Which companies top and tail customer service for you?

Ironically the company which I have voted with my feet not to shop at again is John Lewis, and yet their grocery operation, Waitrose, is fantastic.
John Lewis (at least in Sheffield) lost my custom almost 20 years ago because their staff were downright rude and did not have any interest in serving, rather they preferred to have their own conversations.
Some 12 years ago I thought I’d give them a try again and did have one very good experience, but then I went to buy a laptop and got the most horrendous rude ness from the staff. Again I turned my back. (I bought my laptop from Novatech who I am pleased to see tops other Which? surveys and tests)
6 years ago I tried again for a dishwasher and again the service was diabolical, so I bouight my dishwasher from the local independent department store, Atkinson’s.
More recently I went to John Lewis for a Kenwood Chef attachment (nothing complex, just a spice mill) and the awful woman didn’t even let me finish what I was asking for before she handed me a card with the name of a local market trader on and said “we don’t do them, try him”. I was furious and demanded that she hear me out and thrust in front of her a print out of JL’s own web page showing not only that they did stock them but that according to the web site they were in stock in Sheffield. She was very off hand but reluctantly agreed to “order” the part. I got a ‘phone call next morning saying it was in – I don’t believe it was ever not in stock.
Interestingly if you talk to staff in Atkinson’s, it’s quite common for them to have been told by other customers that JL were rude or unhelpful and so the customers had gone to Atkinson’s instead.

At the other end of the scale I would rate Waitrose (how ironic!!), Atkinson’s and TLC Direct – a nationwide and on line Electrical retailer, who trade mainly in electrical parts and fittings but also such goods as heaters, fans, cookers, etc. All three of those offer customer service that would not have been out of place 70 years ago in somewhere like Fortnum and Mason.

I wish I understood how Waitrose and JL can be so different from each other – must be like human siblings I guess!

John Lewis’s customer service comes at a price. Most of us either need customer service in helping us to buy a product or when something goes wrong. But if you research your dearer purchases carefully, maybe using some well-known consumer magazine (I can’t imagine WHICH one!) hopefully you won’t need to contact customer services. Better still, you’ll have saved a small fortune not shopping at somewhere like JL. But then, if you want honest advice and all the warranties in the world and don’t mind paying more for this then JL is probably the place for you.

On the 13th October I bought an expensive refurb laptop online from PC World. I had to wait 5 days for it to be delivered and after receipt I checked the contents and found that the Media Remote Control was missing. I phoned them and after a short wait, was put through to a customer service person. She checked the spec and then asked me what I would use a remote control for, with a laptop. I told her. She said one would be sent to me. I went back to checking out the laptop and found out that one of the hard drives was missing! I phoned them up again and this time the conversation took rather longer (20 mins) as a technical person was summoned from the depths. He said that there was one hard drive but it was split into 2 partitions. I said no, look at the specs, 2 separate hard drives. He agreed, put me back to the service person, who said they would collect the laptop the next day and send me another laptop in 3 to 5 working days. It was duly collected the next day.

4 days later Dan phoned from PC World to say that the model was out of stock and was there another laptop I fancied? He said I could have any one I wanted regardless of price. We went through the website together but there was nothing that was suitable. He said that PC World would refund my money asap and that if in the future I ordered a laptop they would give me 10% off.

3 days later the money was back in my account. Two weeks ago, I saw another refurb laptop I fancied, so I ordered it. They delivered it the next day and this time no problems (so far!). Dan phoned me and arranged for the refund to be sent to me. Again I received it in 3 days.

I am very happy with this laptop. It is only 9 months old, in fantastic condition and still on sale new as it is a current model. Buying the refurb has saved me £400 and I have a full 12 months collect and return guarantee plus free technical help.

Well done PC World!

Santander Bank,

Have sent Me 3 cash cards & 2 Debit cards, to Bournemouth Bank Branch, When I live in London & Everytime I phone up they say they’re sorting it & Then My last Debit card wnet to Bishop Gate Santander Bank Branch, & Not My flat.

Its annonying to have to keep asking for the cards to be sent to My flat, Luckily My main bank since October 2007 has been HSBC Bank Plc 🙂

Although I still use Santander Bank & Its still not being sorted & Cash & Debit Cards to be delivered to My flat & NOT BOURNEMOUTH Or An London Branch.

Argos never send out Your insurance certificate/s,

Yet they’ll send You an reminder to renew the insurance :/

Tesco Express in London’s Wood Green store sold & displayed over 7 out of date Strawberry Muller Corner Yogurts (Use By Dates Were: 10-11-2010, 11-11-2010, & 18-11-2010,

(Bought On: 24-11-2010)

When I bought them I later asked if the Tesco Express knew what date rotation was, they seemed puzzled & Didn’t seem to care :/

I complained to Tesco CEO, Muller Corner Yogurt HQ, & The local Council Health Department/s,

Only Muller Corner Yogurts have responded by saying very sorry & they will keep an ete on the matter & gave Me £20.00p in Muller Corner Yogurt Vouches which expire in 2012,

Tesco CEO don’t seem to care, Just got an basic reply saying they are looking in to it & that was weeks ago :/

Also no response from the local council haringey, For The Wood Green Tesco Express Store.

http://reynolds1984.multiply.com/journal/item/329 & http://reynolds1984.multiply.com/journal/item/319 & http://reynolds1984.multiply.com/video/item/56

What do people think about when asked about good (or bad) service then?
To me good service means a polite member of staff in a shop or bank, etc., who is knowledgable about the products / services on offer and is not pushy. If what the customer wants has to be ordered or arranged by a colleague, etc., then the member of staff needs to be willing to do this politely and correctly, not display childish temper because they’re having to do something a little bit extra. Shops also need to have sufficient staff to be able to do the above without creating a queue of upset people waiting. In terms of telephone service good service to me means that you get through to a real person very quickly, that the person is, again, polite and efficient and knowledgeable, and that whatever you have asked for / ordered / agreed then is arranged (and where applicable delivered) in a timely fashion.
I worked in retail for about a decade from the mid 80’s to the mid 90’s. I worked for a national chain of model and toy shops which was renowned for it’s service but equally well known for paying the staff peanuts and expecting them to behave like they were on millions. We all did it (in fact we’d have lost out jobs if we had not) and that was before the minimum wage, so I can safely say that staff in shops and banks, etc., now are being paid far more than we ever were and almost certainly getting training that we never got, so why can’t they all get these basics right?
I’m afraid my own experience in the retail trade means that I am extremely intolerant of shops, etc., who cannot get these basics right.
Looking at others’ responses and also looking at the survey results I wonder though if all respondants judge against the same things? Are we on a level playing field here?