SOT: Interesting fast delivery

[Bob Eager]

I'm finally sorting out my 'indoor shed' (a large room I use as a workshop). I decided to order some flooring, and selected some interlocking tiles.

THe best place to buy these turned out to be BIGDUG. It all seemd very efficient; I ordered late Wednesday for Next Day Delivery (i.e. Friday) I received three progress emails, the last one being on Friday morning warning me to expect delivery. The delivery is big/heavy enough (210kg) to put on a pallet, so I organised space by the side gate etc.

Friday came and went - no delivery - frustrating as I was planning to lay them over the weekend. I emailed BIGDUG Monday evening to ask what was happening.

A nice lady phoned me at 0930 this morning and said there had been "a problem at the depot" - not sure if it was them or the carrier, but I suspect they just failed to ship the order (for evidence see below).

This is where it gets interesting. I did have a minor rant, but BEFORE I did so she said something I didn't fully appreciate. "We have arranged an alternate carrier and the goods will be with you today" (so they still had the goods). She said she'd phone me when she had an ETA.

At 1140 the phone rang, and she said "It'll be there within the hour" - not bad as it was coming from Gloucester, I think. The guy arrived 45 minutes later! Small downside was that he had a pallet but nothing to handle it - but that suited me as we unpacked the pallet and he helped carry the goods to where I wanted them.

Of course, you may have guessed what mode of carriage got 210kg to me so fast.

Yes, White Van Man. Specially employed for the occasion, I think. So hats off to BIGDUG for fixing their mistake, at least.

[Nick Odell]

One test of a good supplier is how they don't c*ck up: another test is how they deal with it when they do.

Most of our deliveries from BIGDUG have arrived when they said they would but one arrived with some essential parts missing. They organised the replacements immediately and, just in case we'd been inaccurate in describing what was missing, they also sent the alternative things the bits might have been. First class service there.

And the products we've bought from them have always done exactly what they said on the tin.

Nick

[polygonum]

I have been putting off decisions about some much-needed garage/shed shelving - looks like the supplier might have been chosen... Now which range?

[Jethro_uk]

It's a mark of a non-knobend customer that they don't go from 0 to primadonna in 0s when things go wrong (you can't help but feel that Kipling must have done a stint in customer services).

A mature customer realises that mistakes happen. Irritating, but part of lifes rich tapestry.

For the vendor, a mistake is a chance to demonstrate they are worth doing business with again. If they get it right.

There are a few vendors - online and in RL - who have occasionally made mistakes, and quickly rectified them, and I am happy to use and recommend to others.

By the same token, there are vendors I have used incident free for ages, who make a mistake, and then put more effort into arguing over it, than fixing it, that I cease using them. eBuyer spring to mind in this case.

And 90% of the time, the magic approach is:

1) Don't deny a mistake happened. Own it immediately 2) Keep the customer informed.

Notice how neither of these is yet "fix the mistake".

[bert]

BT springs to mind in my case.

No chance with BT

In Bt parlance tell the customer to f**** off

[Peter Johnson]

It's not beyond the realms of possibility that they 'had' sent the order, and arranged to have it returned to them when the problem arose. I'm sure they have the resources to duplicate an order if necessary.

(I placed an order with them for racking a few years ago, 48 hours delivery, but it turned up after 24 hours. They didn't apologise.)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Very true. Nothing annoys more than being told - or implied - it is your mistake. Even if it is.

Sadly, with the important thing with so many is to get the very lowest price, such things are becoming the norm.

[Jethro_uk]

Well, generally we get the customer service we deserve.

Despite being able to blend into English society seamlessly (well, I was born here :)) my upbringing is only *half* English. The other half is much more vocal about shit service, a trait I have inherited from the non- English half.

Many years ago, Nat West dicked my Dad about. We drove up to the branch, and I watched in delight as my Dad closed his account, to take the money

50feet across the road to Barclays* with the manager literally shaking his fists at him shouting "you can't do that. This is England not dago/ wop/spick/frog/yank land ...". My abiding memory was customers *agreeing* with the manager !

Barclays were shit too. However my revenge has been to keep my account - open with the requisite minimum (which the sneaky bastards raised from £5 to £10 a few years back) and a regular supply of posted printed statements for the past 25 years.

My wife had a similar experience when she closed her account about five years ago. Apparently (well, according to Halifax consumer research) nobody seriously closes their bank accounts just for poor service.

[The Natural Philosopher]

3 strikes and they were out, and I told em why.

I did the same for BT and for Claranet.

Clarenet took the biscuit. In the middle on an online auction BLAM. diverted to a web page demanding money with menaces because I had exceeded my download limits for the month.

Stick it in the fsking bill wankers!

Always tell the droid at the other end that you are closing your account because of bad service that is costing you money in getting issues resolved.

And say 'its not you fault, its the system' so that way they get to report it.

[Jethro_uk]

You'd think.

I've complained about things, only to be told "well nobody else has complained".

"Er, yes they have. I did Last year".

[Dave Plowman (News)]

My favourite is 'lessons will be learned' When you know damn well they won't.