I placed an order with Argos Direct for some weights and was told my item would be delivered on Friday 27th September 2002. My father waited between the stated hours of 8am and 6pm and nothing turned up.

The customer service line for Argos Direct orders is absolutely terrible. I have spent £5 in phone calls waiting over an hour and did not even get through to anyone to tell me why the item had not been delivered.

On the order line I got through to someone in 20 seconds but on the line for orders already placed the call level was "extremely high" and nobody was there to answer.

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH!!

I do not doubt that there are other people who have been messed about and waited in all day for parcels ringing up to complain, but perhaps if they took some of the people off
the order line and trained them to deal with the orders they have messed up there might be more chance of answering the phones in a time that wouldn't make it obvious their level
of after sales service is absolutely terrible.

The ironic thing is I've worked in customer service listening to people ranting over little things and I usually make a point of not getting angry. However, their customer service made my blood boil and their call centre, which I believe is in Widnes should be closed down. If I could have got through to whoever was responsible I would have made a point of blowing my top.

I spoke to 2 people in a Stafford call centre. One promised to ring me back, but didn't. I suspected she was lying when I spoke to her. I also spoke to a manager who was not interested in hearing me complain and tried to fob me off with the diamond phrase: "I'll log your complaint."

When I eventually got through to the helpline they told me that it wasn't delivered on the specified day because "That happens sometimes" as drivers sometimes don't have the time. I asked that the order wa
s cancelled and my VISA card refunded as well as compensation for wasting 8 hours of my fathers time and the £5 I spent waiting on the helpline. They wouldn't give compensation.

They then told me I would have to wait in on the Monday to let the delivery man know the item was to be sent back. My father then waited on the Monday but again nothing turned up. I phoned the helpline again to find that they had cancelled the order without the need of having the goods delivered to me and me refusing the delivery.

It took long enough to get through to their customer halpline and when I did get through they gave me incorrect information. I will never use Argos direct again and would rather pay more to shop elsewhere. I would advise you to do the same.