Merry Bloody Christmas

Yes that's right, it's now late October, which means all of you should have seen at least 3 Christmas ads by now!

Every single year we get brands talking about Christmas before we even get to Halloween. It's bloody annoying, but does it actually work?

Have you ever met anyone who saw a Christmas ad in October and went "Oh my god, I totally forgot Christmas is coming up, I better go buy all my stuff now!", I sure as hell haven't. Even for people who get their shopping done early, mid October is stretching it just a bit.

By coming out so early with these ads, surely brands are creating negative reactions that actually count against them? Are they damaging rather than inspiring? Almost everyone I know reacts with a depressed sigh of inevitability when the first ad comes on, even mocking the brands that do it. Given many people are completely fatigued with all things Christmassy before it ever gets to December, are you not just placing the brand name in a category marked 'Christmas hassle'.

In fact the massive queues, rushed service and lack of stock that you expect at Christmas are incredibly annoying; and to me using massively Christmas advertising early risks placing a store into the category marked 'This will be packed full of Christmas shoppers, I won't go there.' I wonder if there is room for an approach that deliberately goes against the Christmas flow, not anti-Christmas, but marks a store out as maintaining a pleasant and comfortable experience while everywhere else is going completely over the top with shoving red things in front of your eyes everywhere you look. 'We love Christmas as much as the next person, but we aren't going to go overboard.'

I think a lot of stores fear being seen as 'Bah Humbug!' if they don't engage with the red redder reddest traditions, but actually I think stores drive the perception more than people actually want it. I know a lot of people who would be far more likely to shop somewhere that built up to Christmas in a subtle way.

So is the point to simply associate the name of the store with Christmas, which in a crowded market would make sense; but would that actually work any better by starting weeks before most people actually do any shopping? Sure you want to combat people going online and buying, but what percentage of people actually buy NOW? Not many I'm sure, and the ones who do probably already know exactly what they are buying and where from. Those who are undecided will probably wait til much nearer the time to choose where to go, and with so many stores advertising the odds are they won't be basing their decisions on an ad from 5 weeks earlier.

At least if you are going to talk about Christmas this sodding early, talk about 'getting in early to beat the crowds', 'we'll help you get it out of the way' or 'low stock expected so why not buy now', give the brand a genuine reason to talk to people in October, not just jumping into the race to get a piece of tinsel on screen as early as possible.

In addition: When Christmas shopping this year, please spare a thought for the poor store staff who have to listen to the same 15 Christmas songs on in-store radio, on loop, every single day for two months... I will say though, as an ex store employee, the very worst day to work is Boxing Day. You get hundreds of people piling in with their unwanted gifts and exchanges, all while being swamped by sale hunters. When I did it I was in the middle of serving a customer when someone literally tried to manually pull me around to get me to speak to them. Not fun.

The Virgin Difference

I've used my fair share of awful train services, so I felt that it was worth mentioning the little differences that make Virgin Trains the least frustrating and least murderous rage inducing train company I've travelled with.

Most train companies cram their trains full, giving you no warning and no solution. I used to travel every day to work with East Midlands Trains. The train was supposed to be a 4 carriage train, but 90% of the time would turn up with two; leaving people standing for 50 minutes, becoming unbearably crowded as it got closer to Manchester.

Did East Midlands Trains ever apologise for this? As far I heard, not once in 10 months did they even say sorry.

Virgin on the other hand. Have a sign at Euston station which warns passengers of huge demand for the 19.00 train to Manchester, and recommends they book a seat in advance.

Even better, they provide an extra train 20 minutes later (and a relief train on Fridays to deal with the crowds). At least understanding that a train that is always busy can be planned around, rather than leaving customer to stand for 2 hours.

Better yet. They announced on the 19.00 that any customers still standing could go to the 19.20 train and get first choice of seats.

So simple, but a mile better than the abysmal service most other train companies provide.

Never Forget About The Happy Times

It amazes me how many brands seem to totally forget about the customer experience, and how even those that do make an effort sometimes don't realise just how important it can be.

Waitrose recently opened a store near our workplace, I've shopped at a Waitrose store maybe twice in my whole life. Yet, within a couple of months I am now a pretty loyal customer.

Why?

Well, because they have the most cheerful and engaging staff of any shop I have ever been to. They talk to you, smile and actually feel like they want to work there as opposed to being stuck there while they look for something else to do. (Many Tesco staff!)

I realised today that every time I leave that store I do so smiling. That has a huge effect.

It's not even a subtle thing, I've even discussed it with one of them in the store because it so vastly difference from the normal shop experience.

Whatever you are doing or paying them Waitrose, keep doing it. It is bloody fantastic.

Since this store opened I have become a regular customer in that store, and have ordered Waitrose goods online for the first time. Happiness sells.

A Letter to Samsung

Dear Samsung,

I write as a person who has regular contact with your products, most of which are excellent. (My wife's last four phones have all been Samsung)

My problem however is with your customer service.

I bought a Galaxy Tablet recently, having phoned your support line to ask if it had a physical security lock point; a question to which your advisor gave a clear 'yes' to. On receipt of the item, I noticed it has no security point whatsoever.

I phoned again to complain and try and find a security solution, apart from giving me the accessories number it seemed the person on the phone (definitely didn't sound UK based) couldn't do anything more to help.

I checked your website for a contact email. Nothing.

I rang the accessories number, and was told that "This isn't the accessories line, this is for cancelled orders. I'll put you through to accessories."

The next person picked up, "This isn't accessories" and then gave me the exact number I dialled in the first place.

So. Would someone like to help me by either offering some kind of apology for the incorrect information given before purchase? Would someone like to help me solve the security problem I have given I cannot find a single product that I need to make it secure as required? Would someone like to tell me why a company that makes as many great products as Samsung has given such poor service?

It's Snow Joke

I am currently extremely angry at Manchester Airport, and pretty angry with Easyjet after a horrible Friday of battling the snow.

We arrived at Manchester Airport to pick up my brother on his way back from Germany. The plane was due at 10.30pm, and was shown as running ok.

We braved the car through the still falling snow to get there for twenty to eleven. Except on the way my dad phoned and said its' landing had been delayed until 23.54.

So we got to the airport and sat down to wait. The airport was cold, even with scarf and gloves it was freezing.

At twenty past twelve we checked the information board and it still said Due 23.54... Well clearly not!

At half twelve, the woman next to us waiting for the same flight tells us its landed in Luton. I search the whole terminal to find someone to ask, but there is NO-ONE apart from security, plus the Easyjet desk is closed.

I then used my phone to check Easyjet for a help number, only to find that their helpline for this kind of thing is only open until 8pm... what aload of fucking good that is.

The Manchester Airport display still said Due 23.54...

We then tried the Luton Airport site which confirmed the plane had arrived there. My dad then rang Luton Airport who told us a coach would bring them to Manchester. Which is fair enough.

We left at around 1.15am, at which time the display STILL said Due 23.54. How bloody hard is it to update one line on your display?? It's not like a Boeing 737 is something you can miss. It's had to book a landing slot, and if Luton knows it's landed surely you should know! How come a quick internet search can tell me more information than the airport that is supposed to be keeping us informed??

Most companies wouldn't dare to treat customers with that level of service. Just because you are an airport does not mean you are abdicated of responsibility for our experience and information.

Oh and to round things off, we were charged £12 for parking. TWELVE POUNDS, largely because the airport was apparently incapable of relaying one short piece of information.

Service Please... Service?

I've been to GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) a few times, I've usually enjoyed it. Food that is nice for a not unreasonable price.

However last time I visited I had a number of issues with the service that spoilt the meal a bit, and made me decide to email their customer service.

That was over two weeks ago. I have yet to receive any response whatsoever from GBK. My email was polite and constructive, yet I haven't even received an auto "someone will get back to you within xxx days" message.

Is it any wonder people now use Facebook as a base for their complaints and comments if companies are this useless as responding to emails and other queries.

So as they appear to not be bothered about speaking to me, here are my issues with my last GBK meal:

• Woman seating us seemed to completely ignore my wife, not bothering to explain the menu even though it was her who hadn't been before
• The food took almost 50 minutes to arrive. I'm not impatient but other people who came in after us were being served before us
• The original server gave us the wrong table number
• When the food was brought out, the guy had to bring it over to us from a different table after realising the number was wrong, but he appeared to have no concern whatsoever for our experience. A simple 'oh sorry about that' would have been fine, but he seemed to have a bit of an attitude
• The cheese sauce we ordered was pretty much a solid lump

So we definitely won't be going to that GBK again, and with customer service like I've had so far (I.e.: None) It's likely I won't be going to any other one either.

BT Part Two

Well. I bought a phone and plugged into our line and guess what, there is a dial tone. I rang the test number and it came back with a phone number for the line.

So what has actually happened is that they have the address or number down wrong. The charge is for reconnecting at the exchange, and clearly that line already has a connection.

Happily I did get to speak to a guy called Glen, who appears to be the only person anywhere within BT who actually wants to help. He couldn't fix the problem, but he gave me lots of info on what was wrong and how/who to get it sorted.

On we go.

Virgin Media Update, Sky, BT

Frankly this just gets more and more ridiculous. Though I should do this in stages.
Not sure how interested anyone is in customer service, but I need to rant so I can finish my lunch and work...

Virgin Media

I was impressed by how someone was scanning blogs to pick up complaints like mine, and took action to get my query moving. The actual front end appeared to be the problem, with the head office staff all to willing to help, but engineers taking their time meant it still took far too long really.

Is it not possible to get a national map of where the cable is and add it to Google Maps? (They sent me a small map of where it was near me?) That would solve half this trouble easily.

No cable for me though. *sigh* Which leads me to:


Sky

Previously disappointing with internet support, but on moving tv across they were quick, polite, extremely helpful and sorted everything perfectly. 3 days later I have Sky again. Well done.


BT

Bastards.
Because someone 'allegedly' changed the phone line to another provider and it got disconnected... I now have to pay £125 to get it reconnected. A figure which can handily be discounted if I take BT's services.
Bastards.
Bastards.
Bastards.

Right... back to work.

Phones4Me

Aka: A lesson in hard sell.

I am coming to the end of my mobile contract, and had my heart set on one of two phones. I decided to start looking at them in advance of my contract expiring.

I went into Vodafone, who were helpful.
I went into Orange, who were helpful.
I went into Carphone Warehouse, who frankly appeared to not notice my existence.

Then I went into Phones4U.

Having been a customer of theirs for several years whilst at university I was well aware of their hard sell tactics. I asked if I could take a look at the phone, and explained that I was looking for when my contract ran out.

So not only did they get the phone and give me as much time as I wanted playing with it, whilst I was doing this they checked with Orange to see if there was any way they could get me the phone before my contract finished. Guess what.

Orange would cut the last 3 months off my contract if I signed a new one, on the same money as I pay now but with better minutes and texts.

Orange could have done the same thing but didn't. Vodafone probably could have, Carphone Warehouse probably could have, but neither did.

So instead of waiting 3 months, I get a new phone now for free, and no longer have to pay the last three months of my old one.

Hard sell? I call that bloody good customer service frankly. They want my custom, they went to a lot of effort to demonstrate that to me; and thats why they have it.