To think that Covid has become a convenient excuse for poor service ?

[Mellonsprite]

For some firms (not all) ?
Just come back from a couple of days away in the Uk. Lots of car parks still closed, public toilets not opened, Not many inside activities like museums and castles re-opened yet, the officious-ness of the clipboard wielding all in the name of Covid? The hotel Meal meal (Prepaid) was cancelled at last minute, then acting like refunding my fee paid upfront was highly generous of them, apparently they’d ‘mis-calculated due to Covid’. Neglecting the fact that it left us completely high and dry, unable to speak to guest relations via email or phone. Bars closing at 9pm with staff asking customers can we pay up & leave!

There's a shortage of plaster in my area (south of Birmingham), because of Covid. So plasterers are saying. Can't work that one out at all.

Agreed. I sent some clothing back to Free People, the postage was tracked so I know it got to them 2 days after I posted it.

They didn't refund the for 7 weeks after receipt of the clothes.

SpaceNK sent me a broken product. Their customer service are usually good but this time it took 3 goes on live chat for them to send me a replacement. They would only do this after they had received the faulty product back.

Replacement product arrived and was also broken. Again customer services were difficult. I eventually got a refund after I had sent the second broken item back. The whole thing took 2 months.

These are definitely 1st worlds problems but still, it's crap customer service.

The UK wheat harvest has been reduced due to weather so there may be a shortage of flour at some point.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-53921121

I rang the doctor's surgery 51 times yesterday and could not get an answer

That was the case before covid, too.

As for the plaster - there actually is a shortage. I can't remember the reason, but they're not making it up.

And in relation to self-service, customers should have the choice about the method of communication they use. I would choose self-service every time, if it works, but some people prefer to speak to someone on the phone or email in. That's not people "getting it wrong", it's people wanting to use the method of communication that works for them.

Builders locally were saying there was a shortage of materials when we wanted our garage roof replaced. Like sourcing materials is a mysterious thing which only they can achieve. Absurd quotes for a flat roof, one of which was over £9,000.

DH and GS decided to have a go themselves. They ordered the wood Tuesday teatime and the rare material arrived at lunchtime Wednesday. Neighbours in their seventies got a quote for their cottage roof extension which was more than a full re-roof. He and a friend did a great looking job themselves, sourcing materials easily.

However, I can report that the CMS remains absolutely terrible. It has always been terrible and as it could never get worse, you cannot tell the difference due to COVID. Such a sad state of affairs when our children come bottom of pile due to an officious, slow service who really don't give a damn.

Went into our local Currys yesterday for a new TV. They had none. Literally, had none in stock of any "normal" size. They only had a few more expensive/obscure ones to take away, such as curved screen.

Just what is the point of them having shops if they can't be arsed to put stock in them? Shop assistant just told us to look online and most stock would be available to collect in store in a couple of days or so.

So went home, looked online, also looked at other websites, and found a better TV, cheaper from Amazon, so it's arriving today. So, Currys, you've lost a sale by not having stock in your shop.

Bricks n Mortar shops really don't deserve to survive if they can't even put stock in their shops. There wasn't even any "customer service" - the giggly school girl type who was allocated to us hadn't a clue about the TVs - when we asked questions, she just looked at the shelf edge card (we'd already done that and the info we wanted wasn't shown) so she just giggled and suggested we check online. Just what is the point of them?

@user1497207191

Went into our local Currys yesterday for a new TV. They had none. Literally, had none in stock of any "normal" size. They only had a few more expensive/obscure ones to take away, such as curved screen.

Just what is the point of them having shops if they can't be arsed to put stock in them? Shop assistant just told us to look online and most stock would be available to collect in store in a couple of days or so.

So went home, looked online, also looked at other websites, and found a better TV, cheaper from Amazon, so it's arriving today. So, Currys, you've lost a sale by not having stock in your shop.

Bricks n Mortar shops really don't deserve to survive if they can't even put stock in their shops. There wasn't even any "customer service" - the giggly school girl type who was allocated to us hadn't a clue about the TVs - when we asked questions, she just looked at the shelf edge card (we'd already done that and the info we wanted wasn't shown) so she just giggled and suggested we check online. Just what is the point of them?

Curry's PC World are a complete waste of time. Overpriced and the staff know absolutely nothing.

Pre the covid effort, I needed to get something on the same day computer related and did go there, the assistant that pounced on me knew absolutely nothing. I didn't need his advice as I knew exactly what I needed. He tried to sell me something completely wrong for what I needed, but surprise, surprise, almost double the price.

As a business, they deserve to go to the wall.

I agree with the OP. BT an example of this, though they were never excellent beforehand.

For a communications business BTs customer service is unbelievably shit. I'm amazed their service could get any worse.

I've been having awful issues with Dorothy Perkins. Still waiting for a refund on goods I returned (and they acknowledge receiving) from more than 9 weeks ago.
Every message is 'oh so sorry to hear this, DM us' which then leads to repeated platitudes and assertions that they have made the refund. They ignore tweets, take 4 or 5 days to reply (with a pointless response) to emails and there is no suggestion that they have any escalation or case handling in place. No phone lines open either.
And yet they are still pushing out adverts on social media and sending out orders.
I'm not alone in this situation either, as many other customers report similar refund issues. Their social media is full of unhappy customers.

On the other hand...ASOS...order returned and funds refunded within 3 days. I know who will be getting my business going forward.

This is true unfortunately of nhs outpatient clinics, we have had to book a private podiatry appointees as our son has a painful ingroww8ng toenail that needs removing. Nhs won’t see him for at least two months ridiculous
If a private clinicians can operate safely then so can nhs

Royal Mail are still awful round here. One or two deliveries a week, still waiting on post from over a fortnight ago

@PablosHoney DVLA have had a shit service from way before Covid-19, been dealing with them since Nov 19, think you have to have a major chip on your shoulder or be a complete bitch to work for them 😊

😂

Yodel. I have no words. Three times they have lied and said they tried to deliver and left a card. Their customer services arent working online or via the phone. Im sick of staying in waiting for them.

We are not able to clean your hotel room or provide more loo roll because of the COVID rules
Thank you Brittannia Hotels
they seem to apply that rule to in between guests as well

Your room has been cleaned and anything you need, just call reception
FAB service from Staycity

We are not able to clean your hotel room or provide more loo roll because of the COVID rules. Thank you Brittannia Hotels

Looking at their reviews, even before Covid, that doesn't surprise me
It's ridiculous anyway, since now-open hotels are all going on constantly about the extra cleaning they're doing ... in other words, as per the thread title, it's a perfect example of Covid as an excuse

Our hotel rooms were clean when we arrived and we were provided with loo rolls but no cleaning during stay which was fine.
Prerty pissed off with no tea and coffee making facilities but we can sell you beverages 24 hours a day though. We paid 90 quid a night room only so didn't think a cup of tea was too much to ask.

@Puzzledandpissedoff

We are not able to clean your hotel room or provide more loo roll because of the COVID rules. Thank you Brittannia Hotels

Looking at their reviews, even before Covid, that doesn't surprise me
It's ridiculous anyway, since now-open hotels are all going on constantly about the extra cleaning they're doing ... in other words, as per the thread title, it's a perfect example of Covid as an excuse

Yeah I agree. I thought the virus meant that establishments were being more careful about hygiene, not less? Good excuse for them to save on cleaning staff while - presumably - charging guests the same rate?

@Friendsoftheearth

It makes you wonder how many people will die because GP surgeries have still not reopened and everything is being triaged with mixed results.

I was just saying this the other day. How can all other public services, education etc. Have to be back to normal but the GP surgery literally still have a locked door! I feel for the pharmacists who have been picking up much of the GP slack and had to stay open the whole time, deal with the stockpiling etc. With many hospital routine appts still not back to where they should be with all the things missed due to not being seen face to face by GPS I can see the fallout from this putting a massive strain on the NHS ironically later down the line - if it still exists that is.

Metro Bank. My card expired and I didn't receive a new one. I requested one online several times but didn't receive one. So I had to phone them and wait on hold for an hour. I did finally get a card but it shouldn't have been so hard.

@PhilCornwall1

Twice I've been into Curry's for perfectly mainstream, regular items and they weren't in stock. They offered to order them and I could collect in a week! A week!? I went nextdoor to Argos and 10 minutes later I had them to take home, same price or cheaper. Even Amazon is quicker than a week.

Currys will go out of business at some point, then wonder why. I'm convinced they no longer carry any stock apart from the odd kettle perhaps.

And they've removed all the chairs from the waiting room so everyone coming for an appointment has to stand.

The attitude of some GP surgeries is ridiculous. Fine to take stringent measures in the first few weeks of lockdown when case numbers were rocketing and people didn’t understand that they shouldn’t turn up at the surgery with potential Covid. Not fine now. If it’s ok to sit in a hairdressers, cafe, cinema or train, then why not a GP’s surgery.

I’m sure there will be staff from GP surgeries on here so happy to hear the reasoning behind these decisions.

I completely understand that many services will be affected due to covid 19 but what i dont understand is why customer service seems to have been compleatly forgotten. Pritty much everywhere you go staff are rude and incompetent.. its like no-one cares anymore.

I have had a few laughs at the foolishness of it all though.

Arrive at Screwfix just before closing (deliberately as I know it will be quiet) to collect item. Queuemeister outside: Please can you stand in the queue. Me, looking round in confusion - but there is no queue, I’m the only one here. Yes, but you have to stand where the queue would be if there was one in case someone needs to exit (we can both see that there is no-one inside either).

At my local branch of NatWest the Queuemeister holds up a card with a QR code which you have to scan to tell you what number you are in the queue. I’m looking forward to taking my 90 year old dad in - he is going to think the QR code is either an eye test or the title of a spy film he watched in the 1940s.