What’s the best customer service you’ve ever seen?

[thebigmaniswatching]

I’ve just been reading the kindness thread and someone mentioned Virgin trains, I was travelling with then a few weeks ago and both ways their staff were great.

On the way, a last sat next to me and realised she’d got on the wrong train, right destination but wrong time, the train manager was really kind to her as she was panicking and explained what she needed to do. Then as we arrived at our destination he did the usual tannoy as we were leaving but added on that there were some children on the train who were going to the pride of Britain awards and gave them a big congratulations.
On the return journey the train was 10 minutes late leaving, we had a connecting train to catch that we only had 9minutes between so we would obviously miss it, as the train manager came to check tickets I asked what time we were going to arrive, he says we might make it if the train manager to make up some time. He must have taken mental note of our destination because as we were approaching the station he started doing tannoys to update us on our specific connecting trains and how they were running, then as we were pulling into the station he did another to say that we should make it, which platform we needed and where was best to get off the train to get to the other platform the quickest, he really went out of his way to make sure we got our trains!

Next. I received a bouquet a few weeks ago and the roses flopped over and died within 3 days. I emailed to let them know, not as a complaint, just so they could look at the storage/supply of roses. They immediately offered another bouquet of greater value and when I said I was going away on holiday, they arranged to send it on my return.

Oh and also Boden. I had a whole series of wrong and damaged items delivered plus a cock up with several refunds. I was really cross and emailed the CX. He replied within the hour (it was a weekend) and one of the managers rang me on the Monday. They individually checked every item I ordered after that and gave me some express labels for returns to ensure a rapid refund. They were also very generous with vouchers as compensation for the poor service. Things do go wrong, it's how you put them right that counts.

Dry nice waitress in Wagamama when I explained at the end of the meal that dd had only recently been diagnosed as coeliac and eating out isn't easy as she's also vegetarian.

She told dd she should never be anxious about telling the staff anywhere that she has coeliac and then went through the GF menu explaining which non vegetarian options could be changed to vegetarian.

Also when Ovo were a new energy company and I'd just joined my direct debit was slightly messed up. Their call centre was shut on a Saturday afternoon so I emailed a complaint and the owner/managing director rang me up within twenty minutes and sorted it.

Another one saying Lakeland, they offer a free gift at the moment with their vouchers but they'd run out last time we went, the manageress was extremely apologetic and just all-around lovely, we haven't been back yet but when we do I'll be sure to thank her as normally we get a shrug and "not my problem" when things like this happen!

Apple gave me free 2 metre charging cable. My phone was also playing up and was just out of warranty and they just handed me a box from the shelf.

Pret A Manger-felt Doug on Friday with bad period cramps and needed to eat before I could take ibuprofen. I went to the hot food bit for a bean pot. There were two but didn’t say if veg or meat so I asked the man stacking the self he was so nice and kind. It was veg and I put it back so he asked if I wanted the meat version? When I said I did he said ‘i’m Making the right now, pip into the queue and i’ll Bring one out in 2 minutes’ when hebcanenout and handed it to me it was so nice and being hormonal and I’ll i cried a little as I walked to work lol.

Surprisingly, Tesco. Their staff are always really helpful. I was heavily pregnant with DC3, pushing a full trolley through the carpark with my 2 year old and 4 year old in it. A staff member on her lunch break got out of her car, pushed my trolley to the car, unloaded it in to the boot, took my DC out of the trolley and put them in their carseats (and said she wouldn't strap them in as she knew I'd want to make sure they were safe). She was absolutely lovely, I phoned her manager as soon as I got home to make sure he was aware of her kindness.

My DC1 has autism and is absolutely fascinated with the fish counter. There is a lady at our local Tesco who now knows his name, puts gloves on as soon as she sees him coming and will spend an absolute age talking to him about the fish, picking them up to show him their scales/teeth/fins. Fortunately he eats a lot of fish so I always buy some. It makes my shopping trips with him so much easier.

We recently went to Frankie and Benny's and DD's children's meal was served to her cold so I sent it back. In the meantime, we were eating ours (it would have taken even longer to re-cook the entire order apparently) and and had finished by the time hers had returned. I complained again and the manager knocked her entire meal off the bill plus gave us a round of desserts on them. At the end of the meal I went and found him to thank him and said the meal off the bill would have been enough. He said I'd made his day by saying thank you.

Premier Inn. I was checking out and they asked how my night was. I said it was great, and it was a shame it was bin morning as I was woken up at 6am by the bin lorry but hey ho. They immediately refunded the entire night. Even though I had slept perfectly till 6am! i was flabbergasted. Fan for life.

Morrisons.

I was due to click & collect my Christmas shopping early morning on Christmas Eve. My car was written off due to an accident earlier that week and DS was only a few months old so public transport would have been a nightmare. I called the store to ask them to ensure my order was correct as DH would be picking it up late afternoon on the way home from work. The store promised to check it was all there & keep it aside. Later the same day I git a callback from the store offering that a staff member drop it off to save DH doing it. On the day a lovely young man delivered it in his own car despite heavy snow, it was lovely if him!

I agree OP about Virgin Trains. Absolutely brilliant staff.

Bravissimo sent me out about 6 different bras (after me paying for just one) when I was trying to figure out what size I needed with a new baby and said to just return the ones I didn’t need whenever I could

Premier Inn - we were staying in one just outside Blackpool when my husband damaged his knee very badly just close by. Two members of the hotel staff pretty much carried him to the car so that I could get him to hospital and then also in and around the hotel for a couple of days until he could manage on his crutches. They also immediately swapped our room so that we had the shortest walks possible and reserved us a convenient parking space. Most of all, they were simply kind and full of humour and made us feel welcome and at ease rather than a burden.

Another vote for build a bear! Absolutely lovely staff held a pokémon bear for me because it was being discontinued. Got the voucher for my DS for his birthday he nearly cried when they said how clever his mum was because she asked them to save it for him. Made me for one very brief moment supermum.

Lush. DS spent his pocket money on a jelly bomb and it didn't jellify. I emailed them and they sent DS a boxful of bath treats with a lovely personal note. It really made our day!

The dinosaur museum in Canada. Dd chose a plastic dinosaur toy that cost about $5 but she loved it and had it with her everywhere for 2 weeks during our holiday. We left it on the plane (it was an overnight flight with a 5 yo and our 2month old twins). We couldn't find anything like it online so ended up emailing the museum to explain and asking if they'd post one to the U.K. if we paid for it including postage. They insisted on sending it completely free of charge.

Ooh the flowers one reminds me. I ordered a bouquet for mil, and had it delivered a couple of days after she left for holiday. My fault, I'd forgotten. I realised before and rang to see if I could change it. It was too late so I asked for another to be delivered when she returned, expect g to pay. They did that free of charge!

Lots of lovely stories!

The one that sprung to mind for me was Matalan. I wanted to buy some of their Alder Hey star pyjamas to send to a friend whose son was in hospital following major heart surgery - a matching set for her and him. They didn't have any of the right child size in, but the assistant rang around other stores, and eventually found a pair in their central London store (I'm in MK). I said I couldn't really go into London to collect them, and they were unable to deliver to the local store, and it looked like I was going to have to give up on the idea, but then the assistant said "Well, I'm going to a conference next week so if I ask them to send it with their delegates, I can pick it up from them and then you can collect it from us the next day." Totally unnecessary of her to do, but her lateral thinking and kindness saved the day!

Hamleys! About 20 years ago, mind.

My parents had bought me a cuddly toy that I became inseparable with. My lovely great aunt loved it and 6 year old asked my mum to help me see if they had anymore. London is a bit of a journey so we wrote a letter from my teddy.
They didn't have any more but we received a lovely letter written addressed to my teddy, signed by loads of toys

Sorry I know it seems odd but it's always stuck with me that they put that effort in.

To add- they said they didnt have any more but suggested others in the same range and gave each one a name that was related to the name I'd given my teddy. I think someone had a lot of fun writing it

Oh, the staff at Hamley's are adorable! We went once when DS was about 3 and there was a lovely young woman doing a demonstration of a 'magic' light: passing it from hand to hand, pulling it out of DS's ear, all sorts of tricks. The look of wonder on his face brought me close to tears - I'm welling up now remembering it. Just doing her job, of course, but she made it a truly magical customer experience.

On another visit, a young man spent a lot of time patiently and enthusiastically explaining to me the difference between types of Nerf dart. He just seemed delighted to take the time to help me.

Any restaurant in the US. The slightest complaint and they take a chunk of your bill and apologize profusely unlike in the U.K. where they will argue with the customer

Also Premier Inn. Lovely receptionist took a photo of me,DH and I in our outfits for a cousins wedding. She complimented me on my shoes and when I said they were brand new on, insisted she gave me some plasters to take with me "in case they rub later"

We have a great relationship with the sales professional my fiancé bought my engagement ring from. We didn’t have a limitless budget (like most customers would do.. think blue box) but he couldn’t have been any more diligent, and went above and beyond sourcing designs for me to try from all over the UK, nothing was too much trouble. I am ordering a few Christmas presents from him next week, and I’m really looking forward to seeing him!

Local, well known Scottish hotel on an island.

For my birthday we booked a family room for five as we took my dad and on arrival we found kids bunk beds in a kinda second room and my dads bed was a fold out bed at the bottom of my double bed. Not ideal.

Went to reception and explained it to the manager who apologised and said we should never have been given the room as it was a max occupancy of four and she could give my dad a single room on the other side of the hotel.

I said thanks but no thanks as my mum had recently passed away and I didn’t want my dad in a room on his own which was why I booked a family room. She apologised and that was that.

I went back to my room pretty disappointed as it was an expensive night away (£450). Ten minutes later she chapped my door and said she felt really bad about it and the whole night was on the hotel and refunded all our money which included dinner!!!!

Amazing service. We squeezed uomand dad had a night in a bunk bed.

Tesco
In a hormonal pregnant state, I emailed to say I was disappointed that my Tesco branded liquorice allsorts only had a very few number of the round ones with the blue/pink bobbles on (filled with the jelly stuff). They were very apologetic and posted me out two huge bags of just those round bobbly ones!! Honestly they lasted the best part of a year, they sent so many