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Original poster

To think John Lewis have the worst customer services EVER?

124 replies

SwordfishSteak · 08/09/2021 18:21

First world problem I know but I have just experienced the worst ongoing customer services experience.

Mattress purchase- we decided to splurge and buy an expensive one as we will be using it for a good decade.

After a couple of months (has to be made, apparently) they schedule delivery 2 weeks ago.
Never show up, never call. We have to chase, the order doesn't seem to exist anymore (???) then after more phone calls they find it again and reschedule delivery for 2 days ago.

They give me a time slot, it comes and goes with no contact. I call to chase and as I am on the phone the driver logs the delivery as 'refused'.
Apparently the street was too small?

They reschedule for yesterday with a smaller van.
This time the driver calls me directly and tells me no-one mentioned the street being narrow and he showed up in a too-big van.

Finally today at 2 they show up in a small enough van... and it turns out the packaging is torn and the mattress ripped.

Drivers call customer services who offer a small discount which we refuse. He then tells me they will call me with an update on a replacement.

Except they didn't and when I chased I was told said replacement has to be arranged through the store and I was given an effing time slot (!!!!!) in which the store will call me back tomorrow.
A four hour time slot.

Apparently messing up delivery 3 times and finally showing up with a ripped mattress doesn't even warrant a call back.

Is it me or is it the shittest service ever?

The guy tonight was lovely and tried calling the shop directly but couldn't get through because their number was disconnected... the whole thing has been a farce.

Anyway sorry for the rant, I was wondering if it had happened to others? I used to love JL...

OP posts:
TheOccupier · 09/09/2021 07:27

YANBU, they have gone to shit. Had 2 orders in the last week turn up with items missing.

Try www.mattressnextday.co.uk/ I have used them 2 or 3 times now and been really impressed by their customer service and delivery arrangements.

Dudelsack · 09/09/2021 08:35

The service they offer to suppliers is appaling too. There is never anyone available to talk to and it takes months to get issues resolved. Very similar to the experience many customers have. I wouldnt be surprised if they find that their customers and suppliers start going elsewhere.

Weirdwonders · 09/09/2021 08:36

They’ve actually been excellent for me for small items - delivery is usually before their estimated date. I did have an issue trying to get a refund once though and it was really difficult trying to get hold of an actual person to speak to.

Aprilx · 09/09/2021 08:47

I have alway found them to be excellent. I bought a new mattress about six months ago and the process could not have been any easier. I usually choose JL for my major purchases except for white goods which I get from Boots kitchen appliances.

Betty65 · 09/09/2021 08:50

Store calls have been handled by a central contact centre for over 10 years...Originally a JL contact centre. Now however more store contacts are handled by outsourced contact centres.
It’s the leadership abs processes that are failing customers and those handling the calls wherever they work....

Lobelian · 09/09/2021 08:55

There was a big feature in one of the newspapers this week about how the CEO has decided to turn JL's fortunes around by introducing more of the cheap ANYDAY lines. I just thought, 'Nooooooo...'

Grenlei · 09/09/2021 08:59

YANBU OP, that is very poor.

I've only ever bought one thing from JL, based on that experience I wouldn't buy again. It was a large electrical item, on special offer (hence why I bought from there rather than anywhere else) and included the option for them to unpack/ remove all packaging free of charge. I selected this as I didn't have a car at the time and didn't need the hassle of getting rid of massive boxes, packing material etc.

On the day the driver huffed in with a face like a smacked arse and when I asked about unpacking/ removal of materials he said his van was full (!)

I complained, they gave me £5 back Hmm which of course didn't resolve my problem!

Never used them again.

CarrieMoonbeams · 09/09/2021 09:02

That's really annoying OP.

We use them quite often and have never had a problem at all. Last purchase was a washing machine and dishwasher a couple of months ago and everything went entirely to plan - we were kept informed at each stage, and got a phone call on the delivery day to say they were 20 minutes away. They were great, chatty, funny and really efficient.

We'd also bought a TV from them last year which started acting up after we'd had it for 13 months. They collected it, looked at it, said it couldn't be fixed and offered us a replacement.

Such a shame that the good customer service doesn't seem to be universal.

Caffeinefirst · 09/09/2021 09:17

The chest of drawers I bought was from the AnyDay range. Driver said quite a lot arrives damaged from the manufacturer. You could tell the damage was due to poor workmanship that they’d tried to cover up rather than damage during the delivery

Theluggage15 · 09/09/2021 09:23

Your mattress looks the same as the one they delivered to my sister last year. Took her ages to resolve that. They also sent her a broken Brabantia bin, she phoned them the same day it was delivered and they said it had nothing to do with them and she should get in touch with Brabantia.

pineapples56 · 09/09/2021 09:34

I used to think a lot of John Lewis, nice department store, good customer service etc etc. But now I think they're just surviving on reputation. Everything's more expensive than other shops, I tried to do their price match match thing a few years ago and it was refused (ok then I'll spend a few hundred £ on a domestic appliance elsewhere). It just isn't worth it. Also whenever someone suggests buying gift vouchers from JL, I actually don't bother contributing as I don't think they offer value for money.

Original poster
SwordfishSteak · 09/09/2021 12:01

Update is we got a call this morning from delivery (?) on our and-line number (which wasn't on their contact details- I assume they go it from our JL account?)
They are not sure yet about replacement, might take up to 11 weeks and no discounts offered for the hassle- unless we accept the damaged mattress...

They wanted us to email photos of the damage, write an email with the details etc

We said no. We are not going to waste more time doing their job, they should get their warehouse to send pictures and look through their own records for the timeliness.

So bottom line is they are going to get back to us. At some point.

At this stage we haven't yet cancelled the order, we are curious to see what they will come up with next.
Incidentally we were meant to hear from the store and they haven't called.
They might end up getting in touch with a totally different update.

The whole thing is a farce.

OP posts:
Original poster
SwordfishSteak · 09/09/2021 12:10

Re posted- there was a weird namechange issue?

Update is we got a call this morning from delivery (?) on our landline number (which wasn't on their contact details- I assume they go it from our JL account?)
They are not sure yet about replacement, might take up to 11 weeks and no discounts offered for the hassle- unless we accept the damaged mattress...

They wanted us to email photos of the damage, write an email with the details etc

We said no. We are not going to waste more time doing their job, they should get their warehouse to send pictures and look through their own records for the timeliness.

So bottom line is they are going to get back to us. At some point.

At this stage we haven't yet cancelled the order, we are curious to see what they will come up with next.
Incidentally we were meant to hear from the store and they haven't called.
They might end up getting in touch with a totally different update.

The whole thing is a farce.

OP posts:
Caffeinefirst · 09/09/2021 12:16

I was annoyed that I had to submit photos online through their email address when the driver took photos and said he would send them on. How do customers cope who don’t/can’t cope with uploading photos? They make the customer do all the work and they seemed very rigid around their process. I think they are ok for small items and Electricals possibly but I won’t be using them for furniture again. I also had to wait a couple of weeks for a refund I think.

Original poster
SwordfishSteak · 09/09/2021 12:20

Submitting photos is really adding insult to injury.
As you say, some people can't upload stuff. Or if the driver takes the pictures, the customer might not have any to send.
Bottom line is they should be bending backwards to fix the problem and return or refund the item.

OP posts:
Flambola · 09/09/2021 12:29

Their customer services is outsourced so you will likely be speaking to kids being paid minimum wage with very limited permissions as to what they can offer to help.

DynamoKev · 09/09/2021 12:36

YANBU - I went in to buy a fitness watch for DP. Took forever to track down an assistant - managed to find one at a till - she was just starting to explain that she couldn't help me because she was dealing with another customer (fair enough), when we were interrupted by another staff member who ignored me totally (and the fact the first staff member was in mid-sentence with me) and demanded help with some paperwork from her colleague. Both of them just ignored me as they discussed the paperwork. JL can fuck off I am not bothering to darker their shitty door any more.

Ozanj · 09/09/2021 12:38

@Flambola

Their customer services is outsourced so you will likely be speaking to kids being paid minimum wage with very limited permissions as to what they can offer to help.
I had a similar issue when I tried to return a car seat. In the end they sent a fucking lorry to come and get it but thankfully I live on a wide enough road. But you can’t fault customer service - by that point they had sent me vouchers and flowers to apologise for the inconvenience.
DynamoKev · 09/09/2021 12:38

@Flambola

Their customer services is outsourced so you will likely be speaking to kids being paid minimum wage with very limited permissions as to what they can offer to help.
All the more reason not to use JL for anything then.
Ozanj · 09/09/2021 12:39

@Flambola

Their customer services is outsourced so you will likely be speaking to kids being paid minimum wage with very limited permissions as to what they can offer to help.
It’s the same company that does some of the call centre bits for Harrods, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason’s I think
armanted · 09/09/2021 12:41

I love my JL washing machine, but OMG the trouble I had getting it delivered was unbelievable. They actually turned up with an extra one after the original one had finally, at long last, been fitted.

Then they lost my laptop that was being repaired whilst under guarantee. The stress of that little episode lasted months, different departments giving me different information...all incorrect, all denying responsibility, all passing the buck.

So annoying that when shopping instore you are continually pestered with offers of help, when you really don't want it.

ThatSunnyCorner · 09/09/2021 13:01

They've been living on their reputation for years. A long time ago I ordered a toy kitchen as a main Christmas present. Delivery day came and went. No kitchen. I rang them and they insisted it had been delivered, I insisted it hadn't. It was a couple of days before Christmas and I was really starting to worry. They eventually called again and insisted it had been delivered - the driver had put it in front of our garage which had a black door. Our garage had green doors.

We were on a quiet road in a small village with the house number clearly svisible, it really wasn't difficult. Christmas Eve arrived and it had been snowing; we were desperate by now and asked neghbours to search for it. A neighbour found the kitchen, box damaged from being heaved over their gates, in their back garden, covered in snow. They didn't even have a garage so the driver was lying. When I rang and complained, JL couldn't have been less interested.

The next time I gave them a chance I was buying all my large and small kitchen appliances at once after a fire. It was obviously going to be a really big order so I politely asked if they would be able to offer any discount. This pompous man responded at the top of his voice with a sneering 'oh no madam, we don't play those kind of games'. So I left and bought elsewhere with a huge discount and a free landline thrown in.

DynamoKev · 09/09/2021 13:04

@armanted

I love my JL washing machine, but OMG the trouble I had getting it delivered was unbelievable. They actually turned up with an extra one after the original one had finally, at long last, been fitted.

Then they lost my laptop that was being repaired whilst under guarantee. The stress of that little episode lasted months, different departments giving me different information...all incorrect, all denying responsibility, all passing the buck.

So annoying that when shopping instore you are continually pestered with offers of help, when you really don't want it.

So annoying that when shopping instore you are continually pestered with offers of help, when you really don't want it. I'd have been over the moon to be pestered - I wanted help - I wanted to fucking buy something, but they were all too busy.
PicsInRed · 09/09/2021 13:06

I had a couple of truly hopeless experiences with them in recent years and resolved to never again buy anything I couldn't buy in store and carry away.

In store staff were great and really wanted to help, but the backstage crew couldn't give less shits. I wasted countless infuriating hours on the phone trying to get them to do the jobs I'd already paid them to do for me.

Now I'm planning a new home reno and 100% because of the above I wouldn't even consider using their services.

When the tacky ANYDAY 🤡 arrived on the scene... it sort of feels like the end, right? Which is sad because the actual department stores and staff are great and will really be missed when they're gone.

HousetoHome21 · 09/09/2021 13:08

I've had some of the poorest customer service I have ever received from JL, on two sep issues, once in store and once over the phone via their customer service line. I can remember thinking this is it, customer service is dead and buried in this country. It isn't obviously but I was shocked.

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