Love the product but the company stinks... they've lost a loyal customer! (GHD Mk4 Straighteners)

Member Name: Lorraine28

Product:	GHD Mk4 Straighteners
Date:	08/12/07 (2777 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sleek, straight her for days

Disadvantages: worst customer service and after sales service, one rule for one, another for someone else.

What a disasterous time I've had with GHD hair straighteners!!! I was bought them 4 yrs ago as a Xmas present.It was my sister that introduced me to them, she had bought some about 6 months earlier and I just had to have some!!! I loved them and recommended them to all my friends. I always said I would never use another brand.
In Dec 2005 my GHDs stopped working due to a fault at the wire. At the same time my sister's broke as well. We both sent them back at around the same time. Within a couple of weeks GHD repaired mine and sent me them back. My sister, however, received a brand new pair! I was happy though, my beloved GHDs were back in my possession again!
In September of this year my sister's irons broke again, again, a fault with the wire. Then a couple of weeks ago mine blew up at the plug and black smoke started coming from the plug. My kids were in the room at the time, not far from the straighteners but luckily were unharmed, just a little shocked!!!
I sent mine back again with a letter explaining what had happened. When my sister found out I had sent mine back she too decided to do the same, after struggling with a pair of Remington ones for a couple of months.
About a week later I received a phone call from GHD. I was told that they no longer made this type of iron anymore so they couldn't repair them, however, they could offer me a discount of 25% on a new pair which would take the total cost to just £90 which also included next day delivery and a bottle of the spray. I said I didn't want to pay that and ended the call.
Later on it suddenly dawned on me that they still had my old straighteners so I decided to ring them to ask for them back. I was told I could have them back but it would cost £10 for delivery and admin costs. I asked if the could send them by recorded delivery but they insisted they only have send items by special delivery. I argued that these straighteners were now worthless but they said I had to pay £10. I then told them I had looked on eBay and found a seller (with 15000+ feedback) selling them for £87. The lady then told me that they must be fake and that if I bought any from this company the warranty would be invalid.
I contacted the eBay sellers and told them what GHD had said and they told me she was talking rubbish. They had never had a problem with customers not being able to get their items repaired and the fact that 15000 buyers thought they were genuine speaks for itself!!!
She then offered to knock the p&p off the irons so I could buy them for £86.00 . Funny how to send my old ones back is £10 but to send me a new pair only costs £4.00!!!!
Today, my sister has received a brand new pair of GHD straighteners and a lovely letter from GHD customer services. The straighteners aren't the mark 4 new style, they are the same as her old ones, and the same as mine. The style that GHD customer service told me they no longer make!!!!
I am furious! Why should I receive this level of service compared to my sister? It seems to be one rule for one person and one rule for someone else.
After my ordeal with them on the phone on Thursday I wrote them a complaints letter, I am still waiting for a reply! I am going to ring them on Monday and explain all this to them again. If I still do not get anywhere I am going to BBC Watchdog. I remember them being on there a couple of years ago with hundreds of people reporting on dangerous electrical faults. In fact my friend was one of them, and her arm was burnt! It could have been as nasty as that for me had I, or worse my kids, been any closer to the plug socket!!!
As a product they are fantastic, but when you are spending £100 on them you expect them to last a lot more than two years before having to send them off to be repaired.
I have since found that there a loads of sites selling them for as little of £89.95 so their offer of 25% off (£90) is pretty poor really.

In conclusion I think GHD are just out to make as much money as they can on new and also existing customers! As they are market leaders they think they can get away with it. I just hope someone else comes on the market with a product which is as good, if not better which a much better customer service team. That will give GHD a shock.

I'll let you know if I get anywhere with GHD next week!!!!

To be continued....

Summary: Worst after sales service experienced. Greedy company out to make money from old customers and new!