Aaaaargh!!!!

No wonder that businesses fail in this country - they treat their customers like dirt, or simply couldn't give two hoots!

A couple of weeks ago, my HTC One X started playing up (very hard to wake it up, needing many reboots etc); I tried all the usual stuff including going for a full factory reset - no joy. So, I emailed HTC to seek their advice - - to this date two weeks on, no response. As the phone was still under warranty, I contacted my network who supplied the phone; they responded reasonably quickly by sending out a packet with instructions on how to send the phone in for repair (next day, guaranteed by 1pm, Royal Mail); by 8am the following morning, they contacted to tell us the phone had arrived and that they would be in touch in a couple of days.

That contact came yesterday (six days later, but in fairness three of those were weekend and bank holiday) to tell us that my phone couldn't be repaired, so they would have to send a replacement - fair enough. BUT, they can't supply the same model of phone and can give no indication of how long it would be until they could supply one - so, it was a Samsung phone or nothing. Stuck with a contract and no phone, I have been left with no choice but to have a phone that I didn't choose or want - apology offered to be fair to them, but its not really the point if you know what I mean?

Then there is car insurance - renewal through a couple of weeks ago, and for the first time in 12 years I was able to beat the renewal quote and by a considerable margin (literally halved my insurance, ending up paying £270 in the end); called Esure to cancel my renewal, which was done without fuss, and I made a point of asking if there was anything else I had to do "No, nothing, we take care of stopping the direct debit at this end, and that is it" came the reply; roll forward to today, I arrive home from work to a letter informing me that I owe them just shy of £50, and I had to call immediately to avoid legal action etc etc. I called them, believing it to be an error on behalf of a computer, to be told that the direct debit shouldn't have been cancelled as the payment due today was to cover the last month. The fact that my policy starts on the 30th August, and their inference that the first payment for the policy would be September completely bypassed them. I have never, ever, known of an insurer that would allow a policy to start on the 30th August and not take any money until a month later.

After some debate, I have paid the amount requested, however I have also got them to send me a breakdown of each and every payment for the 12-years I was a customer, and I will pour over them in great detail. If I find that this payment was not due, they shall be getting a letter to reimburse me, as well as a £10 charge for the time taken to write to them! And thanks to their nonsense, they have ensured that I won't ever return my custom to them, even if they are the cheapest. Better still, I don't have a debit card, so asked if they could take it from Mrs C's card - - "Is she there?" Sadly she was out, but its the same account that the direct debit has come from for the last 12 years - no, can't take payment without her being there! Amazing, they can set up a direct debit from the account without her being there, and take the payment from it for 12 years, but they can't take the last £50 - - absolute shower!

Then onto my credit card - I haven't used my card in a long time, mainly as I am wanting to pay it off and get shot of the thing; when I went into my wallet earlier to pay the car insurance, I noticed that my credit card had expired. So, after the rigmarole with Esure, I rang my credit card to ask about it; it quickly became apparent that my change of address hadn't gone through (I would swear blind that I did it when I moved, as I did everything else, but cannot prove it). So, I asked them to change my personal details - new telephone numbers taken, not a problem, but "we can't do the change of address sir" Why? well, apparently I have to write to them and enclose an original copy of a utility bill as proof of my new address. I generally do online billing for just about everything, so don't have paper bills, so asked if a scan of my drivers licence would do - no.

Now, you can bet your bottom dollar that they would change my address, and find me, as quick as you can blink if I missed a payment - but for me to be up front and honest, I have to jump through hoops!

Whilst on, I asked if they would cancel a PPI that has been applied to the account (I am not convinced that I agreed to it in the first place, but again I can't prove it) - put through to another department, the chap tried to tell me that it wasn't a PPI but a 'special' plan with a number of benefits including the occasional payment holiday; the other benefit being that the account could be 'suspended' if I hit financial hardship due to illness or losing my job - - so that is PPI then! "Let me explain the benefits to you again sir" - NO!!!! Just cancel the damned thing. I don't want it - its £25 a month completely wasted. But it offers..... "Listen very carefully, I.... DO... NOT... WANT.... IT....... CANCEL.. IT.. NOW!!!!

I think it would have been less painful to stick pins in my eyes!

 

It really grinds my gears mate; I don't 'do' missed payments, or go messing companies about on agreements or policies, yet they seem to think they can get away with it, and expect to remain in business!

 

The sad thing is that there are still some companies that are really good, and even when something goes wrong they will do everything they can to sort it - or at the very least, they show that they care. I am pretty impressed by the recent events with Hozelock through this very forum, and another company that I have always found to have good experiences with is Bowers & Wilkins - I have dealt with them for over 20 years both as a consumer and as a dealer, and have always found their customer service to be exemplary.

I am sure that there are many more that could be added to the list too - some do get it right.

 

Sorry to hear all that FC, time for a deep breath and a nice cuppa

 

Ask them for compensation for all the trouble you have been put to and the cost of the calls. I've just been paid £35 by Santander for them messing me around.

 

All run of the mill now. I actually expect bad service and a run around the houses and am pleasantly surprised when I'm wrong, even going so far to tell them if the service was good.

Had bad service recently with t-mobile, hotels, banks, insurance...

 

Well, the replacement phone arrived - complete with a knackered charger! Fantastic quality control?!?!?!

And the credit card company phoned yesterday to try and sell me an upgrade to their 'repayment option plan' - less than 24hrs after cancelling it! They just do not listen.