What's Your Worst Customer Service Experience?

[Nameless14]

Why was it your worst? Explain.

[MallyJ]

I went to buy a hat for my wedding. This was my first and will be my only one and I was in my early 50's and a bit nervous. The sales assistant in the hat department of John Lewis at Bluewater looked me up and down and told me that they do not make hats in my size as my head was too big...that took the wind right out of my sails so I went home. Himself found a little milliners locally, Iwent there and bought a wonderful hat that was made exactly for me. Some while later I went back to JL to buy a big handbag for a long flight...I was told that the £400 bags were not for putting things in but just for show. This customer won't be back!

[woofgang]

Homeserve when my husband died. I had to change all the things that were debited from his bank account to my bank account. Every single other person I contacted was most helpful, either dealt with it on the phone or promised to keep the account running regardless of missed payment pending receiving sight of the death cert. Homecare refused point blank to talk to me as I wasn’t the account holder, wouldn’t tell me what would happen, would only deal with it by letter after they had received death certificate, wouldn’t even give me any timescale for dealing with it. I let the policy lapse and insured elsewhere. They were awkward when my mother died several years before as well.
I did get a letter from them asking me to go back to them, addressed to my husband, it gave me great satisfaction to reply to it.

[MallyJ]

Woofgang ..... how dreadful.

[woofgang]

Looking back they did me a favour. I was filled with rage at the time and had nowhere to vent. They copped for quite a bit of it.

[Ken4155]

Some years back, i bought a pair of Brogues from M&S for £43. I worked 6 days behind a bar at the time and wore the shoes on Sat and Sun. I was dressed more casually the rest of the week. I never EVER keep receipts, but on this occasion, i tucked the receipt in the little pocket of my wallet, which was just as well. Taking the shoes off just the 3rd weekend of wear, i saw that both soles had splits right across their width. Obviously took them back and asked for my money back. CS went 'upstairs' (literally to a higher authority) , returned and said that they look 'well worn'. I produced the receipt, which proved i hadn't had them long enough for them to be 'well worn'. I also informed her that i only wore them behind the bar at the weekends. She went back upstairs, returned and informed me that, this time (!) they would refund me. She explained that the splits were probably caused by "all that bending down". I was tempted to ask her "What bending down?" Instead i pocketed the refund, left the store and have never bought any item of clothing from them since.

[beso]

My wife and I were unavoidably late for her work function at a Japanese restaurant (in Australia). There were several courses.The head waiter emphasised as the first couple of dishes were served that we would be served late because we were late.

However, as each subsequent course came, the waitress didn't remove the dishes from the previous course. Repeatedly. It became a joke at our table. Before our desserts arrived we stacked as many empty dishes around us as we could gather so there was absolutely nowhere she could put them down, thinking she would finally twig. Unperturbed, she handed them to us.

The look of horror on the head waiter's face when he was making his rounds was a classic.

[atalanta]

Humiliated by a saleswoman at John Lewis, Oxford St. I'm not going to relive it.

[kvalidir]

I've had a few in high end retail shops because I refuse to dress up and slather myself in make up to go out and buy clothes. I'm a jeans, trainers, vest top and plaid shirt kinda girl for shopping trips and the looks you get, the remarks that are made are horrifyingly rude sometimes, but it says more about them than it does about me, so I generally patronise them and put them to more trouble than I need do. Hate rude shop assistants :(

[gness]

Has to be the RAC.....leaving an elderlyish lady for hours in the dark and pouring rain on a dangerous bend on a busy back road.....and lying to her over and over......x

[mrchirpy]

On a general note, I think National Express bus drivers seem to hate their passengers. They wouldn't even talk to me unless I showed them my ticket.

[Patsy33]

Sister & I sorting Mum's utility bills when she died. We explained circumstances and asked to be patient while we sorted them all out. They were all compassionate except for British Gas! They wanted the money on time and made some sort of threats. Really cold. So my sister said, "Right, you'll be paid last! We made them wait. Unbelievable.

[MallyJ]

Woofgang @11.25.....they served a purpose then and I am sure that you really let them have it too...excellent!

[Arksided]

Funny reading these. Iv' never really had any trouble with staff doing their job... I'm so polite. but have often thought what a nob-head

[Prudie]

Currys is persistently bad for us as is the Halifax. I've also sat for hours alone on a rainy winter's night in the middle of nowhere but that was the AA. The rudest shop assistant I've ever come across was on the Mac counter in Harrods. I fumed for hours!

[DarceyK123]

Was treated very shoddily when I tried to return a PC that didn't work after I got it home.

They were very rude ( a long story) but needless to say I don't go in there for anything now.

[kvalidir]

I veer between not wanting to let them know they've upset me with shop assistants and suggesting to them that they retrain in customer people skills.
Eddi in AbFab said ' Get over yourself love, your only a bloody shop assistant' - so it's not just us.

[albaqwerty]

Was treated shabbily in Great Mills once.
Wrote letter of complaint about the staff member, manager wrote back and accused me of lying.
Am ashamed to say I was ever so pleased when they went bust.

[tamborine]

charity shops & retail outlets condescendingly informed me “its an english royal wedding” when trying to purchase a USA flag!