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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to complain about the 'Customer Service' in Sainsburys today?

50 replies

LilRedWG · 30/11/2010 16:23

... or am I being oversensitive?

I took DD(4.6) to have her hair cut and as we were early popped into Sainsbury for a couple of bits.

I am on crutches, due to severe SPD, and in a fair amount of pain. DD - bless her - picked up a basket for the shopping but once we'd picked up some chicken it was too heavy for her and kept banging into her legs and hurting (it was an old heavy wire one) so I took it off her. I also wanted to get her some new woolly tights for school but didn't know if that branch sold them so hobbled to the nearby Customer Service desk to ask. I am very obviously pregnant btw.

I politely asked the lady at the desk if she knew if they stocked tights. She stared at me as though I'd asked for a pink fluffy dildo and said, "I don't know". I said, "Okay, thanks" (again pleasantly) and went to walk off to find someone who knew - there were plenty of other staff nearby. As I moved off she suddenly said, "I'd have to look". Me - stupidly thinking this was an offer of assistance - smiled with relief and stood there like a moron whilst she stared at me. When it became obvious that she wasn't offering I asked where they might be and she directed me to the other end of the store.

So - is this appalling service or am I being over-sensitive and expecting too much from Customer Service.

OP posts:

PurpleCrazyHorse · 30/11/2010 20:13

Definitely complain. I bought some deli counter cheddar from Sainsburys (they gave me a pre-packaged little bit with the use by date on it). It was out of date by 2 days, so I returned it. Customer Services weren't interested and just said to go to the deli counter to change it. At the deli counter I could see more out of date cheese. Customer Services still didn't seem too concerned so I asked to speak to the manager. He was brill; took me back to the deli counter, replaced my cheese with a huge bit and stood there while the lady went through all the cheese dates!! Plus I got a £10 voucher and he thanked me for not making a scene.

I was also in John Lewis during a fire alarm. DH was on the 2nd floor and I was in the baby change on the 3rd floor with DD + shopping. The lovely staff carried my shopping and buggy while I carried DD until we luckily spotted DH. They escorted us all the way outside and waited until we got the buggy up and DD in before we could grab our shopping back. Really fab as I don't know how I would have managed it as DD wasn't walking then.

BootyMum · 30/11/2010 20:39

Aaahh, good old John Lewis...
Now that is a brilliant store for customer service. I am yet to hear from anyone that they have had bad service there. I think I want to be there when the end of the world comes, I bet John Lewis will make it a pleasant experience

classydiva · 30/11/2010 20:40

Its appalling service, you done that in Asda, they get an assistant to get them for you whilst you waited.

Original poster

LilRedWG · 01/12/2010 16:38

Dear Sir/Madam,
I have sent the following email...

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am a frequent customer of Sainsbury?s stores and have never previously had any cause for complaint; in fact most of your staff are courteous and go out of their way to assist customers.

However, yesterday, I visited a store I am not familiar with on the A Road, Toytown, as I was in the vicinity and needed a couple of things.

I am on currently on crutches, due to severe SPD (a painful and debilitating condition), and very obviously heavily pregnant. My four year old daughter was with me and she picked up a basket for the shopping, as she knows I struggle to carry one. However, once we'd picked up some chicken it was too heavy for her and kept banging into her legs and hurting her ? I don?t think she believed me when I told her how heavy the wire baskets can be - so I took it off her. The other item I wanted to purchase was some new woolly tights for school but didn't know if that branch sold them so made my way to the nearby Customer Service desk to ask.

I politely asked the lady at the desk if she knew if they stocked children?s woolly tights. She stared at me as though I'd asked for a live chicken and said, "I don't know". I said, "Okay, thanks" (again pleasantly) and went to walk off to find someone who knew, as there were plenty of other staff nearby. As I moved off she suddenly said, "I'd have to look". I, naively thinking this was an offer of assistance, smiled with relief and stood there like an idiot whilst she stared at me. When it became obvious that she wasn't offering to look on the computer, look on the shelves or ask another member of staff to look, I asked where they might be and she directed me to the other end of the store.

I think the most frustrating thing was that when I had made it to the back of aisle ten there were no children?s tights at all, so it was a total waste of energy to struggle back there.

I am not expecting special treatment, but a smile and a, ?I?m sorry I can?t look for you myself, because x, y, or z? would have gone a long way.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

LilRedWG

OP posts:

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 01/12/2010 17:22

LilRedWG - that sounds like a very reasonable and measured email - and I hope that you get a good response from Sainsburys - you certainly didn't get good customer service from them!

I had an entirely different experience with Customer Service at Braehead Sainsburys this week. On sunday, ds1 and ds3 managed to leave my bag full of shopping in the trolley in the cafe (despite my having pointed it out to them and asked them to keep an eye on it). We didn't notice it was missing until the evening (we weren't really on the ball at all that day), and cynically, I assumed that someone would have swiped my shopping, and I wouldn't see it again.

But when I rang Customer Service, on the off chance that it had been handed in, I was told that yes, my shopping was there, and would be kept at customer service until I could collect it. The chap then went on to say that the perishables from my bag would be removed (which I expected - they wouldn't want manky food rotting behind customer service's desk), and would be replaced free of charge - which I certainly didn't expect!

Original poster

LilRedWG · 01/12/2010 17:54

That's excellent customer service - also worthy of a letter or email.

OP posts:

QueenStromba · 01/12/2010 19:25

Sunshineriver: I did that the other day. I overheard someone say buttermilk so told them that Asda didn't sell buttermilk but milk with a teaspoon of lemon juice would do the trick.

StayingDavidTennantsGirl · 01/12/2010 20:27

You are absolutely right, LilRed. I'll do it tomorrow.

albloke · 07/05/2015 08:40

I found this thread "to complain about the 'Customer Service' in Sainsburys today?" and so I thought I would share my recent experience with Sansburys Chesterfield.

Customer Services at Sainsbury's Chesterfield, really sucks, in fact it's wrong to call it any sort of service. I won't be going there again. Here's what happened. I had just finished my weekly shop in the store, I put my shopping into my car and went back into the shop to use the in-store photo booth to get passport photos, but had 2 x £1.00 coins and a £5.00 note. The booth machine requires 7 x £1.00 coins so I went to customer services and waited 10 minutes and no show from anyone, so I went to tobacco kiosk and queued up behind everyone buying cigarettes and lottery tickets etc, I eventually got to front of queue only to be told that they are not allowed to give customers change. I went back to customer services where there were now 2 people behind the desk, I asked them to change £5.00 for photo booth and was told that they are not allowed to give change to customers (How crap is that, what's the point of a machine that takes coins where you dont give change?).
I went Dents photographic shop in Chesterfield, they took my picture, processed the film and gave me a set of passport photo's, basically they completed the whole process in less time than I had spent waiting to be served in Sainbury's .
Sainsbury's Chesterfield should carry a warning notice stating that they do NOT provide change to customers so that their customers can use the photo booth and in my opinion by not doing so Sainsbury's Chesterfield do not provide customer service, maybe that should be added to the sign also?
The morale of the story, Don't bother going to Sainsbury's in Chesterfield to use the photo booth if you don't have £7.00 in change; Because Sainsbury's are not allowed to provide their customers with change. Shop instead at Tesco.s, Asda, M&Ss or Aldi and if you want passport photos go to Dents for world class service.
Mike Coupe, you need to take a look at your shite in store policies for their losses, it might explain something more than consumers eating out! because this is another previously long standing customer you have lost.

londonrach · 07/05/2015 08:45

Zombie thread!

TiggerLillies · 07/05/2015 08:48

It is possible she couldn't leave her desk, but as you say in the email gate could have politely tools you this, and asked if she could get sometime to show you? I always find that Sainsburys employees insist on escorting me to the aisle when all I wanted was the no.!

26Point2Miles · 07/05/2015 08:48

It's quite normal for checkout staff to NOT be allowed to open the till to give change

It's not just sainsburys with that policy, it's there for a reason

TiggerLillies · 07/05/2015 08:52

So many typos. I'm sorry! (when will I learn to read before posting?)

Fugghetaboutit · 07/05/2015 08:53

I had bad service in Waitrose once. Unpacked all my shopping and then the moany arse checkout woman said 'oh this til is closing now and I had to put it all back in the trolley terrible. I did say well there isn't a sign and you should've told me before I unpacked but she just shrugged.

Casimir · 07/05/2015 09:42

Get what you pay for. Minimum wage. Shop elsewhere or pay more.

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 07/05/2015 10:00

Fugg That's terrible. When I worked checkouts at sainsburys, they always put the sign up before I could think about closing my till. Even if I had to wait, I'd serve the customer who was patiently waiting.

SaucyJack · 07/05/2015 10:04

Very poor. Sort of thing I'd expect from Tesco.

Our nearest Sainsbury's are fantastic.

SaucyJack · 07/05/2015 10:05

Drat! Fooled again.

Rainicorn · 07/05/2015 10:10

Why resurrect a thread from 2010 to tell us that crap story? Start your own thread.

Hate reading half a thread before realising it's a zombie one.

chickenfuckingpox · 07/05/2015 10:36

at my local sainsburys i had to return a gruffalo outfit she asked why i told her he was scared of it (seriously had a dramatic fit over it!) she refunded it although technically they dont have to just because you dont like something!

you got a bad one you should complain xx

BlackeyedSusan · 07/05/2015 10:49

two different branches of the same store can be completely different for customer service. that branch of sainsburys is particularly crap.

purplepowers · 07/05/2015 10:54

I've found Sainsbury's customer service to be pretty shite. What I hate most is when you are queuing up and the people on the till decide to have a huge natter and gossip while there are loads of people waiting in the queue. They then seem really snotty when they serve you (like they are doing you a favour). I have to say M&S staff are the worst though, especially in the Ladieswear department. I have come across some real snooty cows.

LadyTmalia · 07/05/2015 11:29

Ive just had my sainsburys training, apparently we are supposed to offer to take you to the item.

We can fail our mystery shops by taking you to the item without us asking if you want us to :)

Positive greeting, show listening.
ask if they need to be shown
if requested take to item
ask if the need any more help
leave a positve last message.

Im leaving soon :D

TheChandler · 07/05/2015 13:22

My local Sainsbury is OK - possibly it has poached the best staff locally from Tesco. I got so annoyed at seeing their signs reading "TV's" and "DVS's" and similar that I emailed them. I got a reasonably polite email back, however it asked me "how would you like us to write the sign's"

HighwayDragon · 07/05/2015 13:27

the ops 4yo is now 9!!

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