Where have you had appalling customer service?

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Just reading some posts about Zara- they have my vote for the most uninterested, untrained bunch of duffers you could ever meet. It doesn't matter which branch you go in- Kingston, Sloane Square, wherever- same level of crappy service. I now make it a point to engage one of them in conversation and ask them a question they HAVE to answer- not just yes or no. I only buy trousers there as they're nice and long- otherwise I would shun them altogether.
Anyone equally bad experiences with other High Street stores?

the worse thing about the marks and sparks toy was that I wasn't even that bothered about the refund - what I wanted was an apology and the toy sent for testing. Apparently the staff trying (and failing) to break it was all the testing it needed and used to prove I was a liar.

Am still fuming over that

Bensons for Beds customer services - nearly gave me stomach ulcers they were so bad - grrrrr. Closely followed by B & Q.

Will never ever shop with either company again.

Orange. British Gas. Lloyds TSB Card Services.

Nothing to do with Style and Beauty though!

Nationwide at the moment!

They took £4,650 out of my account because they lost the cheque cue direct debits and cheques bouncing left right and centre, no access to cash for five days etc etc

Nearly a week gone by now and still not sorted

Shame really as I've used them for eight years and never had a problem, until now

Obviously not 'style & beauty' but everybody else has had a go and I am still fuming so happy to vent!

British Gas - cancelled a service appointment by letter which arrived several days after the visit was supposed to have taken place (I stayed in all day). They couldn't care less and don't have our contract now.

Yes I agree. British Gas are shite. Wouldn't have a contract with them even if they were paying me for my gas and electricity.

Sainsburys - I was forced to queue with my autistic son, who started to scream. So I went to customer services, where there is a till, to pay. Shop assistant at cunst services refuses. 'Get the manager' I say.
Ficking idiot refuses to do so.
I dumped the shopping there and walked out. Never been back. Wrote a huge letter of complaint.
Marks and Spencers - Shop assistant man-handled my older autistic son, even when I explained to her that he is autistic, please do not touch and push him like that, it affects him terribly, she then shoved him. He had a huge meltdown in store, complained, got pithy crappy letter back from m & s that after investigation, no fault found.
No more m and s for me. Twats!

I'm adding some more...Monsoon were awful when I tried to return something and insisted on vouchers rather than a refund. Clarks.

AA Insurance....swapping old car for replacement so asked for insurance to be changed to new car on date of pick up. Documents fail to arrive on time so ring to find out when they were sent. Realise I need to change insurance so old car is re-insured until I can swap it - they try to charge me £55 for the privilege. I ask to speak to manager, they're adamant they will charge me £55 for their mistake in not getting documents to me on time. Put my foot down and begrudgingly they "will make an exception". How gracious!

Then when dust has settled and new car has arrived I ring for a quote to see if I can get a better price and they quote me less than I have already paid - needless to say we've changed insurers!

BoiledEgg - yes, it was Cheltenham Café Rouge I was on about re sloppy service. If it wasn't in such a nice setting I w ould probably never go there. I just have to realise it will take ages for my croque monsieur and have to say excuse me, excuse me, excuse me repeatedly to get anyone's attention!

I have also had that re Debenhams and different prices. I saw a lovely Matthew Williamson bag in there reduced from £80 to £18! Of course I marched straight to the till to get it, being such a bargain. It rang up at £30 on the till. The daft ha'aporth behind the counter said that it was going to be £18 tomorrow - they had priced them up for the sale which was to start in the morning. I stood my ground and said that if it was marked at that price that was the price I was willing to pay. Cue a couple more harridans coming over, they argued but relented in the end, then we had the palaver of the three women trying to fathom out how to put the discount through the till. They were so rude and ungracious.

Also, Mothercare. I went in when dd was a week old, my boobs had turned into Jordan proportion and my nursing bras which I had bought during pregnancy were too small (I went from 34AA to 36DD!). I picked up the biggest bra they had, didn;t want to try it on because was leaking all over the place. Paid for it at the counter and as I turned away the assistant sneered to her friend 'there's no way that she is that size, the silly cow' and, extra senstitive hearing that I have, I heard her. Of course being 1 week post partum I was an emotional wrekc so turned on her near to tears and said, all high pitched in front of other shocked mums to be 'yes they are that big, would you like to see, would you, would ^you?. how dare you be so rude', etc etc until XP slowly led me away.

Never been in Mothercare since, horrible shop. That was nearly 15 years ago and it still makes me cross, the snooty unfeeling cow

John Lewis children's shoe dept who wouldn't sell me shoes as my dd wasn't walking all the time yet. I wanted some shoes to put on her feet for when we were out in wet/cold weather but they would only sell me the padder type fabric shoes. I had a lecture on forcing kids to wear shoes too soon - dd was 18 months. I just wanted some on her feet for going out not all day at home where she was bare foot. Awful experience.

M & S Norwich are rude rude rude.
John Lewis Norwich are realy really lovely

Home delivery network
rubbish rubbish rubbish

Norwich Union Car Insurance. Repeatedly refused to accept my no-claims documentation from my previous insurer. (It was the standard letter they supply to new insurers. I've never had an accident.)

In sheer frustration and anger I cancelled my policy with them, which left me well over £100 out of pocket. It was clear that they were just being obstructive and devious.

Never again. It was a horrible experience.

Mothercare refused to sell me a car seat once because it was raining.

Long story - ridiculous story involving health and safety and their lazy, stupid staff.

And I'm am not unsympathetic to the sometimes hideous plight of those who work in retail as DH has been in retail for 20 years. But seriously.....

And we have had truly, truly awful service from Virgin media.

Also - local independent child's shoe shop. The daft man serving refused to sell me a pair of blue shoes for DD (who was 18 months at the time). He told me I had to buy the pink ones instead.

I told him I was buying the blue pair or nothing at all.