Dinner will be on the table in three days...! (Asda.com)

Member Name: NaomiGibson

Product:	Asda.com
Date:	15/07/09 (106 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I got my shopping for free.... in theory

Disadvantages: Where do I start!?

I have only just joined the Dooyoo community in the past few days and I have been itching to write this review. However in the interest of fairness I decided to hold off until the matter was resolved to give a fair review of my shopping experience. So in the interest of fairness I will add my order information and start with the positive!

Delivery slot: 5PM - 7PM
Date 03 Jul 2009
Order No: 151899294

My partner works away a lot and I always like to have nice food in the cupboards when he returns as it saves us a shopping trip and allows us more time together. On Thursday 2nd July before 1200 I tried ASDA online. I thought I would try ASDA as it is reputed to be cheap. The thing that attracted me most was the peppers. Single Peppers cost 75p in my local Co-op and only 50p from ASDA.com

My shopping originally came to around £58.00 and I paid on my credit card I rarely use without being aware of the available balance. On Friday morning I got a text message requesting that I call the number stated before 1300 or my order would be cancelled. I thought this was an interesting money saver for them, but not great customer service. I expect a phone call if there is a problem with my order, not the equivalent of a 'dropped call'!!
So I called the number and it transpired that the payment had not been authorised. The lady on the phone was very helpful and took payment from my debit card. I was happy with this and carried on with my day.
When I got home my partner suggested we go out for the evening as we hadn't seen each other for nearly three weeks (a very long trip!) and agreed. I said we just needed to wait until 1900 at the latest as that was the end of my delivery slot. I told him it would likely be earlier as my previous experience with home shopping was that the order arrived nearer the start of the slot's time. We made plans with friends and agreed to meet at 2000hrs.

1700hrs came and went.

1800hrs came and went.

.... you guessed it 1900hrs CAME AND WENT.

So at about 1915 I called the number on the website. The lady was helpful and apologetic. She offered to refund my delivery charge but I explained I had had a voucher code... she didn't really seem to understand this saying she would refund it anyway. There are no delivery credits on my account.
She said she would look into the where abouts of the driver and get back to me. She was not able to gaurentee a time of arrival. I told her I had to go out and she said it was fine and the driver would leave a delivery note with the local store's number on it to arrange redelivery.

At 2015 a driver called me to inform me he was running late (apparently so!). When I told him he was already an hour and fifteen late he started telling me it was not his fault in a less than polite manner. I informed him I was not interested in blame and when could I expect my shopping. He promised it within an hour and a half! I told him I would not be in as I had evening plans but that he should still post the delivery note.

After that, we went out, and with my phone in my bag I enjoyed my evening. When we came back in I noticed a missed call received just before 2200, from the same mobile number as the driver had used before. I can only assume that was when he arrived at my house. The delivery note had been posted through the door.

The next day I phoned up the Small Heath branch in Birmingham where my order was to be picked from. I was put through to the department and spoke to a lady named Tracey. She apologised and explained what had happened. As I recall I was told there had been an accident. Frankley, if I had been contacted and informed of that at 1700-1900hrs I would have been very understanding. However, even when I reminded her that this was their error and I had been allocated a delivery slot that they had not even vaguely kept to she was unable to deliver my groceries that day. I almost cancelled my order but she promised me one of the first deliveries on Sunday morning with my order to arrive before 1000. She promised to enclose a gift card as way of apology.

Sunday morning....

Yup. 1000 came and went.

After 1000hrs I called the store again and asked to speak to the Duty Manager. I was put through to a man named Malcolm and my call was immediately cut off. I redialled and was put through again - he was very apologetic.

Malcolm was very helpful and disappointed with the service I had received. Here are some key points. He looked into the matter and apologised for my experience. He took my name and address and said he would resolve the matter. He was very friendly and understanding - he actually commented that I was more understanding than he was and that he would have cancelled the order if this had been his experience.

About 1115 the order arrived. The delivery men gave me my products. When I asked about a gift card that Tracey was sending they said she had sent nothing with them and I should contact the store.
I was so embarrassed! I started checking off my delivery, half considering writing the experience off as a bad one. I didn't know how I could phone up and effectively say, "am, you bribed me with a gift card that hasn't arrived?"
When I checked off my order I noticed I was missing £6.00 worth of ham.

Again I called Malcolm the duty manager as I felt that this might be the only way of resolving this due to my experience with the department. I phoned him and in his friendly manner he greeted me but said, "what's worrying me is that we are talking again!" I explained what had happened and included the absence of the promised gift card. He told me he was transferring me to the department and that he had a feeling I would be getting my shopping for free.

When I was transferred I spoke to Tracey again and this was indeed what was promised. I enquired how long this would take and she said 3 working days. I told her I appreciated this and with such a gesture would assume this to be a one off experience and try them again in the future.

Unfortunately that brings me up to today 15th July 2009. And as yet not a penny of the £61.08 has been refunded to my account. Please bear in mind, £6.00 of that is money I have paid for a product not received, with £55.08 as a good will gesture.

So today I checked my debit card account and to be on the safe side, the credit card I had used in case there had been a clerical error on the refund. There was no refunded money on either. I rang ASDA Small Heath and had just missed the duty manager as he had to attend a manager's meeting. I gave my details to the operator and minutes after I hung up a lady called Christina, a manager in the online shopping department called me back.
She paid lip service with an apology and told me there had been a problem with their system and she had processed the refund again on Monday 13th July 2009. When I told her a complimentary phone call to advise me of this would have been helpful her response was non-commital. She told me if I wanted to know more about the status of my refund I should call the 0844 number on my receipt and proceeded to advise me on how banks work and that I could also call my bank.....!!

As a final blow in this conversation I must state that she was almost passive aggressive. She wasn't rude, and she didn't swear but the words 'that's fine' were thrown about a bit. Most notably when I told her that initially I would have been willing to try this service again but after all that had happened and waiting 10days for a promised refund I didn't think I would. "That's fine." I think it's only fair to make you aware that I will be writing an online review of my experience "That's fine."

I got off the phone and realise I was no further along than before the call. I knew they had processed it but they had apparently done that before and nothing happened. I called the 0844 number and spoke to Dean. I explained the situation. He has assured me he will look into it and as such I have agreed to give them a little more time to resolve this issue before posting my review. He has taken my mobile number and is to call me ASAP.

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I received a call this afternoon from the manager (Zaid) on the 0844 number. He has been very genuinely apologetic and assured me that the refund will be here within 10 days, along with additional compensation. Whether this happens or not...? Watch this space. I will update this review as and when.

16.07.09
Finally got my refund... well... shopping cost £61.08. Refund is £59.56. How do they get it SO wrong! May well be only £1.52 missing but that is £1.52 I was promised. My summary really comes true more with every installation of this palavour. False promises galour. No sign of the 'additional compensation' as yet but this is to be expected as Zaid only promised it yesterday.

17.07.09
Four more phone calls today.
One to enquire aout the refund amount (1000hrs). Zaid was not available, operator said he would call me when he came in.
1500hrs, no call back so tried again - he's not in today apparently. Spoke to Candy. She informed me that my 'additional compensation' is £10.00 e-voucher for ASDA.com... LOL, so to redeem in I must risk going through all this again! Checked my account, its there, plus a free delivery now as well.
Said they had refunded £61.08 and that I must call my bank.
Called Abbey - they confirmed that this was false, the refund was processed as £59.56 and no charges had been taken from this.
Called ASDA Small Heath - spoke to Tracey again. She sounded flustered and rushed. No apology just asked me to do her maths and assured me £1.52 would be processed. I commented I have made about 10-12 calls regarding this and so she is refunding me £6.52. Lets see if it arrives?

29.07.09
I really hoped my next update would be the last. However, the £6.52 has yet to be credited to mydebit card so I called the 0844 number today. Again Zaid was unavailable and I spoke to a manager named Tony. He is aware of the situation and has promised to be in touch before 8pm tonight...

Summary: Cheap groceries and a series of broken promises