John Lewis: never mind your Christmas advert, I’d just be pleased with some customer service

[Thosesummernights]

First world issues I know but what on earth has happened to JL customer service?

Went in store to order a new bed, couldn’t find anyone on the shop floor to assist. Eventually tracked a member of the team down to help but she really didn’t want to and kept directing us to the website. We were looking for mattresses that could be delivered within a certain timeframe.

We’ve since had on going issues with the order and accessing their customer service team is impossible. They just don’t care anymore. There’s no desire to help or assist which is what JL was known for.

Still waiting for a call back. Chased and chased. Now receiving emails asking for more details of the issue when all I want to do is actually speak to someone. If they are reducing face to face or even phone service then I’d rather go elsewhere and not pay the price tickets.

I agree there is no service, but I think it applies to many companies and organisations now. You’re expected to use their chat line, but if your query doesn’t fit their algorithm, which it usually doesn’t, it’s useless.

Agreed, their chat line is useless. People in store are very much ‘computer says no’, not empowered at all.
It’s a shame as it used to be a lovely shopping experience.

I was a huge fan of John Lewis. Bought everything from there and had one of their credit cards. I will now never, ever buy a thing from them again. They sold us a faulty product - under guarantee - which failed, causing huge damage in our home. They are refusing even to honour the guarantee on the item! Looking to take them to the small claims court now. Absolutely awful customer service.

All service industries are not providing services anymore. You are always sent to a website and a bot deals with your query.

I am still not speaking to them for closing my nearest store, and rarely use their website as I am still so pissed off. I used to love John Lewis.

@WimpoleHat that’s outrageous! Good luck getting your money back.

It’s such a short-sighted strategy. I don’t mind paying but I expect service. If they are going to align themselves with Dunelm and the like then I’d rather buy from them as the I know what to expect.

I agree it’s appalling. Email Sharon White directly and complain, I’ve done this in the past.

@bendmeoverbackwards interesting. Did you get a response?

I did @Thosesummernights She didn’t agree with me on all my points (I wanted to see a return of proper old fashioned customer service along with business dress - some JL staff members look really scruffy).

I miss the days of shop floor staff being really knowledgeable about their stock. Now they don’t know anything (or don’t stay long enough to build up knowledge). I worked as a summer temp in children’s shoes in the early 90s. We were properly trained, both by JL to understand the business and also by Start Rite. Business dress was strict, I got told off for wearing plain black shoes because they were suede. Section managers were visible and keeping an eye on things, woe betide if you didn’t notice a customer needing help.

This is what we wore

Honestly just go to an online retailer.
We stayed in an air bnb which had a brilliant mattress. Came home and ordered it from mattressman online. It was £1000 but they have a exchange/refund policy if its not right. It was delivered in 2 days and the old one taken away.
JL have just not kept up with the online market.

I had really a bad experience with a tumble dryer I bought from them.

Won't be buying anything big there again.

Also, customer service in store is bad. It's all "I don't know, look online". Well, if I wanted that then I wouldn't have come to your shop in fist place.

This was a good few years ago but I found by chance dressing like I had no money and might shoplift something led to excellent attention! Difficult to 'lift' a bed, I know but maybe go in armed with a Big Mac and a coke drink and perch yourself on a bed. That might work.

IMO, JLP's issues are several and include paying lip service to the matter of service and so no longer excel on that front. If you rely on your reputation but don't perform to meet customer expectations...

I ordered something that wasn’t available online only in the shop. I was out through to someone on the phone, placed the order. No confirmation. A week later I started chasing it. ‘No record of your order’. Eventually told me it had been refunded. No refund. Called again. Told the same thing a week later. No refund. Called a third time, told the shop would call me back, it didn’t. I called again, got cut off. Called again and they told me the shop would call at. They did, issued a refund. I bet I never see it in my account though. Absolutely shocking service. My impression is that a lot of call centre staff can’t be bothered. They make up lies , cut you off or don’t so what they say they will.
I am finding this across the board. Probably a lot to do with working from home. No supervision means they don’t care.

I have also dumped JL due to lack of customer service. I placed a large order for clothes and beauty products. They split the order and a package with one item arrived by courier. They sent a tracking number for the other much larger parcel. For 5 days tracking said 'we are expecting your parcel' so I called JL. Had to wait for someone from deliveries to call me back after they had tracked the package. They confirmed it was indeed lost and they could reorder everything and it would be with me in 5 to 10 days! I said that wasn't acceptable but they insisted that the couldn't use a courier so I'd have to wait. I cancelled the whole order (returned the item I'd received) and won't use them again.

Agree - their customer service is non-existent. In the past week I've had voucher codes not working, orders mysteriously being cancelled - and no one at John Lewis seems to give a shit anymore.

I'm spending 1000s with them (despite that), yet haven't had a free coffee or cake in two years - it rankles!

@Cardsonthetable I agree about people WFH. Can we all bloody stop doing it and get back in the office. Customers calling ‘call centres’ now have to put up with poor phone reception, dogs barking, children crying and other background noise. So unprofessional.

Just to add that I have also previously emailed Sharon White direct - I got a response within 12 hours (on a Sunday), and the issue was then sorted very quickly.

some JL staff members look really scruffy

As someone who is about to start a temp Xmas job at JL I’d like to remind you that it’s minimum wage, so staff may not have the funds to meet your expectations.

Hang on, min wage doesn’t = scruffy!

JL’s main call centre is in the Philippines so not sure of their working set up regarding WFH but I agree, customer service standards have definitely dropped since WFH in my experience.

I think the reason JL's appalling service ethic is so glaring is because it used to be good in the past.

I had a terrible experience trying to buy a cooker-they were so uninterested in helping and very rude to deal with.
More interested in eating the food samples being given out a few aisles over-finally a manager made them come over and they were not happy.

I ended up ordering from AOonline-quicker and cheaper and fantastic service!

Perhaps if you’re on min wage spending all your salary on utilities and rent then haircuts and manicures aren’t going to be as affordable.

But keep demeaning min wage staff.

It doesn’t cost anything to brush your hair!

They all sound S African to me.

AO are very good, I agree.