On 20.6.01, I went into the Cribbs Causeway Branch of Comet,
Bristol to purchase a palmtop computer. The store suggested that
I take out a 3 year service contract and a 6 month interest-free
credit option. I was asked for my drivers license and debit card
to process my application. Since my licence quite clearly stated
a "care of" address, I requested that I give an alternate
address for correspondence as I was about to move home, and the
address stated on my license was not my home address either. I
was told that the address what not important, and since I tend
to move around alot, as an NHS employed doctor, numerous previous
addresses would only make the application more complicated. (This
is the reason I have a c/oa ddress stated on my license, but due
to a further move out of the region a different address would
be more appropriate!)
The 6-months interest free credit option suggested by the store
was rejected, and on further investigation it would appear that
the address supplied *is* highly significant.This is not what
I was led to believe.
What concerns me, and is my reason for writing is Comet's attitude
to my complaint. I have been blamed for the entire event. The
customer services department have told me that I am at fault for
providing them with incorrect information (I pointed out that
the address was not incorrect, but was a c/o address and requested
to give another, but was
told it was not important).
The finance company have told me to take the matter up with Comet
as they were only able to do a search on the address supplied
and thus cannot be held responsible. Comet tell me that it has
nothing to do with them and that I should contact the finance
company. The customer services manager, at Comet, who returned
my call was agressive from the outset. Each time I tried to explain
my point, I was literally shouted at, being told that I knew I
wanted credit when I walked into the store and thus it was my
responsibility to come prepared with the appropriate documentation.
Clearly this was not the case, as I had no intention of applying
for credit to purchase the item, and had been given the option
once in the store. I was also led to believe that the address
which was supplied was not an issue.
When I requested to speak with someone else as we were getting
nowhere with her shouting at me down the telephone, I was told
that she
was the only customer services manager at head office and there
was no one else I could speak with. When I asked for the name
of the managing director then, again I was shouted at and Mrs
Lawrence refused to give
me his name by going off on a tangent and threatened to end the
call. I was then told that if I were to write a letter of complaint
that she would be the one to respond as her name has been tagged
to my complaint, and
it would only state what she has said verbally - basically saying:
"don't bother". After some more shouting, she did end
the call!
What appalled me the most was that a customer services manager
could be so rude to a potential client without any form of appology
for the bad experience I had in the store irrespective of who
was to blame!
After writing to the Managing director, I received a reply one
month later! The content of the letter received was far from satisfactory,
although it did contain several appologies, but with no feedback
as to how Comet was prepared to rectify the matter. Upon stating
that I was dissatisfied with his response in a further letter,
I received another answering SOME of the points I had originally
raised, but still not taking any responsibility for what had occurred
and asking me to contact the credit reference agency, to pay £2
to obtain access to my files and even had the audacity to suggest
that they would be happy to retain my custom "using another
means of payment e.g. cash, or major credit card"!
I feel that Comet have not dealt with my telephonic complaint
in a professional manner and even the managing director in a written
response appears to have missed the points which are:
1. Coment are responsible for me having a record of a loan refusal.
2. Their customer services department have been exceedingly rude
to a potential customer for which there can be no excuse (and
apparently no appology!).
3. I have been greatly inconvenienced by this event and have made
numerous telephone calls to national rate numbers in an attempt
to rectify this matter, not to mention many hours of letter and
email writing. The matter is far from over. I would expect any
reasonable company to compensate a member of the public for any
inconvenienced caused by them, but instead Comet have had the
audacity to ask for another form of payment!
4. I would expect to be informed of the outcome of their "investigation"
into the matter, but no mention of this had been made and no one
from the store has made any attempt to contact me to explain or
appologise. This leads me to feel that the matter may not have
been taken as seriously as I feel it should be.
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