M&S Customer Services Shall Be Severely Tested On Sunday..By Me!
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
May 4, 2011 10:33am CST
You're probably aware that M&S Customer Services is legendary - in the UK at least, for providing exemplary er, customer service.
Now, this shall be tested to its fullest on Sunday as I've been advised by an M&S member of staff (on the phone) that I should bring my 3 year old 3-tier steamer into the store for "someone to take a look at it."
What is my intention? To be honest, I don't really know. On the website they sell much dearer steamers to the one we bought so I'm unsure if my steamer even exists anymore..so a swap is unlikely.
I do want to let Customer Services know that if someone much older than me had this happen to them..it may have been a nastier outcome, i.e. boiling water as opposed to cold that I spotted spilling down the side of the steamer. In other words, it has the potential of being DANGEROUS!
I will also ask them where it is imported from and why the rest of the steamer looks marvellous..apart from these two, degraded rivets in the bottom pan. Obviously, water has done this over time but should it..really? I think not.
M&S prides itself on selling decent stuff at reasonable prices. If I get flannel, they have me walking out the store, never to return. After all, most people would replace their steamers wouldn't they? Wouldn't give a sh*t about a bit of rust. But, when money is tight and you don't expect something made of stainless steel to corode like this, I reckon I have a right to complain about it, especially when, over time the handles would probably drop off due to the rivet corrosion.
What do you think?
Oh, by the way, I'll probably leave hubby in the car. He doesn't like a scene!
Now, this shall be tested to its fullest on Sunday as I've been advised by an M&S member of staff (on the phone) that I should bring my 3 year old 3-tier steamer into the store for "someone to take a look at it."
What is my intention? To be honest, I don't really know. On the website they sell much dearer steamers to the one we bought so I'm unsure if my steamer even exists anymore..so a swap is unlikely.
I do want to let Customer Services know that if someone much older than me had this happen to them..it may have been a nastier outcome, i.e. boiling water as opposed to cold that I spotted spilling down the side of the steamer. In other words, it has the potential of being DANGEROUS!
I will also ask them where it is imported from and why the rest of the steamer looks marvellous..apart from these two, degraded rivets in the bottom pan. Obviously, water has done this over time but should it..really? I think not.
M&S prides itself on selling decent stuff at reasonable prices. If I get flannel, they have me walking out the store, never to return. After all, most people would replace their steamers wouldn't they? Wouldn't give a sh*t about a bit of rust. But, when money is tight and you don't expect something made of stainless steel to corode like this, I reckon I have a right to complain about it, especially when, over time the handles would probably drop off due to the rivet corrosion.
What do you think?
Oh, by the way, I'll probably leave hubby in the car. He doesn't like a scene!3 people like this
8 responses
@Hatley (163772)
• Garden Grove, California
5 May 11
hird try grrr.lost my responses 3 times now copy paste You are so right
to complain as stainless steel does not rust. your steamer is defective and dangerous and must be replaced so do stand your ground and demand
this purchase be made right. dangerous defective stuff must be replaced with trustworthy one and if hubby is too cowardly you go do it yourself. they have to make it right. good for you.
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 May 11
He may end up coming into the store with me, it depends on where he leaves his car. If he wants to park near the store he has to stay in it in case the dreaded Traffic Warden comes round. If he parks it in Town somewhere we can go in together.
He might want to hide behind a corner though.
Haha!
@margerydaw14 (735)
•
4 May 11
haha would like to be a fly on the wall in M and S when you go in there!! i work in customer services too, not marks and sparks, i hasten to add ! and sometimes some of our customers drive you up the wall, but it is a satisfying job if you can make a customer happy and solve their problems. i deal with furniture - beds , mattresses, cabinet furniture etc., and i am always of the opinion, it doesnt matter how much people spend, it is their hard earned money and they should expect and also get good value for the money they spend.Whether its a tenner or thousands of pounds.
@cher913 (25781)
• Canada
4 May 11
we used to have a Marks and Spensers here where i live in Canada but i guess the moved out of Canada as it perhaps wasnt profitable (one of my close friends at the time even worked there!)
but good for you janey in going after your hard earned money. you go girl!
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 May 11
Well, it's the principle of the thing really. With this throwaway society we live in it makes sense to try to (either) get the thing repaired OR have it replaced. M&S are supposed to be gearing towards being a sustainable company so here's their chance to prove it.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (51836)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 May 11
And have them throw in a pair of pliers for your trouble, while you're at it.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 May 11
Hahaha! Like it!
M&S is too posh to sell pliers lol.
M&S is too posh to sell pliers lol.1 person likes this
@free_man (7330)
• United States
9 May 11
Hi Janey. If it was mine I would take it to an antique dealer and have it appraised before I done anything. It sounds like an old steamer to me. They quit making anything as good as they did in the older days. Check it out you might be pleasantly surprised my friend.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
9 May 11
We're actually keeping it (apart from the faulty base) as John has ordered a new one. What I'm hoping for is that it's exactly the same size so the steamer sections on the old one will fit the new, therefore creating extra tiers!
It was ordered from Amazon yesterday so I'm hoping it shall arrive by the end of this week.
I shall let you know what it's like.
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (17243)
• China
5 May 11
I am utterly ignorant of steamer.I wonder how long its warranty period is.If it is within the warranty period,as a matter of course,M&S must repair or replace it.I guess that there has been a favourable turn for your steamer,didn’t they let you bring your steamer into the store where someone was going to take a look at it?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
6 May 11
Yes, I shall be taking the steamer into the store on Sunday. No doubt someone will be summoned from the homewares section (or, hopefully the Manager) as I won't leave the place until it (either) gets sent away for repairs or a get another, free one.
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
4 May 11
You go girl!!
Dont you have laws protecting the consumers against damaged merchandise? I dont take no for an answer when I buy something and it doesnt live up to what its supposed to and it doesnt matter how much I paid for it. You're right, money is tight and now are times for not spending foolishly and being frugal. You tell them that if they expect you to buy a new one, they should give you a job so you can afford a new one !!!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 May 11
What an excellent idea, I might just ask them that one!
We do have rights..when it suits the company. It's rather hit and miss BUT M&S are supposed to be one of the best for customer service. If it had been bought on an obscure website I'd only have myself to blame but we actually purchased it in a proper M&S store.
Shock! Horror!
We do have rights..when it suits the company. It's rather hit and miss BUT M&S are supposed to be one of the best for customer service. If it had been bought on an obscure website I'd only have myself to blame but we actually purchased it in a proper M&S store.
Shock! Horror!1 person likes this
@hardworkinggurl (37062)
• United States
4 May 11
To be honest wit you, regardless of what the product is and they have a warranty, you bet I will take it back. They may say that it is a manufacturing warranty and not a store warranty so they may direct you to handle it with the manufacturer direct. I remember once being directed back and forth until I got so pisst that finally a store clerk helped me in the right direction. But it is a good start and I would get details as to who can take care of it, after all warranty is a warranty. Hopefully you get a nice customer service person to take care of you.
As for leaving hubby in the car good idea, my boyfriend wouldn't even dare come with me. He would prefer to dump the item then to be in front of someone in a scene.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
4 May 11
I will try to be on my best behaviour, I promise. I'm hoping there's a large queue behind me as my voice gets louder and louder, depending on if I get a "result" or not!
