Customer Support - my arse!! (Comet.co.uk)

Member Name: welshwolf

Product:	Comet.co.uk
Date:	01/04/02 (2214 review reads)
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A new Comet has opened in Llansamlet, Swansea and as I was moving house decided to purchase a new fridge freezer - old one would probably not survive the trip.

Anyway shopped around a bit and decided on a Beco fridge Freezer that was the Managers special (frost free and Energy efficient group A) at just under £300 although then we were stung with a fee of £14 for delivery. OK we were set to move on the Tuesday so we asked Comet to deliver on the Tuesday preferably afternoon, no they would deliver Tuesday but they could not say when which meant someone in the house all day.

The Fridge freezer arrived in the afternoon and after a lot of huffing and puffing managed to get it into the Kitchen. They advised leaving it for 12hrs for the gases to settle and we ended up leaving it for over 24hrs due to work commitments. I started the freezer up after 24hrs and followed the step-by-step instructions and although very quite things seemed to be cooling down. Therefore off I toddled to Swansea that evening for some late night shopping to fill the massive freezer compartments.

When I got back from work the following lunchtime I fancied an ice-lolly and surprise surprise the damn thing was soft in the freezer, on checking everything else they were also soft after defrosting. I was bouncing and got on the phone to Comet immediately, they told me to try the fast freeze to see if that made a difference. I went back to work and came home later to the same mush.

Then the fun and games began, after phoning four different numbers offered by Comet I was told that they would get a engineer out the following Tuesday as it was a 'Bank Holiday' to confirm that it was not working. I then started getting rather heated explaining that I had five children in the house and could not wait a week for an engineer to come out and explain something that I already knew in that the fridge freezer had packed up. In the end they agreed that if I went
back to the branch (15 miles away - had to drive as nobody picks up the phone!!) and explained to them the problem they could authorise a replacement. OK that happened and we were even given a contact name of 'Ben' who would get his supervisor to ring us back that evening before closing giving an exact delivery time and date.

Come six o'clock I still had not received a return call and therefore phoned the 'Customer support Centre' once again to be told that the supervisor would phone before eight and that every thing was logged on the system, Ben was unavailable as he was on break.

Guess what by five to eight no phone call. I phoned up again to be told that I would have to go in to the shop once again and explain the situation to them or they could get an engineer out next Wednesday (all Tuesday slots now taken) as there was nothing on the system and nobody called Ben worked there. I blew my top and demanded to speak to the Supervisor but was told she was unavailable; I offered to hold but was told that I was wasting my time, as I would have to go back to Swansea the following day. I took her name and went and sat down.

The following day 'Good Friday' I was working therefore my partner went down to Swansea. They tried the normal well send an engineer out or we will send a replacement next Tuesday or Wednesday. My partner refused all options and eventually was offered Sunday between Twelve and Three pm. We settled for this and was I surprised when at nine am on Sunday morning I was got out of bed by the driver delivering our new fridge freezer.

When they arrived they took the old freezer out treating it like a bag of spuds making numerous dents and if it did not work before it would most certainly not work now. The new one was put in its niche and we were told we only had to wait 4 hrs this time for the gases to settle.

Well we have now put the fridge freezer on and it
seems to be working OK (touch wood) but I will not be buying from Comet again especially after reading other peoples opinions. I will also be putting a claim in for the food lost, telephone calls and petrol wasted out of principle, I'll let you know the outcome of all that.

Update 11/04/02
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You'll never believe it but after all that the Fridge has packed up on the second Fridge Freezer. Once again we phoned Comet and they said they would send out a service engineer a week later. After a lot of arguing they sent the engineer out two days later and guess what he said 'This fridge is not working we need to replace it' - that really took a genius. I went straight down to Comet and demanded my money back, which they did after a bit of discussion.

We then went to Currys and ordered a new Fridge Freezer, which is being delivered today. Still one outstanding moan guess what Comet want to pick up the old fridge freezer this Sunday do you think they can give me a time - if it's a nice day they'll have a wasted journey.

Still awaiting a reply regards the claim for wasted food, trips to Comet and telephone calls, will keep you up to date.

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