Post Pandemic Customer Service



becs said:
I'm currently fighting a mattress shop after spending a grand on a Hypnos mattress with a 10 year warranty. Brief outline of events:

Delivered August 2021. It felt uncomfortable from the start but I thought it was just me getting used to it.
Rang twice in September as it still felt uncomfortable, but shop said it was a personal comfort issue and advised buying a topper.
Noticed the side had collapsed in October and there were visible dips in it. Emailed the shop with pictures and a technician came out. He ignored the side and took sagging measurements from areas with no sagging and said there was nothing wrong with it.
Complained further in November as bed was still sagging and uncomfortable. Shop booked technician 2.
Technician 2 arrived in December. He just pushed his hands on the surface a couple of times and lay on it. He said it was faulty to my face but then wrote a report for the shop saying no issues.
Complained again in January and was told to get my own independent inspection as the shop insisted there was nothing wrong with it.
Got my own inspection in February by an independent man recommended by Trading Standards. He took loads of measurements and photos including the collapsed side and the sagging. Shop disputed the report claiming he's not a qualified inspector as he doesn't work for a national recognised chain.
Sent further photos in taken myself showing how far the sides have now collapsed in (6 cm). Shop blamed me for excessive weight or prolonged sitting on the side or jumping on the bed (none are true) and said there is nothing they can do.
Emailed shop again offering to pay for a further technicians report from a firm of their choosing to settle the matter. Shop said the matter is already closed and told me not to contact them again.
Got a second inspection done anyway by the same company they used for the first technician. I've now got a report from them showing the same faults as my other report and explaining it unusable due to manufacturing defects.
Need to do a section 75 claim through my credit card or go to the small claims court to get my money back now.

In the mean time, I'm sleeping on my sons old single mattress as it's more comfy that the expensive one.

If the shop had been helpful and exchanged it in the first place, I'd have been a happy customer and they'd have kept my money from the sale.

I don't want to name the shop just yet in case I do need to go to court with it.
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:eek:

That’s outrageous. We bought an Simba mattress with a year (I think) option to send it back for a full refund if we changed our minds. After nearly the time was up I decided I didn’t like it so contacted them and they arranged collection and it all went smoothly with nothing to pay. Then bought an Otty which so far I am very happy with.

Hope you get sorted with the shop x
 
Mackem DJ said:
Why is it so shit? Or is that just my perception?

Is it down to people being allowed to WFH or have companies lowered the bar? Or is it just that customers are actually becoming more intollerant (we frequently hear that abuse of shop workers is up % Post pandemic etc despite the fact we were clapping for supermarket workers at one point).

I’ve got a theory that as the pandemic hit, people were making allowances for customer service issues, many staff couldnt take calls whilst WFH, we had the Furloughed lot chilling in their gardens on 80% pay, people were anxious & many customers were probably just happy to be ‘safe’ & riding the pandemic out. It seems to me that a lot of organisations and businesses (including some that are customer facing on the high street) just can’t snap out of that mindset?
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Think you're right. GP's the same.
 
I think Rey touched on it. The pay is shit and people treat like you like muck, why should anyone working customer service care enough to give a good service?

Until attitudes change RE customer service as a profession (especially hospitality imo), where it can and should be recognised as a legitimate skill, then standards will continue to fall. The reputation of the industry is in tatters, it's not seen as a legitimate career anymore and everyone I've known working in it were always looking for a way out.

Sadly that means companies paying customer facing staff more, allowing better work/life balance, and punters in general to change their perception of customer service staff as modern day servants.
 
wisemensaysteve said:
I have sympathy with you as it has been an awful time for public-facing staff but if your customers feel like they are being treated badly then it's no surprise when they kick-off, after all they are paying for a service, I'm not talking about the arseholes who think the World revolves around them I'm talking about customers who want to buy what you sell.
In the last 2 years I've had poor customer service twice, the first time was a pub lunch and we got ignored, the waitress was clearly in a bad mood, we won't ever go back, I did speak to the manager when he asked had we enjoyed our meal and told him no, I wouldn't be drawn into why. The second time was at a Supermarket where the staff were talking to each other while I stood waiting, I walked out leaving my shopping on the belt. Again I won't be back.
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Asda’s the worst for that, I’ve done the same twice in the last six weeks.
 
Not noticed a difference, found things like my doctors surgery and NHS have improved from a household point of view. Our GP service since they changed their ways at the start of the pandemic have been excellent, very easy now to get to speak to a doctor/sick note/triage etc can't fault it. NHS services also very good, timely manner etc
 
cornish mackem said:
GPs are not the same out of choice. There’s not enough of them ( or other primary care staff) so things had to change and should have changed before March 2020
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As above, our service from a personal point of view has improved massively, whilst I appreciate it may not be ideal for some.

We can complete an online assessment, 99% of the time we get a call within 48 hours, doctor will then determine what needs to be done or if it's a sick note they just send it to your mobile phone. Certainly much improved as prior to the pandemic it was 2-3 week wait with so many abusing the system/not attending appointments, everything was a faff. Also found referrals are a lot quicker, I've had foot scans/injections and podiatry referrals done pretty quickly and the service the wife has received has been equally as good and quicker.

It cuts out a lot of wasted appointments I've found which at our surgery was an absolute disgrace
 
GordonMuchallNo1Fan said:
Not noticed a difference, found things like my doctors surgery and NHS have improved from a household point of view. Our GP service since they changed their ways at the start of the pandemic have been excellent, very easy now to get to speak to a doctor/sick note/triage etc can't fault it. NHS services also very good, timely manner etc
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Agree, Deerness Park has been great.

if you ring early enough, you will at least get a telephone consultation
 
brir said:
Agree, Deerness Park has been great.

if you ring early enough, you will at least get a telephone consultation
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We never even ring these days, just do it all online and then they get back with touch within 24-48 hours. Much better service compared to before which was abused to an absolutely disgusting level at our surgery and genuine folk and workers had to wait weeks for an appointment which regardless of time/date we just had to take which was a pain in the arse working 17 mile away.
 
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becs said:
I'm currently fighting a mattress shop after spending a grand on a Hypnos mattress with a 10 year warranty. Brief outline of events:

Delivered August 2021. It felt uncomfortable from the start but I thought it was just me getting used to it.
Rang twice in September as it still felt uncomfortable, but shop said it was a personal comfort issue and advised buying a topper.
Noticed the side had collapsed in October and there were visible dips in it. Emailed the shop with pictures and a technician came out. He ignored the side and took sagging measurements from areas with no sagging and said there was nothing wrong with it.
Complained further in November as bed was still sagging and uncomfortable. Shop booked technician 2.
Technician 2 arrived in December. He just pushed his hands on the surface a couple of times and lay on it. He said it was faulty to my face but then wrote a report for the shop saying no issues.
Complained again in January and was told to get my own independent inspection as the shop insisted there was nothing wrong with it.
Got my own inspection in February by an independent man recommended by Trading Standards. He took loads of measurements and photos including the collapsed side and the sagging. Shop disputed the report claiming he's not a qualified inspector as he doesn't work for a national recognised chain.
Sent further photos in taken myself showing how far the sides have now collapsed in (6 cm). Shop blamed me for excessive weight or prolonged sitting on the side or jumping on the bed (none are true) and said there is nothing they can do.
Emailed shop again offering to pay for a further technicians report from a firm of their choosing to settle the matter. Shop said the matter is already closed and told me not to contact them again.
Got a second inspection done anyway by the same company they used for the first technician. I've now got a report from them showing the same faults as my other report and explaining it unusable due to manufacturing defects.
Need to do a section 75 claim through my credit card or go to the small claims court to get my money back now.

In the mean time, I'm sleeping on my sons old single mattress as it's more comfy that the expensive one.

If the shop had been helpful and exchanged it in the first place, I'd have been a happy customer and they'd have kept my money from the sale.

I don't want to name the shop just yet in case I do need to go to court with it.
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Should hoy it on social media they hate that
 
legend7 said:
Should hoy it on social media they hate that
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a lot of companies simply wont deal with amicable or reasonable requests until you start doing a Karen. Plastering stuff online. Saying they are causing you stress. Emailing the CEO.

Which just encourages more and more customers to act like berks over naff all.
 
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becs said:
I was trying to be civil rather than be a Karen. Seems being polite and well mannered gets you nowhere though.
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Or Google the chief execs name and guess their e mail based on ones you know.
I had a car issue and nobody was coming back to me and that worked.
Mind you they are coming back to you but with horrendous answers, disgraceful really
 

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