companies you are un/happy with.

Posted by: AL4N on 09 April 2007

I thought it may be useful to other members if there was place that we could let one and other know about service we have had that either pleased us or otherwise.
In the past week or so i have had excellent service from Nevada Bobs Golf chain, after buying a new shirt from them i managed to get a "pull" in the thread, whilst i was ther buying something else i mentioned what i had don, without even checking the date on their till to see if i had only had it 3 weeks they offered to swap it for another one from the new range for the same amount, fantastic service.
On the flip side i sent an alloy wheel off to AWR in Bury Lancs ( alloy wheel refurbishment ) well 3 wheels, 1 came back ok and the other 2 were worse than when they went in, when i asked if they could be done again, i was told "that's as good as i can do, have your money back".
Fair enough i got my money back but it cost me 3 round trips of 50 miles each trip and it will now cost more to fix than i got back. The reason i went so far was due to their website, their only business is alloy wheel refurb's so who better than they?
Any-hoo, you live and you learn.
Posted on: 09 April 2007 by Deane F
I had a suit made to measure last year and while I was at it I decided to have a shirt made to measure as well. My tailor (yes, I know...Roll Eyes) measures his customers for the shirts and has them made by a shirtmaker in another city.

So, I get the shirt - and sooner than expected too - but I'm not all that happy with it. The sleeves don't feel quite long enough and nor does the length of the tail. I mention this to my tailor in passing.

The moment he hears I am not completely happy with the shirt there is no question in his mind. He asks me to come in, has a look at what I am not happy with, adjusts the measurements he took and has another one made - and a new shirt arrives from another city in three days, this time perfect. Trouble is, I had to attend a very important fixture in another city so he has the shirt couriered overnight to my hotel and it arrives just in time.

When I get back I ask him if he'd like the first shirt to sell in his shop to recover some of the extra costs. He says, "No, keep it. You might get some casual use out of it." and doesn't mention it again.

Mark van Roosmalen. Tailor.
Posted on: 09 April 2007 by AL4N
now that's the good kind of service i'm on about Smile
Posted on: 09 April 2007 by PJT
TELECOM - not only do the bastards have a monopoly on new lines/ports etc, they just couldn't give a damm about their customers.
Point in fact, my father moved to Rolleston last month. Dial up access speed is basically unusable most days around 12 kbs! Sometimes lucky to get 30 kbs. BUT even on a good day the line noise is so bad that email takes so long to get through, taking hours instead of seconds.
WHY, this is a new house in a new subdivision connected to an old exchange, that Telecom simply aren't interested in updating. ETA for a free [port so broadband can be installed - 12 weeks!
Posted on: 09 April 2007 by arf005
***The Cotswold Company***

Don't be fooled by their glossy brochures with nice pics, or even thier website http://www.cotswoldco.com

........it's not what it seems.......

Their products might look nice, are expensive, and if you speak to them they're ok over the phone (as far as sales assistants go) but we've had nothing but problems with them when buying two pieces of furniture!!

£250 for a coffee table that, when it eventually arrived - Four months after we ordered it!! It was damaged in one corner, and one of the drawers didn't close fully......see below.....





After sending e mails etc, we had a bit of a dig on the web and found other complaints, very similar to ours - late delivery, poor quality, avoid this company etc etc.

You have been warned......

Cheers,
Ali
Posted on: 09 April 2007 by Deane F
quote:
Originally posted by PJT:
TELECOM - not only do the bastards have a monopoly on new lines/ports etc, they just couldn't give a damm about their customers.
Point in fact, my father moved to Rolleston last month. Dial up access speed is basically unusable most days around 12 kbs! Sometimes lucky to get 30 kbs. BUT even on a good day the line noise is so bad that email takes so long to get through, taking hours instead of seconds.
WHY, this is a new house in a new subdivision connected to an old exchange, that Telecom simply aren't interested in updating. ETA for a free [port so broadband can be installed - 12 weeks!


Seconded. TELESCUM.

(Their excuse for poor dial-up, of course, is that the system is designed for voice calls and that they are under no obligation to make it work with dial-up...)
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Jay
quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:

Seconded. TELESCUM.

(Their excuse for poor dial-up, of course, is that the system is designed for voice calls and that they are under no obligation to make it work with dial-up...)


I thought there were obligations to the minimum dial-up speed Deane? Check out the Kiwi Share agreement.

I've heard a few of these complaints from friends and family back home and as an ex-employee I can only assume that investment in the network has not happened. The quicker real competition gets to NZ the better.
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Bruce Woodhouse
Direct Line Insurers-good service.

Had one simple and one very complex and large claim (the latter for legal fees) in the last 2 years. Could not have been more efficient on each occasion, handled calls swiftly, always seemed to have access to up to date information and a direct line to the correct department. Written correspondence was clear and accurate. As it should be perhaps, but not always the case with insurers.

British Gas Compaints department superb, polite, efficient and effective. Probably because the service deaprtment causes them to get so much work.....

Bruce
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Steve O
Recent findings from me.

Happy tale: Asbri golf.
Ordered a pitch repairer with magnetic ball marker. During the first round of use I lost the ball marker. When I got home I e-mailed them to see if they sold the markers separately so I could replace it. I received an e-mail to advise me I'd be receiving a complimentary replacement in the post. Great work guys!

Angry tale: Samsung.
Bought a Samsung DVD Recorder from Currys. Got home and realised I hadn't bought any recordable media. Went to Asda and bought some TDK discs as it's much closer.
Tried to record onto disc but couldn't. Went back to Curry's explained the situation and got some Sony media. Still no luck. Back again and third time lucky found that some Verbatim discs worked.
I wrote to Samsung who informed me that these DVD writers were very fussy about the media used and I would do best sticking with a recognised brand. They recommended TDK, which I had told them did not work in the letter they were responding to.
Will never ever buy another Samsung product.

Regards,
Steve O.
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by John G.
After taking my van in twice for leaky transmission fluid over the last few months. My Honda dealer replaced my transmission free of charge supplying me with a free rental car for two days while the work was being performed. This on a seven year old vehicle with 83,000 miles!
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by scottyhammer
SKY absolute useless money grabbing wankers.
VODAFONE good service generally but try contacting them if theres a problem.
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Bob McC
Second call for Direct Line.
Absolutely superb when I had car problems in France. Sorted out a hire car for the duration, reimbursed all incidental expenses and got family and car home at the end of holiday. Brilliant!
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Ian G.
A pattern emerging here - I too had excellent service from Direct line for my Car insurance when I had a prang - and that despite the fact that I was in the US for the aftermath. It is a refreshing change to speak to someone on the phone who (a) knows what they're talking about and (b) is empowered to make decisons. They got my repeat business, despite not being quite the cheapest.
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by scottyhammer
on the positive side ive never had a problem with naim audio - excellent polite service always.
scotty Winker
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Derek Wright
Another positive vote for Naim Audio.

Thinking about how I have got on with other companies that I have spent money with and how good a feeling I have after having done business with them, I have positive feelings about
by the local SAAB dealer in Bosham, BA, Audio T in Chandlers Ford, Marriott Hotels (they handle any problems very well and make you want to go back to them)

This just about sums up how I spend the most of my disposable cash <g>
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Guido Fawkes
quote:
Originally posted by Derek Wright:
I have positive feelings about .... BA ...


BA cancelled my flight at short notice and charged me a telephone booking fee for requesting that my money was refunded - they're looking in to it: not very impressive IMO.

I particularly dislike the letters they send which always end with we look forward to welcoming you on our flight again - hmm, there are no more BA flights from my local airport Confused

I'm quite positive about Naim, Linn, Rega, Honda, Apple, Frizzell (Liverpool Victoria), John Lewis, Costwold Collection (no relation to the company mentioned above) and Maskreys who have always provided good service to me.
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Chief Chirpa
Off the top of my head, from the last year...

Happy with:
John Lewis - honoured the extended guarantee on my Sony mini system a week after it ran out, replaced with improved new model for free. Nice.
Dollond & Aitchison - sat on my glasses, frames replaced for free.
Naim - L'Adam de Meredith, merci beaucoup!

Indifferent:
Lloyds TSB - interrogated me when I attempted to take £1000 cash out of my current account; made me call their call centre from within their own branch to arrange a transfer to allow this.
Orange - endless calls to sort out my broadband; promised me a free month, still waiting.
Volkswagen - despite hundreds of people reporting the same complaint, claim there's nothing wrong with the heating on our new Golf. It's just got rubbish heating then.

Mad at:
Capital One - call centre hell, enough said. Never again.
Egg - thanks for blocking my card following someone else's fraudulent transactions and then refusing direct debits for the full amount outstanding to my replacement card and attempting to charge me interest.
Bugatti - my Veyron is a little sluggish from 200 to 250 mph, still not found out why. Winker
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by Deane F
quote:
Originally posted by Chief Chirpa:

Bugatti - my Veyron is a little sluggish from 200 to 250 mph, still not found out why. Winker


You should have listened to your wife and stayed away from the diesel version...
Posted on: 10 April 2007 by markah
Seeing as a lot of Forum members will be accessing this through broadband, I can not speak highly enough of Zen Internet. No being tied to a contract (it is literally month by month) but extremely reliable and the best customer service bar none.

Mark
Posted on: 11 April 2007 by Diccus62
Smile - internet banking, generally excellent and not money grabbing b's

ESURE Absolutely no problem with them in regards house and car insurance including when I have claimed.

Next generally excellent value for money clothing and not a problem with returns or faulty goods.

BT - currently excellent Broadband but hated the call centres and didn't feel listened to even tho the job was eventually sorted.

Alliance & Leicester - Reported possible fraudulent activity and letters coming to our address and were quite happy to send out credit cards and cheque books to non existing people at our address................. didn't give a sh1t. Waste of space, wouldn't touch with ten foot barge pole.

Comet Took back a faulty dvd player. Waited 30 minutes whlie they contacted Toshiba to see if it was ok to refund. Eventually refunded but it was a hassle. On the flipside bought a TV/DVD combo from Tesco which had a faulty scart socket and they took it back no bother.

If I think a company is going to be a pain about taking goods back if faulty I tend to avoid like the plague.

Play.com Quite happily replaced non arriving cd's without question.

Diccus
Posted on: 11 April 2007 by Chief Chirpa
quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
quote:
Originally posted by Chief Chirpa:

Bugatti - my Veyron is a little sluggish from 200 to 250 mph, still not found out why. Winker


You should have listened to your wife and stayed away from the diesel version...


Deane, to tell you the truth, it's hers, not mine. I'm happy enough with my VW Golf, but she wanted something 'sporty' to run about in.

Anyhow, phoned Bugatti today - apparently it's only slow because we've had it in 'Handling' mode (for up to 230 mph), rather than 'Top speed' mode (for up to 253 mph).

I feel such a fool.
Posted on: 11 April 2007 by MichaelC
Positive - Direct Line - have handled claims well, Zen Internet - managed to patiently talk a complete it numpty ie me through setting everything up, Linn - for the handling my complaint about DK Electronics and Loewe.

Negative - EDF Energy - grr, a real monopoly at it's very worst, DK Electronics and Loewe - for their initial failures to remedy a fault with our Aconda.
Posted on: 11 April 2007 by MichaelC
Must not forget O2 for cutting off my service each time they forgot to collect my monthly direct debit.
Posted on: 12 April 2007 by Ian G.
A positive recommendation for Caiman, the cheap Amazon marketplace trader for CDs. Discs are shipped from the states and not the fastest, but they are always very responsive to any issues which arise. After over 100 separate purchases the statistics are well in their favour!
Posted on: 12 April 2007 by Chris Kelly
Hiscox insurance. Just had to claim for a stolen bike. Everything settled in one phone call. Brilliant.
Posted on: 12 April 2007 by Phil Barry
Bad:

Intuit:

QB Pro 2007 will not install correctly on a network if you follow the instructions in the pamphlet included with the CD.

My client is one of many who can't use scheduled backup for QB Pro 2007; many others can't reliably backup their files at all; Intuit has no clue about waht's wrong.

Was on the phone for hours with a problem in another Intuit product, which refused to accept its license; kept asking the reps if there was a problem in the initialization file, but the reps just kept ordering me to delete and reinstall the product. Turns out the problem was in an ini file, which doesn't get deleted when the product is removed (by Intuit design).

Good:

ATX/Kleinrock (a US Tax software product)

ATX support, in Caribou, Maine, is very responsive and honest.

Regards.

Phil Barry