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What sort of “ sorry” would you expect from this rather large cock up?

32 replies

yorkshireyummymummy · 24/09/2018 22:17

I recently bought something ( think home improvement) for the house. The customer service i received received from beginning to end was very good - we were pleased we had chosen this company. I went shopping last Thursday- I took minimum stiff with me as i didn’t want to carry a handbag so shoved credit card in pocket. Spent two hours in a shop, lots of things bought and got to checkout ........card declined. “ But that cannot be right” I exclaimed like everybody does whose card is declined. But it was and i had to leave all this bloody shopping behind ( a huge load of my Xmas shopping) and walk out with my face a weird shade of magenta. Anyway, get home and credit card statement is there. When I look at it we have been charged twice for our home improvement. I immediately phoned the company and after about three hours of me being put on hold and talking to various people I was told that it’s not them it’s my credit card company. I phone credit card company, and they insist it’s not them. By this point i am getting very pissed off. Anyway, long story short after six hours of trying to sort this out it turns out home improvement company have overcharged us. They had charged us twice. The lady I had been dealing with ( who had previously told me how very wrong I was) admitted it was their fault and she would arrange a refund. I asked for a phone call the next day to ensure everything had gone through. She said she would call and if she didn’t her colleague would. Friday - no phone call. I phoned them to be told that neither of them were in the office. So I asked for a call today. Ten thirty the phone rang- yes, the refund had been processed. I explained that there would be interest charges and a ‘ over limit ‘ payment to recompense too. I also said that considering they had had a double payment of ours for three weeks and i had suffered acute embarrassment because of their mistake plus I had spent a whole day trying to sort it while they denied liability I expected a “ sorry” from a manager and some ‘ gesture of goodwill’. Am I being outrageous to expect a bloody “ sorry” and a bunch of flowers or a voucher of some sort? I know mistakes are made - people are human- but to deny liability and to accuse me of lying ( there’s a lot more that was said but I haven’t gone into every nuance) is a bit much isn’t it? And why didn’t their accounting show an anomaly- they had our money for three weeks, shouldn’t something have not tallied? Anyway, if this was you wha5 would you expect/be asking for? Sorry this is long but I didn’t want to drip feed.

OP posts:
yorkshireyummymummy · 24/09/2018 22:18

And I haven’t got a CLUE why the paragraphs I put in haven’t worked!!?

OP posts:
OlennasWimple · 24/09/2018 22:21

They should cover the costs that you can evidence that are directly linked to the overcharge plus a decent sized bunch of flowers

ambostraw · 24/09/2018 22:25

You got home from shopping and your credit card statement was there, complete with that days transactions (albeit incorrect) on it already?

dinosaurkisses · 24/09/2018 22:26

There’s a bug with paragraphs tonight! I’d be expecting a full refund, cost of calls covered, any bank fees reimbursed and a goodwill gesture of vouchers/donation to charity to compensate for the inconvenience and embarrassment. That’s fairly standard for any complaints procedure for a large business.

mothmother · 24/09/2018 22:28

The OP didn't say that Hmm

mothmother · 24/09/2018 22:28

(To ambo)

TrickyKid · 24/09/2018 22:29

I'd just want the cost of the charges covering. I wouldn't be bothered about anything else.

Gazelda · 24/09/2018 22:31

Yes, the costs of your charges covered, a letter of apology from a senior representative and a big bunch of flowers.

Bobbysausages · 24/09/2018 22:32

Definitely unacceptable on their part, you would hope they would be keen to sort it out really!

yorkshireyummymummy · 24/09/2018 22:32

ambro. No, I got home from (not) shopping and my credit card statement was there showing the two payments I had made to the home improvement company three weeks earlier. There should only have been one payment. They had put two identical payments through.

OP posts:
ratbaggy · 24/09/2018 22:33

Could you have been caught up in this....

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-45400234

ambostraw · 24/09/2018 22:33

Sorry I misread. It happens.

ambostraw · 24/09/2018 22:34

Thanks for the Hmm though moth

Bimgy85 · 24/09/2018 22:37

A full refund including charges and interest, and a voucher to apologise.

yorkshireyummymummy · 24/09/2018 22:43

rat well funnily enough the first payment was on the 29th. But the second was outbthrough on the 30th. The company phoned me on 29th for payment, I paid they said it had declined. They tried again- said it declined. I said i didnt know how, spoke to DH who said there was more than enough credit availiable. Home improvement company phoned back the next day , tried again and card went through. They said it must have been their machine - so the two transactions show as seperate payments on seperate days with seperate authorisation codes. I have seen the merchant ‘Visa’ statement which clearly shows that the first payment went through. It’s definatly company’s fault.

OP posts:
newtlover · 24/09/2018 22:48

don't they have fb/twitter? according to my adult dc that is the way to make companies take you seriously. I'd be phoning them, telling them I was not satisified and saying I would be going public. Are they a national company? would they be bothered if named here?

AhAgain · 24/09/2018 22:51

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

HollowTalk · 24/09/2018 22:51

I agree. Social media is the way to go with this. It's disgraceful. That woman should have done everything possible to refund the same day.

Jent13c · 24/09/2018 22:54

I’d put in an official letter of complaint, especially if it’s a large company they’ll have a complaints procedure they have to follow and it will be taken seriously.

stripeswitheverything · 24/09/2018 22:55

That's not how card machines work with 'customer not present' transactions over the phone. It either goes through or it doesn't - if it says that the transaction has been declined, then that's that. It doesn't mysteriously change its mind and decide to authorise it and let it go through after all. I suspect that the staff member tried again later that day and it went through, but they didn't complete the paperwork properly, so someone else rang you the following day and did it a second time. Card machines don't put transactions through by themselves, it would definitely have been entered twice by them.

Wannabeyorkshirelass · 24/09/2018 22:58

They basically stole your money so yeah, apology needed big time.

Ilovemuesli · 24/09/2018 23:09

I agree you should have some form of compensation for costs incurred and most definitely an apology, however is it possible they were not aware of the duplicate payment? I work in systems testing card transactions and we often pre-authorise transactions i.e the bank receives a request from us to set aside the required funds - this would show as authorised and appear on a card statement. Then when goods are dispatched, the funds are actually taken, which can result in what looks like a second transaction on your statement. Anything that is not used from the original reservation of funds is automatically returned to the card...... Hunky dory?.... except I wouldn't have a job if it didn't go wrong occasionally (!) I know that when it has happened to my company, we have been unaware that there has been a duplicate payment and we then get on to the relevant card acquirer and request a refund (time period is dependant on individual bank). Our sales teams are not always aware on how credit card transactions are processed and so to the lady you spoke to it may have appeared like a genuine error? Anyhow we always apologise profusely when this happens (happens maybe 3 times a year - globally) and compensate for any costs to the customer as a result of the fault..... sorry for the long boring post btw and/or if I have cross-posted/repeated what anyone else has said :-) :-)

JacquesHammer · 24/09/2018 23:11

Errors happen. I would expect a refund of any charges I had incurred as a result of their error and be satisfied it was resolved.

Hecksonaplane · 24/09/2018 23:15

I had a right carry on with a large international home store, having bought some kitchen from them. I sent them a letter detailing all my interactions with them and the outcomes and what I had expected after each call, so they had all the facts to consider before contacting me. A lady called me to discuss and apologise and offered me £200 to spend in store. For me the apology was enough and that their staff were trained properly as it had been a farce, but the voucher was gratefully received! On another occasion a restaurant ignored my private message, so I messaged again asking if I was using the wrong channel and perhaps I should use their active Facebook page, I got a phone call and a voucher almost instantly

Hecksonaplane · 24/09/2018 23:16

Sorry, so yes I think they need to address the error, apologise and cover your costs at least.