Reply to: Customer Service - Top and Bottom of scale

[lilelvis2000]

Amazon are great. I didn't think they'd refund Kindle books but I bought an iPhone development book, read a fair chunk of it and just didn't think it was much cop. I mailed them saying, "I bought book X, have read it but really wish i'd bought book Y instead, can you do anything?". Very fast polite response saying they were sorry i'd not liked the book and they were issuing a refund so I could choose another.

I do have the impression that American companies try harder. My wife bought some stationary from VistaPrint and she didn't check to ensure that she was buying A4 paper and C4 envelopes. What she got was the 8.5x11 and the American sized envelopes...she rang up VistaPrint polietly explained the error and got a credit back of her order right on the phone!

Good deal as I'm using those envelopes now years later.

Same deal with myfax, had a problem rang them up, got the credit plus a bit extra for their error and made a custom deal for the volume of faxing my wife does.

Shame that there are very few good stories of UK customer service around..considering just how much we are taken to the cleaners, and how much legislation and regulators there are. Something is broken somewhere.

[Durbs]

Amazon are great. I didn't think they'd refund Kindle books but I bought an iPhone development book, read a fair chunk of it and just didn't think it was much cop. I mailed them saying, "I bought book X, have read it but really wish i'd bought book Y instead, can you do anything?". Very fast polite response saying they were sorry i'd not liked the book and they were issuing a refund so I could choose another.

[lilelvis2000]

Yes. Ebuyer are one of the worse IMHO.

Playtrade suck as well. They have no process at all really. If you read all their T&Cs you have little to do except to take the seller to small claims court.

Aren't T&C's lovely things that you can write anyway you like and get away with it 90% of the time. Someone needs to educate the public on the Unfair Terms & Conditions in Consumer Contracts law. Then I think these dodge artists will straighten up. The govt. IMHO could give a crap.

[psychocandy]

Emailed Amazon CEO then small claims court.

ebuyer will try wriggle out of everything. I'd point out their legal obligations via recorded delivery letter (and cc their CEO) then ask for a final response. After that, small claims court.

Yes. Ebuyer are one of the worse IMHO.

[minestrone]

Amazon are top notch from what I have heard, they send out replacement kindles without hesitation (obviously they see it as a loss leader so you keep buying the books)

I am pretty much running out of patience with orange. Pushing your call centre out to india and then not running a 24 hour service is a piss take. They used to be a great company as well.

[SueEllen]

o2 and Voda are toss.

O2 loved sending me someone else's bill until the final time when I pointed out if they did it again I would forward it and this one directly to the Information Commissioner.

[Epiphone]

What did you do to sue amazon?

I'm having a dispute with ebuyer at the moment. Bought an android tab off them. About a week later the screen screwed up. They wont do anything because they say its physical damage (not by me!)

Tried pointing out that the sale of goods act means they've got to prove the fault was not inherent but they're not interested.

Trying the section 75 refund with santander (credit card company is jointly liable) but they are clueless also.

Emailed Amazon CEO then small claims court.

ebuyer will try wriggle out of everything. I'd point out their legal obligations via recorded delivery letter (and cc their CEO) then ask for a final response. After that, small claims court.

[psychocandy]

Had to sue Amazon to get them to replace a Kindle after they demonstrated a complete lack of understanding re consumer law. Been alright with everything else though.

o2 and Voda are toss.

What did you do to sue amazon?

I'm having a dispute with ebuyer at the moment. Bought an android tab off them. About a week later the screen screwed up. They wont do anything because they say its physical damage (not by me!)

Tried pointing out that the sale of goods act means they've got to prove the fault was not inherent but they're not interested.

Trying the section 75 refund with santander (credit card company is jointly liable) but they are clueless also.

[Epiphone]

Had to sue Amazon to get them to replace a Kindle after they demonstrated a complete lack of understanding re consumer law. Been alright with everything else though.

o2 and Voda are toss.

[psychocandy]

I switched my telephone from TalkTalk to Primus...or so I thought. Talk talk did their billing properly but I noticed that Primus hadn't even sent a bill even two months after I'd swapped over. Well then I got a bill from TalkTalk, but only for the calls.

So I'm thinking who cocked up here, Primus or TalkTalk.

I contacted talkTalk and even though I was shouting at them, they remained polite and told me what had happend...Primus has taken the line but not the calls. calls were still going over the talktalk network.

I then contacted Primus who indicated "everything okay", they then went on to claim that it was actually my fault. WTF!! I blew up at them and they still went on about how it was nothing to do with them and no...I wouldn't get any compensation. They then hung up.

See the calls I was making were within my free inclusive time in the evenings and weekends..so if Primus had their act together I would not have been charged for those calls.

I now have to write up a OfCom complaint.. Last time I spoke to those turds they told me to go through the supplier's customer service first....which I had already exhausted.

Ain't this country great! Just fob people off until the give up...now that's how to make a buck.

Similar experience with primus - forget about them. Yes, complete bellends.

And while we're on the subject dont get me started on EDF or the RAC.

[Old Hack]

BT, *******. I asked to up my Broadband speed. Yup they said, then cancelled my telephone broadband altogether. I then had to call many, many bobs at their call centre, who simply said, all the time, hold please, then never come back. I eventually found an English number by going into a BT office in Cardiff, and it took 5 weeks to get it sorted out. Asking for Compensation, I was, initially, offered £10 as good will. Eventually, via solicitors letters, got £300.

Aviva - Bathroom leak. We'll fix the leak, but not the damage we cause to get to the leak. Damage was ripping the side of a new whirlpool bath and ripping out some brick work. Couldn't believe it.

This country has no idea of customer service and some firms I'#ll never show my money to again.

[SueEllen]

See the calls I was making were within my free inclusive time in the evenings and weekends..so if Primus had their act together I would not have been charged for those calls.

I now have to write up a OfCom complaint.. Last time I spoke to those turds they told me to go through the supplier's customer service first....which I had already exhausted.

Ain't this country great! Just fob people off until the give up...now that's how to make a buck.

Just phone OFCOM it's quicker.

Officially you are suppose to use Primus' arbitrators and you have to give Primus something like 13 weeks to look at your claim.

However you can threat to take Primus to the small claims court as it's quicker. I've done this with a few telecoms operators and they pay up/sort the issue out immediately.

You need to do the threat in writing and send the letter by recorded delivery giving them 21 days to give you the reasonable amount you want i.e. the cost of the calls plus about £25 for your administration costs.

If they don't pay up by the 21st day then start a claim via moneyclaim online and think of the great publicity you can get for Primus if you do go to court.

BTW Both Talk talk and Primus are well-renown for their customer service (or lack off.)

[Platypus]

If you're used to dealing / working with call centres and CSRs you'll soon discover how to get the best out of them. It's like foreign taxi drivers with tourists. If you look like your clueless and lost then they're
going to take the long way.

Luckily, MF, being expert in most things and experienced in all others, you do know how to get the best out of them. And foreign taxi drivers.

Gosh, I wish I were you.

Apart from being an overweight pompous arse, of course.

[lilelvis2000]

I switched my telephone from TalkTalk to Primus...or so I thought. Talk talk did their billing properly but I noticed that Primus hadn't even sent a bill even two months after I'd swapped over. Well then I got a bill from TalkTalk, but only for the calls.

So I'm thinking who cocked up here, Primus or TalkTalk.

I contacted talkTalk and even though I was shouting at them, they remained polite and told me what had happend...Primus has taken the line but not the calls. calls were still going over the talktalk network.

I then contacted Primus who indicated "everything okay", they then went on to claim that it was actually my fault. WTF!! I blew up at them and they still went on about how it was nothing to do with them and no...I wouldn't get any compensation. They then hung up.

See the calls I was making were within my free inclusive time in the evenings and weekends..so if Primus had their act together I would not have been charged for those calls.

I now have to write up a OfCom complaint.. Last time I spoke to those turds they told me to go through the supplier's customer service first....which I had already exhausted.

Ain't this country great! Just fob people off until the give up...now that's how to make a buck.

[MarillionFan]

If you're used to dealing / working with call centres and CSRs you'll soon discover how to get the best out of them. It's like foreign taxi drivers with tourists. If you look like your clueless and lost then they're
going to take the long way.