A "what would you do" question.

[Pennies]

What would you do if someone at a company (whose services you were potentially going to use at considerable expense) did not return your calls, despite you leaving 5 messages asking them to contact you?

call another company

use a competitor

Take my business elsewhere - and make sure the directors of the first company knew why.

use a competitor and tell the company concerned - not the sales team but management.

Tell them to place their company in a rather uncomfortable place if they do not value me as a customer. Am particularly annoyed at buisnesses that don't answer phones or ring back when you leave a message

Definitely would not do business with them.

OK. That seems to be a unanimous response.

Now, what if said comapny is a very good school that I'm hoping to send my DDs to?

There's always a catch isn' there !

Use someone else. We called a plumber about fitting our bathroom, he only lives down the street and said

"call me back in an hour and i'll take your details, i'm busy"

sod that.

Too right. Doesn't exactly set a good precedent. If they're not arsed about you before you've paid up think how much less arsed they'll be once you have.

Ah! well, you got me there...

Well in that case, ring them up and tell them (leave a msg) how disappointed you are and how you won't be bothering them again, you'll be busy speaking to schools that are interested in your dds (and money). See how quickly they ring back them=n.

Go round and see them in person and ask to make an appointment with the Head.

Are they aware you are a potential customer, as it were?

Go and have a look at your local state primary school. Don't send your child anywhere which makes you feel like a "customer" Particularly a"customer" they are too busy to deal with.

Yes they are aware that we are a potential customer - we have paid regsitration fees to them.

Really don't want to go round there and see Head etc - it seems a tad heavy handed but also I suppose I'm a bit worried kicking up any kind of fuss will tar us and they won't offer us places.

Hate this kind of crap, it really gets to me.

Shall I try to email them maybe?

Also another mum who is thinking of the same school said she had a nightmare contacting them as well.

I tried to ring yesterday at about 3pm but there was no answer at all, which left me wondering what I would have done if I was a parent who was delayed on my way to collect my kids there.

Pennies - you don't need to be heavy handed. I was merely suggesting that you go round and make an appointment with the secretary to discuss whatever it was you were calling them about originally. It is odd, though, that no one answers the phone...

...appt with the secretary to see the head...(ommitted previously)

Ah well, you have paid registration fees, so perhaps they think you are 'in the bag' so to speak and don't feel they need to 'woo' you.

Put your complaint in writing to the head and check out a few other schools!