Carphone Warehouse*

[HeyWayne]

*I use a different word, but far less polite and not entirely suitable for a family board.

The screen on my phone stopped working just over a week ago, so I contacted aforementioned establishment and arranged for repair. This involved me going to the shop and handing the phone in. Was informed it would take 14-28 days, so I asked if they could let me have a phone in replacement (it wasn't offered). In the meantime, they asked for a contact number so I gave my office number as I was not aware at this stage that I would have a replacement. Was given basic phone and went about my merry way.

It occured to me just about a week later that it might be wise to give them my mobile number as a contact number - given that I am not always at my desk, and they may call at any time. I called the shop and thought I'd ask if there was any progress on the phone repair "it takes 14-28 days!" was the response I got.

Yesterday, someone in the office takes a message for me from a rather put out sales girly who, when told I was away from my desk replied with "but this is the contact number he gave!" (even though I had called three days prior to give the mobile number in case of this very occurence).

Anyway, glad that my phone is now ready I pop out at lunch to pick up the now "repaired" phone.

I walk in, met by entirely apathetic girly who asks if I'd been contacted to say the phone is ready (?!). I hand over the loan phone (which I've taken great care of) and I'm handed "my" phone. The phone is now covered in scratches, corners are worn and little bits of trim are missing. I say to girly "this isn't my phone" and she checks the number on the back "it is" says she. Greeted with a wall of apathy I decide that little Miss Computer Says No will not work with me. I ask what my options are. Well, we could send it back again for repair - WHAT!?!? Isn't that what it's just been in for!?

I calmy ask for a number where I can speak to someone about the situation as I am not a happy bunny and I'm on my lunch break so a run in with the local law enforcement for actually shop damage wouldn't bode well for me submitting my budget for 2009 this afternoon.

Numpty's!

Woosahhh.

Thanks for allowing me to vent.

[squashysu]

cor i hope that wasnt the lovely dunstable store!!!! cause they have such magnetic personalities - so happy, helpful etc etc, need i go on!!!

I would be writing to them and complaining or ring them now and ask for the manager - mind you knowing them, she is the manager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HeyWayne]

cor i hope that wasnt the lovely dunstable store!!!!

The very same.

[Nicos]

Have they just put your sim card into a different phone????

[HeyWayne]

Have they just put your sim card into a different phone????

Not, the serial number on the back is the same, but they have seemingly screwed a different cover/body onto the original bit. It's a slidey one, so they've replaced the slidey bit (the screen), but not with a new one.

[squashysu]

you mean they gave you a second hand cover - thats terrible! did you pay for this service, cause if you did that is disgusting, even if you paid because it is insured!!

Dunstable, wow what a lovely store brain dead morons to say the least!! and such charm and humour as well!!

[HeyWayne]

you mean they gave you a second hand cover - thats terrible! did you pay for this service, cause if you did that is disgusting, even if you paid because it is insured!!

Dunstable, wow what a lovely store brain dead morons to say the least!! and such charm and humour as well!!

Phone is still covered under manufacturers warranty. It's defintely a second hand cover! Just about to phone customer service and have a little "chat".

[Hashette]

The Carphone Warehouse own Talk Talk, it seems you're not the only unhappy bunny HeyWayne:

Less Talk Talk: More Service. The unofficial, unaffiliated Talk Talk blog.

[Nicos]

I recall a few years ago my daughter had a 3 mobile phone - and they said if it wasn't repairable under the warranty then it would be replaced with a reconditioned secondhand one.
Maybe this is the same in your case Wayne????

Out of interest ...I've just discovered that if you buy say a new TV in France and it goes wrong the next day ( I presume that would be the same with a mobile phone??) that it has to go back to be repaired and is not automatically replaced with a new one.! You are also supposed to send it back in it's original wrapping ( even 4 1/2 years later if it has a 5 yr warranty )...so all that wrapping has to be stored somewhere just in case!! Also....if you buy a faulty good from a large supermarket you have to take it back to the same branch- even if there is another one nearer.

I think we have better consumer rights here in the UK!

[HeyWayne]

Just had my little chat - am currently "on hold" whilst lady gets a senior member of staff (her suggestion).

For "reconditioned", see "batterd to fook!" I take care of my things, phones included.

Tick, tock, tick, tock.

I'm getting a £15 voucher to cover my costs of going backwards and forwards to the store, and should be able to get a replacenent phone from the store when I go in.

[squashysu]

hang on! has she said that you getting a voucher and you getting a new phone!! good for you! ooo i bet happy in the branch will loooove that, its not like she can forget you lol !!

[HeyWayne]

hang on! has she said that you getting a voucher and you getting a new phone!! good for you! ooo i bet happy in the branch will loooove that, its not like she can forget you lol !!

I can be quite persuasive when I need to be.

[Nicos]

Well done.
But you really shouldn't have to have gone through all that should you???

[di]

Well Done~bit of persistance & all that!Think as a nation we're too often guilty of accepting less than best service so unless prepared to make a song & dance it's what yer given!
Did you manage to dodge your dodgy woman last night?Maybe the assertive mood CPW have put you in may give her a shock if she comes round tonight!

[Mikey]

The culture in the UK has changed and not for the better, we did used to be a nation of put up and shutups, but that has long gone. We are now a nation of moaners, whingers, and a bunch of cadge all you can get out of the companies complainers.

I am not directing this at you or your situation wayne as I think you were totally in the right. These days I have to look at the equation when someone starts complaining about something, in my line of work it is rarely product but time that is complained about, but customers never complain about time, they feel that they need to find fault elsewhere to justify their real complaint. How do you justify or put a value on the inconvenience of time. We all want something now, and are not prepared to wait for it, as a business you have to way up the hassle of getting final payments out of customers against the cost of taking them to court even if your claim is legitimate. Sometimes the value of your good name means you give into situations where a customer rather than the company is truly at fault, just to ensure that you do not delay payments.

I've had customers, demand replacements for items which are not as they hoped, even though they never expressed what they desired from the outset, or worse still left you to decide. When you deal in any aspect of the building trade you expect hassle, people get stressed when their homes are turned upside down, but the real strain is always because of time!!. Customers never ever allow contingency into their schemes this is why new builds always run over, and they expect additional works to be undertaken within the original timeframe. When you reach the end of a job you can't wait to get from there, as customers invariably start trying to build into the equation time penalties even though they may never have expressed a timeframe from the outset.

A very popular complaint is I have family coming to stay on the weekend, you must be finished by friday. Customers expect you to jump through hoops at a drop of a hat, I'm all for customer service, and expect it aswell as give it. Today however we live in a culture more of service abuse, and it is now all about apportioning blame.