Argos/ Manufacturers Guarantee, Now Domestic and General soliciting

[obiter dictum]

Back in June i purchased a desktop freezer from Argos for £100. It was delivered and on the side was a sticker and documents saying i need to register with Bush for the 12 months manufacturers guarantee. So i phoned them up and gave my details.

 

Today i get a letter from Domestric and General. They know the date i purchased the appliance and registered with the manufacturer BUSH. They are trying to flog me that extended warranty crap.

 

How the hell did thay get all that information. Then i remembered a few years ago when you got a crdit card. You were told to phone up the card provider to activate the card but you were really talking to that card protection company, Sentinel.

 

Any idea how i take this further for an explanation??

Edited July 28, 2016 by obiter dictum

[obiter dictum]

Sorry with bad spelling etc, battery going on keyboard

[renegadeimp]

SAR them? The manufacturer probably passed on your info to their insurer partner.

[obiter dictum]

I now have it confirmed. When i registered the 12 month manufacturing warranty on the BUSH documentation i was infact talking to Domestic and General. After phoning Bush they have no knowledge of any guarantee registered with them. This is D&G passing themselves off as BUSH with their warranty documentation. That is false representation in my book

[Old Cogger]

This happens these days with registering new appliances, the manufacturer contact that company who it looks like administer the said guarantee, (in the hope you buy extended warrantty no doubt) and the manufacturer probably gets a fee from them, (Business 3rd party agreement) I know it has happened to me lately but then d&g contact with confirmation of Guarantee.????

[Old Cogger]

I now have it confirmed. When i registered the 12 month manufacturing warranty on the BUSH documentation i was infact talking to Domestic and General. After phoning Bush they have no knowledge of any guarantee registered with them. This is D&G passing themselves off as BUSH with their warranty documentation. That is false representation in my book

 

Strange Bush statement above, I did not buy bush but another make - makes me wonder now if Bush rep is correct =- what is going on???

[obiter dictum]

I have now had it with ARGOS and their table tennis ping-pong email complaints procedure. That procedure has been set up to deliberately frustrate customer with constant templated responses and passing the buck.

 

Does anybody have the email details for the Chief executives office??

 

Will that be for ARGOS or Home Retail Group CEO who own Argos??

[Old Cogger]

[email protected]

[obiter dictum]

Word document sent as an official complaint to John Walden.

 

Will update with any response received

[obiter dictum]

Response received and yet another "sod off" email

 

Thank you for your email which has been received by our Director's Office. I have been asked to look into your complaint and reply on their behalf.

 

Firstly, I would like to apologise for the experience you have received when trying to have this matter addressed and for any inconvenience caused.

 

I would like to assure you contact made to your self was made by Domestic and General. Your details were passed to them from ourselves after the point of sale, we do state in our Terms and Conditions that we may give your details to companies who could offer you extra services for the items you have purchased. For example Domestic and General will offer you an extended warranty for your product in case this item becomes faulty in the future.

 

I am sorry you feel we have breached data protection, but I would like to assure you that no breach has been made on this occasion and would advise you to read our Terms and Conditions which can be found in the back of the catalogue or on our website should you have any further concerns; if you would like to opt out of future services I can have you removed from the mailing lists etc.

 

On behalf of Argos Ltd, I am sorry for the disappointment and inconvenience this matter has caused you and if I can be of any further assistance in the future then please do not hesitate to contact me on xxx xxxx

 

Yours sincerely

 

Callum Welch | Director’s Office

[obiter dictum]

Development and update

 

Received a formal usual "Sod Off" response which i have now escalated

 

The interesting point is the angle they are trying to wangle out of it.. Bush the freezer who i registered with the manufacturer passing off a Domestic and General is actually owned by Home Retail group. You heard it right. Bush the Manufacturer is owned by Home Retail Group, AKA ARGOS

 

Domestic and General is another home retail group member so the question has to be:

 

Is it legitimate when you register your 12 months warranty with the manufacturer to be talking to their extended warrant department to extend that cover without your knowledge? I feel i have been duped by a marketing foul play and subject to deliberate misrepresentation

Edited August 16, 2016 by obiter dictum

[ericsbrother]

it will boil down to did you authorise this use of your data when you gave it for a specific purpose? They say yes by referring to terms you cannot see until after the event, which is shabby at best.

[Hammy1962]

it will boil down to did you authorise this use of your data when you gave it for a specific purpose? They say yes by referring to terms you cannot see until after the event, which is shabby at best.

 

Hang on, the terms are there for all to see in the back of the catalogue, If you choose not to read them that is your lookout. Post Number 10.

 

There is no 'shabby', after the event, in this case.

[obiter dictum]

This is the line they are going down from another email received today

 

Dear Mr xxx

Thank you for the call yesterday, it has been really helpful to make the complaint clear.

I could still do with some further information to help understand exactly what has happened and when:

1) What was the date you purchased the Bush fridge / freezer?

2) Did you buy this online in store or over the phone?

3) What did you set your marketing preferences when you made this order? Did you say you were or were not happy to be contacted?

4) When you called up Bush to register, did you say on the phone that you did not want to be contacted?

 

Answering these questions will help me to find out all the facts and answer you complaint, so will be really helpful

[obiter dictum]

Credit where credit is due ARGOS

 

Just received a final response to my complaint. They acknowledge failing in parts of their system that have been now identified. They assure me those failings have been addressed and appologise for any distress this has caused.

 

Not the usual "Sod Off" letter i was expecting but an objective way for a major high street brand to deal with customer issues. Like most things you just have to get past the first level drones in any company. The paragraph below in the letter has restored my faith in proteting company reputation, which is everything, and something they did not have to do as all i was after was some sort of acceptance of my complaint.

 

Way to go ARGOS

 

I acknowledge that you have endured an unpleasant experience and I am sorry this is the case. I have enclosed Gift Cards to the value of £50.00 to apologise for the service you have received.