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 .

Loaf - I bought a reduced sofa from them, and when it came the legs were missing. They've apologised and are sending a technician out to fit them, and have said they'll give me a discount for my trouble, all without asking.

Another vote for Octopus. Their CEO, Greg Jackson, was on Desert Island Discs last October; it's worth a listen:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001r7jj

Oh yes! I've had a nightmare with Octopus. My problem has been going on since May and still not sorted. The left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing and being given conflicting information. In one case I rang to see if I could rearrange and appointment. Very helpful person said not a problem and booked me a new date for a completely difference service. I pointed out my original appointment was for X not Y but he told me the original appointment solution was wrong and I needed Y to be done. Of course engineer turned up and said Y was no use and I needed X! This should now be done in January. Another whole issue is that despite living in a huge city they only seem to have one available appointment a month so everything just takes for ever and they ignore emails for weeks. So not happy with Octopus they've been awful since I joined in April.

Today I had to swap a book (no receipt), so tried Waterstones, swap a damaged Christmas present ring from Pandora and take back from leggings to Next today (I’d got them online ages ago and not realised they were way too short for me) went to town ready for a fight …. All sorted and replaced/refunded ! Came home disappointed and had to have a wine 😂 so, full marks to Pandora, Next and Waterstones …

Scottish Power. Every time I have rung them they have been very helpful and patient.

Plusnet were very good but I've gone off them since they decided to simply dump their mobile phone customers. I am not sufficiently well informed about the regulatory position but I would have thought they could have just transferred that part of their business and people could have moved if they didn't like the new provider. Happens all the time with pension funds and the like!

Amazon have been very quick and efficient with dealing with complaints. Also Tesco customer service desk are very good.

And although people love to hate them, Amazon are very good. You order something and it usually arrives before they said it would.

Another one for M&S. Even when I've been in there ready to have a barney with them, they were so pleasant and efficient I was totally won over.

Amazon and Paypal always been okay. Next are pretty good usually.

Absolute ALL TIME WORSE is Scottish Power. My 3-year campaign to get £3k of bills charged in error was only resolved by the Ombudsman. Even then I was offered £260 compensation - for 3 years of aggro, anxiety and angst!

Scottish Power should be dissolved.

Halifax. A seamless transition when I needed to take control of my dad's accounts as Power of Attorney when he lost mental capacity due to dementia. Everyone I spoke to had empathy, and a sense of humour, made each step of the process clear, and did exactly what they said they would do when they said they would do it.

A stark contrast to my experience with Barclays completing the same process - condescend branch staff, call centre staff who could barely speak English, hours of my life wasted on hold, a catalogue of errors including an overdraft cancelled without warning leaving numerous direct debits to bounce subsequently followed by letters threatening closure of the account, several cards sent them cancelled without explanation and a 3 week wait to get a bloody PIN. Made an already stressful time in my life insufferable.

My local Greggs. The sales people are always friendly and welcoming and good with all of their customers.

You don't expect it from a chain vet and people often badmouth them, several people even told me to avoid them, but our local Vets4Pets were absolutely amazing with our two ageing and sick cats this year. Really brilliant, clear, the 'cat' woman was outstanding and took a lot of time to talk me through all the in depth medical info I needed to learn about in order not to panic/learn about a very serious condition.

Legit think there were tears there when our remaining cat was run over (and I said 'we will really miss you guys'). She was one of their best patients and they all really loved her.

Who says that about a vet? We had only been with them for eight months.

They were the polar opposite of our local vet who everyone recommended who absolutely fleeced us for every penny they could get, and spoke to me in code, through a paper bag, under water.

AXA insurance were extremely helpful when I phoned them to inquire about adding business insurance to my car insurance policy as I had some company mandated courses to attend & would be needing to use my car to drive to them. The lovely man I spoke to on the phone advised me that it would be significantly cheaper if I added it online & talked me through the process in order to save me the admin fee that would be charged if he were to add it for me.