14.04.2011 – creative complaining

Is it creative to complain? Well, I might not be completely convinced, but in a way perhaps. I definitely want to light and hold and very much shine the torch for complaining. Every single person is being squeezed like crazy in the UK now – except for fat cat bankers and other richos of course – and being taken advantage of and the mickey out of at every corner. May this be grocery stores, internet providers, banks (especially those! They are all evil bastwardes, I tell you 😉 ) shops and services, petrol stations, they are all out to get you.

Uhm, just before anyone thinks I’ve turned into a paranoid crazy, all I can say is “just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.” Hehehehehe.

Anyway, it is time we don’t take anything lying down anymore, and complain complain complain. Examples:

1. Banks: my bank charged me twice for something I hadn’t been aware of, and had I been aware of this charge, I would not have incurred it. I have been a customer for 11 years, but that didn’t seem to make any difference. Of course, why would a bank care about customer loyalty? They aren’t loyal to their customers in return. I called them up, confused and annoyed, and the first time was told I should have read the tiny print they’d sent out and that was that. Then it happened again, even though I was told it wouldn’t. I phoned again and this time I stayed on the phone for 45 minutes and did not take a “no” for an answer. I am looking at you, LLoyds TSB.
   Result? I got my money back.
2. Internet Provider: for months my broadband had been slow, despite paying quite a hefty monthly fee for my package. A package that promised “unlimited download”. Then, out of the blue, I received an email stating I was using up too much download and they would throttle my download to 128 KB (!) between 9 AM and 11 PM. Excuse me? What happened to the “unlimited”? I phoned them, once again confused and annoyed, and yes, there had another incident of wee print, and there was nothing they could do except lower the price a little or offer me a free wireless router, but what would be the point? I still wouldn’t be able to use my broadband the way I want it and it would still be slow. I have been a customer for 11, but of course, why would an internet provider care about customer loyalty? They aren’t loyal to their customers in return. So I phoned up BT immediately, with whom I have a line, and lo and behold, for the same price I get 300 GB fair usage policy which will be scrapped altogether soon, and a free wireless router. No throttling happening here. I am looking at you, Demon (Thus PLC)
   Result? I am changing to BT broadband and would say to anyone not to touch them with a barge pole.
3. Furniture Store: as I explained in my previous posts, my metal floor lamp snapped in two without me doing anything except lifting it gently from the floor to put it somewhere else. I phoned to ask how that could happen and what they were going to do about it, and was told nothing, because they didn’t have any spare parts in and I was out of warranty. Nothing at all about the fact that the quality of their product was unacceptable. Of course, why would a furniture shop care about customer loyalty? They aren’t loyal to their customers in return. I am looking at you, IKEA.
   Result: nothing, but I shan’t be buying as much from them anymore as I used to.
4. DIY Store: I have been using the store closest to my work many times, because it is almost literally on way to and fro. It’s a big store, but for weeks and months now, there have been hardly any staff, when you try to find someone you usually do so in vain, especially in the evenings. I once waited 10 minutes for someone to mix paint for me, even though other staff saw me at the counter, but they did nothing. Nor do they have a bell to ring. Another time I ordered flooring, but no one ever rang me and I had to ask eventually if it had arrived, which it had, but no one had bothered doing what they had promised to do. Then last week there was no one to be seen anywhere to order a lamp with, after the customer information/services person told me they didn’t do this, I had to find someone. Eventually I found someone who was working away madly, totally stressed, apologising with “we are understaffed”. The next time I waited 10 minutes at the infamous customer services/information, to pick up my order, only to be told that no, they didn’t do that – but when I’d picked up my flooring they did do it. I had to find someone in the departments. I eventually found someone, totally stressed again, who told me “we are understaffed”. See a pattern? I was then told that the managers want to save money and thus simply don’t employ enough staff. This is unacceptable, because it has given me a very bad customer service, and the individual members of staff are suffering, too. I am obviously now going to go to a different DIY store/chain. I also asked for a feedback opportunity and filled in a form, now waiting for the store manager to call me back. I am sick and tired of being made to suffer so that services, shops, banks, etc can make a better profit. I am looking at you, B&Q.
   Result? I don’t know yet, we shall see.

Right, and now something cheerful to make up for my mega grump, but it needs to be said and needs to be done. So, anyway, take a look at these utterly adorable tins from the Aldi Special buys. Aren’t they wonderful? I couldn’t resist…

 

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