Is good service so difficult?
It’s been a bad day today!
I have had the misfortune to be on the receiving end of really quite poor customer service today from two organisations who really should know better.
The new bungalows at Abel Collins - without Gas!
One was British Gas Business – who are supposed to be relaying a gas main at Abel Collins Almshouses – where I am Co-Chair – and we have just built four new bungalows. As is usual with these situations you are given a price and you pay over your money and wait. In our case the money was £12,500 and we paid this in July. The story is quite boring – but the issue is that there has been a cock-up. No other explanation. But it seems that the issue is mine to sort out. My frustration with British Gas is that they are a faceless lot – and were very quick to explain that it was everyone else’s fault!
I can’t understand why they can’t offer a solution – not just offload their problems on me. I was told today that we may have to wait another 12 weeks…
And then I had the pleasure of an explanation from John Lewis – where I ordered a TV from 11 days ago. It was expected to be in stock 10 days ago and then 3 days ago. My irritation is that once again, I have to do the chasing. But then after my complaint today they did call me. The excuse was amazing. It was Philips fault! Not John Lewis’. They had been let down. But 35 were arriving tomorrow – they think. But they can’t tell me if I am 4th in the queue of 36th (the former would be ok, the latter not!).
And the outcome – Philips (not John Lewis) have restricted the TV’s – and it might be Christmas!
The internet threatens stores – and unless they offer great customer service they will lose out. But in the case of British Gas – they are a monopoly so they have the ultimate protection – you can’t go anywhere else! So you know what you can do if you don’t like it…
I won’t bore you with the experience I had in John Lewis at the weekend in the cafe – where I had my invisible cloak on for three or four minutes – waiting for breakfast. But if I told you I would sound like a grumpy old man. But then again…If the cap fits?
Great customer service doesn’t cost anything and is not difficult.
UPDATE
1. Agents for The Highways Agency are upset with me for involving Nick Palmer MP. Oh well.
2. My TV has nearly arrived. Not quite but nearly. But I had to call John Lewis again.
