Computer Problems - Page 5
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Introduction |
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| The First Shop Visit
I went into the store that sold me the PC, on my way home from work. I asked very politely to speak to the manager. They said he wasn't in. I asked to speak to an assistant manager. He came out to the "Customer Service" counter and said that they couldn't help. I would have to take it up with "Customer Services" at their HQ (This being the mob I had been writing to - so you'll understand that I didn't think that was a very helpful suggestion!) Remember I talked about the hereditary vocal disorder? Well it picked this inconvenient moment to kick in... I told him loudly the catalogue of complaints, and the complete disinterest his company had shown. I told him exactly what I thought of the whole fiasco. By this time people in the shop were sidling over to listen. People at the "Customer Service" counter were nodding their heads and people at the "Repairs" counter were fingering their PC's nervously and asking for them back... His reaction? He said "Shhhh!!" Didn't offer any help though - he just kept reiterating that they couldn't help, it was nothing to do with them... He asked me to leave the store... So I did (bet that surprised you eh?) Yes, I left, just like the nice man asked me to... I went back to my car in the car park, opened the back door and took out a wad of 500 bits of A5 sized paper. Then I went back in... |
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| The Second Store Vist (5 Minutes after the First One)
I asked to speak to the nice man again... They went and got him. He said "Look I'm sorry but we can't help" I waved this handful of paper at him and said "See this? (handing him the top one)It's a little handout, and I've got more of these, and I'll be back here on Saturday, standing out there, handing one to everybody coming in here" "You can't do that sir, this car park is private property." "I don't care - all I ask is that you react to that with the same apathy as you react to everything else I have done... that should give me a clear month... and if you try to move me before that, you'll have to do it physically..." "We'll call the police" "Just you do that, my friend, if you want to give me exactly the publicity platform I want - because I'll have the local paper here too..>" "We are entitled to move you on and we will..." "Ok fine... we'll see" On the way out I went over to the security man at the door and I said "I think I better pre-warn you to get one of your colleagues to work an extra shift on Saturday because you'll be needing a hand to kick me out of the car park - I'll be out there with these..." I handed him a flyer. He went to photocopy it and I said "Keep it I've got 998 others..." and left... Bet you want to see this flyer leaflet eh? Ok this is what it said: Read This - Before you buy! If you are thinking of buying here, let me tell you first, about what happened to me. I paid out over £1,000 to (this shop) for a PC and accessories. Their salesman told me I could fit other important bits later. I couldn't. He was wrong. Beware! Then the PC broke. They replaced the main circuit board. They fitted it wrongly so that the PC ran far too slowly. My PC was downgraded by their error. Beware! Then I discovered from the maker, that the part they had fitted wrongly was the wrong part anyway. It's meant for a much older model with a different processor chip. The PC still doesn't work properly. Beware! I wrote to them about this. Many many times. Their "Customer Service" department is a joke. They take an age to reply, and when they did, they treated me like a child and refused to accept responsibility. Beware! Think about it. Don't be misled by advertising slogans, special offers etc. Do you want good advice when you buy, and good back-up if something goes wrong? Of course you do! It's your money - spend it wisely! So Decide - and good luck! Oh I forgot to tell you... there's a little secret about the leaflets... Remember I said I had 500? Well look carefully - what I said was I had 500 bits of paper - I'd only printed the leaflet on three - I put two on the top (so that they could see the next one was printed when I took the top one off) and one on the bottom (so that they could see that the bottom sheet wasn't blank) The rest were blank sheets... Shhh!! Don't tell! |
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| So What Happened Then? I hear you say...
OK I'll tell you! I drove away and I was less than a mile away when my mobile phone rang. It was the store manager (the one who "wasn't in" when I asked). He said that his assistant manager and his security manager had spoken to him. He'd phoned my house and got my mobile number. All in 5 minutes! At last! I seemed to have got through! He was very nice and asked me if he could help. I said he was too late they'd had their chance. He asked me to come in to the shop and ask for him, and he would deal with this personally. We made an appointment for the following Saturday. I made up a file of all my correspondence, all my invoices and receipts, and took it with me. I sat down pleasantly and showed it all to him. I asked him if he understood why I felt that direct action was my only choice now. He asked my what I wanted out of this. I said "Nothing, now I just want to publicise how hopeless your company is..." I agreed that, after a great deal of fiddling and expense on my part, the PC was now working as it should. It had, however, cost me a lot more than it should have. Finally, he asked me if I was thinking of buying anything else. To cut the story short, I got £250 off a digital camera! 
So it just goes to show that after almost a year's campaign, perseverance pays off! NEVER give up... that's what these companies rely on - they try to wear you down until you say "It's not worth it..." DON'T!!(PS... I never notified their "Customer Services" of this outcome, and neither did he... but I'm still waiting for a reply!!) 
 to go back to the "Favourite Letters" page |
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Thank you, dear reader, for persevering this far. Not much to go now (awwww...) Read on...