Three Bandits - Currys Electical Store

This is a true story of all the problems encountered when purchasing a new fridge - freezer from Currys store at the Willows in Torquay.

26th August 2004 - Purchase new fridge - freezer from Currys electrical store at the Willows Torquay. Two weeks delivery time promised (10th September) Full price paid by credit card of £648.95 (Currys immediately took the money from the card even though nothing was to be delivered for 2 weeks).

9th September 2004 - Tried phoning the number on the receipt (0870 154 3210) to find out when it would be deliverd. On the first 2 attempts I was told by a recorded message that the lines were busy “try again later” and was promptly cut off! Eventually I got beyond this stage only to be put in an endless queue! I gave up.

10th September 2004 - Returned to Currys store at the willows to ask the whereabouts of our new fridge freezer. We were told by a very unhelpful assistant that they would not be in until 12th September and that we would receive a phone call to arrange delivery.

12th September 2004 - Tried the 0870 154 3210 number again only to be put into yet another queue! - Gave up again.

16th September 2004 - Visited the Torquay store again and asked to see the manager. He apologised for the bad service and said he would personally follow it up. At last we thought we were getting somewhere!

23rd September 2004 - Eventually we received a call from your distribution centre in Plymouth, to advise us that delivery would be on 28th September but could not let us know morning or afternoon (“ring the 0870 154 3210 number the night before for more information”. Needless to say we could not get through again).

28th September 2004 - Booked holiday to take day off work. The fridge freezer was brought to the house on this day as promised. The delivery men took one look at the double doors we have and said “It will not fit – one of the doors will have to come off”. They gave us a Plymouth number to ring to re-book and they left.

30th September 2004 - We rang the Plymouth distribution centre (01752 231060) to re-arrange delivery. Having contacted the double glazing company to remove the front door. Delivery was arranged for 6th October.

6th October 2004 - Booked another days holiday off work. Workman arrived early and removed door - (at our expense). Waited in all day. Eventually I called the Plymouth number and was told that Currys had no intention of delivering it on the 6th October as the order had been cancelled!!

I immediately went back to the Torquay store and spoke to another manager. She had just received a call from Plymouth. She was very apologetic and told me that she could not even find a fridge freezer of the model we ordered. There was none at Plymouth. (Ours had been sent back to Southampton!!) And apparently sold to someone else! Eventually she managed to find a Samsung fridge freezer of the make and model we ordered, and arranged delivery for Monday 11th October.

7th October 2004 - Wrote letter of complaint to:

Nick Wilkinson Managing Director DSG Retail Ltd. Maryland’s Avenue Hamel Hampstead Herts. HP2 7TG	Nick Wilkinson was appointed Managing Director, UK & Ireland Electricals in April 2004.
It seems from many reports on Mr Wilkinson that he never replies personally to any letters written to him. Obviously customer complaints are not important enough for him to deal with himself.

11th October 2004 - No holiday entitlement left so I took day off work without pay. - (Boss not very happy about the amount of time taken off at short notice). Double glazing workman arrived early and removed door again. (more expense for us!). Having got up early and waited most of the day I finally managed to get through the distribution centre in Plymouth. They then informed me that “IT WAS DELIVERED LAST SATURDAY!!! – Strange that I did not notice them bringing it in as I has home all day that day!

Eventually they rang me back and told me it will now be delivered on Wednesday 13th October. I asked if that was definite and the reply was “I HOPE SO” – not very reassuring!

Went back to the Torquay Branch again to discuss this with yet another manager (this is the third one now). Getting fed up having to explain the situation all over again to each manager. – Do none of them talk to each other? Where is the communication?

This manager made a phone call and confirmed it will be delivered on Wednesday 13th October other than that take the rest of my complaint up with head office as nothing can be done at local level!

As we had heard nothing from the Managing Director we wrote a second letter.

13th October 2004 - Took another day off work without pay. (Boss now threatening disciplinary action). Double glazing workman arrived early and removed door for the third time. (yet more expense for us!). Fridge - freezer arrived and was at last successfully installed.

23rd October 2004 - Finally received a reply from a menial on behalf of the MD who was obviously so concerned about the way we had been treated that he could not be bothered himself.

What did the letter contain? Yes, there was an apology for all the mistakes made by Currys. No, there was not any compensation for all the costs I had incurred. First they need proof!! Yes, they actually want proof from my employer! As if the situation is not bad enough at work they now expect me to get my employer to write a letter explaining about the time I have had off. Do they really want me to loose my job?? (I have waited in on FOUR occasions to take delivery of this fridge freezer. These are weekdays. On weekdays people GO TO WORK. Do Currys think that their customers have noting better to do than sit at home day after day waiting for Currys to turn up at their leisure?) They also want a copy of my phone bill and proof of the petrol bought to return to the store. I expect they will also need a receipt from the post office to show that I bought stamps to post my letters of complaint!)

In making the mistake of buying this fridge freezer from Currys it has cost me:

2 days wasted holiday. Plus

2 days loss of earnings.

Loss of respect from my bosses at work.

Cost of paying to have front door removed 3 times.

Cost of 5 journeys back to the store.

Numerous phone calls and letters of complaint.

Also, Currys have had an interest free loan of £650 off me for nearly 8 WEEKS! before I finally received what they had had the money for. Is this how Currys make their profit? - by banking customers money months before they intend delivering the products.

If only I had gone to Comet. I will never make this mistake again. Never ever buy anything from Currys, Dixons or PC World - If you do you have been warned about the level service you can expect.

A search on google for currys complaints will quickly turn up 689 sites refering to ongoing complaints about the service from currys, dixons, pc world, dsg, mastercare (all different names for the same atrocious service)

Typical examples can be read at:

Click2complaints

Grumbletext

This is the company values:

In a rapidly growing business, it is important to remember our shared purpose. "Being the Best" sets out for the Group how we want to do business.

That means:

operating with integrity
giving outstanding service to customers
respecting our colleagues
continually seeking ways to improve performance

Looks like staff and management need to start reading this!!