Complaining

Do you complain if service or product is bad

  • Yes

    Votes: 44 86.3%
  • No

    Votes: 5 9.8%
  • Only if my OH backs me up

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Only if they are smaller than me

    Votes: 2 3.9%
  • I complain about everything all the time

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Will leave it on TripAdvisor

    Votes: 4 7.8%

  • Total voters
    51

aVdub

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Are you a complainer when met with poor service or products, or do you keep your head down and carry on and perhaps never visit the shop/restaurant/store/ride .......again.

I will complain and up until a few years ago my OH would insist that it's not worth it, just eat up, pay and and and and.
Now she can be the first to state that so and so was not good, will not eat this or will not pay and stands her ground (if correct) and a few times we've heard a mumble after maybe complaining about food from other people, who seem to need someone else to get them to stand up.

Please note we are not the Meldrews and will heap praise on good service.
 
Just like I’ve got no issue to praise, I’ve also got no problem to complain. My wife is the same. And our trips advisor reviews reflect that fairly as well.
 
I’m happy to complain if something isn’t right, but I won’t go out of my way to find faults, like some.

I’ll also make sure that I take advantage of consumer rights - especially with electronically goods. I’ve had all sorts of things replaced or refunded, even when they’ve been over 4 years old.

While not complaining - I’ll often request alternative rooms in hotels. An ex hotel manager once told me never to accept the first offer. Has worked very well over the years, and I’ve had lots of free upgrades. No need complain - I just go to reception and politely ask if they have anything better. :smashin:
 
My wife is a complainer. Sometimes it's bloody embarrassing :rolleyes:

I would say it depends on how they go about complaining, some people like to make a spectacle of it but a nice low key discussion shouldn't be too bad.
 
I'll complain if it's something that can be put right by the people I am interacting with. If I get a poor meal because its been cooked poorly or a dirty hotel room, I'll complain, but I'm not going to complain about the price of a service at a large chain, as the staff on site cannot do much about it.

I heard a lady complain about the price of the parking at the railway station. The staff were sympathetic, but there's not a lot they can do. As they explained, the parking is sub contracted to NCP and they have no way of discounting the parking or issuing free parking. All they could do was point her in the direction of the NCP website. It didn't stop her launching into another tirade against them though!
 
I put 'Only if my OH backs me up'. That isn't quite right, it's not that I need her help or permission, but often we are out with her family or friends and whilst she agrees the service has been bad she doesn't want to make a fuss about it - so I defer.

But if I'm paying the bill and I pay it away from the table there won't be any tip added.

Cheers,

Nigel
 
As far as I am concerned if you do not get the service you are paying for then you have to complain, not doing so allows them to get away with it.
All to often good customer service plays a small role in the way that a company conducts itself. Look at the big boys who really do not give a dam, BT, British Gas ETC ETC they know that they will always have plenty of customers willing to accept a sub standard service and any people who take their business elsewhere are soon replaced.
If I get a really bad service and they have not put it right in a timely fashion or have made light of my complaint by offering a perfunctory apology I will never use that company again.
 
As far as I am concerned if you do not get the service you are paying for then you have to complain, not doing so allows them to get away with it.
All to often good customer service plays a small role in the way that a company conducts itself. Look at the big boys who really do not give a dam, BT, British Gas ETC ETC they know that they will always have plenty of customers willing to accept a sub standard service and any people who take their business elsewhere are soon replaced.
If I get a really bad service and they have not put it right in a timely fashion or have made light of my complaint by offering a perfunctory apology I will never use that company again.

Whilst I agree with this in principle, i.e. size of customer base reduces expectation to deliver, I have managed to discuss poor service with BT and get a decent result from them. Just because these companies are large, it doesn't mean they don't listen to those customers that politely raise a greivance.
 
I do complain at times but its when it gets to the point where its just silly. E.g. If I have a nice steak for example and its not brilliant but I have not paid a lot for it then no complaint. If I have paid a lot though then thats when it starts.

I booked a holiday a few months ago and found out last week that building work was over running there and it would still be going on whilst we were there. Called and asked to be swapped to another hotel and found one that was better and just paid for the upgrade.

Then I found out that THIS hotel had only just started to have building work and it was big time. I have a photo of the pool before building had start and what it looks like now. Building is going on from 10am until 10pm !

So I called up and told them that I was upset that they had knowingly booked me into another hotel that had building going on and we went through some other hotels. The only hotel which we liked was £600 more but they were willing to wave about £231. I told them I could stretch to paying £200 more but not the £369.

I was told someone would call back the next day as no one with that much clout was around now.
They did not call and I am 2 weeks away from flying out.

I called and asked for complaints. Spent 55 minutes on the phone and got the whole upgrade of £600 for free !

So for £900 I have 2 weeks in a hotel which should be costing us £1500
 
I really dont like complaining

Husband and I did go to Bella Italia for lunch where we were using Wuntu vouchers. Basically a pasta or pizza main dish for £3 each instead of £12 each. Each had a coke too.

My glass had lipstick stains on it and while I didn't want to complain because the waitress was so nice and made good food recommendations. My husband did politely ask for a new glass. The waitress felt awful and was so apologetic and replaced it immediately. She also took the cost of the coke off the bill.

Think our Total bill came to £8.90. I didn't ask for th coke to be knocked off but because of how well she handed things and was, I tipped her £4.

I almost never tip in restaurants
 
I do complain, not for petty things like the price of bread or no stock of something, but really bad customer service I cannot stand, there is no excuse for it esp when almost everywhere drums that into staff on their induction on day one.

I have not complained as such, but I am clued up enough on Retail Law to not accept being fobbed off.

But whilst I am quick to stand my ground, I do it in a fashion that isn't rude, obnoxious or entitled. There is no need for that, I'm also forearmed knowing that on site they might not be willing or able to help, but calling out a company on social media usually gets a response in quicktime.
 
I complain all the time. In the nicest possible way though. It serves no purpose at all if you have a poor meal and complain about it the whole way home without saying anything at the restaurant.
 
Just complained today. We went to a card dealership, couldn't find the vehicle in the showroom, asked a sales person sitting by themselves behind their desk. He simply said no we don't have one on show, but pointed to the car park where they have a 2 year old one. He really couldn't be bothered, was not interesting in arranging a test drive, or getting a new version in, or even taking down our details. My wife said it was like he wasn't there.

I'm not begging to buy a car, but I know the business manager and the dealer principle, so I let them know what is going on their shop floor. So a type of a complained but without requiring a specific outcome as the damage has been done.
 
Yesterday I had a guy in Curry’s actually and audibly sneer at me in derision when I asked a reasonable question. Ok it was only a £200.00 Tv I walked out with, the next TV to be purchased I’ll likely be a 65” OLED, from anywhere but Curry’s.

I could have complained but any more time in the same personal space as that mouth breather wasn’t a price I was prepared to pay.
 
Just complained today. We went to a card dealership, couldn't find the vehicle in the showroom, asked a sales person sitting by themselves behind their desk. He simply said no we don't have one on show, but pointed to the car park where they have a 2 year old one. He really couldn't be bothered, was not interesting in arranging a test drive, or getting a new version in, or even taking down our details. My wife said it was like he wasn't there.

I'm not begging to buy a car, but I know the business manager and the dealer principle, so I let them know what is going on their shop floor. So a type of a complained but without requiring a specific outcome as the damage has been done.
And it’s not as if you were spending a few grand eventually I’d guess. However the principal is still the same.

Bone idle laziness
 
Just complained today. We went to a card dealership, couldn't find the vehicle in the showroom, asked a sales person sitting by themselves behind their desk. He simply said no we don't have one on show, but pointed to the car park where they have a 2 year old one. He really couldn't be bothered, was not interesting in arranging a test drive, or getting a new version in, or even taking down our details. My wife said it was like he wasn't there.

I'm not begging to buy a car, but I know the business manager and the dealer principle, so I let them know what is going on their shop floor. So a type of a complained but without requiring a specific outcome as the damage has been done.

Reminds me of the time I went into a department store to buy some shoes. I found a pair I liked......I say ‘pair’ as we all know there is only ever one shoe. I stood there for five minutes hoping someone would come along to assist me. I wandered round for a bit, then stood in the centre of the department and just spun around hoping the cameras would see a loony in the shop. Nothing, nobody. I then threw the shoe at a stand and stormed off.
 
Reminds me of the time I went into a department store to buy some shoes. I found a pair I liked......I say ‘pair’ as we all know there is only ever one shoe. I stood there for five minutes hoping someone would come along to assist me. I wandered round for a bit, then stood in the centre of the department and just spun around hoping the cameras would see a loony in the shop. Nothing, nobody. I then threw the shoe at a stand and stormed off.
JD Sports does exactly this, and it royally yanks my chain
 
I work in the customer relations department and deal with a lot of complaints, most are reasonable but some are downright ridiculous and it amazes me that the person complaining has the nerve to do so.

A quiet reasonable person will always get 110% from me to resolve whatever issue has upset them, the shouty aggressive types will get virtually nothing and don't even get started on the why do I have to keep my receipt you know you sell it brigade, yes we do sell it and so does half the high street.
 
I work in the customer relations department and deal with a lot of complaints, most are reasonable but some are downright ridiculous and it amazes me that the person complaining has the nerve to do so.

A quiet reasonable person will always get 110% from me to resolve whatever issue has upset them, the shouty aggressive types will get virtually nothing and don't even get started on the why do I have to keep my receipt you know you sell it brigade, yes we do sell it and so does half the high street.

Yep, I know people that will describe in minute detail the ins and outs of retail law, explaining why you don't need a receipt to be issued with a replacement item etc...I don't understand why it doesn't occur to a person that if they are buying a product that has any chance of failure (i.e. every electronic item) that they wouldn't just keep the receipt safe to make their life easier later on :facepalm:
 
Nothing worse than getting angry when complaining. I get no pleasure from complaining. I get slightly embarrassed but I still complain when things aren’t right.

A classic we had a few years back was at gun wharf quays, me and ‘er indoors got a breakfast at one of the establishments. My bacon was spot on. Hers was a fatty mess so she complained. The lady came out with a lovely little platter of perfect bacon. My GF then proceeded to offer the platter up to me to show me how good it looked, which then made the platter fall out of her hand and every last bit of bacon went splat on the floor. I was crying :laugh:
 
I'll complain if there is a reason.

Complained about a meal a few weeks ago and got an apology. Pointed out that, unlike Arnie, I'd not be back. Don't think they cared, nor did I as I won't be going back.
 
Reminds me of the time I went into a department store to buy some shoes. I found a pair I liked......I say ‘pair’ as we all know there is only ever one shoe. I stood there for five minutes hoping someone would come along to assist me. I wandered round for a bit, then stood in the centre of the department and just spun around hoping the cameras would see a loony in the shop. Nothing, nobody. I then threw the shoe at a stand and stormed off.

I have done something similar in the past, was on Tottenham court road a few years ago with my brother.We found an interesting furniture shop and found some stuff we wanted to purchase, so went toward the till and the guys behind the counter were busy chatting between themselves and were completely oblivious to us being next to them at the till.
So i gave it a minute and then went picked up some more random stuff and dumped it on the till and duly informed the muppet they had a customer that they had lost a sale and that i wouldn't be back.
My brother was mortified, but i said its their own fault for not paying attention as i could have easily walked out the front door with the stuff.

i work in the service industry (hotels) and this drives me mad when staff don't pay attention to customers
 

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