Customer care .. what's that? (Carphone Warehouse)

Member Name: Danleno

Product:	Carphone Warehouse
Date:	26/07/01 (83 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Errmmm

Disadvantages: No concept of how to deal with people

I recently bought a hands free kit from these people. A month later and the plastic clip that holds the thing onto my ear has snapped. I wonder back into the shop and present the offending article and explain to the guy behind the counter what's happened.
It was like watching the "How not to do it" bit from a customer care video. He immediately drew back into a closed posture and asked me what I thought he ought to do about. I gave him a choice of two options (both polite) which basically involved replacing the part or the whole unit. To say his attitude was arrogant misses the chance to use the phrase "jumped up little pratt". I was rudely informed that the warranty didn't cover accidental damage and they couldn't be held responsible. While I was still trying to get my head around his attitude he informed me that as he was "in a good mood" he would see if there was one lying around he could give me as a gesture of goodwill (I keep meaning to send him the dictionary definition of "goodwill" as I'm pretty sure he has no idea what it means). This was duly taken out of the packet of a brand new unit (lying around?).
In retrospect I'm guessing that he was attempting to limit the responsibility of the company in the matter. However there are many ways to do this, he simply chose the one that got furthest up my nose.
This isn't an isolated incident. I've heard other people complain of equally poor customer service (although technically they are well informed) in other branches.
OK its not a lot of money and I'm sure they don't get much out of my buying it but even so.
Suffice to say with 27 other mobile phone shops in the same road (I counted them after this incident) I will not be using this chain again.

Summary: