Carphone Warehouse are complete w*ankers. Advice please?

[Curt]

Right, I don't know what else do about this and after coming off the phone again just now, I'm fuming.

Basically, my HTC One-x has a wifi fault. Quite common in the earliest models apparently, but only started driving me mad recently.

So I took it in, and they had to send it off for "repair". They didn't have any loaner phones (you know, the £10 Nokias that must be so elusive in a phone shop...) for over a week. I got impatient and bought a cheap one in the end, as I don't have a spare.

Finally get to send it off, it takes them 11 days to send the phone back with the exact same fault as it left with. EXCEPT, they broke the casing when they "repaired" it! This wound me up quite a bit, especially seeing the note on the ticket of "cosmetic poor condition" when it wasn't before it left.

So I take it back the next day, and Lo and behold the bloke says "are you sure it wasn't there before?" Erm, f*cking yes. The bloke next to him, actually vouched for me though and said he saw it when I brought it in and it wasn't there. He then looked at the notes and saw that the "cosmetic bad condition" note had been added after the "repair" was carried out, separate from the other notes... funny, that.

Then they tell me I have to send it off again, for them to investigate the damage. "Er, no, that's not my fault, I want a replacement phone, then you can do your investigation". "It's out of my hands, it's policy". So I refuse, I'm not waiting another 11 days with a POS phone that makes me want to end it all.

So the result of that, I leave with a customer service number. Call them when I get home and speak to "Mohammed". After a lot of explaining and him reading the notes, they agree to send me another phone out. "We can send you an S3" "I don't want an S3, I have a HTC" "we haven't got any" "get some" "we can't" and so on. Argh!

So I went back to the store, and told them all this. They're still on my side, saying that I should be entitled to my choice of phone. However, they can't do anything to help...

So, back home, back on the phone. Just spoke to a useless "Matt" who offered me no resolution at all. They apparently have no HTCs at all. So I said "well, you must have plenty in store, for new customers" "yeah, but you can't have them, we have no refurbished ones". I said I was appalled at their service, and I would not be renewing my contract with them.

That's where I'm up to really. I'm worse off from when I started, and a lot more angry.

If you're still reading, cheers. Does anyone have any ideas? It's a warranty claim, could I speak to HTC direct? I'm sure they'll ask me to send the damn thing off again though...

f*ck, shit, arse, bollocks. Rant over

[MattiH]

mate i work for the cpw reair centre lol why dont you just take the S3? its a much better phone than the HTC... plus its worth more money so you could just sell it and go buy another HTC

[4WayDiablo]

mate i work for the cpw reair centre lol why dont you just take the S3? its a much better phone than the HTC... plus its worth more money so you could just sell it and go buy another HTC

That's not the point though is it, besides it being your opinion
It's what the customer wants

[MattiH]

That's not the point though is it, besides it being your opinion
It's what the customer wants
[/quote]

i totally agree with you.. when you buy something of them they should look after you as the customer.. but if they dont have any there isnt much they can do really.. its either take the S3(which is an upgrade really) or keep arguing with them about it

[Curt]

I don't want an S3, "better" is subjective, I don't like how flimsy and cheap they feel nor do I care for Samsung's overlay.

As Phil says though, it's besides the point.

I spoke to HTC themselves, they would have repaired it under warranty... But, because of the damage cause by Carphone Warehouse, they would fix that first as they feel it could be part of the fault, which wouldn't be covered by warranty and I would be billed for. The bloke couldn't have been more helpful though, very good service.

[Ruan]

Hmmmm, unfortunately, the word from the long dick of the law will be as long as they give you an acceptable substitute, then you can't do anything - I assume you're past the 30 days or 3 month (can't remember which) period where they HAVE to give your money back if it's a shitter... Therefore an "equivalent" substitute is what they will give you...

Whether or not you can wangle a new HTC out of them is debatable, unfortunately I'll bet under the terms of "acceptable substitute" there's a bit that says a "factory refurbished" model is an "acceptable substitute" - if not, then an "acceptable substitute" is a phone of equal value, which at a guess, the S3 is...

[MattiH]

Have you asked if you can be put in touch with repairs?

[Niall]

Buy my HTC One off me. Thats the answer

Seriously though, they are useless wankers. Just keep arguing the toss and best way to get a quick response is to put all your bad experiences on their Facebook and Twatter accounts. Big companies do not like bad feedback here where everyone can see!

[4WayDiablo]

Smanfa has a HTC one going cheap :-)

[adamm306]

Smanfa has a HTC one going cheap :-)

how much is cheap out of interest

[4WayDiablo]

Smanfa has a HTC one going cheap :-)

how much is cheap out of interest

f*ck knows.hahaha but she won't want much for it. She hates it with a passion
I'll ask her

[adamm306]

Smanfa has a HTC one going cheap :-)

how much is cheap out of interest

f*ck knows.hahaha but she won't want much for it. She hates it with a passion
I'll ask her

yeah let me know my mrs needs a decent phone she has a samsung toco lite or whatever they are from 100 years ago

[Curt]

Hmmmm, unfortunately, the word from the long dick of the law will be as long as they give you an acceptable substitute, then you can't do anything - I assume you're past the 30 days or 3 month (can't remember which) period where they HAVE to give your money back if it's a shitter... Therefore an "equivalent" substitute is what they will give you...

Whether or not you can wangle a new HTC out of them is debatable, unfortunately I'll bet under the terms of "acceptable substitute" there's a bit that says a "factory refurbished" model is an "acceptable substitute" - if not, then an "acceptable substitute" is a phone of equal value, which at a guess, the S3 is...

Yeah, I've had it over a year. I get what you mean, but I'm guessing that's under normal circumstances, not after they've actually damaged a phone themselves... IMO they should be going out of their way to resolve this. Again, "equivalent" is down to opinion too, as for me it is not. But yes, you're right, on paper it is.

Have you asked if you can be put in touch with repairs?

No, don't see what that will achieve? They're not going to admit they broke it...

Buy my HTC One off me. Thats the answer

Seriously though, they are useless wankers. Just keep arguing the toss and best way to get a quick response is to put all your bad experiences on their Facebook and Twatter accounts. Big companies do not like bad feedback here where everyone can see!

Haha, nice try .

Yes, they are indeed. I might just do that, although I don't have Twatter. I'm going to try and find someone higher up to e-mail and air my... displeasure at their service. Problem is, everyone I've spoken to so far doesn't give a shit because at the end of the day, they still get paid. It's not like me saying I'm leaving will actually have an effect on them. Hopefully I can speak to someone who actually seems to care about customer service.

[MattiH]

For the sake of a phone call its worth a try they might not be as bad as the stores staff. I'll ask my manager when I'm at work tomorrow and see what he sguuests

[samass]

Trading standards?

[Poodle]

As above, bizarrely they've actually done you a favour by damaging the phone as that makes it their issue. Make a separate claim demanding a replacement on the basis of the damage caused, fairly sure they can't legally refuse that as it's their f*ck up lol.

[THE_Liam]

Right, speaking as someone who works in customer service, call back, be polite but firm and run through it again. If you don't get anywhere, ask for complaints, then when they dither about it ask to speak to their manager. The agent should talk to his manager and explain you've asked to escalate to complaints, and then the manager should take over. Now, I'm that manager, and if I can't stop a call being escalated I get a lot of hassle over it, so we'll pretty much do anything within our power to stop that. It's your best chance of getting what you want. Again, be polite but firm but mention that you will take this as far as you can, and mention that you're going to contact Consumer Focus if you don't get this resolved. The easy way out for that manager is just to give you a new phone, and it's much easier for them to just give you it because if you go to CF it costs the company £440 straight away. Unless you get a proper arsehole, you should be reyt. Just be polite but firm, because personally if someone speaks to me like shit they get nowt, no matter how much shit I get for it.

Hope that helps mate. Personally I'd have the S3, I've got one and it's ace. Or try for an S4

[Curt]

For the sake of a phone call its worth a try they might not be as bad as the stores staff. I'll ask my manager when I'm at work tomorrow and see what he sguuests

It's not the stores staff that's the problem, I'm talking about their general customer services. That'd be cool, cheers

Trading standards?

Yeah, worth a go I'd have thought!

As above, bizarrely they've actually done you a favour by damaging the phone as that makes it their issue. Make a separate claim demanding a replacement on the basis of the damage caused, fairly sure they can't legally refuse that as it's their f*ck up lol.

Exactly my thinking. Tbh I wouldn't be so wound up and set on them supplying me a HTC if they had just failed to repair it and offered me an S3. It's the fact that they've broken it, and then said I can't have another one.

That said, they're still being very difficult about it and determined not to give me what I want/I feel I'm entitled to.

Right, speaking as someone who works in customer service, call back, be polite but firm and run through it again. If you don't get anywhere, ask for complaints, then when they dither about it ask to speak to their manager. The agent should talk to his manager and explain you've asked to escalate to complaints, and then the manager should take over. Now, I'm that manager, and if I can't stop a call being escalated I get a lot of hassle over it, so we'll pretty much do anything within our power to stop that. It's your best chance of getting what you want. Again, be polite but firm but mention that you will take this as far as you can, and mention that you're going to contact Consumer Focus if you don't get this resolved. The easy way out for that manager is just to give you a new phone, and it's much easier for them to just give you it because if you go to CF it costs the company £440 straight away. Unless you get a proper arsehole, you should be reyt. Just be polite but firm, because personally if someone speaks to me like shit they get nowt, no matter how much shit I get for it.

Hope that helps mate. Personally I'd have the S3, I've got one and it's ace. Or try for an S4

Cheers for that mate, I'll follow that advice to the letter tomorrow. That was going to be my next step, asking to speak to a higher-up.

I always do my best to still be polite when talking to them, apart from what I see as normal frustration, as I know it's not directly their fault. Plus obviously, like you say, it doesn't really help matters.

[THE_Liam]

PM me if you need any more advice

[Jonny81191]

Just keep asking to be passed to their manager, and flatly refuse to accept that "I am the manager, sir" is true, cos you ain't speaking to the managing director!

Eventually you'll piss everyone off enough to get what you want.

[THE_Liam]

Just keep asking to be passed to their manager, and flatly refuse to accept that "I am the manager, sir" is true, cos you ain't speaking to the managing director!

Eventually you'll piss everyone off enough to get what you want.

Not as simple as that mate, you just piss people off who'd genuinely try to help.

[Jonny81191]

Just keep asking to be passed to their manager, and flatly refuse to accept that "I am the manager, sir" is true, cos you ain't speaking to the managing director!

Eventually you'll piss everyone off enough to get what you want.

Not as simple as that mate, you just piss people off who'd genuinely try to help.

I wouldn't ask to be passed on if they could help. I just won't take no for an answer.

[THE_Liam]

Just keep asking to be passed to their manager, and flatly refuse to accept that "I am the manager, sir" is true, cos you ain't speaking to the managing director!

Eventually you'll piss everyone off enough to get what you want.

Not as simple as that mate, you just piss people off who'd genuinely try to help.

I wouldn't ask to be passed on if they could help. I just won't take no for an answer.

You work in customer service yourself dude?

[Curt]

Any advice for not taking no for an answer? My problem is I don't like being an arse to people, but I know I'm in the right here. Today, for instance, he just said "well, I don't know what to tell you" and then goes all quiet... I don't know where to go from there. I suppose that's where I ask to be passed to complaints...

[Jonny81191]

Any advice for not taking no for an answer? My problem is I don't like being an arse to people, but I know I'm in the right here. Today, for instance, he just said "well, I don't know what to tell you" and then goes all quiet... I don't know where to go from there. I suppose that's where I ask to be passed to complaints...

Exactly what I mean, I wouldn't try and upset people, but you want something they can't help with, so up the line you go.

[THE_Liam]

Any advice for not taking no for an answer? My problem is I don't like being an arse to people, but I know I'm in the right here. Today, for instance, he just said "well, I don't know what to tell you" and then goes all quiet... I don't know where to go from there. I suppose that's where I ask to be passed to complaints...

You do need to speak to people higher up like I said, but you'll only get so far. The key is, make them a deal. They wouldn't want you to go to a consumer group like CF, Watchdog or social media, so you're asking the question of them "What can you do to help?". People who work in call centres aren't the malicious button bashers that people think, they're just people with targets to hit and families to feed, I can't speak for all call centres but the one I work in is full of people who will go out of their way to help, and if we find out people don't have that mindset they don't last long. It's a hard job, and the last thing they need is shit from someone who probably earns much more while they're worrying about getting sales or keeping their call time down so they don't lose their job... If someone's like that with them, they think "f*ck it, I don't get paid enough for this shit" and pass it on. Tell you what, if you get nowhere, if you can wait until my next day off, I'll send you some of my details to pass on and ask me to be added as a temporary representative to your account (You can call and remove that as soon as it's resolved), and I'll give it a try.

Best thing you can say is "I sent you a nearly-new phone with a fault in good faith and I was sent back a phone with more faults than before, and additional damage. I'm still paying your company in good faith, do you really think that's fair? I'm not asking for loads of compensation, and I'm not trying to get out of my agreement with you, I just want you to put your mistake right, and if that means you sending me a new phone because you don't have any refurbished ones in stock, isn't that a fair resolution?". They can't say no without looking stupid.

Like I say mate, firm but fair. You don't have to be an arse, and you'll get a lot further if you aren't

[Ed Doe]

Sorry to hear you're having the trouble you are mate. When I had the wifi issue on mine I went direct to HTC and they had my phone fixed and returned to be within 5days foc, and they replaced the screen cause I said it had a hot spot on it!

You're definitely in the right though, you need to go at them with the polite but firm angle that they have damaged your property, and they need to replace it with an identical phone. As Liam said keep asking for the manager and explain you will be taking it to consumer focus etc. Unfortunately you need to be a bit of an arse with them, but polite at the same time! Just don't give them questions or cracks to talk back to you!

[devils_fuel]

Curt simples....

Send an email to the top man of the business and the customer services email team...sit back and watch the company bow to you with the top brass's PA pulling the strings as she deals with his emails...

I work for a huge accommodation company and when customers email our top man with complaints and examples of customer shite customer service, it gets sorted ASAP as it's all bad PR !!!

Get down to the shop and get the guy to write a signed statement about the condition of your phone in MINT condition when you brought it in.

Send the top man an email outlining the whole story from start to finish noting who/where/time/customer experience blah blah and including a scan of the shop mans statement about phone condition and other associated paperwork. Might be worth mentioning this poor customer service maybe mentioned to the business sectors watch dog (e.g. FSA for finance) as well as TV programme watchdog or Dominic Little


Edit - Directors are

Sir Charles Dunstone
Nigel Langstaff

Contact HQ

mailto:ir@cpwplc.com

So directors email addresses at a guess...

Nigel.langstaff@cpwplc.com
Nigellangstaff@cpwplc.com

Charles.dunstone@cpwplc.com
Charlesdunstone@cpwplc.com

[Curt]

Thanks for all the help guys, it's all being taken aboard .

When I had the wifi issue on mine I went direct to HTC and they had my phone fixed and returned to be within 5days foc, and they replaced the screen cause I said it had a hot spot on it!

I wish I had just done this now, but it's too late now...

Edit - Directors are

Sir Charles Dunstone
Nigel Langstaff

Contact HQ

mailto:ir@cpwplc.com

So directors email addresses at a guess...

Nigel.langstaff@cpwplc.com
Nigellangstaff@cpwplc.com

Charles.dunstone@cpwplc.com
Charlesdunstone@cpwplc.com

That's awesome, cheers Chris . I've found a "complain directly to Charles Dunstone" form on their website, so I'll compose as best a detailed message as I can tonight/tomorrow. Can't get much higher up, so fingers crossed...

[Curt]

Right, I've just knocked up a letter for Charles. Could you guys cast an over it and see if it looks okay? I'm going to show my Grandad as he's very good with this stuff.

I've used all but 100 letters, I had to remove my first piont about them having no loaner phones as it was too long.

Dear Mr. Dunstone,


I am writing you in reference to a recent repair carried out on my HTC One-X handset (job ref: 13872350).

After I received it back, I found that the fault was still present (wifi fault). Also, I discovered that my phone had the casing cracked whilst the "repair" took place! I was shocked to find this, even more so due to the fact that I wasn't made aware of this by anyone. I did find it weird that on my "Repair Completion Form" it states "cosmetic bad condition" when it is not (or at least was not, before it left).

The next day I went back to my local Chichester branch, where one employee named Rob, confirmed that the damage was not present when I took the phone in for repair. After looking on the system, another employee, James, told me that the note "cosmetic bad condition" was added AFTER the work had been carried out, as a separate note.

After further discussion, I was informed I would have to send the phone away once again, for an investigation to take place. I refused this, as I had already been without my phone for long enough and need its' features for work. This meant I had to come home and phone customer service myself.

After explaining the situation to an agent on the phone, (Mohammed) I was told that I could have a replacement handset sent out. "Great" I thought. Except all I could be offered was a Samsung S3, a phone I had previously turned down as an upgrade as I couldn't get along with it. After I stated I needed a replacement HTC, I was told I couldn't have one.

I then went back to the store, to see if they could do anything to help. They basically said they understood why I want the phone I chose for my contract, however they couldn't help me further. James also told me the HTC was of higher value, not that this is my main concern.

I then phoned customer services again, this time speaking to Matt. At first he told me that, once again, I couldn't have a replacement at all. It took lots of explaining from me, and having to ask him to look at the notes left by Mohammed, for him to agree. However, once again telling me I cannot have a HTC as there aren't any in stock. At this point I asked for one to be ordered in, to be told that this wasn't possible.

This is where I'm up to and I'm afraid I'm very disappointed with the customer service I have received. After receiving back a handset which is not only faulty, but now damaged as well, is just unacceptable. All I ask is that my phone be replaced like for like, the damage caused and this whole situation is none of my doing.

I have been a customer with you for nearly 4 years and if I can't get this resolved, I will not be renewing my contract. Which is a shame.

I hope you can offer me the assistance I need and haven't got elsewhere, to get this resolved.

Regards,

Curtis Footman