I think it's probaby easiest if I copy and paste my complaint letter, can't face typing such a long account again! Personal details removed obviously, but otherwise as sent.
I would like to complain about the poor service I received in relation to a Christmas gift I purchased from ASDA for in store collection. The order number is
I purchased a ?Dance star Mickey Mouse? online on 10/12/2011 to collect from the * store. The date given for collection was Thursday 15/12/2011, which was acceptable to me as I needed the item as a Christmas gift for my daughter. Your website advised that I would receive notification when it arrived in store.
When the 15/12/2011 arrived without any notification, I called the customer care line, where I was advised that the item may not arrive in store until later that day.
The next day, Friday 16/12/2011, still awaiting notification, I called the store where I was told that the deliveries to store were running late and that ?hopefully?, it should be there in the next delivery that day, or the next day.
I spent the next 5 days calling both the store and the customer care line, where I was constantly told that it would ?hopefully arrive in store soon?. In addition to the strong and hard to understand accents, and offhand manner of the staff members, I twice requested call backs to clarify what was happening with my order; I received none.
On 22/12/2011, yet again failing to receive a call back the previous evening, I called the Leeds-based customer care line. I received assistance from a seemingly helpful member of staff, who was apologetic and told me that she would call back before 4pm. As this did not happen, I called back yet again. I stressed the importance of receiving this gift before Christmas and asked that the member of staff offered a resolution.
The member of staff offered to arrange to cancel the in store delivery order and arrange next day delivery, to ensure that it would arrive in time for Christmas day. I was happy with this resolution and was transferred to another member of staff to make the arrangements. The order was cancelled, then I was transferred to a third member of staff to arrange delivery of my new order. I was then told that there was no way that they would be able to deliver before Christmas, that ?you can?t expect us to be able to do that so late? and that ?you shouldn?t have been told that we could do next day?. After being repeatedly advised that ?you will have to wait until after Christmas?, I ended the call and once more called the Leeds-based number. After yet another interminable wait, I was told that the last member of staff had been correct and there was no way that I would receive the order before Christmas. The member of staff did not seem apologetic in her tone, but did advise that I would receive a letter of apology and a gift token.
I have since received the letter, which frankly adds insult to injury. There is no apology or specific reference to the appalling way in which my order has been dealt with. The letter is clearly a standard and impersonal letter. The gift token is for £10, which given the circumstances is derisory. I have had to spend £53.94 (compared to £40 with ASDA) to get the item from Amazon with next day delivery, which was the only way I could guarantee it in time for Christmas; had I known earlier that you would fail to deliver, I could have purchased the item elsewhere for much less. I have wasted (cumulatively) three and a half hours on the phone to you, as well as another two hours waiting in for the Amazon delivery, instead of a more convenient store pick up.
I have been a loyal customer of ASDA for several years, shopping at the stores weekly, spending well over £100 on my usual weekly shop. I always receive excellent service in store and I am so disappointed that the online service and helpline have let down their friendly, helpful colleagues in store.
I would appreciate a response which acknowledges the problems with this order, offers a more fitting recompense and maybe tries to persuade me why I should reconsider taking my annual £5000+ of grocery shopping elsewhere.
Sincerely, ...
So, more than 2 weeks after posting, I still have had no response to my letter. Just to add to the ridiculousness, I had a text and email on 12th January to let me know that my order had arrived ... so that's a month late. I called the customer care (ha!) line, was promised yet another call back which didn't happen. My tweets to ASDA have also been ignored. It's probably the worst service I've ever received, but ASDA don't care. AIBU to expect a response from them?