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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

complaining is there any point

31 replies

ghostspirit · 09/12/2014 16:34

im just wondering do companys just humour you? ie im sorry this has happend... im sorry this is beyond our control... im sorry it wont happen again... yes there have been other complaints to we are looking in to this matter.... when actually they dont really give a toss.

OP posts:

ElfontheShelfIsWATCHINGYOUTOO · 09/12/2014 16:35

yes there is a huge point and you need to go on and wait and dont talk whilst they then offer you a voucher or money.

lettucelamp · 09/12/2014 16:41

I've worked in call centres for almost ten years, for various large companies, and they've all been the same in that no, the company doesn't really care at all, you're one customer in a sea of many to them. It's something I struggle with as I have a tendency to care too much, but generally if you make a complaint it gets noted on your account and if you're lucky you might receive a little something in the way of compensation. Smaller businesses care more but large corporations really don't. Pretty sure the complaints email address doesn't go anywhere at our current company.

lettucelamp · 09/12/2014 16:42

So no, YANBU.

NoSundayWorkingPlease · 09/12/2014 16:46

It depends.

If you've picked up a genuine error that can be corrected, most companies will put it right. If your perceived 'point' of complaints is to gain a bit of compo, a £30 credit to your bank or a discount on something, if you complain in the right way you'll usually get it. It costs companies more in time to argue with you than grant small amounts, which a lot will realise.

If your complaint is anything to do with a companies policy - nope, there's no point usually. Or if it's anything that can't physically be proven such as X staff member in a shop was rude.

'We value your feedback' - translates to 'There's nothing that can or will be done. You've wasted your time and ours with your pointless moaning. But we've written your comment down in our complaints system, so that we tick the regulatory box of managing and recording complaints, bit it will never be looked at again'.

Wowthishurtsalot · 09/12/2014 16:50

YABU I've got many an apology and brilliant freebies by complaining

I doubt my complaint did anything to their lack of customer service or to improve it but it made me feel better

Cabrinha · 09/12/2014 16:54

I used to work for a huge manufacturer. Complaints from the public would be about product rather than service. They were taken very very seriously, and the detail was sent to brand managers and discussed with factory quality managers. Every single call was noted.

WetAugust · 09/12/2014 16:55

Always complain but do it in writing.

I've had 80 cheque from British Gas for them failing to keep an appt and 36 from EE this month alone.

Halifax once screwed up my ISA and paid me 3 lots of 25 compensation every time they compounded their error! It was still cheaper for them to pay that than to pay the Financial Services Ombudsman for the complaint i threatened to lodge with the FSO

Tobyjugg · 09/12/2014 16:59

I worked in financial services and yes complaints were taken very seriously. The firm's reputation was what its whole business was based on. A reputation for repeated cock ups was a recipe for financial disaster.

KateReddy · 09/12/2014 17:05

The RAC abandoned my DH (who was on crutches) at the roadside, they claimed they 'couldn't find him' on a dual carriageway with a police escort so gave up and closed down the call.

When he called back they sent another driver who didn't speak to him, just the police officer and drove off. The police officer said it was going to take the RAC over 2 hours to remove the car so the police would have to arrange it and it cost us £222.

I complained to the RAC and they took exactly 20 working days to get back to me and offer me a £20 voucher. I told them to fuck off (in so many words).

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 09/12/2014 17:11

I have had a fair few 'meh... thanks for telling us' type of responses but way in the past have had a few 'wow how awful for you here is a lovely gift' doesn't seem to happen so much nowadays, although last xmas M&S refunded me a bottle of gingerbread vodka because I contacted them to politely point out how disappointing it was as it did not really taste of gingerbread... after I had drank it

SauvignonBlanche · 09/12/2014 17:25

Thank you again for taking the time to get in touch we appreciate your feedback.

Yeah, right, thanks RAC, you really meant that.

WetAugust · 09/12/2014 18:13

In some cases it's how you complain that gets you results. In the RAD case, you have a contract with the RAC. If it fails to meet its contractual obligations then it's reasonable for you to ask for compensation for their failures

Shen you complain you need to make your complaint factual and to state what remedy you want from the company. Its no use just having a general bleat

Sprink · 09/12/2014 18:30

WetAugust makes an excellent point because some people just want to moan and expect the world to fall at their feet. People complain about ridiculous things ( see TripAdvisor if you don't believe me).

A valid, clear complaint will be taken seriously by any good company. Sometimes all we get us an apology but sometimes that's all that customers need. I'd rather have that than " it's not our fault, speak to your service provider," for example.

Also, I'd like to admonish those who complain solely with an eye on compensation (not anyone here, by the way). I once called to cancel an AmEx because I genuinely could not afford their annual fee. They waived the fee and sent me a ficus.

Mentioned it to some friends of friends and the thanked me next time I saw them because, even though they had no intention of cancelling their card, had done the same and got the same deal.

They crowed about that fecking ficus forever.

YouTheCat · 09/12/2014 18:35

I'm not a complainer usually but when I got a 4 pack of yoghurts with that day's date on I called Sainsbury's and got a refund and a £10 voucher for the inconvenience. They are pretty good though.

Hatespiders · 09/12/2014 18:37

I complained to Barclays. The counter staff man wouldn't give me cash in £10 notes and kept repeating like a parrot that I should use the ATM. He even offered to 'show me how to use it' as if I were senile. I wanted quite a large sum and the ATM would've delivered it in £20s. He actually suggested I do that, then bring the £20s into the bank to change them. I told him I was stood in front of him and would stand there until Doomsday, so he'd better hand over my money. I sent a letter to Head Office (always go to the top) A person rang me soon after and was very apologetic. He asked what I would like them to do. I really only wanted them to hand over cash in future as asked. Then he announced they'd put £25 into my a/c straight away to make up for my inconvenience. Result.
(Wish I'd been cheeky enough to ask for £50 recompense now!)

NadiaWadia · 09/12/2014 18:46

What's a ficus?

WetAugust · 09/12/2014 18:51

Think it's an ornamental fig tree with shiny leaves?

Hatespiders · 09/12/2014 18:52

I believe it's a potplant of the fig family.

Hatespiders · 09/12/2014 18:58

And the wretched things tend to drop their leaves all over your carpet if you overwater it or don't stand it in good light. (Think Mediterranean)

NadiaWadia · 09/12/2014 19:05

Oh right, cheers.

freezation · 09/12/2014 19:36

I complained to waitrose last weekend as my delivery was 2 hours late due to a flat tyre. I acknowledged that this was beyond their control but I was cross that I hadn't been contacted as I'd been due to go out. It turns out customers had been called but I'd been missed. The customer service manager dealt with it well, apologising and saying she would chase it up with her staff. I got a bottle of wine and a £25 gift card. I'm almost glad it was late!

AlpacaStockingOnChristmasEve · 09/12/2014 21:39

Someone has just complained about on of my dhs colleagues...

Customer walked in, saw staff member doing some menial task, made a jokey comment about it.
Asked a question about a product, staff member gave a jokey response back (assuming customer was in a good mood due to earlier joke) customer got very angry and left store.
Complained about staff members 'terrible attitude' to the owners. Owner replied, apologising on behalf of staff member and shop.
Complainer replied, stating that staff member wasn't sorry, and shop was obviously going to go out of business soon due to offending customers...

It's hard to believe that he went to all the trouble of two written complaints - over a 50p item. Yup, a 50p toy...

AMillionNameChangesLater · 09/12/2014 21:50

I work in a call centre. All complaints get emailed to a special team to look into. Once a month management meet for a quality meeting and go through all the complaints and see where procedures can be changed.

As someone on the phone, we can give however much comp we feel is fair and justifiable. In the past I've given a customer something for half price, so they paid £250 for it.

What bothers me is when there really isn't a complaint, they just want cash. I can always tell. It's really frustrating. Someone called and complained last week that their wine cooler wasn't keeping the wine as cold as the fridge did, so we should give her a full refund and that she should have the wine cooler too. She didn't get anything. She didn't understand that a wine cooler doesn't work like a fridge and she wasn't entitled to any compensation. It was a fun call

Sprink · 09/12/2014 22:28

She didn't understand that a wine cooler doesn't work like a fridge and she wasn't entitled to any compensation

I like your style, AMillionNameChanges, I like your style.

KnackeredMerrily · 09/12/2014 22:34

I wrote to Tescos saying that when they changed the packaging of a product it became vwry difficult to open. Dh and I in our 30s both struggled with them. Made it clear the message was just an FYI and I was not arsed.

I got back the most grovelling snivelling apology about how they were so so sorry that we were unhappy. Really ticked me off.

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