Appalling Service - Greenflag Breakdown

[muchlovex]

I apologise in advance about the length of this....Last night I broke down in an area which i don't know. My engine was overheating so I pulled over onto the grass verge on a dual carriageway (there was no hard shoulder). It was at 7:45pm last night, so it was in the dark and me being on my own I was rather scared. I rang GF emergency rescue. the girl who answered had a rude tone of voice. I read out my reg as she'd asked then she rudely butted-in and continued to spell my reg out phonetically but wrongly. I then said no, then I said it phonetically to her. Again she butted-in and said with a sarcastic voice the reg again. I told her not to be so rude and that they are supposed to be an emergency service - she then HUNG-UP on me! I rang again and told the guy my reg(phonetically), confirming my name and address. If confirmed my car, Peugeot 206. If then asked if it was a 4x4 or 4 wheel drive!! which I thought was very odd. I told him that my engine was overheating. He asked what I thought the problem with my car was! I told him I don't know the area and he asked if there were any phone boxes near-by, which there weren't. No signs or anything. I explained I was on the dual carriageway from Bournemouth to Southampton. after much to'ing and fro'ing as to where I was located. He said he didn't know where I was located, so he put me on hold. The song that was playing was 'rescue me' by Aretha Franklyn!! Which I thought was an absolute joke. Whilst on hold I got out of my car, opened the bonnet and checked the water-tank. I had luckily had some left over water and engine coolant in the boot of my car, as I had only filled it last week. I filled the tank to the required level, got back in the car and switched engine back on. The temp slowly began to lower. I was still on hold. I hung-up, as I wanted to get home as quickly as poss, as was parked in not a good spot. 10 mins later he rang my mobile and left a message, then a further 10 mins later left another message.

[muchlovex]

When I got home I rang the local garage who were coming to my rescue. They said it had been cancelled by GF awhile ago and nobody had gone out to my rescue.
How can they treat their customers in such a manner. I was on my own (i am female by the way), on a dual carriageway late at night.

HAs anyone else had a bad experience with GF?

I've now joined the AA as I know they have better service and are reliable.

[albaqwerty]

I'm fortunate that I've never had to use any of the Breakdown services, but if you'd topped up you car the previous week, I would suggest you get a garage to check it out for leaks in the system.

[kat1]

That is out of order! Send them a letter/email straight away. Did you ask for the girls name? If not they should be able to find out through their logs & report her!

[muchlovex]

Alba - I am taking my car to the garage this AM.

Kat1 - I didn't manage to ask her name as she'd hung-up. I've just googled GF reviews and there are other terrible stories there too. I am going to write to them as the managers should know what appalling service they offer. It's obvious that the calls are not monitored otherwise staff would not speak to customers in such an appalling manner.

[redcrx]

what messages did they leave on your mobile? Did you tell them you had got the car moving again?

I agree that the rest was out of order and would complain about the girls attitude. The guy trying to locate where you were and get a recovery truck to you may have needed to take a bit of time.

[Davethedog]

I would suggest that you complain directly to GF.

They should have the call logged.

You should also cancel your subscription. I'm with the AA and although I use them rarely (touch wood) they have never been less than excelent. I do understand that may not always be the case.

Hope your cars ok.

[muchlovex]

Hi Red. He left a message saying call us back. Then another messaging saying "it's David, again. Please call us back on..."

I could have been lying in a ditch, or something or could not have got to my phone. They should have still have sent out the recovery.

[muchlovex]

Hi Dave. I am going to cancel my subscription with them and ask for a refund. I am now with the AA.

[redcrx]

or you could have sorted your car out and been on your way home, they didnt know.

[muchlovex]

The whole experience was rather scary.

[jake-the-peg]

The reason they asked you if it was 4x4 is probably that they can't tow such vehicles and have to recover them on a truck and their operators are instructed to specifically ask and not make assumptions. THere are surprising 4x4s like fiat Pandas.

As regards the over-heating there are an number of possibilities in increasingorder of nastiness they are probably:

Leaking hose
Leaking radiator/heater matrix
leaking/malfunctioning water pump
Head gasket failure

I have been messed about by both the RAC and AA in my time but I don't think I've ever had a stroppy phone operator in that time.

They often get frightened and angry people because people are like that when they break down so they should be well prepared and trained for that.

Big organisations occasionally have mess ups that's inevitable from time to time but a bad attitude on the phone is not

[seadogg]

Please let us know the outcome when you complain to GF. I also have them and I guess quite a few more on here too.

[muchlovex]

Yes, I understand that there are going to be times when people are nasty to the operators because of being scared and or stressed, but I can reassure you that I was not at all nasty. I work in customer services myself and they have clearly not had any training what so ever. I think it's sad this day in age with the tough times we are having, they are so lucky to have a job. I bet there are lots of people out there who would do anything for a job like that.
I will let you all know what the outcome of my complaint is. Just thought that the public should be made aware of my experience, so you can think carefully when chosing Breakdown Cover. If you google Greenflag Reviews - have a read.

[muchlovex]

Hi Redhelen. I had told him it was the only dual carriageway from Bournemouth to Southampton and if he checked Multimap it would show. He was being unhelpful, as I said I was parked on the dual CW, near a around about joining the Motorway from B/mouth to SOuthampton. Then he said "so your saying your on a round-about". He was being so pedantic and trying to waste time. I am not usually one for creating a fuss about this, but this is sooo bad service.

[muchlovex]

oh, i mean't to say that the reason why I drove away and not rang them back was because I was parked in quite a dangerous spot, so wanted to drive away asap.

[SlackAlice]

Obviously, go through the complaint procedure with GF including the fact you have cancelled your membership and joined another breakdown/recovery service. I wish you well with the outcome.

I use Green Flag and have done for some time and have had no problems at all. Broke down twice, one of them where I did not really know the location. Both times they arrived within 40 minutes and problems resolved.

I would agree however that if I had been treated the way you had I would have changed to another organisation and would be 'sorting out' GF later.

[bednobs]

one of the first things AA ask you is if you are in a vulnerable position - they then prioritise you. I called them during all that awful snow we had - i was outside my own house. so safe and warm and they said to me i wasn't a priority, but then still came in 1/2 an hour

[what..the?]

AA are no better we broken down called them they werent as rude bu useless at locating us on the pap even though we knew exactly where we were I dont think they as good with maps. What it came down to was they said we were not a member and we had to pay again and because it was a 'becoming a member just to get a call out straight away you have to pay affortune. We argued we were members but know we had to pay by credit card there and then. We got cut off numerous times, and they didnt call us back. In the end they came out and helped.


Once home we looked at the bank statements to see we were members, and infact were paying about £20-40 more that the highest package they offer, when we only go the the basic package.

We complained and got the new membership payment returned but no appology for abandoning us for all that time and cliaming they could help us even though we have paid direct debit for years. They can also not explain way we have been harged the higher membership figure for months/years or deduct the amount.

There letters all state incorrect information, now they are not responding to any letter we send.

I think you have to be very patient when ringing these people because the membership look up search at the AA is obviously flawed even with all our contact details, full name, reg, and car model etc, they could not find us on the system.