UK companies not interested in customer satisfaction...

[Mouldread]

So....

I came here to let some steam out.

Despite the fact I've lived in the UK for almost 13 years I still can not get used to the way how local companies make "business".

I'm not going to go all the way back and share every horrible experience I've had with different retailers but would only share my last one.

I was, and still am on the hunt for a new monitor for my PC. I had a bitter experience with a few models from different "reputable" brands like Asus, Acer, AOC etc. all having different issues (IPS glow, dead pixels, pixel inversion etc). I had to return 4 different monitors already.

As I bought all of the above mentioned monitors online I thought I should first see the monitor before I buy it to avoid all the hassle of having to return it. I recently saw that my local PC world have a particular 27" IPS monitor in their store, and since it ticks all the boxes I thought I would buy it even though it was overpriced.

So I approached one of their "advisors" and asked to see the monitor before I buy it, explaining why. He told me they would not open the box before I purchase the monitor. When I asked him can I return it if I'm not happy with it, he said I could only return it if it was faulty....

I went to Curry's next as they had the same monitor to be told the exact same thing - which in my opinion defeats the purpose of having the physical store even exist.

Mind you all these monitors cost £500+ each.

So I decided to search online again. Samsung are releasing a new 34" which costs around £900 so I thought... oh, well... it's more than I wanted to spend but... I found a company which has it on pre-order. So I thought - let me talk to them first before I purchase it, asking about ETA. So on 2 December their sales representative tells me the monitor ships to customers on 8 December 2016. He also added that 8 have already been pre-ordered by other people so I decided to bite the bullet. I placed my order and paid the full amount there and then, on 2 December 2016.

At the end of the day on 8 December I still see no dispatch confirmation email, so I contact them and they tell me the date has now been changed to 19 December. I take a deep breath and decide to wait again.

Today, 20 December and still no dispatch confirmation. I contact them again and am told that shipping date is now 21 January 2017... Without me even having managed to finish my sentence and the guy asks me - do you want your money back?

Zero interest in doing anything whatsoever to keep me as a customer.

I'm coming from some small Eastern European country most people haven't even heard of but companies/retailers in the UK should take an example how to do business. If I entered a local PC shop back home and told them I want a rainbow painted CPU with a mini ice cream vending machine on top of it, and a graphics card that can make popcorn when you play a specific game or play music when you are browsing the internet (OK, I know it's a silly exaggeration), they would not stop digging day and night until they don't get me the items I want. There is no way of them letting you leave their shop before you got what you need. Here in the UK the only thing they seem to know is - "sorry" and "we apologise for the inconvenience". "Sorry" doesn't cut it people.... When would people start giving shit about customers?? For 13 years I haven't met a single "advisor" who would do anything at all to try and get you what you need.

Hello!! I'm paying you £ 900+ for a monitor - would you not even move your finger to do anything?

Pffff....

Rant over!

 

[xFeaRDom]

Good ol' Britain, such a pain sometimes, all the rain, lack of sunshine, cups of tea and scones.

That's over.

What sort of PCworld/currys did you go to, they have large shops with lots of monitors on show, so many monitors, if they have any major issues you'll be able to see them. In the past, I may be a bit biased, but PCWorld is probably one of the best bets to go to, in my opinion.

 

[oczdude8]

That's just the difference between privately owned stores with caring employees who have invested their lives into their business and a large chain retailer with employees that just want to make their hourly wage and go home.

Even here (Canada), computer stores, (not bestbuy and the like because they are not really computer stores) have very strict return policies and charge restocking fees if you even return unopened items.

 

[Mouldread]

Hey guys,

thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that when I spoke today via LiveChat to that last guy who immediately offered my money back I gave him a link to Amazon Germany and pointed out that the monitor is available there. He couldn't care less. What I thought a reputable company would/should/could do is to do their best to outsource the monitor and get it delivered to their customer.

But yeah xFeaRDom you are right, nobody seems to be "invested" in what they do here. My GP, my local grocery vendor... people don't try to "walk the extra mile" at all. They talk about it on every meeting but when comes to reality nobody actually seems to care about anything. It really puts me off.

The PC World and Currys are both big stores in one of the shopping centres in Edinburgh. They do have a monitor on display, but obviously if I was to purchase it they would just give me a sealed box. I really need to see it working before buying it. Returning 2 IPS monitors due to horrendous IPS glow have thought me a lesson.

Back home I remember having difficulties deciding between an nVidia and, back then ATI GPU. I explained the guy in the store and he said - come in the back. We installed the nVidia to one of the PCs, installed drivers, ran a few benchmarks and took screenshots. Then removed the nVidia, wiped the drivers and got the ATI installed. Conducted same benchmarks - compared the results - bought the better GPU, easy. Would I return to the same shop - duh! I ended buying 6 PCs for a small internet cafe from them.

Edited: typos

 

[Shaun o]

As you actually should know curry's owns Pc world.
Owned by the same company house

That will mean the policy on goods sold will, and always does stay the same.
It would not of mattered if you had decided to buy the said monitor from curry`s or Pc world.

In fact One day I watched a curry`s staff member wait outside of a Pc world store to be given a few Items of stock to them and then put a price on them and set each on there respective display shelves.

Now there is a Laugh.. About two doors away at the same retail park.
The mind boggles.

But your right when it comes to buying stuff from retail parks anyway in my experience also, they are just not bothered on what you buy from them or make any sort of effort no matter how much money you are throwing at a electronic bespoke bit of equipment.

 

[Mouldread]

So....the saga continues!

For those of you who followed my initial story you might remember that the guy just cancelled my order due to their delivery dates being pushed back more and more. Basically - since they don't have the monitor in stock they decided to cancel my order. Not even 2 hours later while browsing the internet I stumble across their website again and - lo and behold - apparently they got 8 monitors in stock!!!!

So I immediately phone them and ask why would they cancel my order in case they DID HAVE the monitor in stock!?! The guy goes on to tell me that that stock is apparently in Poland and they will have to deliver it to the UK which would increase the price. I have no problems with that people! Why not ask me before canceling my order - "Excuse me sir, would you consider paying a little more to get the monitor delivered from mainland Europe?" Absolute retards! Here - I said it!

So I check my bank account to see if I've got the refund and of course I don't. So I phone them again and ask where my money are and they are now forcing me to call my bank and ask them.... Meanwhile I want to place the order for the monitor coming from Poland on the new higher price but I need to wait until I get my refund...

Eventually I get my refund, login to their website and place my order AGAIN. This was yesterday afternoon. So I'm thinking - perfect, they will dispatch first thing in the morning and hopefully I would have the monitor delivered just after Christmas - you wish....! Instead a notification for dispatch this morning at 10.30 AM I receive an email from them telling me that something with the payment hasn't gone through as it should and ask me to go and fill out all my credit card information on their website again.

I'm already breathing heavily out of frustration and decide to give them 1 last chance - so I login, click on Proceed with Payment and get a new message - the item you are attempting to purchase has gone up in price so on the next page you will see the new amended price!!?

ARE YOU @#!$%^&*^%$#@ SERIOUS?!!?!? Is this how you "keep customers happy"?!

I cancelled my order and am not planning to spend another penny on their website.