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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think not much can top this for shite customer service, Boots The Chemist?

65 replies

LindorDoubleChoc · 04/12/2023 19:03

Ordered a Christmas gift from Boots for collection from a local store.

I went to collect after a short delay (been really unwell with a chest infection) and they told me it's been sent back and I will receive an email with refund details.

That was about 5 days ago ... no email about a refund.

I tried to chat to their chat bot - chat bot says no, call customer care on this 0345 number.

Call took 3 minutes 19 seconds to go through listening to announcements, the options, entering order number etc.

When I got through the recorded message said "sorry, our lines are now closed, lines are open Mon-Fri until 7pm".

The time was 18.53pm.

That's the last time I order anything from Boots then!

OP posts:
ActDottie · 04/12/2023 21:51

Don’t buy much in Boots. But get my contact lenses from them and the login to view when my next order is never works! And then my contact lenses stopped being delivered because I hadn’t had my yearly check up… even though I had! Was very frustrating to resolve.

borntobequiet · 04/12/2023 21:57

I went into Boots in my local town at the weekend and the shelves were nearly empty. It was a rare visit as they’re always understaffed, often open late/close at lunchtime. The bigger store in another nearby town is terribly short staffed too. I think the business is on its way out.

tescocreditcard · 04/12/2023 22:01

YANBU their website is shite.

I've got a rule now - Something HAS to work the first time I do it. If it doesn't work the first time, i'm stopping. I'm not fucking trying more than once. It's supposed to work.

tescocreditcard · 04/12/2023 22:02

borntobequiet · 04/12/2023 21:57

I went into Boots in my local town at the weekend and the shelves were nearly empty. It was a rare visit as they’re always understaffed, often open late/close at lunchtime. The bigger store in another nearby town is terribly short staffed too. I think the business is on its way out.

What a shame. It genuinely used to be a lovely lovely shop to browse in. I could spend loads of time in there. Be sad to see it go but I think you're right, it's on the way out.

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 04/12/2023 22:17

Boots have always had shite online customer service. A few years ago I ordered some toiletries for dd as one of her presents in a fancy package. They said they lost it. Then delivered it with actual crush marks. It looked like it had been runover. When I called to complain, they insisted there was nothing they could do until I sent it back, despite me having a photo of it. I had only ordered it online cos I was bedbound that year after a hysterectomy. I ended up binning it. And have never bought anything from them again. Like they care! The final insult was when they said "ah but you could have done that yourself" what run over my daughters present? To what end?

Bluevelvetsofa · 04/12/2023 22:24

It wouldn’t accept my email address. The email address that I’ve always had. I keep getting emails, so they must know my email address. They’re always telling me about £10 Tuesday, but actually trying to buy something from them. Nope!

3smallpups · 04/12/2023 22:30

Boots used to
Be great
Big ones had a fab selection of gift sets all tidy and beautifully displayed. They even had a really lovely range of baby and maternity clothes. Nice fabrics and nice selection of boy things without tractors on.
Now it's like smiths , slightly grubby and random selection of tatty stuff.
Since Covid neither of my larger local stores have reopened the proper check outs so all payment is at the beauty counter with queues obstructing anyone wanting to browse the one thing you might actually be there for ie the make up

Switcher · 04/12/2023 22:37

I but everything there with no issues but have never tried the website. Won't start given this write up!

OdeToBarney · 04/12/2023 22:44

PinkArt · 04/12/2023 21:38

I'm reading this while waiting for a response from Swarovski's chat. 12 mins and counting since my last message, 16 mins for them to reply to the first message where I was told because they are busy they are answering more than one chat at once. My offer is worth several hundred pounds and was placed over a fortnight ago, so I don't think I'm being too demanding to ask if I might receive it anytime soon!
This aside, Boots is regularly dreadful and I'm sadly waiting to hear when, not if, they go bust.

I've had to contact Argos via their online chat four days in a row. They sent one confirmation email for an order of a sim card and phone. One yodel email about the delivery. Delivery arrives on the designated day (a day I deliberately chose because I knew I would be in) and it's just the sim card. Courier knows nothing about another item (fair enough!)

Online chat tells me not to worry, the order has been split into two deliveries, and here's the tracking for the phone. Fine. End of Friday, still no phone. Saturday, Sunday... Still no phone.

Today, they have the cheek to ask me to "give them until the end of the day" because it's showing as out for delivery on their screens. Not on mine it isn't. It's still saying at the depot. It's clearly been lost or (more likely) stolen.

I'm phoning them tomorrow and I am not going to be so patient!! I'm £250 down with nothing to show for it and fed up of spending spare time (which I don't have) chasing them!

Ahhhhhhhh

KarmaisYOURboyfriend · 05/12/2023 14:01

purplemunkey · 04/12/2023 20:02

Boots website and customer service is proper shit. My local Boots closes for lunch - which has always surprised me for a national retailer. It’s a suburban high street.

I’ll buy something in store (when it’s open!) but not online after getting burned a few times in the last year.

The closing for lunch will be something to do with their pharmacist laws

uncomfortablydumb53 · 05/12/2023 14:50

I usually get my repeat prescriptions from Boots every month, but last time I went to collect the pharmacist was so incredibly rude to me that I've now changed to Superdrug.. so friendly and efficient.
I never bought anything in Boots anyway because they're so expensive

enchantedsquirrelwood · 05/12/2023 15:18

tescocreditcard · 04/12/2023 22:01

YANBU their website is shite.

I've got a rule now - Something HAS to work the first time I do it. If it doesn't work the first time, i'm stopping. I'm not fucking trying more than once. It's supposed to work.

Yes, you do wonder how some things get past the user experience testing!

enchantedsquirrelwood · 05/12/2023 15:20

OhwhyOY · 04/12/2023 21:16

They drive me mad. I once ordered quite a large number of a product (can't recall what but something like shower gel and something like 15 bottles) as was moving abroad and wanted that specific product which I couldn't get overseas. Their system put the order through, I then got a message my order was being verified. They took my money straight away so I hoped the order was going through rather than that they wre temporarily borrowing my money. Days later they told me the order was cancelled because I couldn't order that many items. So why not just put a block on the system that limits the number you can add to your basket?! Boneheads.

I didn't realise that people panic buy coffee. I like Lidl's Gold coffee but I don't go in there very often so when I do, I buy 4-6 packs (so nothing like your 15).

If I try to buy them using the self-service, it always has to be approved by a member of staff.

Why don't they have a sign on the shelf saying what the maximum quantity allowed is?

And as you say with your shower gel, would it be that difficult to say what the maximum order quantity is on the website?

billyt · 05/12/2023 15:21

They definitely like to make things difficult.

Had my eyes tested a couple of years ago. Received a letter suggesting I had them re-tested. Went online and booked a slot.

Then received a message that I'd cancelled when I hadn't. Went online again and rebooked another slot. Then they cancelled the appointment. And then same thing yet again, so they can forget my visiting them.

Now the idiots keep sending me letters about booking a fucking eye test.

Just nope, shit company.

Ozgirl75 · 05/12/2023 15:32

I needed to buy kid’s neurofen once in Boots in a main town’s high street but the pharmacist had gone to lunch so it was closed! It’s called Boots the Chemist and yet there was no way to buy OTC medicines during lunch time. Madness.
OTOH the Boots in a little village near me are friendly and so helpful. It’s the tiniest Boots but they’re so nice.

TodayInahurry · 05/12/2023 16:10

Boots in the run down market town up has a bad reputation, my husband went in to get me some cough medicine for me. The Rude pharmacist refused to sell him any, if I was not throwing up, I did not need it! Fortunately there is a small chemist in the large village down the road the lady is very nice and helpful.. I just avoid boots

Stoptherideiwannagetoff · 05/12/2023 19:05

Definitely shite - ordered some No 7 BB cream. They delivered razor blades 🤦

LlynTegid · 05/12/2023 19:07

I think if it wasn't for the pharmacy (who are good), my local one would have closed ages ago.

winewolfhowls · 05/12/2023 19:11

You've obviously never had to phone British gas, now that's painful!

DillyDallyingAllDay · 05/12/2023 19:16

ABCXYZ17 · 04/12/2023 20:54

My repeat prescriptions go to my local Boots and the staff in there are terrible at customer service. They deliberately blank customers while looking ‘busy’. When they finally bring themselves to acknowledge someone’s presence they act like it’s the biggest inconvenience. They clearly haven’t had any customer service training. If it wasn’t my nearest pharmacy I would never go there again!

This was me last year after I loved home. It was the worst experience having to collect repeat prescriptions from boots. Have switched to Pharmacy2U and everything gets delivered on time with literally 2/3 clicks of a button. The boxes they send fit through the letterbox and I've never been happier with having to take regular medication

Elvis1956 · 05/12/2023 19:16

enchantedsquirrelwood · 05/12/2023 15:18

Yes, you do wonder how some things get past the user experience testing!

Show quote history

Having done quite a bit of user testing in my previous life in financial services for both my employer and our external partners and having friends who contract as freelancer in it projects, I can answer that...it's because, for some reason, a lot of companies user testers are the same people who built the system!

monpetitlapin · 05/12/2023 19:18

savoycabbage · 04/12/2023 19:12

That's the last time I order anything from Boots then!

I can't even get that far. Their website constantly asks me to sign in over and over again and verify my email address. I've given in.

This keeps happening to me as well, in phone app and on browser on my laptop only they empty my basket each time too. I had to abandon a £150 order in October. I've had an Advantage card since 2001, but I now shop at Sephora.

LighthouseTheme · 05/12/2023 19:19

Just to go against the grain here, I had great service the other week - in store and the subsequent delivery.
My nearest small store doesn't usually have the fragrance I want (and I end up with The Perfume Shop - where I get 10% off my favourite, and free delivery) - and this time was no different. But the lovely assistant pointed out to me the [early] Black Friday offer of 20% off, and then placed the order for me, and it was delivered to my home two days later (and the postman* put it in my designated safe placed without being instructed, so gold star to Royal Mail, as well).
I also got a bunch of points for my Advantage card.

(The other store I go to, which is larger, is not great at all.)

Mind you, it was the postman that I know and have chats with. There is a new one now, and he is not even managing to put the mail through the correct letterbox!

Pocketfullofdogtreats · 05/12/2023 19:21

I tried to buy a thermometer at my local Boots. They told me they don't sell them. It's only a small branch, but still! They're supposed to be a pharmacy.

CornishYarg · 05/12/2023 19:22

I've just used the Boots website for the first time today. Horrendously slow. I have the app already so I switched to that. Even slower. Despite my Advantage card being stored already on the app, the app couldn't apply it to my order until I'd logged in, been kicked out twice and linked my card. I had two error messages before I finally managed to pay. Click and collect required me to specify a set day I would collect which is a total pain.

Ridiculously, while I was on the app, a mini survey popped up asking if the pages were slow loading and if so, was it preventing me ordering or just frustrating me 😂Boots, if you know it's that shit, how about trying to improve it rather than slowing it down even more with a survey?!