Barefaced profiteering

So – it’s been a while since I last posted to this blog but that doesn’t mean I have not been experiencing new and wonderful customer services or have moved to a utopian world of excellent customer experiences – no I have simply been involved in designing and delivering a whole new Call Centre based application fo BSKYB.

In the process of doing this job I have had to upgrade my Apple Ipad to and Ipad 2.0.

I had traveled to Edinburgh to see my mum – who became the rightful aire to my old Ipad. A genuine hand-me-up. I went to John Lewis Edinburgh to buy my new ipad and unfortunately I was supplied the wrong type of ipad. I did not realize this until a few days later I was at the airport (fly side) and was trying to buy a 3G Sim. No IMEI code! Arrrgh.

Panic not. I called JLP and was informed that I could go to my nearest JLP (Kingston) and exchange the device. I didn’t even have the box and the following Saturday the cheery folks at JLP happily exchanged the item for the real one.

Now that is what I call CUX.

Well done and well done to all at JLP. Who’s profits seem to be rising and footfall increasing and online purchasing on the up.

Since this experience I have subsequently bought my first ever online weekly big shop! From Waitrose no less.

Great service from Waitrose Twickenham.

- Those of you who have got though this positive notes will have to read on to my next post to see where it has all gone wrong for one brand…

Not many of us will not have heard of Enterprise Van Rental – the superb value for money van rental company globally trading but HQ in Dallas, Texas and still privately owned.

Working hard to be the best?

These guys know their car and van rental inside out and are suppposed to provide excellent service and customer experiences – after all the van and car rental sector is highly commoditised and customer expereince is a core differentiator – after all price is not why customer choose to repeatedly buy these services.

This is their corporate goal:

I have used Enterprise Van Rental for years and know and trust this brand. I even knew some people who worked there in Dallas. I trust them. Over the last year I have rented vans from them to move house, fetch large items andf their vehicles are great.

So, when we had to move a few items around over the last week while the weather sucked and we could n’t use the vehicle – we extended our rental – but the service in returning the van was – well SHOCKING.

So – thanks – for your trouble. We used you, we rented, we extended, we paid for two drivers, but please – customer facing service experts should provide a better care for those who uliately pay for thier wages.

So please be polite, don’t be rude about offering a single lady a lift back home after she dropped the van back to your depot (you picked her up to initiate the rental), and don’t be cheeky or insulting.

personal attacks on customers do not mean repeat business.

Brand damaged.

BFP Rating: Very POOR

Customer Chartering?

So, on 16th october 2010 my father passed away. He left my Mum a widow a few quid but and she had to organise his estate to be managed.

My parents had opened a Royal bank of Scotland account 47 years ago, when they got married.

So, when my Mum arranged an appointment to manage the emotional closure of her deseaced husband’s estate she got this kind of treatment from dedicated loyal bank!!

Appointment made last week. Allocated time – 30mins.

Telephone call from bank manager on day of appointment “Please can we rearrange your appointment to the afternoon as I have another meeting to go to? Also we will only need 20mins as all we are doing is just closing your husband’s estate?”

Mum agreed despite lack of considerate language.

Upon arrival to the RBS Bank in Edinbugh Westend – a flagship bank for Royal Bank of Scotland – my mum informed that Manager is running late. 40mins later my mum walked out.

So far – no apology, no explaination, no response.

Bad bad RBS. Very poor and not quite the Personal Banking messagenor the customer charter they say: http://www.rbs.co.uk/global/customer-charter.ashx

Am glad I left them years ago. Even NatWest – the new RBS brand to be pushed as it was not damaged in the Credit Crunch will be considered poor.

Get your customer experience right RBS! Please.

POST UPDATE: Still no apology nor explaination from the RBS woman to my mother. Traumatic?