[Closed] Do you complain about goods/services?

Only if it's something actually worth complaining about. Which is rare,
I certainly wouldn't complain about biscuits, unless the box was full of rats and broken glass.

If only as a means of venting ones frustrations, then yes I often find myself typing away in a small comments box on a manufacturers/distributors/delivery co's internet page in the sure and certain knowledge that it will be roundly ignored, and will make sod all difference to the service, quality or delivery of the shoddy good that I've ordered or expect.

Only if it’s something actually worth complaining about

You see that's where your going wrong, it's all worth complaining about if it's legit. I once had a full on stand off with some nasty security dude at the nia in Brum, the next time I went I was there as guest of the arena manager, it was an awesome night!

Are we allowed to complain about STW?

OP, your first post is rubbish.

Is it really worth it though? So you’ve had a few free upgrades, does that offset the stress and angst caused by being angry about all sorts of things that don’t matter ? (a tin of biscuits for example)

No. I might flag an issue which I'm looking to resolve, but complaining, venting etc is a harmful behaviour. It's purely negative and allowing non-useful thoughts into your head.

I prefer to work on the principle of "can you change it? Then change it. If not, erase it from your mind".

Zero value in wasting mental bandwidth or time on complaining just to get something off your chest.

Complaining about biscuits?

You are..

and i claim my €5

I found myself complaining to Shell yesterday due to the fact the customer services rep behind the counter thought it was ok to spit into a bucket twice whilst I was paying for my fuel. Lovely.

Yup, seems to be increasing with age. Ordered a flat white the other week and received a basin of scalding-hot semi-skimmed. Told them to take it off the bill; I'd still have been waiting for it to cool down now, if I'd chose to drink it.

I'm also in the habit of switching bank accounts to pocket the joining bonuses. Never had a problem until moving to Lloyds TSB. If there was a way to ****-up, they found it. I went a bit Jesus-in-the-temple-of-the-money-lenders on them and they paid me more compensation than the value of the joining bonus.

I tend not to complain, but I then never use that business again. Although I have just completed a customer satisfaction survey after getting my car serviced and have mentioned that I was unhappy to pay £7 for screen wash when I knew categorically that the reservoir was full because I'd filled it the night before taking it in. I won't be going back to that dealer and I probably won't replace the car with another of the same make.

I'd go with the if they can change or improve test for if it's worth it.

Complained about a pack of biscuits one once, some cookies from a supermarket, got them home to find a bite out of one of them!

I filled out a little online survey as suggested on the receipt for some coffees I bought from Tim Hortons and mentioned the shop was an absolute shit tip. Kind of left it at that as I don't go there out of any sense of preference (their coffee is awful and the food has the sense of having been served from the buffet car of a train) but its part of the routine of caring for an elderly relative. The place had always been bad for tidiness pretty much since it opened but was getting worse and worse and on this occasion I couldn't reach the sugar and stirrers on the counter for the heaps of trays / packaging and half eaten food in the way.

Aimed to take my business elsewhere but drifted back out of necessity when the only other option closed for refurbishment.

Went back in - changed beyond recognition. Tidy, clean, ordered

The coffee and food is still garbage but its nice not to be surrounded by heaps of garbage while you consume it.

I think I'd normally not bother to complain and just go elsewhere but in this instance I'm tied into the range, habits and familiarity of the person I'm there with I'll take the unfathomably bitter coffee and unsatisfyingly sweet donuts on the chin so long as there a bit of basic dignity available while I do that.

Mate complained to Kellogs many years ago about the ratio of snaps:crackles:pops in Rice Krispies (he might have had a drink 🙂 ) They sent him several boxes

Yeah only if it's really bad service or product, I'd not get upset over a tin of biscuits. I've actually had better upgrades for being friendly, polite and helpful than moaning.

Upgraded to First Class with BA to NYC just for being polite and courteous.

After the summer of riots and the winter of discontent 2019-2020. You will be bloody grateful for your......

box full of rats and broken glass

after next years fourth austerity Christmas in a row 🙂

As Drac said, I was sent £16.00 worth of vouchers after messaging to enquire about a product (a snack bar) that I liked once.

product (a snack bar) that I liked once.

Did it rock?

Garmin replaced my watch after I copied them in a tweet saying my watch had committed suicide as it didn't like chilling out in a hot tub.

Is it really worth it though? So you’ve had a few free upgrades, does that offset the stress and angst caused by being angry about all sorts of things that don’t matter ? (a tin of biscuits for example)

You don’t have to be angry to complain about something.

In fact, it’s far more effective to not be.

My bank messed up the other day, phoned them to sort it out & basically they told me I had to go through complaints procedure, no real problem as they got it sorted out, but they still insisted on giving me £100 for the stress & bother 😀 just returned 3 bottles of beer to a local brewery for a refund as the two I'd opened were rank - why would I keep something that I was only going to throw away?

Tim Hortons......(their coffee is awful and the food has the sense of having been served from the buffet car of a train)

Doesn't Homeland security come and revoke your citizenship for dissing a national institution like that?

I always complain if possible, last time was about the Ramen being cold in Waggamamas, they duly returned it nice and hot and even threw a couple of free oysters in it for my trouble.

OP, your first post is rubbish

I take it you have not seen his posting history here at stw.

This is a good effort albeit mediocre thread he has made just to fill the inter web void.

I foresee many more bored useless and uninteresting threads created by this op who I shall nickname : THE bored housewife-mumsnet or whatever it’s called is somewhere back <

Doesn’t Homeland security come and revoke your citizenship for dissing a national institution like that?

I think Bishopbriggs Retail Park is a little beyond their jurisdiction

Tim Hortons are Canadian

Yeah, blame Canada.

I take it you have not seen his posting history here at stw.

This is a good effort albeit mediocre thread he has made just to fill the inter web void.

Yes over your permanent for sale posts del boy I'm an absolute funvacuum.
Anyhow it's just general chit chat after all, I would l8ve to complain about you but it would definitely involve the ban hammer!! 😘

It's funny-the only company I've mailed a complaint to was also Cadbury's. I was seriously pissed off at the disproportionate amount of Fudge and Eclairs in my box of Heroes. Normally I'd let things slide but that was too much.

I'm in an on-going issue with Vodafone. Their customer service is truly awful. All I wanted to know is why they didn't communicate with me clearly back in September. All their assurances that they would call me back have come to nothing, leaving it to me to contact them. I would not employ most of the 'advisors' I have spoken with if I was running a business.

as a 52 year old bloke, i have been lucky enough in life, that as of yet i have not been upset enough by anything to want to complain about it.

Not generally one to complain, I tend to forget what the problem was before I've had chance to do anything about it. But what started off as an enquiry to Garmin ended in a complaint when the response to where I could buy a replacement watch strap retainer (the tiny plastic band) was to but a whole new strap for £20. It ended shortly after with them sending me a whole new strap for free 🙂

If you are going to complain do so politely. If they are then an arse about it then feel free to get pissy.

Unfortunately felt the need to complain at a restaurant tonight. Instead of my ususal birthday trip to the Pony and Trap the OH took me to a new seafood restaurant. Oysters where very gritty but the scallops were completely inedible due to grit. Salmon dish had 3x 2cm cubed chunks of salmon, monkfish tasted nice but it was as though we had paid £8.50 for tail scraps, not a nice chunk of the monkfish. Maybe I was already on a downer because out of all the decent beers in the area they just had 2 beers (bottled) and the seating was very uncomfortable.

Ended up racing over to the salt and malt takeway, got there at 9pm as they were closing up but they still put us some fish and chips on.

real complaining is face to face though, closely followed by speaking to someone on the phone. emailing a complaint is a distant third especially when whoever you are emailing has a handy spam folder to ignore your email into.

p.s. what the heck can be that wrong with the biscuits that you had to complain about them?

I complained to Stagecoach when one of their drivers nearly wiped me out

I don't think that counts though. Otherwise just the odd complaint about bike parts which have let me down.

have been lucky enough in life, that as of yet i have not been upset enough by anything to want to complain about it.

🤔

Tim Hortons are Canadian

They used to be. They were bought by an American outfit (parent of Burger King etc).which royally pissed off the Canadians, apparently.
In a truly stunning piece of chicanery they did an inversion, where the purchasing company became a subsidiary of the purchased company,for tax advantage, thus royally pissing off the Americans.

Yeah, blame Canada.

Sing it, Cartman. Interesting that you don't like the coffee, which is raced about in North America. Also having seen a few over there, they were all immaculate, including the ones operating as motorway services. Food was decent too.

Sometimes..the last being on Boxing Day.
Having travelled 40 miles to the Metrocentre to exchange a pair of trainers which my son got for Christmas
( this, Christmas & New Years day being the only time off I had over the festive period ) ..I was faced with a sign on the front of the cash desk saying that there would be no refunds or exchanges that day..my son being 15 didnt want any confrontation and was a little embarrassed when a conversation with the sales assistant got us nowhere and I asked to speak to the manager (he left the store to wait outside at this point)..explaining that as I had travelled 40 miles for just this specific task and there had been no notice of this policy when we bought the trainers ..I wouldn't be leaving the store until they had been swapped for the next size up ..
There has to be a face saving moment at times like these ..and his suggestion that they could check the stock then put a pair to one side for a future collection..while not ideal ..gave him just that ..and upon asking me to fill out a form with our address on it ..noticed that I had indeed travelled from where I claimed, wasn't just trying it on ..and quietly did the exchange there and then ..
The point is though that while they are quick to take your money and you are not demanding it back ..merely looking for a different size ..then equally they should have no qualms about doing this ..even on a busy sales day !
The company in question is Footlocker ..their policy was wrong ..but their manager deserves credit for diffusing the situation and keeping a happy ( returning ) customer ..
My son was over the moon when I met him outside the store ( Dad got some brownie points for once ..instead of being an ageing dinosaur who knows nothing) ..a good result all around 😁

p.s. what the heck can be that wrong with the biscuits that you had to complain about them?

This. For the love of God what was wrong with the biscuits!?

Not soggy enough?

Occasionally if it's justified.

I once complained about our chalet host after a week away snowboarding, got about £200 back off the cost of the holiday.

And a few years ago complained about some kite surf lessons, the conditions we were taken out in weren't suitable for beginners and their kit was knackered. Got the second day refunded for 2 of us, which was about £200 again, and an apology from the manager.

Definitely.
Paid for a posh room at a hotel for a special occasion. Got there and toilet seat was broken, some sockets weren’t working and a few other niggles. Mentioned then to staff on the night but obviously no chance to rectify in that time scale. Emailed manager with feedback and got email back offering us a free night in their best suite for a future visit. Used it six months later for birthday getaway.
As said already, always be polite. Best advice is to offer feedback, rather than making a complaint. Frankly, I work to hard for my money and grudge wasting it on bad service or products.

Yes I do complain. But more importantly I thank for good customer service. I've just this afternoon written to thank a major hotel chain for the magnificent service of their check in staff. He was friendly, efficient and funny. It does no harm to me and may be of benefit to him. Just before Christmas I wrote to a retailer and again thanked a member of their team who took time to explain a wood plane to me, which one to buy and how to get the best from it.
Conversely I've recently had to complain to Audi who took 5 weeks to get a replacement car battery.
So yes, I do have a moan I think if you are paying money you should expect good attention, but when you do get that good feeling than its only right that it should be acknowledged.

has the biscuit issue been revealed yet?