Companies that aren't useless at customer service!

[NoEffingWay]

Lots of threads about companies that are truly shite at remembering that it's not about attracting customers actually looking after them. I have some exceptions.

N.b I work in the public sector on an appalling salary so none of these are based on working for them, or even being an especially attractive customer .

First Direct Bank-actually answer the phone within a few rings, no AI or options to go through. They actually make banking easy, and the app works without having to go through 65 different screens.

M&S-I have really enjoyed shopping in m&s this year, the clothes have been decent, the food hall is my happy place, and the home stuff is good quality. The staff seem well trained and happy enough. My toastie was lacking in toastiness the other day, and they were on it like a lion on a gazelle! Tbh, they won me over by giving me free chocolate on the sparks app the other week .

I must have won the award for lack of interest

Shout out to eflorist who kindly and quickly changed my delivery date with a days notice when I realised I’d got my granny’s birthday wrong 😂one of the easiest customer service interactions I’ve ever had

I would answer your question if I could, @NoEffingWay , I just can't think of any! Oh wait there is one - Clydesdale bank.

Oh and another one- Simply Colors. They're a small company that sells through Not on the High Street and did a brilliant job helping me when I made a spelling mistake on a personalised order.

I know they come in for some stick on here (and this was a good few years ago now) - but John Lewis we’re brilliant when I bought a Fitbit from them and it broke about a week before the 2-year warranty expired. Sent another within 24 hours. 2 years later, same thing - got a new one. By the time it happened for the 3rd time I was a bit over fitbits. They refunded me the cost without quibble - which was actually £20 more than I’d paid for my first one!

Vision Express. They’re pretty rubbish at delivering the service you pay for, but fantastic at making up for it.

We spend c £400 there every 2-3 years, they invariably mess something up and over the years we’ve probably have 5 pairs of free designer £200+ glasses with slight faults but are ideal as spare pairs.

Le Crueset.
I inherited my mum’s pans and they must be nearly 25 years old. The enamel chipped off on the inside of one, and they replaced it for free. We are talking a pan that would cost £100+.

Twist Tea. My order came wrapped like a gift with a freebie mint baggin.

Octopus, never had trouble speaking to them and getting issues sorted quickly.

Il makiage- great customer service.

Virgin Atlantic, they were absolutely brilliant when I needed to change a flight due to bereavement. Answered quickly, called me back when they said they would and even got me a cheaper flight than I had originally and quickly refunded the difference.

Came on to suggest First Direct. Been with them a few years and always impressed with their service. No call queues ever.

Also love Screwfix. Whatever store I visit the service is always friendly and helpful.

I’m trying to think of some. Customer service has noticeably gone down the pan this year with most organisations! Mind you, I work in the public sector and we have lost so many staff and not replaced them, our customers probably wouldn’t rate our customer service other! But I do think it's different for private businesses. Pay your staff properly and train them right!
Shout out to my postie though, who is awesome.

Octopus are very good, I agree. And Nintendo when you need repairs are super efficient and don't quibble.
BT have recently become rather 'extra'. When my router kept restarting they gave me free unlimited mobile data, a new temporary dongle thing and sent an engineer immediately. Similar sort of overkill when phone switched to digital.

Another one coming in to say Octopus energy

The Cheese Society in Lincoln are excellent, I had a payment issue, they quickly refunded me to resolve the issue and did what they said they would do.

Tesco are surprisingly good,
Morrisons.
Rohan (the clothing shop)

PlusNet - the cheaper offshoot broadband supplier from BT.
Smarty - mobile phone contract - just superb, easy, faultless…
Octopus Energy

I’ve had terrible issues with octopus.

Nando's is the only big company I can think of that deals with complaints rquickly and give a voucher.

I've found small sellers on Etsy and Not on the High Street are really good. This year I ordered a Christmas card that got lost in the post and the seller refunded me even though I said not to as it wasn't their fault.

Me too @Menopants . It took them six months to bill me after they picked me and a load of others up from Avro. They shouldn't have gone for the contract if they couldn't handle it. They don't do the fuel discount scheme and they're just as bad as all the others about refunding credit.

I'll put 2 in here.

Nationwide insurance. - really helpful and quick to respond. Had a lovely chat with a call centre chap yesterday who sorted everything out. Refreshing.

Octopus - was moved to them from bulb earlier in the year. The cocked up my first bill but rectified straight away. I then badgered them re a smart meter and the lady personally monitored for an appointment, and arranged it all after I moaned. The app and website seem to be good too.

A plumbers merchant in Fulham who sped up my order after the plumber came days earlier than expected. Price matched too 😬

I'm a real complainer when I get bad service so this is high praise from me 😂

Oh and I know they're much hated, but Amazon have always provided excellent customer service. So have PayPal.

This was a while ago but Wayfair picked up the phone within 15 seconds, no menu to work your way through or anything. The lady sorted my issue out immediately and I was able to get on with my day in less than 5 minutes.

Exactly how customer service should be.

I agree that First Direct are really good.

Someone mentioned Plusnet - I think they used to be, but having had dealings with them, unfortunately I now can’t agree any more; apart from anything else it’s virtually impossible to get them to actually answer the phone.

Once upon a time I would have said Lakeland but they’ve crossed over into ‘don't go there' territory. After an unbelievably rude customer service person last year put the final touch to a nightmare failed delivery saga, I vowed not to use them again. Stupidly I did this year because I was offered a very good discount, and the (expensive) item was then dispatched but mysteriously didn’t arrive more than once before finally having to be couriered straight to me. In between I had another very tense encounter with an unfriendly customer services person who suggested I should go and buy the item from their store instead. No, it’s not convenient for me to travel to buy it, that’s why I want it to be delivered without 'disappearing' en route thanks to your terrible delivery service. Surely not too much to ask! (sorry, I needed to get all that out 😂)

I had the best customer service ever from Amex this year. They're genuinely on their customer's side and ruled in our favour on a substantial amount of money/refund that we were promised by an airbnb host who then changed their mind. I've been with them ten years and always brilliant.