FCC Notice Of Intention To Prosecute - Advice Required Please

[RJ]

Well me for one. Yes I will try the normal customer services route first, but I haven't got the time to 'exhaust' that route. If I am told rubbish - very common in certain contact centres - then I have no problem emailing the MD's office to outline the problem in writing to them. My aim is to resolve the problem, not get anything more.

Ultimately it's your attitude I am objecting to here. You are making a sweeping statement about other people's motives.

Ultimately, I object to arrogant people who feel they are too important to spend any time dealing with who are not managers. You do have time to go through the proper channels, you just choose not to.

I've felt aggrieved in the past, compelling me to make complaints. However, I've managed to get through life without ever having to complain to a MD. I've only written to an MD once, of a certain TOC to praise a couple of people in their Customer Relations department for their proactive approach of dealing with my complaints and a guard for his admirable knowledge of tickets.

 

[soil]

Ultimately, I object to arrogant people who feel they are too important to spend any time dealing with who are not managers. You do have time to go through the proper channels, you just choose not to.

I will spend time dealing with people who are not managers, but not unlimited amounts of time.

If the person I am dealing with is clueless, then I am not going to persist indefinitely trying to get blood from that stone.

 

[maniacmartin]

Ultimately, I object to arrogant people who feel they are too important to spend any time dealing with who are not managers. You do have time to go through the proper channels, you just choose not to.

Some of us object to arrogant customer service departments who just make up a response or send boilerplate letters that don't address the questions/queries sent to them. With many (but not all) companies, dealing with their CS departments is just a waste of time.

 

[jon0844]

After having various issues with Sky, an email to the top saw me getting the problem resolved within a week, a personal phone call from the installer (who worked for Sky, not as an agent), a card with his mobile number for any problems - then my account being upgraded to Sky VIP; meaning I now get everything on the Pay-per-view for 50% off!

I got a follow up call from Sky not long after to check everything was to my satisfaction too.

What's annoying is that it will be very tempting to call them direct next time I have the tiniest of problem, but I won't. In my job, I get contact details for lots of top people, and make sure not to abuse the 'power'.

But, I don't see a problem in someone going to the top (or at least sending an email to the MD/CEO, when it won't be them reading it) if they're not getting anywhere. Even the company would prefer you did that than give up, ditch the company and spend the rest of your time telling every friend and family member never to use that company again.

What about people that now use Twitter to raise complaints? This can often get things resolved quicker than phoning customer services, as the company now has the chance to show how effective it can be to the world (in theory).

 

[Squaddie]

I've managed to get through life without ever having to complain to a MD. I've only written to an MD once, of a certain TOC to praise a couple of people in their Customer Relations department for their proactive approach of dealing with my complaints and a guard for his admirable knowledge of tickets.

So you're happy to write to an MD with a compliment but think it's wrong to do so with a complaint? I don't really see that there's a difference; either it's appropriate to raise customer relations matters directly with the MD or it's not.

 

[RJ]

So you're happy to write to an MD with a compliment but think it's wrong to do so with a complaint? I don't really see that there's a difference; either it's appropriate to raise customer relations matters directly with the MD or it's not.

I never said it was wrong to write to an MD. I just think it should only be a last resort if the relevant part of the company chooses not to provide a satisfactory response.

 

[BrownE]

I've only written to an MD once, of a certain TOC to praise a couple of people in their Customer Relations department for their proactive approach of dealing with my complaints and a guard for his admirable knowledge of tickets.

So why did you write straight to the MD? You've completely contradicted your own idea of escalation. Say one thing, do another?

Surely you should have gone: Customer Relations - CR Manager - CR Director - MD.

 

[WillPS]

Put me down as another person who writes to MDs/CEOs if I don't get a satisfactory response from customer services - in fact, last time I did I was instructed to by the customer services department!

 

[RJ]

So why did you write straight to the MD? You've completely contradicted your own idea of escalation. Say one thing, do another?

Surely you should have gone: Customer Relations - CR Manager - CR Director - MD.

I specifically wanted to ensure that the individual staff that helped received praise from above. I've only commented on the practice of going straight to the MD to lodge complaints rather than deal with the departments which will actually handle the complaint. Not once commented on praising staff.

With both TOCs I worked for, I was received praise in person from people high up for the way I conducted my work. It's motivating to be recognised for excellent work. So I know how it feels and where I feel I've received excellent service, would like other staff to receive similar recognition. I'm sure you've had the same and know how it feels so I'm surprised you even needed to ask that question!

Some of us object to arrogant customer service departments who just make up a response or send boilerplate letters that don't address the questions/queries sent to them. With many (but not all) companies, dealing with their CS departments is just a waste of time.

Yes, all very well if you have tried to deal with Customer Services and have gotten nowhere. But making that judgement before dealing with the company in question cannot be justified because of bad experiences elsewhere.

IRCAS send out stock letters to virtually everyone. Once, when they incorrectly declined my appeal, I wrote back to them to compain about their decision. Somebody there must have passed it on to their manager, as I received a personalised reply from her who addressed my points one by one. This resulted in a favourable outcome.

No doubt that some people exhibit very poor communication skills when they lodge a complaint, which can only elicit an equally inept response. I'm always very polite (even if angry) when I lodge complaints either over the telephone or in writing.

 

[Squaddie]

I never said it was wrong to write to an MD. I just think it should only be a last resort if the relevant part of the company chooses not to provide a satisfactory response.

But you said:

I object to arrogant people who feel they are too important to spend any time dealing with who are not managers.

So, did you feel that you were too important for your praise to be dealt with by a lowly manager?

 

[snail]

You do have time to go through the proper channels, you just choose not to.

There you go again. Another sweeping statement. Please don't tell me what I can and cannot do.

 

[RJ]

But you saido, did you feel that you were too important for your praise to be dealt with by a lowly manager?

The only practical ports of call I can use to contact the company is either via Customer Relations, or the MD whose details are on NRE. What am I supposed to do - write a letter to Customer Relations saying "Thank you, please tell your manager to praise you?"

My point remains - I contacted the MD because I wanted them personally feed back to the members of staff concerned. I wouldn't do this for the purpose of complaining, unless I had gone through the proper channels first and received an unsatisfactory response.