To think this is the worst customer service going?? Bit of a rant.

[mummratheevertired]

This could be long but I am so appalled by the replys I've had I need to check if you guys think this is odd or not?

So i bought a buggy board back in October, it's quite a good one which you can attach/detach a seat too. I had a newborn and a 2 year old so very handy.

Anyway after just over a month the wheel started wobbling so badly it was getting hard to push and was so noisy - you know like a wobbly trolley, pretty annoying.

All communication I had done prior to buying this board was on their facebook page - it was out of stock for a while so kept asking when it would be back on. They actively encourage customers to post pictures etc on their facebook page.

So, I wrote on the page asking what could be done about this wobbly wheel, they wrote back 'try swapping the wheels over'.

I lived with the wobbly wheel for a while as I couldn't find the tools that came with it to switch wheels. Anyway my husband got so annoyed with it the other day we had a massive search for the tools found them, so I switched the wheels over on Saturday morning. Spent all day Saturday out and about with the same problem, a ridiculously annoying wobbly wheel that was very noisy.

Now this company had been posting posts all day about some new board they had just recieved that day which had reminded me to switch the wheels and test it out. So, Saturday evening I post this onto their facebook page -

'Hi I asked you about a wobbly wheel a while back and you said to switch swap the wheels. I've now done this and it's still very wobbly and extremely noisy. Do you have any washers or anything you can send to me? I've only had it for 6 months and it's been doing it for three of them' - ( i understimated this, it's been longer)

They replied 'Which 3 months has the wheels been rattling 1st 3 months or 2nd 3 months)

I tried to reply, couldn't - later found out they'd deleted my post.

I wrote on their facebook page.

'I don't know where my last post has gone, anyway it's the last three months'

They replied - 'maybe you should of(sp) PM me seems a bit sick trying to ruin our launch'

I try and reply. It's been deleted so I direct message them (didn't even know you could do this)

'What a complete overreaction? I'm 'sick' for asking a polite question about an issue I have? If you're going to have a facebook page you can't be deleting questions about your products, the whole point of having a facebook page is to be open and accessable to your customers/potential customers. I actually can't believe how rude you've been. I have a 6 month old and a toddler so haven't actually had time to contact you. Your posts today reminded me to contact you, hardly intentially trying to sabotage your 'launch' - please get a grip. Now can you please give me some advice on how to fix this wobbly wheel as it's still in guarantee. This happened before with my Bugaboo and they were able to send out some washers. This is a reasonable question don't you think'

They replied 'send me the board back and i will credit you for it, and paypal reciept and date of purchase'

I replied 'Is there no wy of having it fixed, with washers? Has this been an issue for anyone else? I don't really feel comfortable sending the item back after the way you've spoken to me already, I'm sorry, I'm just not sure about the ethics of your company anymore'

Them 'Who are you to say that about our company, who the hell are you?

Me 'Well after the way you've spoken to me how am I to know you'll stick to your word, do you really have to talk to me like this? Your reply has just confirmed my worries' and 'Jeez, I have recommended your product maybe 10+ times and written your website down for these people on the street I'm not out to get you for god sake'

Them 'I'm offering you a refund on a 7 month old product no one else would do that i can promise you. I don't know what you want from us'

Me ' I just want a product that works, things break, I've already told you my Bugaboo wheels went wrong. It's okay, all you need to do when these things happen is try and rectify them not be horrible to your customers.
I will look into sending this back once i've checked poastage'

They reply 'you sent me a mail in November about the wheel, I replied straigh away. Why have you not contacted me again since'

Like I said I've been busy with a now 6 month old and 2 and a half year old.

I say this and add ' You really think I'm out to get you don't you Have you been drinking or something because I'm utterly shocked at the way you treat your customers'

(this conversation was happening at 9.30pm on Saturday night, I thought it a bit odd they were replying at this time.)

They then reply 'I really don't have to listen to your insults, send it back. I can assure you I bend over backwards to help my customers. This is my last mail to you'.

Reading it back it's all very petty and silly but annoying when you spend £85 on a product and get shit customer service along with it. It is shit customer service isn't it or am I being silly? Sorry it's a bit long!

[Fairyloo]

Yanbu nothing worse then bad customer service.

Who was it?

[HarpyFishwifeTwat]

Oooft. Why would you drag it out on Facebook? The product is faulty, return it and get a replacement.

[MooMaid]

Jeez who is the company, what a way to speak to someone!? It's good they've offered to refund but what's with the attitude??

[mummratheevertired]

I don't want to have to pay postage it is massive and heavy, I'd rather them help me to try and fix it and I don't trust them now after this what If I send it back and get nothing?

I have had issues with companies before they have been very good whenever I've wrote to them on Facebook - Mothercare and ASOS just two of them.

[ThefutureMrsTatum]

Sounds a bit odd to be honest. I would probably give them a call and speak to someone instead.

[TheEarlOfDoncaster1963]

I would be a bit wary of sending it back in case they just never refund or replace it.... Definitely print out any emails you get from them. Very bad customer service, very unprofessional!

[mummratheevertired]

www.hottots.co.uk/product/easy-x-rider/

Feel a bit bad for posting this as it's a small company and generally the product is good. I'm just pissed off they couldn't help me by being a bit more pleasant.

[mummratheevertired]

I was going to call them today but am actually a bit scared they're going to be horrible on the phone. I'm not great on the phone.

[justasmallone]

Please name and shame op

[IwinIwin]

Ask them to arrange a courier, they need to replace it or refund. If they replace they can pick up the old while there if refund they should still either pick up or write off.

To be honest, I'd be looking at Trading Standards website about this. The item should still be under warranty, most things have year standard, so really they are taking the piss. To delete customer complaints too and be worried about it ruining their launch, suggests that their company isn't at all that strong.

www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/index.cfm

[justasmallone]

Don't feel bad op. they are in the wrong

[IwinIwin]

That thing looks like a torture device hides bloody hell!

[ThefutureMrsTatum]

Can you get someone else to call for you?

Doesn't matter if it's a small company, you should get better customer service from them as they should value their customers.

Or maybe you could bin the board and have a look on gumtree or freecycle for a new one instead?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Phone them and tell them in advance that you are recording the phone call.
It is legal to record a call if you let them know first
If they refuse to talk to you recording, that is a telling sign.

[justanuthermanicmumsday]

Hi

I think YANBU and YABU too. I don't know anything about Facebook, but i presume it's very public. you suggested you posted your complaints on their Facebook page. I think you should have emailed them directly since it was a complaint. I'm sure they were using the Facebook page to Promote their products? Hence posting complaints there is detrimental to their product launches?

Also the person was rude, I don't believe the customer is always right, but you're meant to treat them as if they are. So polite always even if customer is being difficult.

also they're right I don't know many companies that offer refunds after half a year other than on electrical goods and large items I,e furniture.

If they're a registered business and you used a credit card or paypal to pay I don't think you should be worried about not getting a refund.

[MooMaid]

Ha ha I think it looks quite cool but pointless if it's not fully functional.

Don't feel bad OP, shite customer service is no excuse. There are many things they could've done to help you. If they can't take the heat on FB when there's a problem, perhaps they'd better get out of the market....

[MooMaid]

Just to say Just plenty of people take to social media now to complain (rightly or wrongly) and it's pretty much considered a risk of the job so to speak, so even though it was detrimental I don't think it was wrong of the OP to post on there.

[Imnotmadeofeyes]

I'd suspect I was communicating with the owner or someone fairly senior at that time of night who was happy to speak like that to a customer - in a small company anyway.

Makes me laugh when people assure you they do nothing less than wipe their customers arses with rainbows when your the customer they're treating like crap!

Have they got a returns policy on their website? If that says your responsible for postage I think I'd be inclined to take the hit and send it back with the cheapest courier I could find.

[MooMaid]

Ha, just looking at their FB page - someone has said they wish they'd known about the better padded seat that's just come out and the company have simply replied 'never mind'.

Dear oh dear, OP as they've offered you a refund, see how much it will cost to send back. Think it's best way so you don't get wound up further.

And imnot you made me LOL with wiping arses with rainbows! Never heard that but certainly going to use it!

[Imnotmadeofeyes]

I don't take it as a bad sign when I see a company resolving customer complaints publicly. People accept things go wrong occasionally.

Anyone who caught a glimpse of the deleted posts (which in itself shows they know it's not the right way to behave) will have been more put off by the whiney, unproffesional tone than they would reading about a couple of washers or something been sent out first class.

Heck just replace the thing publicly and look like a dream to deal with.

[IwinIwin]

FAULTS:
Most items sold by Hottots-UK comes with a manufacturer warranty . Your receipt is your proof of purchase and your warranty. Warranty assistance will be provided such as repair or spare parts depending on the type of product.

• Contact Hottots-UK at [email protected]
  
• If spare parts cannot be provided the customer return the goods to Hottots-UK. If items is found to be faulty we will refund your reasonable postage costs.
  
• Your statuary rights are not affected.
  

So you would need clarification in writing that they will do that, or get them to get their own courier. Just make sure it's recorded and signed and tracked all the way.

[ICanSeeTheSun]

Shocking customer service.

How you coped with that for so long I don't know.

[Imnotmadeofeyes]

They spelt statutory wrong.

[BornFreeButinChains]

Everyone knows about social media, they should not have a face book page if they don't want un happy customers to communicate via it!

Ridiculous! Why the hell should op be worrying about their product launch!

Un believable.

[BrianButterfield]

You know what, I considered getting one of those and I decided it was too much money to spend with a small company with a newish product and a very limited online presence. I know some small companies are great but when a problem happens you end up dealing with one person with no real protocol for what to do.