Appalling customer service, when will it end?

[Jonathan55]

To be honest I have lost faith in PC World long ago but I don't know what possesed me to go buy a mobo last week there. It just turns out that I really needed the mobo asap and I thought I just nip to the local store to get one. I got rubbish advice from the "sales assistants" there , saying there were no mobo available for my CPU when there are some on the shelves... when I pointed it out to him he said "Oh yeah, just those... " .

 

So I decided to ask some questions just to make sure I got the right board and he just said "everything is on the box" and "go ask the Tech Guys"... Well, Since I really needed the mobo I decided to wait in a queue for the Tech Guys and guess what?? No one in the queue, 3 guys in the office (it's open office so I can see) and no one bothered to tend to me for 10 minutes! Yes I waited around 10 minutes before one of them casually walks over and asks if he can help. He then proceded to give me exactly the same answer " Everything is on the box, just read it..." In the end I did my own research and decided to buy the mobo (not many choices anyway).

 

Went home, tried to test it and found out that it was faulty ( I have adequate knowledge of how to assemble computers safely, using mats, bench test it etc etc ) as it just won't post. So I returned next day, waited ages again for the tech guys and then he told me things like this "happens". He asked if I wanted a refund or exchange. I chose exchange as I am really in a rush to get my rig working and PC World is the ONLY retailer near where I stay. Went back, did some extensive testing on the mobo before even putting it in the case and it's STILL dead.

 

So I went back again, by this time the staff were REALLY reluctant to serve me. He said he can take it in for testing if I want. I agreed and he said he will call Monday since it's the weekend (It's Friday) and no one will be "free" to work over it till Monday. I was getting really frustrated here but have no choice as I just want things to work out. Come Monday he didn't call me at all, tried calling just before closing time and no one picked up the phone.

 

Decided to go in the store on Tuesday, this time I am REALLY angry, and guess what? The tech guys said they "forgot" about my case ... He gave some excuse that I didn't have an official work request bla bla ... Well , the tech guy just asked me for a photocopy of my receipt when he offered to check my board. I just gave them a piece of my mind right then and demanded a full refund. To be honest, I can't really believe there is a company with such an appalling customer service. I am really miffed and will advice people NOT to go to PC World , ever again!

[ForestChav]

Well what do you want them to do? Despite what you say, with two faulty boards I'd be looking away from the boards themselves being the cause of the problem. What make and model boards are there, and more details of the fault would help as well as a full system spec.

 

Even the most experienced system builder makes the odd mistake from time to time, and returning two allegedly faulty boards might want to make any retailer test them to see if they actually are faulty and if they are, if there is any possible reason why this may be.

 

Legally, they are within their rights to inspect the item. Though they don't appear to be that organised, which is a different point. You can only keep mentioning it to them, keep them on their toes, but don't appear overly aggressive or like a knowitall or else you might get the wrong response.

[Jonathan55]

You can only keep mentioning it to them, keep them on their toes, but don't appear overly aggressive or like a knowitall or else you might get the wrong response.

 

Sorry if I sounded too aggressive , its just that I was expecting a better treatment as a customer.

 

I am not complaining about their options regarding this matter, just HOW they handled the whole situation.

 

I would love to know how can I "keep them on their toes" without sounding too aggressive ?

[ForestChav]

Just ask them calmly. I get what I want usually because I know my rights, but I'm not going to show off the fact I do... Just keep your cards close to your chest, be firm but respectful with what you want. Often works.

[Jonathan55]

Just ask them calmly. I get what I want usually because I know my rights, but I'm not going to show off the fact I do... Just keep your cards close to your chest, be firm but respectful with what you want. Often works.

 

Thanks for the friendly and helpful advice

 

Sorry again for venting, just felt "bullied" as a customer and this is not the first time I have bad experience with PC World... too bad there are no other viable PC hardware shops here :

[fred_2009]

To be honest I have lost faith in PC World long ago but I don't know what possesed me to go buy a mobo last week there. It just turns out that I really needed the mobo asap and I thought I just nip to the local store to get one. I got rubbish advice from the "sales assistants" there , saying there were no mobo available for my CPU when there are some on the shelves... when I pointed it out to him he said "Oh yeah, just those... " .

 

So I decided to ask some questions just to make sure I got the right board and he just said "everything is on the box" and "go ask the Tech Guys"... Well, Since I really needed the mobo I decided to wait in a queue for the Tech Guys and guess what?? No one in the queue, 3 guys in the office (it's open office so I can see) and no one bothered to tend to me for 10 minutes! Yes I waited around 10 minutes before one of them casually walks over and asks if he can help. He then proceded to give me exactly the same answer " Everything is on the box, just read it..." In the end I did my own research and decided to buy the mobo (not many choices anyway).

 

Went home, tried to test it and found out that it was faulty ( I have adequate knowledge of how to assemble computers safely, using mats, bench test it etc etc ) as it just won't post. So I returned next day, waited ages again for the tech guys and then he told me things like this "happens". He asked if I wanted a refund or exchange. I chose exchange as I am really in a rush to get my rig working and PC World is the ONLY retailer near where I stay. Went back, did some extensive testing on the mobo before even putting it in the case and it's STILL dead.

 

So I went back again, by this time the staff were REALLY reluctant to serve me. He said he can take it in for testing if I want. I agreed and he said he will call Monday since it's the weekend (It's Friday) and no one will be "free" to work over it till Monday. I was getting really frustrated here but have no choice as I just want things to work out. Come Monday he didn't call me at all, tried calling just before closing time and no one picked up the phone.

 

Decided to go in the store on Tuesday, this time I am REALLY angry, and guess what? The tech guys said they "forgot" about my case ... He gave some excuse that I didn't have an official work request bla bla ... Well , the tech guy just asked me for a photocopy of my receipt when he offered to check my board. I just gave them a piece of my mind right then and demanded a full refund. To be honest, I can't really believe there is a company with such an appalling customer service. I am really miffed and will advice people NOT to go to PC World , ever again!

 

 

 

Thanks for the friendly and helpful advice

 

Sorry again for venting, just felt "bullied" as a customer and this is not the first time I have bad experience with PC World...

 

 

where does it say staff get aggressive, abusive, threatening? from your quotes i can see no 'bullish' behavior. BUT i have seen you mention your behavior which in a equal rights society, where everyone is treated equal. i would assume that you should show someone some respect in the future.

 

pcworld sell motherbaords from abit, asus, etc.. online retailers sale motherboards from the SAME manufacturers. May i ask why shopping online makes a difference?

 

put it this way if you had a faulty board, emailing the online retailer to organise a pickup and actually getting the exchange is not as easy as going to the shop.

 

online descriptions of products is about as indepth as the packaging on the box. so apart from the attitudes of staff, what are you gaining?

 

you say they openly offered refund or exchange and second time around they also offered to inspect the board, right?

 

do you also realise that some retailers can charge £70 to inspect and bench test a pc to find out what is at fault.

 

did they ask for any money?

 

yes it is a product they sell, but if there is no fault with the board then they can legally charge a inspection fee.

 

lets say you went through the court process under SOGA and actually got to a small claims court case and you actually lost. you would be out of pocket plus they could add on their charges and labour time.

 

again did they ask you for money or atleast inform you it may be chargeable if found that there was no fault with board.

 

your argument needs more information because apart from staff attitudes i cannot see much of a valid argument to insult a whole company.

 

Ever thought that 3 members of staff, as quoted by yourself maybe a little shorthanded for a computer store with no other repair centres nearby. ever thought that maybe they are busy.

 

may i ask what your employment is to see if there is a suitable analogy so maybe you will see that they are doing a job that cannot be left alone.

 

from what i can see in most stores the grey shirts are technicians paid to repair and upgrade PC's they have a diary system to follow each day, of jobs to complete. most customers have a wait of approximetly 2 weeks for their 'healthcheck' so you having to wait 3 days is a good thing. may i add that you know that monday is the first day that they had a oppertunity to inspect it. fully well knowing the FIRST oppertunity would not be until monday wouldnt it be better to have maybe exchanged to a different brand or atleast taken your whole PC in for them to inspect.

 

this i believe is a niave customer with no retail experience to realise that people have jobs. i just wonder what your job is and what you do exactly, how you treat colleagues.

 

atleast try filling in some gaps in your story, like how they bullied you.

ignoring you and not giving you an exact time in minutes of job completion is not bullish behavior