To Wish That Some Businesses Would Be More Businesslike

[nijinsky]

Or do I just have unusually high standards? I mean, theres a recession going on, why try to obviously overcharge, or not answer your phones, or do a bad job and then treat the customer like shit? Maybe its where I live or something? I've just had so many poor examples of customer service recently:-

• Tried to get a structural survey on my flat in order to put it on the market, took 2 weeks to arrange as they never called me back. When I got the report, it was obvious they hadn't survyed the rear and admitted on the phone they had "only looked at it from over the garden wall", got arsy, accused me of "speaking too quickly" and put the phone down on me. Are now demanding payment of £300 although the survey is innacurate and totally useless.

• Phoned another surveyor, asked them to go out, 2 1/2 weeks later, still haven't been. Have tried phoning several times but no answer so emailed and was told he had gone on holiday. With the spare set of keys for my flat.

• Drainage rodding people yesterday. Saw them arrive, heard them work for all of 15 minutes, then got their bill through the door and saw they'd charged for 2 hours at £110 an hour plus VAT. Caught them as they were leaving and pointed this out and they said they'd been there 2 hours and I was wrong and then that it included travelling time!

• Sky tv installation engineers are independent contractors - they only get paid for the jobs they complete. I had no less than 6 different ones out to try and install a satellite dish on my single storey cottage, all faled, even their "Special Heights Team", who told me it was "too dangerous". Various other excuses, including that it had rained. Bearing in mind it is only 12 feet off the ground, DP installed it himself without difficulty, looking up the co-ordinates on the internet.

• Neighbour got her regular roofer to quote for what has become annual roofing work on my flat. Gave me a copy of the proposed works and it was a load of unncessary tosh costing thousands. All thats needed is new plastic guttering.

I could go on. Many other examples. Why run a business like this and then be surprised if it causes you aggro? In the middle of a recession, why not make sure your phones are manned during working hours or at least leave a recorded message. And deal with genuine customer complaint instead of insulting them and putting the phone down on them? Or am I being U?

YANBU at all

Yes, like me . Have just realised I've placed an ad for my new business with a wrong effing digit in the phone number. Some poor woman (sorry if you're a Mnetter) is getting my calls. [Berates self for fuckwittedness].

I do agree with you by the way.

It's frustating especially when there are so many unemployed people out there who could probably do a better job !!!

YANBU.

Make sure you threaten the buggers with the small claims court. See if you can get them into the paper.

YANBU, I gave up trying to get a decorater to even come and quote me for our lounge and hallway to be done. I wasnt expecting a discount, I was fully prepared to pay a bit more for a recommended skilled person to do it.

SKY are coming very close to losing my business with their arsey attitude too, and BT have already been ditched.

Irene
Why don't you contact the number and apologise () and then ask if they will take numbers for you to call back?

YANBU, I am tired of this rubbish. When I do get good service, I am usually so astonished I make sure EVERYONE knows who they are. I have been recommending my satellite dish installer people to everyone - miracle workers, succeeded where many others had failed.

Personal recent annoyance - highly recommended window repairer refused to quote as " we don't quote until you've bought and are occupying the property". even though i am damn well going to buy the property regardless of the windows and need a quote NOW to work out if i need a price reduction. i don't one as it happens, and i will use the firm who could be arsed coming out to quote me to do the work.

I thought I would get a local (village) company to check my TV aerial and upgrade it if necessary & reasonably priced.

The guy that turned up had a dreadful attitude - leaned his ladder against a fragile plastic gutter than proceeded to tramp across a flat roof that has Fragile Roof Use Boards or Ladders warning sign on it. I asked if he did do the job, whether he would take roof precautions and he laughed and said "NO".

I asked if he worked with Digital UK regarding the switchover, he claimed not to have heard of it! He then quoted a price that was quite outrageous and scarpered. I was shaken up by the experience, frankly. I then contacted Digital UK and was told that the signal strength for my area was so poor that I'd probably need FreeSat anyway.

I am eligible for a grant for an upgrade to digital but I need it now rather than this time next year. The Government Helpline said they'd get a manager to ring me back but 10 days later I'm still waiting

Irene - and also either offer them your service if they need it for free or big discount and send them flowers/ choc / fizz to make a really good impression...

Irene - and also either offer them your service if they need it for free or big discount and send them flowers/ choc / fizz to make a really good impression...

Of course you're not.

And the only way to get it to be better is complain. Name and shame, make formal complaints where appropriate and spread the word.

Complement good business. Tell the truth about bad.

Bad customer service continues because no one says anything.

So say something.

What is the name of the first surveyor and your general area, for example. So no one else reading this ever tries to hire them

Fairhurst. I actually give them a lot of business in another city but this was their Aberdeen office. When I worked in the public sector, I had a lot of genuinely arsy people phoning up, but I never put the phone down on anyone. In this case, I was simply shocked that a surveyor would only actually inspect two out of three exterior walls (end terraced) and then say things like "stop talking so fast". Haven't got time for businesses arsing around like this, just want the job done.

The recplacement surveyor has now carried out a competent survey - it arrived in the post this morning.

Don't know what was up with the Sky satellite installers. They would turn up, look at the (single storey) roof, suck in their cheeks and say they couldn't do it. I tried to see what they were seeing but all I could see was a 12 feet high roof and a solid brick chimney next to the roof where the dish was to be placed. Apparantly it was the slope to the roof that did for them. Yet DP, who has never done this before, installed it on his own without difficulty or specialist equipment, its pointing the right way and we have a great signal.