Indesit: 0870 charges in addressing customer service issues

[JK]

I read with some relief the news that Ofcom are to slash the 0870 numbers and bring the costs of calls down to national landline rates. My husband and I have incurred significant telephone charges in adressing problems with four Indesit appliances.

In one of the instances after purchasing a washing machine from a website which was to be delivered ‘direct from manufacture ’ our money left the account on day one of purchase and we did not receive the washing machine for a further six weeks.

During this time we had no option but to use the 0870 number provided by the company for customers to either place orders or report faults/problems. On each occasion on contacting the company, Indesit, the minimum waiting time was one hour. On one particular day trying to speak with a so called ‘customer adviser’ to get a reasonable explanation of the service we were receiving (or not receiving as we were still without washing machine and no explanation why!) took over four hours!! I kid you not!

We even tried going through switchboard to ‘sales’ instead, on these occasions our call would be answered within ten to fifteen minutes, but once realising that we had already placed our order and were chasing it up; we were immediately despatched back to switchboard and faced the evitable minimum hour wait for the correct department. Leaving us pondering…..why the delay of one hour to speak with an ‘adviser’ to report a fault/ complaint but only ten minutes if you want to purchase an appliance?

It wasn’t even as if once we got to speak to a ‘customer adviser’ we would get a clear explanation of what was happening or a solution to our problem. We waited in days for an appliance that never arrived and spent hours on a 0870 number trying to rectify a situation which was the responsibility of Indesit to resolve, but left to us, the customer, via the extortionate company 0870 telephone number to proactively chase up and resolve.

My husband contacted the company asking to be reimbursed for the calls and we received a standard reply back since then we have had to contact this company regarding all four of the purchased appliances. I reluctantly accept the cost of the 0870 call to report the fault, however I totally begrudge paying the call charges on having to report the same fault three or four times, no shows from engineers and finally chasing up appliances which have been paid for but never arrive!!

So what I want to know and if anyone can advise- now that it finally has been acknowledged as being extortionate call charges- why are we being in effect financially penalised by a company that doesn’t provide adequate ‘customer service’ causing the us, the customers to incur these call charges chasing up their jobs?? And can we have our money back??

[seylectric]

Worth a try. What annoys me is that many of us rely on using our mobiles during the day, and you can pay up to 40p a minute for 0870 calls.

I had a row with Comet a couple of years ago, they delivered a washing machine but it had a dent in it or there was something wrong with it or something, can't remember, and I had to phone an 0870 number to get through to the store just 2 miles down the road. Why???

Why couldn't they just put the local number on the reciept? Profit, that's why. I spent 12 minutes listening to Comet advertisments whilst on hold - they were advertising to me at my expense whilst I was on hold paying national rate to contact my local store about a faulty washing machine. Disgraceful.

[dw190]

Indesit

www.saynoto0870.com

0870 9066066

01733 568989

[woolfie]

According to my local paper (The Evening Telegraph 19th April 2006)

"The cost of calling 0870 numbers will be cut to the same as national landline rates, the telecoms regulator said today.
Businesses will no longer get a cut of revenue generated by calls starting with this code, according to Ofcom..."



Woolfie

[JK]

Re www.saynoto0870.com
we did try this website and use it regularly with a number of companies; but the actual department we needed was not listed there and even going through other numbers we were told by the 'customer advisers' they could not deal with the call and to call 0870 number- there was no alternative and we did ask, many times!

[seylectric]

Try tellling them that you keep getting cut off when you try the 0870 number, if they can't transfer you ask if they will pass on a message asking them to call you back.

Works for me most times. Send them a bill for the calls you have made but don't waste too much time on it, it just ain't worth it unfortunately unless you really have nothing better to do.

[JK]

its not that I have nothing better to do- believe me!! But we are at the end of our tether with this company there has been problems with three of our four appliances. Two have broken down, each a number of times, resulting in lost days earnings as engineers came out and in some cases didn't come out (even after 0870 calls to check!) We are also seeking to be reimbursed for these days lost earnings-we have had been without one appliance for three months after reporting the fault and then having to report it again and again, before eventually it was fixed. Another has broken down for the sixth time – truthfully after spending an hour waiting just to get to speak with someone to tell them the machine has broken down yet again, it does get frustrating but along with the lost days earnings -waiting 8 till 8 for engineers-it has actually has become quite costly for us!!

[seylectric]

You do have a point, I would start with sending them a formal invoice, worth also getting advice from Trading standards I would say.

I had a similar problem a few years ago with a faulty computer - 19 callouts in the first year, and because it took quite a long while for everything to reinstall with Windows 98 the engineer had usually left before it was ready, only for me to find that it still didn't work.

I tried to complain to Dixons but having bought the 5 years onsite warranty all they said was "it's not a problem, you can call us out as often as you like". I tried to explain that the problem was not the fact that I couldn't get it fixed when I wanted to, but that I couldn't afford to keep taking time off work and spending countless hours backing up and reloading everything. I binned it in the end.

If only I knew then what I know now.

Incidentally I wouldn't touch Indesit with a barge pole, not much help now I know. Had a dryer that failed (burnt out elelment) three times in two years. Binned that too.

[JK]

I hear you!! We have lost all faith in Indesit. I appreciate all the tips & advice you can give me with dealing with this- I’ll tell you what stage we are currently at, we have sent in about six or seven letters- including to the MD detailing the issue’s with all three of the appliances and to a manager we were put forward to who would deal with current issues with one appliance- we have also ensured that we have kept the MD aware of all letters we sent in & progress (or lack of) in resolving situation.

We have been told they ‘do not reimburse’ for telephone calls or loss in earnings. We have received a full refund for one of the appliances and they have offered this by way of full and final settlement. We have not accepted. Two reasons, we are still out of pocket and this is only one appliance, the appliance they could not replace (model is no longer made) and could not fix!

We have requested on several occasions all info on our customer account under Data Protection Act. This has been slow in coming to say the least-eventually we got a service history of the one appliance they were currently dealing with dated with only a few weeks of history, but we want all information (call and service history) on all four appliances from the date they were registered.

Recently we sent another letter requesting this information but we have placed a time limit and have stated we expect this information within forty days. After receiving this and with our own records we feel we will have more than enough proof for them to acknowledge the expenses we have incurred and think it will be difficult for them to challenge it- we are prepared to go to the small claims with this as we feel so strongly- what do you think?

[seylectric]

Well I'm no expert and I'm hoping somebody else will jump in here, but I think you are going about it in pretty much the sameway as I would.

As far as "we don't reimburse costs" goes, that's an old one. That's simply their opinion and nothing to do with what you might actually be legally entitled to.

Go for it, and keep us posted. Four faulty appliances is going to look very poor in court. Collate as much information as you can, time off work and cost of etc, phone calls (hope you have kept your bills) and so on.

[JK]

Thanks for that! It is actually three of the four appliances we have had problems with the other one seems ok so far..... fingers crossed

Will keep you posted as to developments, we would also be interested if anyone else has had similar dealings with Indesit …..

[Bookworm]

We have been told they ‘do not reimburse’ for telephone calls or loss in earnings.

We've also been told that bank charges are lawful, and that they won't refund those either...

[dw190]

I'd lay a case of Champaigne to a Bottle of Guinness that if you issue a Small Claim for lost earnings and a full refund resulting from their failed appointments, it will be settled out of court.

[JK]

Originally Posted by dw190

I'd lay a case of Champaigne to a Bottle of Guinness that if you issue a Small Claim for lost earnings and a full refund resulting from their failed appointments, it will be settled out of court.

you're on!

[Janet-M]

Originally Posted by seylectric

Try tellling them that you keep getting cut off when you try the 0870 number, if they can't transfer you ask if they will pass on a message asking them to call you back.

Works for me most times. Send them a bill for the calls you have made but don't waste too much time on it, it just ain't worth it unfortunately unless you really have nothing better to do.

I always phone main number of companies and if they inform me that I have to phone an 0870 number I tell them I'm unable to as my phone has them blocked .I am always then put through.

[neilloffhagen]

I've just come across this thread - been mainly looking at the bank refund part - I'd say you have a good case for small claims. Even with the four appliances the value must still be under £5,000? Have you started yet? If so how did it go?

[JK]

Sorry for the delay in replying- but yes things are moving along nicely..... if you can call it that!!

Indesit are point blank refusing to replace one appliance regardless of the fact it has broken down over ten times (and is incidentally currently out of action!)

They say its a Domestic and General issue as they are our insurance company.

I have spoke to Domestic and General and they tell me that Indesit need to request a replacement. D & G only have one record of a call out for the machine (!)

I am aware that on two occasions that service engineers have recommended the machine be replaced – I mean it doesn’t take Einstein does it??

In addition over three of the four appliances we have clocked over 30 odd days of lost employment-not including all the extra cost when we were without two of the appliances so its been a costly affair for us being customers of Indesit-

This week I’ve written to Indesit asking that it be resolved within two weeks (i.e. replacement machine & monies owed) or small claims procedures will be issued.

So waiting to hear back- if at all from them- two weeks and counting!!

I also wrote to the MD of D& G to inform him of the matter and included copies of service carried out on the machine since they only have record of one (?) so just waiting for their next move……… or lack of………

Is anyone else having a similar experience with this company??