FSVO "encouraged". No doubt the local community would like their share of
their money. The Council's policies are directed at management over direct
promotion.
Colin Rosenstiel
Mark Ayliffe
news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
>
> FSVO "encouraged". No doubt the local community would like their share of
> their money.
FSVO "local community"
FSVO "money"
ISTR someone making the point here that many day visitors spend very little
money in the city. That money is spent largely with business who are
emplying casual and/or minimum wage staff, who can't afford to live here and
have to commute from some distance, on the whole. ISTM those making most
from Cambridge's tourist business are travel firms based elsewhere.
> The Council's policies are directed at management over direct
> promotion.
That sounds like a step in the right direction. :-)
Mark
Marky
"Andrew Bolt" <ab...@pc505.cambridge.arm.com> wrote in message
> Apart from that, I agree with you - Joe definitely seems to have
> a great customer-services attitude... :-)
I just write the places off when they get difficult. There's a few places I
simply haven't been to in years, Sainsburys is one of them (both of them),
and Maplin has recently become another one. In years gone by Maplin used to
be so good with their customers, just 'spot-on' and that's it, and they
couldn't care less anymore. everyone, go to Gee's, it's much more
satisfying and oh is such an experience.
Companies are fighting back though. Some are starting to take the stance
that if you get narky because they're messing you about, then you're
seemingly unreasonable and they would rather not have your business.
So, you're not even allowed to complain anymore.
> By the way, the standard posting etiquette round these parts is
> to trim any quoted material from the previous message down to just
> the salient parts, then write your own text below the quoted text.
np
Marky
> > Only if someone else is working at a better level of customer service.
Problem there is, having worked in one of these awful places myself (for a
very long time), the goal is to get as much physical work done as possible,
the customer is merely an incovieniance to be avoided at all costs.
>
> "Mark M" <m...@sink.drain> wrote in message
> news:0x0y7.18414$oE5.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
>
> I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with a
> suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
> here, not primates.... :-)
I once bought a straight bit of wood from B&Q. :-)
Matthew Vernon
> Every time I go to Browns/Old Orleans/Pizaa express/setc. etc. its
> always the same. Loud, unpleasant, crap service, badly cooked food,
> pared down to the bone in terms of food quantity.
There is a large party of geeks who habitually go for pizza on a
monday. Usually to one of the pizza expresses in town, all of whom
seem to know us by now, and we get pretty good service, really. And
they don't mind that we only drink water most weeks.
Matthew
--
Rapun.sel - outermost outpost of the Pick Empire
http://www.pick.ucam.org
LNR
>
>Unfortunately, if you're my age, 25-30, on the cue of 'the women' you're
>susposed to be considerate and not be rude to the waitors/people, as they're
>having a really hard time, sob story, sob story.
If you don't like the way 'the women' in your party want you to behave
why don't you go out to dinner with someone else instead? Although I
can assure you it's perfectly possible to complain about service and get
things sorted out without resorting to being rude.
--
l...@lspace.org http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~eleanorb/
Nick Nelson
Marky wrote:
> I once bought a straight bit of wood from B&Q. :-)
_Thread convergence warning_
But was it straight when you came to use it?
Nick
Marky
> why I go there, and why I'll keep going there.
>
>
>
Lane?
Vicky Larmour
wrote:
> Unfortunately, if you're my age, 25-30, on the cue of 'the women'
> you're susposed to be considerate and not be rude to the
> waitors/people, as they're having a really hard time, sob story, sob
> story.
?! I'm almost exactly bang in the middle of 25-30, and was female last time
I looked... but I would still make a fuss if a meal was served wrong, cold,
raw, etc.
Of course, making a fuss doesn't have to mean being *rude* per se - in any
customer service interaction I find it better to start off polite and
assume incompetence (quite possibly on the part of someone else other than
the person I am speaking to) rather than malice. The incompetence has to
attain new levels (or I start to suspect malice) before it is worth being
rude.
I have served my time on the other side of the customer service fence.
There are too many people who charge straight in with rudeness and
aggression where it was quite unnecessary.
Vicky
--
Ivanova: "Lennier, get us the hell out of here!"
Lennier: "Initiating 'getting the hell out of here' maneuver..."
- Babylon 5: "The Hour of the Wolf"
Marky
news:1003026672.27114....@news.demon.co.uk...
> Needless to say, I'm still waiting for the letter.
>
> I don't expect Cordon Bleu from a chain like Old Orleans, but competance
at
> what they *do* offer would be nice.
>
Sounds about right.
Unfortunately, if you're my age, 25-30, on the cue of 'the women' you're
susposed to be considerate and not be rude to the waitors/people, as they're
having a really hard time, sob story, sob story.
who cares! we pay a price that they set for a standard of service which
they keep on telling us about.
My example has to be visiting the pub in Fulbourn by the grass for Sunday
lunch. We went in a group of about 10 made our orders and waited. We
waited, we waited, we waited. And then they brought our desert. Desert!!!
And then when we did get our lunch it was towards 2:30, they had started to
finish up, and our food came in dribs and drabs. We must have spend 1 1/2
hours there and didn't eat together.
Did we complain, No! I was ready to go beserk but the guy behind the bar
was so beligerant I simply gave up in fear of strangling him, and we've
never been back since.
Mark M
news:waAy7.1817$ks.4...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
Marky, little Marky. Get your attributions straight please. Andy wrote the
second quoted bit, I wrote the first. The quote you have attributed to me
is the opposite of my experience with B&Q.
Thanks in advance,
Mark M
Peter Laborne
> Hello all. I would like to let people know about the level of
> customer service at Homebase before others suffer the same
> fate that I did.
I don't trust Homebase.
During the summer I ordered a water feature from them. £100 for a nice
looking plastic millstone on a wooden base. They didn't have one in stock so
I decided to order one. They said it would be around four weeks to get it
in. Fair enough as I had a lot of gardening work to do anyway to make room
for it.
About 3 weeks later it was the garden show thing at Borne Airfield. I had
popped along to get ideas and came across a water feature section. In this
area was a proper millstone, a nice stone base, a tiny low voltage pump and
all the stones and pebbles included. All this for £80. When I asked how long
it would be until I could have one, the bloke selling them said he would be
able to install it that evening (free delivery, free installation and he
would make sure it worked fully before he left).
So home I went, happy that I had managed to get a real stone water feature
instead of a plastic and wood fake thing which cost £20 more. I get on the
phone to Homebase and tell them that I would like to cancel my order.
"You haven't ordered a water feature" they say
"Yes I did. About three weeks ago" I reply
"Nope. There's nothing on our system" they say
"Well have a good look round your system. I know I ordered a water feature
from you. It should be arriving next week. I want to cancel it"
I can hear a keyboard frantically having keys pressed.
"Oh. I've found an order for a water feature sir with your name next to it"
"At last. Thank you. Can you now cancel that order please?"
"I'm afraid you cancelled this order over a week ago"
"I'm sorry????"
"You have already cancelled your order."
"No I never or I wouldn't be phoning up now to cancel it. Oh well, it's been
cancelled so I'm not too bothered who did it"
Anyway, I'm happy with my nice real water feature that had been in for about
a week when my phone rings. It's Homebase.
"Hello. Mr Laborne? We are just ringing to let you know that the water
feature your ordered from us is now ready for you to collect."
"You what? I phoned last week to cancel my order and was told it had already
been cancelled"
"Nobody has touched the system sir. Your order has never been cancelled"
The rest of the phone call I will cut out (due to excessive swearing) and
just replace with:
"GRRRR"
Peter
Francis T
> Basically, its a cocktail bar, not a restaurant. Don't go again.
>
I had a good meal there last Friday, and the waitresses were polite,
if not hyper-efficient.
> If you want a decent meal at a sensible price, try teh Eraina taverna or
> Don Pasquale.
>
I've only eaten at Don Pasquale once. The food was OK but we were
served by the manager, whose surly-bordering-on-provocative manner has
put me off ever going there again. I thought we'd walked onto the set
of GoodFellas.
Chris Brown
Vicky Larmour <vi...@jifvik.org> wrote:
>
> but I would still make a fuss if a meal was served [...], raw, etc.
Unless it's a nice piece of fillet steak, of course. :-)
Mmmmm, blood.
--
/* _ */main(int k,char**n){char*i=k&1?"+L*;99,RU[,RUo+BeKAA+BECACJ+CAACA"
/* / ` */"CD+LBCACJ*":1[n],j,l=!k,m;do for(m=*i-48,j=l?m/k:m%k;m>>7?k=1<<m+
/* | */8,!l&&puts(&l)**&l:j--;printf(" \0_/"+l));while((l^=3)||l[++i]);
/* \_,hris Brown -- All opinions expressed are probably wrong. */return 0;}
Ciaran Byrne
<snip>
> Every time I go to Browns/Old Orleans/Pizaa express/setc. etc. its
> always the same. Loud, unpleasant, crap service, badly cooked food,
> pared down to the bone in terms of food quantity.
>
We went to Browns over a year ago and I had "seafood pasta". It
contained three mussels and half a dozen tiny objects that I
complained were not prawns but plankton. The waiter took the plate
back to the kitchen and on return offered me a coffee in compensation.
When I refused he knocked my meal off the bill, which at least saved
further argument. My wife and I were appalled and vowed never to
return.
--
Ciaran Byrne
Peter Laborne
> The waiter took the plate
> back to the kitchen and on return offered me a coffee in compensation.
This is common practice with restaurants.
If you complain about something the first thing they usually do is offer you
a free glass of wine or cup of coffee as most people will accept this. The
best thing to is to refuse this and keep causing a fuss, getting louder and
louder. The louder you get, the more other customers hear, the more the
manager gets embarrassed and wants you to shut up and the more £'s come off
your bill.
Peter
st...@pospggamle.org
Homebase. It seems to be the rule rather than the exception for them
to fuck it up. On more than one occasion we've ordered off-the-shelf
items that happened to be out of stock. We've waited and waited for
them to call us to say that it's in, only to walk into the store and
find the identical product sitting on the shelf. It seems that there
is no link between customer order fulfillment and routine restocking.
As for getting the requested number of rolls of wallpaper from the
same batch, well...
On the other hand, I've never had trouble taking things back,
even after a long time, even if the reason is just "bought too
many" or "changed my mind". That depends almost entirely on the
particular droid you get that day, and boycotting the whole
store or chain because of it is ludicrous and pointless IMHO.
-- Steve
Meldrew of Meldreth
>On more than one occasion we've ordered off-the-shelf
>items that happened to be out of stock. We've waited and waited for
>them to call us to say that it's in, only to walk into the store and
>find the identical product sitting on the shelf. It seems that there
>is no link between customer order fulfillment and routine restocking.
This is a common problem. I've had the same at B&Q. My best story there
was ordering a Winnie the Pooh lampshade (just a simple conical thing)
and tiring of the process of discovering whether the order had arrived,
going to the shop to collect anyway. They eventually discovered the
order, charged me a tenner, before I smelt a rat. The box was too big.
In fact it contained ten lampshades. Being an honest chap and with no
immediate need or means of disposal for the other nine, it was quite an
effort to convince them to acknowledge the error.
--
This posting is handtyped from natural materials. Minor blemishes are part of
its character and appeal.
Colin Rosenstiel
mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk (Mark Ayliffe) wrote:
> "Colin Rosenstiel" <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
> >
> > FSVO "encouraged". No doubt the local community would like their
> > share of their money.
>
> FSVO "local community"
> FSVO "money"
>
> ISTR someone making the point here that many day visitors spend very
> little money in the city. That money is spent largely with business who
> are emplying casual and/or minimum wage staff, who can't afford to live
> here and have to commute from some distance, on the whole. ISTM those
> making most from Cambridge's tourist business are travel firms based
> elsewhere.
FSVO "day visitors". The distinction between tourist and shopper is very
blurred these days. Also you seem to forget that the colleges and
University make a few bob from tourism.
> > The Council's policies are directed at management over direct
> > promotion.
>
> That sounds like a step in the right direction. :-)
Sounds good anyway. ;-)
Colin Rosenstiel
Mark Ayliffe
news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
>
> blurred these days. Also you seem to forget that the colleges and
> University make a few bob from tourism.
So we can agree that the council is providing for the demands of the
Colleges and owners of city centre Tourist Traps in preference to residents
of the city?
> > > The Council's policies are directed at management over direct
> > > promotion.
> >
> > That sounds like a step in the right direction. :-)
>
> Sounds good anyway. ;-)
Maybe not such a good step then.
Mark
Dave Plowman
I believed every word up till now. ;-)
--
* What happens if you get scared half to death twice? *
Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn
Christopher Lamb
> "Chris Brown" <cpb...@ntlworld.no_uce_please.com> wrote in message
>>
>> What have reptiles done to deserve that?
>>
> Nothing at all - (actually I am into herpetology as another hobby) - perhaps
> I should have been more specific and used "dinosaurs". Unable to adapt to
> changing conditions fast enough.....
Oi! Dinosaurs were around for 140M years longer than we have been so
far and I'd like to see you adapt to a 250km wide crater in your
back yard boyo!
Chris
Mark Carroll
>So, you're not even allowed to complain anymore.
>
>> By the way, the standard posting etiquette round these parts is
>> to trim any quoted material from the previous message down to just
>> the salient parts, then write your own text below the quoted text.
>
>np
Wow, thanks! (-: That's much appreciated. All too few people are quite
as polite.
-- Mark
Matthew
all your points on this matter as quite interesting.
Sainsbury's no longer own Homebase (this change happened last Christmas time)
but the facts about refund policy are amazing. Criteria we are given sounds
absurd to us (as staff) although Head Office tell us what to do.
I am doing a degree here in Durham and I take offence by the person who called
us oiks. Staff at Homebase are made up of a high percentage of students,
admittedly, but that does not make us thick, stupid or anything else. We have
to follow our instructions at Store level and that is what we are paid to do.
The policy is written at a national level and you should therefore be making
criticisms of those who write the policy (I'd like to take a shot at some of
them too...) not those of use who are basically paid to follow the rules. it
is the same in any industry and this should not be used to tarnish individual
stores or staff.
To go to the beginning of this thread, it seems that you were unfortunate to
not get a refund. Faulty items should be refunded (according to the policy we
used) at anytime within about a year of purchase. If you had the receipt it
should of been exchanged for you at least (although an actual refund is
dependent upon other criteria). It seems like you may of got someone
particularly strong (or as I haven't been working for the company for nearly 2
months, the policy could of changed again!).
I'm sorry about the policy, but there's nothing people in store can do about
it. Best is for customers to complain to Head Office!
Mark Ayliffe
news:3BCB0B44...@durham.ac.uk...
<...>
>
> I'm sorry about the policy, but there's nothing people in store can do
about
> it. Best is for customers to complain to Head Office!
I can sympathise with your point of view, you do seem to be caught in the
middle. However, I'm afraid my reaction is that it's best not to be a
Homebase customer at all. If the "Head Office" policy seems to be based on
the "good cop/bad cop" customer service method, then it's just one more
reason to avoid them.
Mark
Dan Sheppard
>If you complain about something the first thing they usually do is offer you
>a free glass of wine or cup of coffee as most people will accept this. The
>best thing to is to refuse this and keep causing a fuss, getting louder and
>louder. The louder you get, the more other customers hear, the more the
>manager gets embarrassed and wants you to shut up and the more £'s come off
>your bill.
Why is this "the best" thing to do?
Dan.
LNR
That's what I was wondering too. You're fa more likely to enjoy the
rest of your evening if you can get stuff ironed out quickly without
having to shout bout it a lot. If they can't fix something to your
satisfaction then fair enough, some money off can stop it spoiling you
time enough.
We once went out to dinner somewhere quite posh. We had a lovely meal
and ordered some desserts. The dessert order got lost off the stack
somewhere and there was quite a delay, but as soon as they realised they
brought us a free bottle of bubbly to drink while we waited for them to
be ready. Now *that* was much better than getting into a slanging match
about it and paying less: if we wanted to pay less we'd have gone
somewhere cheaper in the first place. It was nice champagne too.
--
l...@lspace.org http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~eleanorb/
Peter Laborne
> >Why is this "the best" thing to do?
>
> That's what I was wondering too. You're fa more likely to enjoy the
> rest of your evening if you can get stuff ironed out quickly without
> having to shout bout it a lot.
I'd be even more annoyed if I had had a c**p meal, c**p service etc and all
they said was "Have this free glass of wine".
It is common practice that is a customer complains the restaurant will offer
a free glass of something to try and make the customer feell better. However
if I am expected to pay for a good meal and good service when I have not had
a good meal or a good service then a glass of wine isn't going to make me
feel any better.
> We once went out to dinner somewhere quite posh. We had a lovely meal
> and ordered some desserts. The dessert order got lost off the stack
> somewhere and there was quite a delay, but as soon as they realised they
> brought us a free bottle of bubbly to drink while we waited for them to
> be ready. Now *that* was much better than getting into a slanging match
> about it and paying less: if we wanted to pay less we'd have gone
> somewhere cheaper in the first place. It was nice champagne too.
Most places wouldn't have done this. If you had received nothing would you
have kicked up a fuss or sat quiet. Even I would be happy at a bottle of
bubbly!!!
I've had a bad experience at Old Orleans. There were 4 of us all ordering
steak. One of us wanted it well done but when it arrived it was rare. We
told the waitress that it wasn't what we ordered and she said she would
change it for a well done steak asap. That steak arrived at the same time as
the deserts for the other three!!!! When we complained the first thing they
did was offer us three waters "so we could drink it whilst waiting for the
other one to catch up"*. Needless to say we complained some more until they
agreed not to charge us for the meal that they messed up.
I also had a very, very soggy medium pizza at Pizza Hut. I complained and
they agreed that I deserved a large pizza and free cokes for the duration of
my meal.
I cook great meals at home. If I go out for a meal I expect it to be
perfect. If it's not perfect I complain.
Peter
* what the waitress said to us!!!
Brian Watson
"Francis T" <ftu...@3glab.com> wrote in message
news:c736bbd4.01101...@posting.google.com...
> I've only eaten at Don Pasquale once. The food was OK but we were
> served by the manager, whose surly-bordering-on-provocative manner has
> put me off ever going there again. I thought we'd walked onto the set
> of GoodFellas.
Sounds great. I'll give it a try.
:-)
--
Brian
Dave Plowman
Mark Ayliffe <mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk> wrote:
> I can sympathise with your point of view, you do seem to be caught in
> the middle. However, I'm afraid my reaction is that it's best not to be
> a Homebase customer at all. If the "Head Office" policy seems to be
> based on the "good cop/bad cop" customer service method, then it's just
> one more reason to avoid them.
I can't comment on them now since they're under new management, but had
superb service from them when I bought an 'ex display' piece of furniture
- as seen - from them to match another I'd bought which had been
discontinued. Some parts of the hardware were missing, and despite paying
less than half price, they offered a refund, and when I explained why I
wanted it managed to obtain all the missing parts from the maker for free.
--
* Don't use no double negatives *
Vince Bowdren
> blurred these days. Also you seem to forget that the colleges and
> University make a few bob from tourism.
I don't know about any other colleges, but Clare I know has it's admission
price set at the level where it satisfies the two aims of:
- stopping old court and the gardens being so over-run with tourists that
residents are bothered by them.
- breaking even (admission prices vs. expense in running the admission
charging system).
It is possible that Kings makes a decent profit from the number of tourists
to the chapel, but then again they apparently do have their work cut out
just keeping it in reasonable condition.
Vince
Mike Lewis
> Contrast your 'family' resetaurant who is merely cheating teh VAT and
> Taxman, not usually the customer....
--
Mike Lewis, Chartered Accountant
www.mikelewis.co.uk
Mike Lewis
help from the big sheds.
> Yup, top place. Likewise the plumbing place nearby.
Mike Lewis
Why should we take our complaints to head office. We expect the local store
to deal with it. If you are selling locally then you shyoudl offer the whole
service locally and not tell us it is our problem to chase it up in some
remote part of the country. We are the customer and we expect to be taken
seriously face to face. If you don't see that then you should not be in a
service industry.
You might want to get hold of a copy of No Logo and read up on McJobs.
--
Mike Lewis, Chartered Accountant
www.mikelewis.co.uk
"Matthew" <Matthew...@durham.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:3BCB0B44...@durham.ac.uk...
Meldrew of Meldreth
<vi...@notthisbitjobstream.com> writes
>I don't know about any other colleges, but Clare I know has it's admission
>price set at the level where it satisfies the two aims of:
>- stopping old court and the gardens being so over-run with tourists that
>residents are bothered by them.
>- breaking even (admission prices vs. expense in running the admission
>charging system).
My college (Sidney) has much less of a problem with tourists. Very few
seem to want to visit the college, perhaps because its less famous, and
perhaps because it's not on Kings Parade. Those which do make it in are
welcomed (free of charge) unless its exam time when I expect all are
banned.
The porter makes sure the front step is always wet, to discourage those
who think it's a seat.
Those colleges which have become tourist attractions have themselves to
blame. Perhaps they've bowed to the kind of transparency that has opened
up Buckingham Palace to tourists (but only for a couple of months a
year). Or perhaps its just vanity. Few places in the real world allow
tourists to wander around their halls of teaching and residence.
Perhaps they should learn from the White House (who may have changed
policy recently) and construct events more like Royal Garden Parties -
allowing a few people in, in large chunks, but keeping them at a
respectful distance for most of the time.
Francis Turton
> I cook great meals at home. If I go out for a meal I expect it to be
> perfect. If it's not perfect I complain.
>
I expect to get what I pay for. And given the shortage of service staff in
Cambridge, I don't expect world-class service in places like Pizza Hut
either. Generally, rudeness or a don't-give-a-toss attitude annoys me more
than minor human error.
I worked in shops when I was younger, and while it's true that the people
who shouted at me _sometimes_ got what they wanted when they spoke to a
supervisor, I don't think their behaviour did them much credit with either
the staff or the other shoppers.
joe jackson
Marky wrote:
> You're obviously one of these oiks who works in these places then.
>
> Yes, yes, I think I encountered your style of service only the other day.
>
> "joe jackson" <joe.ja...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
> news:3BC976A6...@ntlworld.com...
> >
> >
> > Stuart wrote:
> >
> > > On Sat, 13 Oct 2001 22:45:49 +0100, joe jackson
> > > <joe.ja...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > >
> > > >Get a life
> > > >
> > > Bet it took a lot of thought to think that one up ?
> > > Stuart
> > > ---------
> > >
> > > Remove YOURPANTS before E-mailing Me
> >
> > nope
> >
> >
nope - I don't work in Homebase - just think that life is too short and too
rich an experience to get bogged down in pathetic whingeing about 'Customer
service' and the sad fixation on loyalty points which are a capitalist tool
to extract detailed data from misguided customers (victims) under the
pretence that they are getting something for nothing when in fact the bleedin
prices are way too high in the first place. And don't make presumptions about
my occupation will ya - and my style of service happens to be very good and
have a nice day now woncha sir (GRIN).
Well you did ask.
Brian Watson
"Francis Turton" <francis...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:FvHy7.3755$ks.9...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> I worked in shops when I was younger, and while it's true that the people
> who shouted at me _sometimes_ got what they wanted when they spoke to a
> supervisor, I don't think their behaviour did them much credit with either
> the staff or the other shoppers.
Agreed.
Which is why I held my frustration and temper in check when registering my
dissatisfaction at the fiasco that was my booking at Old Orleans with the
duty manager at the time.
The letter of apology that she promised on the night has not turned up a
week later so I have written to their HO informing them of what happened.
I can be a very persistent little bugger when I get messed about.
--
Brian
Steve Bevan
Jon Green <jo...@deadspam.com> wrote in message
news:s25lst4f9gvlgnt9a...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 13 Oct 2001 20:48:41 +0100, "Andy Hall" <an...@hall.gl> wrote:
>
> >
> > "Mark M" <m...@sink.drain> wrote in message
> > news:0x0y7.18414$oE5.1...@news2-win.server.ntlworld.com...
> > > "Andy Hall" <an...@hall.gl> wrote in message
> > news:3bc882f9$1...@nt1.hall.gl...
> > > >
> >
> > > > This is certainly an area where Darwin's principles apply.
> > >
> > > Only if someone else is working at a better level of customer service.
> > >
> >
> > I've generally found B&Q rather more customer minded, if you speak with
a
> > suitable supervisor; however, we are talking reptiles vs. primeval swamp
> > here, not primates.... :-)
>
> Whenever I've returned stuff to B&Q they've refunded without questions
> or delays. At Homebase, I've had to argue the case a little more, but
> have never been refused.
>
> Sounds like you just got the wrong person on the wrong day. Take it to
> Head Office, preferably identifying the person who was breaking the SOGA
> and SASOGA for retraining.
>
>
> Jon
> --
> SPAM BLOCK IN OPERATION! To mail, swap 'green-lines' for 'deadspam'
> Spammers: please die now and improve the mass-average IQ level.
> Want a deadspam email auto-responder? Try http://www.deadspam.com/
>
Never tried to return stuff to Homebase, but have found B&Q quite helpful in
this respect. I once bought some vertical blinds from them, got the package
home and found track, cords but no blinds. I then noticed some carefully
placed sticky tape on the shrink wrap.....a previous customer had obviously
bought the blinds, nicked the cloth blinds to replace his own, rewrapped it
and took it back! B&Q didnt quibble (could have been me that nicked the
blinds from thier point of view). With customers who do that, its not
surprising I suppose that Customer services in all businesses get pissed off
with customers in general.
Steve
LNR
>
>I'd be even more annoyed if I had had a c**p meal, c**p service etc and all
>they said was "Have this free glass of wine".
Right. You made it sound like you'd make that much fuss over even a
small problem. Which sounds like it's only likely to make it worse in
terms of being a good dining experience.
They brought a friend of mine the wrong main course today while we were
out to dinner, and brought him a bowl of olives to nibble on while he
waited for the replacement to arrive. It was less than 5 minutes, and
the waiter was very apologetic. Now he doesn't even *like* olives much
but it was still a good gesture and we still had a nice evening.
[Except for the fact it felt weird being the last customers laft in the
place, sufficiently so we didn't feel like staying for coffee or dessrt,
but there you go]
--
l...@lspace.org http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~eleanorb/
Colin Rosenstiel
mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk (Mark Ayliffe) wrote:
> "Colin Rosenstiel" <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
> >
> > FSVO "day visitors". The distinction between tourist and shopper is
> > very blurred these days. Also you seem to forget that the colleges and
> > University make a few bob from tourism.
>
> So we can agree that the council is providing for the demands of the
> Colleges and owners of city centre Tourist Traps in preference to
> residents of the city?
You seem to overlook that they are an integral part of the local economy,
employing a lot of local people.
> > > > The Council's policies are directed at management over direct
> > > > promotion.
> > >
> > > That sounds like a step in the right direction. :-)
> >
> > Sounds good anyway. ;-)
>
> Maybe not such a good step then.
:-)
Colin Rosenstiel
Mark Ayliffe
news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
>
> employing a lot of local people.
Errm, no I'm not:
"Mark Ayliffe" <mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk> wrote in
message news:nxzy7.23$Bv5.737@psinet-eu-nl...
>
> <...> That money is spent largely with business who are
> employing casual and/or minimum wage staff, who can't afford to live here
and
> have to commute from some distance, on the whole. <...>
So just how many people who live in the city of Cambridge are employed by or
own businesses which rely in large part for the tourist trade? I'll give you
one for starters ( :-) ), the chap who seems to operate most of the Ice
Cream barrows in the city lives in our road. Got any more?
Just in case you're wondering, my point is that many, possibly most of those
who are benefiting from the tourist trade don't actually live in the city,
and therefore shouldn't have any influence over the activities of the
council, which is elected solely by (though not apparently for) residents.
Mark
Phil W
problem.
I'm not sure that there was enough information to deduce this.
In most cases when things go wrong it's handled well. If I remember
correctly someone looked at this and pointed out that a problem which is
dealt with well may well increase the likelyhood of you returning to the
establishment. I'm not suggesting this as a marketing strategy for reasons
which should be obvious.
I think that the majority of people start to complain quietly and
assertively. The problem is what happens when that doesn't work? Personally
I don't go in for the "loud" business because I don't think that's a good
tactic. It puts everything on a very confrontational footing; it could be
used against you later; and if the other guy's calm then you may have "lost"
the argument by default. Personally I just try to explain repeatedly what
they have done and why I don't like it. If I don't get any action I ask to
talk to the next one up the line. That feels rude, but it often works. I
think that "first line" troops must have very restricted authrotity. If I
can't get satisfaction then I leave my name and address... I've had to do
this a couple of times and only once had anyone bother to chase me. If
you've already handed over the money then it's more difficult... use a
credit card and get the card company to issue a chargeback if you have to,
but make sure you're right.
I once worked for a large corporate providing service to end customers. It
cost the company much more in time, effort and PR to oppose complaints from
customers. We knew it was cheaper to not cause anyone any problems, but some
customers are just difficult, or confused about which supplier is
responsible for which service. Anyway, if anyone went to the bother of
seriously complaining (writing a letter setting out the details of their
problem etc) then it was cheaper for us to simply pay them out. We had some
pretty outlandish claims which from a personal perspective were people
simply trying it on... we still paid out. I'm not suggesting that people
"try it on", just pointing out that you will probably get a sympathetic
hearing if you're reasonable and if you can get your complaint in front of
someone who understands the cost implications.
Richard Meredith
> Those colleges which have become tourist attractions have themselves to
> blame. Perhaps they've bowed to the kind of transparency that has opened
> up Buckingham Palace to tourists (but only for a couple of months a
> year). Or perhaps its just vanity. Few places in the real world allow
> tourists to wander around their halls of teaching and residence.
One of the problems Queens' had (it was the first college to introduce
charges) was its position: ideal for the coach parties deposited on Silver
Street to use as a corridor to get to King's.
Prior to that all colleges allowed free access to all and sundry: AFAIK that
was the situation that had existed since forever, except at exam time. They
hadn't "bowed to transparency": they'd always been that way.
> Perhaps they should learn from the White House (who may have changed
> policy recently) and construct events more like Royal Garden Parties -
> allowing a few people in, in large chunks, but keeping them at a
> respectful distance for most of the time.
Since Queens' started charging over 20 years ago, the colleges have been
increasing restrictions, not reducing them. When I first came up anyone
could wander round at will: now you seem to need one of those yellow cards,
or pay money, to get past the porter's lodge in many cases and lots of the
minor entrances to the colleges seem to be locked when previously they were
wide open.
--
This message may contain traces of nuts. Do not refreeze once thawed.
No animals were hurt in the making of this production. Suitable for
vegetarians.
Richard Meredith
mike-a...@nospam.ntlworld.com (Mike Lewis) wrote:
> OK we all apologise. you are not oiks. You just act like oiks.
>
> Why should we take our complaints to head office. We expect the local
> store
> to deal with it. If you are selling locally then you shyoudl offer the
> whole
> service locally and not tell us it is our problem to chase it up in some
> remote part of the country. We are the customer and we expect to be taken
> seriously face to face. If you don't see that then you should not be in a
> service industry.
>
> You might want to get hold of a copy of No Logo and read up on McJobs.
I happen to agree with your sentiments but you're shooting the wrong guy.
The problem is that head office are not giving the local staff discretion to
do what they need to do, and it's no good blaming the local staff for that,
tempting though it is.
I think that one thing that *is* symptomatic of the problem is that it
appears that Matthew, who I would guess was working there as a
pre-university "gap year" job or similar (apologies if I'm reading too much
into his posting) appears to have been given a job which should carry some
considerable responsibility for customer relations, without (if my
assumptions are correct) a lot of experience in the role, and at an age
where an excellent way of annoying a middle aged customer with a problem is
for a spotty youth to tell him that he can't have what he wants.
I should emphasise that I'm not accusing Matthew, or anyone else in a
similar position, of not doing their best in a difficult position: it's just
that the best way of handling an unhappy customer IMV is to deal with their
problems as promptly as possible: the supervisor, as the first level of
escalation of a complaint, is the most important position in this chain and
should be carefully selected for the way in which they deal with customers
and given a decent level of discretion. With all respect to Matthew, simply
giving the job to a school leaver who appears to have more than
average intelligence isn't good enough.
I thought Homebase were supposed to undertand some of this at one time: it
may have been one of the other barns, but ISTR that a few years ago they
started to deliberately employ older people, simply because they were better
at customer relations than the usual oiks.
LNR
>> [...] You made it sound like you'd make that much fuss over even a small
>problem.
>
>I'm not sure that there was enough information to deduce this.
Sorry, you were [was that you, or am I getting people muddled?] saying
you wouldn't just accept a glass of wine as an apology if there was a
problem. And this *does* happen even with just small problems
sometimes, I've had it happen often. I understood you to mean in those
circumstances too. I'm sorry if I misunderstood you, I'm not trying to
be confrontational here.
--
l...@lspace.org http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~eleanorb/
Mark Goodge
>
>
> Just in case you're wondering, my point is that many, possibly most of those
> who are benefiting from the tourist trade don't actually live in the city,
> and therefore shouldn't have any influence over the activities of the
> council, which is elected solely by (though not apparently for) residents.
The traders who benefit from tourists are paying business rates to the
council. Quite apart from the "no taxation without representation"
principle, if you took them away then the council would have less money
to spend on things for residents.
Mark
Robert Macmillan
mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk (Mark Ayliffe) wrote:
> >
> Just in case you're wondering, my point is that many, possibly most of
> those who are benefiting from the tourist trade don't actually live in
> the city,
> and therefore shouldn't have any influence over the activities of the
> council, which is elected solely by (though not apparently for)
> residents.
Eh? The council shouldn't pay any attention to people who rent expensive
property in Cambridge and pay large sums in local business rates? The
council should listen only to residents because they have votes?
In my view councils should aim to balance the needs of all stakeholders,
be they residents, local businesses, visitors or Martians.
Robert
Robert Macmillan
rmer...@cix.dontspamme.co.uk (Richard Meredith) wrote:
> I thought Homebase were supposed to undertand some of this at one time:
> it may have been one of the other barns, but ISTR that a few years ago
> they started to deliberately employ older people, simply because they
> were better at customer relations than the usual oiks.
That was B&Q, I think.
Robert
Colin Rosenstiel
mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk (Mark Ayliffe) wrote:
> "Colin Rosenstiel" <rosen...@cix.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:memo.20011015...@rosenstiel.cix.co.uk...
> >
> > You seem to overlook that they are an integral part of the local
> > economy, employing a lot of local people.
>
> Errm, no I'm not:
>
> "Mark Ayliffe" <mark.ayl...@nospam.pem.removethis.cam.ac.uk>
> > wrote in message news:nxzy7.23$Bv5.737@psinet-eu-nl...
> >
> > <...> That money is spent largely with business who are
> > employing casual and/or minimum wage staff, who can't afford to live
> > here and have to commute from some distance, on the whole. <...>
>
> So just how many people who live in the city of Cambridge are employed
> by or own businesses which rely in large part for the tourist trade?
> I'll give you one for starters ( :-) ), the chap who seems to operate
> most of the Ice Cream barrows in the city lives in our road. Got any
> more?
Loads, I'm sure. It's a problem but far from a universal problem.
> Just in case you're wondering, my point is that many, possibly most of
> those who are benefiting from the tourist trade don't actually live in
> the city, and therefore shouldn't have any influence over the activities
> of the council, which is elected solely by (though not apparently for)
> residents.
Many maybe, most certainly not.
Colin Rosenstiel
Will Dean
news:memo.20011016...@rmacmillan.compulink.co.uk...
>
> That was B&Q, I think.
It was certainly part of the publicity when they opened the store on
Newmarket Road. However, it now seems to be just as fully of pimply
adolescents as any other shop in the genre. It's also become indescribably
untidy both inside and out, which suggests that the store management is
crap. I don't know if that's changed since it opened - I remember there was
a big thing about the manager being a women when it opened - you'd have
thought she could have at least kept it tidy. :-)
I actually believe that although people moan about the quality of the
technical advice in the sheds, they actually prefer it to the feeling of
intimidation they fear in a builders merchant. Even the most clueless DIYer
can come out of a shed with a feeling of superiority.
Will
Colin Rosenstiel
(Mark Goodge) wrote:
Business rates were nationalised in Margaret Thatcher's day. They are
collected by councils but paid into a national pool.
Colin Rosenstiel
Robert Hunt
> FSVO "day visitors". The distinction between tourist and shopper is very
> blurred these days. Also you seem to forget that the colleges and
> University make a few bob from tourism.
Like others, I'm not clear about this: in my experience most of the
Colleges make nothing or next to nothing from tourism (of the order of
maybe £100 per year from selling postcards), yet the costs involved in
allowing tourists in are phenomenal. And I'm not aware that the
University makes any real money from it at all. Are you just referring
to places like Queens'?
Robert.
Meldrew of Meldreth
Richard Meredith <rmer...@cix.dontspamme.co.uk> writes
>Prior to that all colleges allowed free access to all and sundry: AFAIK that
>was the situation that had existed since forever, except at exam time. They
>hadn't "bowed to transparency": they'd always been that way.
The need for this transparency (evidenced recently by the yellow cards,
incidentally) may well go back for generations.
>> Perhaps they should learn from the White House (who may have changed
>> policy recently) and construct events more like Royal Garden Parties -
>> allowing a few people in, in large chunks, but keeping them at a
>> respectful distance for most of the time.
>
>Since Queens' started charging over 20 years ago, the colleges have been
>increasing restrictions, not reducing them.
Indeed. But they could start opening them up again for booked parties,
lunches etc. A bit like they do for conferences, but for shorter visits.
Plenty of people would be interested in paying to sit in a college hall
for lunch; and as long as it didn't interfere with the normal running of
the college (eg done in vacations only) it would help to minimise any
pushback if they all said "no visitors during termtime".
Ciaran Byrne
> Although as a former Customer Service supervisor at Homebase, I do however see
> all your points on this matter as quite interesting.
>
> Sainsbury's no longer own Homebase (this change happened last Christmas time)
> but the facts about refund policy are amazing. Criteria we are given sounds
> absurd to us (as staff) although Head Office tell us what to do.
>
> I am doing a degree here in Durham and I take offence by the person who called
> us oiks. Staff at Homebase are made up of a high percentage of students,
> admittedly, but that does not make us thick, stupid or anything else. We have
> to follow our instructions at Store level and that is what we are paid to do.
> The policy is written at a national level and you should therefore be making
> criticisms of those who write the policy (I'd like to take a shot at some of
> them too...) not those of use who are basically paid to follow the rules. it
> is the same in any industry and this should not be used to tarnish individual
> stores or staff.
>
> To go to the beginning of this thread, it seems that you were unfortunate to
> not get a refund. Faulty items should be refunded (according to the policy we
> used) at anytime within about a year of purchase. If you had the receipt it
> should of been exchanged for you at least (although an actual refund is
Ahem.
--
Ciaran Byrne