Tesco piss-take!

[BoronationStreet]

This is a WIBU since I've already done it and now that I've calmed down, shame is creeping in.

I was meant to have a Tesco delivery tonight and 9 minutes before my delivery slot, a woman called from a mobile number and said they had a driver call in and my groceries would not be delivered.

Before I could respond she said that my groceries had already been packed and were ready for me to come use Click and Collect to pick them up.

I admit this immediately made me angry because if I wanted to go pick them up, I wouldn't have scheduled a delivery! Also the way she said it, as though it was basically the same thing as home delivery.

So I said no, I've got a toddler and I'm not getting back out and I'd rather reschedule the delivery for tomorrow in the same time slot. She sat there for an intentionally awkward pause then said she would try to do that but the only way to guarantee I got my groceries would be to come get them.

I said no, I'll take a delivery tomorrow night and she said "fine, I'll see what I can do and call you tomorrow to confirm." Then she hung up without letting me respond.

I sat there for a minute then got really really angry, so I called back and pretty much gave her an earful. 🙈

I don't even remember exactly what I said because I was just on auto pilot. I said it was an absolute pisstake to wait until my delivery slot to tell me they weren't coming when surely they knew for hours that they were short a driver. I told her I could have arranged to get them had I had more time and I also said her attitude was rude and instead of apologising and offering me choices, she just called and told me to come get my shit then got rude when I said no. At that point she interrupted me and said "I TOLD you I would try to get them rescheduled" and I said it was terrible customer service and I would be complaining to Tesco head office etc then hung up on her.

I didn't yell but I still feel embarrassed that I called her back and went off on her.

Should I feel bad? Or should I just find a more reliable home delivery service?

I had five minutes notice my Tesco delivery wasn't coming. Not impressed. Haven't used them since. Never will.

@BoronationStreet
I work there so I know exactly what has happened,
She has the power to reschedule your delivery, it just means she has to add the order onto another van tomorrow, which is a pain in the arse but not unachievable,
She should have never had that attitude with u and she should offer u a re schedule for a time that suits u and also a refund/ gogw voucher, before click and collect,

By her contacting u directly she is attempting to prevent her kpi being affected, call and make formal complaint to head office

But I still don't have my fucking shopping.

Nor any certainty as to when you will receive it.

@mcmooberry Exactly!!! I have had my deliveries cancelled before, but never in such an abrupt and impolite way.

she was wrong to assume you could just drive down to click and collect and should have asked if you’d like to book a different slot or click and collect or a refund.

I’ve never had any problems with Ocado, I’d recommend them if you’re thinking of switching deliveries.

@catmum2019 I'm on the phone with them now (on hold). I logged into my account and it shows my order as delivered! Unbelievable.

I’ve had this with Tesco your order automatically shows as delivered even if they’ve failed to deliver. ‘Tis very annoying but they sort it out

With the person who's called me to explain I’ve never had a go at them directly. I’ve just asked them to tell me what’s going on.

I then ring the central customer services people and factually tell them the issue. It takes a lot of the emotion out and usually gets a good solution to the problem

Poor customer service - you are entitled to make a fuss, not good enough. Yes saying what you want first time round might have been easier though! Never use Tescos any more too many stupid order substitutions and delays - Asda cheaper and Ocado good for specialist stuff.

Tesco messed up it wasn't her fault. But she was rude and unhelpful when you'd done nothing wrong. She's in the wrong job if she doesn't realise that's going to annoy you and not help the situation.

Ok well it's all sorted. Incredibly the lovely woman I just spoke to dealt with my last cancellation in July and remembered me (I'm American).

She said the store actually did break protocol by calling me because they're supposed to report a driver absence to customer service so they can call and offer options and the £10 voucher to all affected customers.

So I got my £10 voucher and my delivery rescheduled for tomorrow.

YANBU to be annoyed. It sounds like you didn’t receive an apology, and she instructed you to come and get them instead of asking if you possibly could and offering alternatives if not. It sounds like she did a crap job of handling the situation.

YABU to phone back and have a go at her. You’d have been better off just making a complaint.

@BoronationStreet
Yup she was just attempting to cover for her store kpi
Well done now you have received the service we are trained to give you and hopefully she will receive further training on how to handle and cover her kpi's better 🤣

Sorry this is your experience! Regardless of a driver absence we always aim to provide good service

Tesco failed to deliver a shop to me just after Christmas, they never notified me, I went to the store to then buy the stuff but couldn’t get parked. I was furious stopped using them and took my business to Sainsbury’s. Discovered they were even worse, so headed back to Tesco.
The drivers are very courteous, helpful. Of course there are issues but always resolved without any debate.
I get upset when they don’t deliver, because usually it’s such a good, time saving convenient service,

At the end of the day, imagine it was your daughter working for Tesco and someone else speaking to her the way you spoke to that woman. On the first call and when you called back. And then imagine many people in a day will speak to her like that or worse.

None of us can really know how bad it was so can't comment but if it was your daughter would you think it was reasonable for someone to speak to her like that?

I used to work in a call centre and the comments about 'it's her job, she represents the company' are horrible. No one deserves to be treated with disrespect or face abuse, regardless of their job or who they work for. Some customers don't even realise what a nasty price of work they are.

I stopped using Tesco delivery for Ocado and they are miles better. No last minute surprises with substitutes!
Back to the OP, the lady should have apologised. I find it frustrating that no one takes responsibility in present day. You make a complaint and bang comes the reply “so and so department should have done it but they didn’t”
Why is it so hard to apologise for the actions of a colleague? A customer is dealing with the organisation and usually if a representative accepts that the service has failed a customer and they are sorry, that is half the battle won.

glad you got it sorted sounds like the first woman was covering her arse

I can understand why you were annoyed. And while it's not her fault that the driver called in sick, and she probably had already dealt with several other pissed off customers, she could have handled it better.
Starting with an apology, then the options to click+collect that night, reschedule, cancel/refund.
Although you were rude, so neither handled the situation well at all.
Don't complain to Tesco. They are a shit company and she may well lose her job just before Christmas for something that wasn't entirely her fault.

@BoronationStreet, glad you got it sorted! (and I really should read threads before I post).

YANBU
You wouldn’t have needed to phone back if she had let you respond . She should have asked you if a delivery tomorrow night was convenient and that she would confirm what could be done in the morning . Instead it was her offhand manner that infuriated you .
Sure people go off sick which make problems but customers don’t want to hear excuses for a service they have paid and booked for .
For others to say she was probably on minimum wage has nothing to do with good customer service .
@StabMeReapers perfect reply .

Well done OP

I don’t think you were being unreasonable. She wasn’t at fault, no. But she certainly wasn’t helping the situation with her lack of customer service skills.

Was the OP yelling? No. Did she get personal? Not that I could see So you were there, were you. That's interesting.
Because the Op says herself: sat there for a minute then got really really angry, so I called back and pretty much gave her an earful. I don't even remember exactly what I said because I was just on auto pilot.
So the Op doesn't remember what she says, and admits she gave her an earful being really angry, but you know that she didn't yell or get personal. That's really clever of you.

You used the word 'pisstake'?

That's really quite offensive.

@wheat2harvest

Why did you click on the thread then ?

There’s always one isn’t there

Why did you click on the thread then ?

To read it I imagine.

There's a difference between using the word pisstake in a thread title and saying it to someone over the phone in anger.

At least you got a call. Last two times my deliveries have had staffing issues, I had to call up myself after my slot had expired to see what was going on.