The Camaro Club (UK)

I have recently had two very conflicting customer experiences with Steampacket and Marks & Spencer which I would like to share with your readers.

First of all the Steampacket – I am currently transporting various old cars from my shed in the Isle of Man to my shed in Invernessshire. I have a booking with a car trailer in July going out and another booking in August with the same car trailer on the return. Of course the classic car broke down and needs repairs and might not be ready for the July booking. So could I please cancel the trailer on the outward in July and add to my existing booking in August? No sorry the computer will not let me do this cried the sales assistant!

But yes of course- but that will cost an additional £270! Given that the trailer cost £44 each way before, and that I had an existing booking, I thought this was outrageous. When asked why I was informed that my original bookings (comprising 5 ferry crossings during the year) had been booked before the end of January and were therefore at a special rate which could not be amended or adjusted later. Leaving aside the fact that I had plainly helped Steampacket Cashflow by shelling out £1200 in January for future crossings and the net present value of that forward cash payment was plainly more than £1200.

Now contrast this with Marks & Spencer! I bought a pair of shoes, and because it was Father’s day was given a discount, but the size required was not in stock, so they ordered a pair. When they arrived they didn’t fit and the returns team gave me my money back , and then had to deal with the fact that a reorder in the correct size would occur after Father’s Day and consequently would not attract the same discount. So replied the computer. Don’t worry the kind sales assistant said I have marked the invoice so that we may organise your original discount manually when the shoes do arrive.

And the interesting thing is the shoes also cost c. £44!

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4

In summary, people that give a sh*t = good service and have YOU as their primary interest. People that don't, have $ as their primary interest. Regardless of cost. I had THE WORST service ever when by buying my clio from Renault (took over 3 months and 3 cars to get the right one to me) and the resulting yearly services left me waiting in their reception for a whole day each time, for a filter and oil change(!?!?!) and also didn't change the filter the second time... which i had to point out to THEM and then had to come back a few days later and wait another couple of hours. YET the guy at KFC yesterday went out of his way to open the door for me. WTF?!

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Some companies will always service and be around because of great customer service ethics, M&S are one them, along with John Lewis, and a few others.
Trouble is, most people are so price and budget orientated nowdays service is seen as a bonus not an expectation.

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“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”

The Steam Racket has no competition, M&S does.

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Steven
Webmaster
83 Chevy G-20 A-Team Van 305/700R4

Could you have not asked (no demanded to speak to a manager )instead of some jumped up little JOBSWORTH gota be worth a try ,after all you are spending a fair few quid with them DO NOT ACCEPT IT Cheers Neil

There has been a follow on with this story

A fairly famous cousin of mine died aged 91 on Monday- his obituary was the lead in the relevant sections of the Telegraph on 2 July. So I really do now have to alter tickets and dates if I am to make the funeral in Devon on 13 July!

So I go along to the ticket desk carrying my Daily Telegraph and meet someone from Monty Python casting!

The conversation goes along these lines:

"Hi I would really like to change my ferry ticket as my cousin (and head of the family) recently died and the funeral is to be held in Devon the day of my current ferry booking (which arrives in Lancaster/Heysham at 12.30) could I please go 1 day earlier so that I can make the funeral?"

"Well for COMPASSIONATE grounds we may require sight of the death certificate!"

"Well how about the spread in the obituary section of the Daily Telegraph- Is this any good?"

"Well you could be making this up? You might just happen to share a surname with this famous chap who is recently deceased!"

What the fact that I have a fairly unusual surname and here is primie facia evidence of their deceased state? [ I half expected the woman to reply with other lines from the deceased parrot sketch]. Why would I bother with all this bother to move my departure forward by 1 day if it weren't for some exigency beyond my control? What on earth does the ferry company lose by enabling me to leave 1 day earlier?

"Ah well this will have to go before management!"

Do you readers want to learn what happened next (after management discovered that my letter as above (original) was published in the Isle of Man Newspapers?

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4

Letter in Examiner

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/letters/isle- ... -1-5816682

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4

Yes please Tim....

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Steven
Webmaster
83 Chevy G-20 A-Team Van 305/700R4

Come on TC lets know how you were treated to a full refund and apology Cheers Neil

No!

I am on the revised ferry booking as I speak

shifting the trailer and bringing my booking forward by 1 day cost me



£157 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am now working on a replacement ferry operator post haste-

friend of mine did exactly this on the Isle of Wight- bringing in a competitor
He is currently holidaying at my Highland Cottage - but I have kept him fully informed as well as offering him an office in Douglas to get on with the deal

You can see that I am the wrong sort of guy to cross!

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Kind Regards
TopCat
Secretary
Classic Camaro Club
Member of The Association of American Car Clubs UK
Email :tboles@strathnoon.co.uk Websites: http://www.classiccamaroclubuk.com and:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdhLJtR_ZY4