First off don't get me started on the whole unsolicited massive hardback catalogue left on my doorstep a few times a year that I get charged four quid or whatever that they never mentioned when I first ordered online. Nor the making it clear except in small print that it was a credit account.
So today I rang Next to change address. Not that they would let me do this online (yet another rant, every other company does) and when I rang them up to change address not only did they want my password, my address, date of birth, telephone number but they refused to do it unless I gave them the last four digits of my last card used too.
That was crappy enough. But no, the coup-de-grace.
Me: "I don't want your catalogue any more"
Call-taker: "Okay, but you won't qualify for any VIP sales any more"
Me: "So you're telling me I have to (pay to) receive a massive hardback book that goes straight in the recycling in order to get 'preferential' treatment on your sales? Oh, okay, so I used one of them to stuff down the side of the bed to keep a pillow in place better once, but that's not the point."
Call-taker (without any sense of humour whatsoever): "Yes, that's the criteria"
Me: "So I have to kill some trees in order to qualify for your VIP sale now?"
Call-taker (who has no doubt heard a similar line a hundred times a day): "Yes"
Me: "I can't have that on my conscience, so take the catalogue away."
Call-taker: "You'll lose access to VIP sales etc etc"
Me: "Whatever.."
I'm half expecting they have some lame "we plant as many trees as we destroy" scheme in place but that's not the point, is it? I think I will close my account altogether in protest because there is just so much wrong with them. Their clothes are over-priced anyway except in the sale and I only like their children's stuff anyhow and that's gone downhill of late.