The British are known for being happy to wait around in queues without saying a word. We aren't disagreeable people and we often won't speak up unless we are pushed to the very limit of our patience. Apparently people have a lot more patience than I ever realised. You only have to go to your local supermarket on a Saturday afternoon to notice how much people love to hang around in queues. We also don’t speak up if we aren’t being given a fair deal, whether it is online or in store. So why are we so happy to put up with poor service? The answer is we aren’t. We’re just too worried to ‘embarrass’ ourselves in front of other people if we comment or complain. Maybe we’d all feel more comfortable with making our feelings heard if we knew what we were entitled to.
Well that’s what I’m here for; to offer you some valuable advice, and moral support, so that you have the confidence to ‘fight for your rights’ to good service and fair treatment. Whether you were treated unfairly in store, or didn’t receive your online order, I am here to help. With years of experience behind, and in front of, the ‘counter’ I have answers to almost all of your customer service quandaries.
Go on…make a stand!
(Coming soon: Top Tips to getting what you pay for)
Hi CS Angel,
ReplyDeleteI recently bought a 1l storage jar from Morleys department store in brixton and when I got home I discovered that there was a chip in the glass. I returned to the store the next day and asked for an exchange but the staff member refused and suggested I must have chipped the jar after I bought it. What can I do in this scenario? How do I prove that the jar was chipped before I bought it? Many thanks!
La Parfait Lover x
Hi La Parfait Lover,
ReplyDeleteIt is very hard to prove this type of issue if it isn't a product or manufacturing fault i.e. the glass was weak or brittle (not fit for purpose). Any items that aren't fit for purpose are automatically entitled to refund or exchange.
In this situation I would advise you to discuss the issue with the floor/store manager. Often sales assistants aren't empowered to provide an exchange and even more often they believe the customer is lying. You should explain the issue to the manager and politely ask for your exchange, which you as a customer are entitled to. If the manager also accuses you of chipping the jar I would explain that any store selling porcelain or glass should assess items before they are wrapped and sold. You should explain to the manager that this didn't happen when you made your purchase and that you shouldn't be punished for the mistakes made by their staff. I would imagine that your exchange would be processed at this stage.
If a resolution isn't reached at this point I would take the managers name to write an escalation letter to higher management. You can often find the details of directors etc online if you do a little research (or investigoogling as I like to call it). If it gets this far and you have any trouble putting your complaint in writing let me know. I'd be happy to help you construct it.
Good Luck!