It’s like homework

Flossie

I keep getting an Email from J Lewis asking for a review on a pack of plain knickers that I bought.

I am tempted to write. Adequate for the job, They have a gap for each leg, a gap for the waist and cover my bum. In modern parlance, 'they fill the brief'.

It's ok if the questions have a yes/no answer. I hate it when they say "and why did you give that answer?" The obvious reply is "Because you asked me!"

Today I was on the phone to a government department and had to sit through the usual 'Why aren't you using our internet service?' stuff before I got to speak to a real person. Part of the automated bit was to ask if I would leave feedback after speaking to the 'agent' (no, it wasn't MI5 or 6) and if so, to press 1, if not, to press 2. I pressed 1 as I was fed up having to answer initial questions from a computer voice which accepted only Yes or No as an answer, even though they were not really applicable to my problem. Anyway, at (considerable) length, I got through to a very helpful woman who understood what I wanted and went to some trouble to sort it out. After I had spoken to her, I waited for the feedback survey, as I was keen to say how helpful she had been, but nothing. Even when I pressed 1 again. Ever feel that you just can't win?

I have stopped giving what I consider to be time-consuming feedback on line or otherwise to companies, restaurants and shops I use.

I'll tell people if I am dissatisfied and will compliment those I feel have been helpful but I am no longer going to aid their ratings or provide free market research.

I used to do it always, often writing in detail about what worked, what didn't, etc, but no more. There aren't enough hours in the day, because everyone I deal with now seems to 'value my opinion'.

I put a scathing review on an own brand jug kettle I bought from Tesco which was downright dangerous as the balance was so wrong. My review was 'moderated' out and I was asked to 'try again' as my review was "inappropriate" - whereupon I became incandescent with fury. At what poing does my experience in finding that a product is a danger when filled with boiling water due to it's poor design become inappropriate? When it is put on the review page of their website - that is when!

Several times I've given irate feedback about the service - or lack of it - in my local branch of a major supermarket beginning with T. Checkout operators who can't be bothered to say hello because they are too busy moaning to other members of staff, people assembling delivery orders who practically shove you out of the way to get something off a shelf etc etc. Never had any response and the service never gets any better, which is why I now go to the much cheaper German supermarket across the road where floor staff are helpful and checkout workers super fast but still manage to acknowledge your presence and say hello.

Give us your opinion emails and surveys go straight to my junk mailbox. Doesn't everyone do that?

If I've something to say to a company, positive or negative, I say it without being asked.

Surely a business knows in its bones what is good service and what isn't?

Three weeks ago 2 days before DD and I where due to fly to Majorca I had to go on line 3 times in one day to "Ryanair" (totally my own fault for booking with them) to chase up our boarding cards I received 3 replies and 2 phone calls all 5 requesting feedback and the next day I received another phone call requesting me to log on to their web site and leave feedback for my recent experience,unbelievable service.

I a tempted to send a survey to the people I have dealt with to ask their experience of me. Must think of some good questions though. How did you feel about serving me? Rate from one to ten. Did I look nice? Did I pay for the goods I bought? Would you serve me again? Then ask for their age, marital status, annual salary etc. shall we do that?

I enjoy giving constructive feedback. Many people depend on feedback ratings to get their bonuses.
Companies cannot improve if they don’t know which areas they are failing in. They won’t keep services if they don’t know which ones their customers appreciate.
Most companies now have customer service targets and charters. The only way they can measure their performance against these is to ask their users for feedback.
Customer reviews that highlight specific pluses and minuses are very useful to other potential buyers/ Service users.
There’s no point in saying “nothing” Many reviews say “good” or “not up to scratch” etc. These are worthless without details or specifics. If you have no actual details to give, there’s no point in reviewing. Businesses and potential customers need to know the exact issue that was good or bad.
I’ve just bought some lamp tables. The decision to buy these was helped considerably by a detailed but concise review of both the service and the tables.
It’s odd how so many people say they read reviews and feedback but refuse to give any themselves.
I’ve also been encouraged to complete even more, having won £100 and £25 in quarterly draws from different companies who put all their feedback responders into prize draws to encourage constructive comments.

If their online blurbs are littered with mistakes - flower boarders and shower cubicals, etc., I might well tell them that sadly, such sloppiness did not bode well for their competence in other areas.
But that's pedantic old me for you.

I will admit to once deciding against an estate agent because of gelled hair, fat shiny tie, etc. The one I chose had a well groomed and properly grown up appearance. Not sure he was any better than the average, though.

i've often wondered why people write reviews saying how wonderful a product is, perfect colour, fit for purpose, etc, etc ... and then mention they intend to unpack it this afternoon. perhaps it's their way of saying the review was asked for too soon?!

Don’t bother giving feedback if you don’t want to.

I get annoyed when asked for feedback on products which have barely been in the house for 24 hours! In one case, the curtain pole ordered hadn't even reached my house when Imwas asked for feedback. There was a while when I was regularly asked for a review about the packaging of goods.
Last week, at the end of a twenty minute procedure to change an ISA from my previous provider, I was asked if I would comment on the experience in the visitor's book in the waiting area. I had no problem with the exchange we had, and said so, though I was tempted to mention the very ill fitting suit that the young chap was wearing. I think it's to a company's advantage to inspire confidence by ensuring that front of house staff create a good first impression - smart clothing and polished shoes (possibly a thing of the past).

I enjoy giving feedback and always tell the truth. I love it when I can say, 'So and so reeked of tobacco and I'll never have them in the house again' or 'I want to speak to a person , not a machine' but also say nice things, if warranted. If it actually improves the service, I'm all for it but doubt it with the banks as they want to be fully automated.

perhaps a short and sweet comment .
Alternative Agent preferred :-)

My son was delivery driver for large furniture chain and he had to ask customers to go online to rate his delivery service. If he did not get 75% excellent he lost his bonus for the month. He used to state when people are happy they don't leave feedback Rating but if they are unhappy they will complain. He said he may do 400 drops in a week and get 60 say very good or excellent but 2 or 3 unhappy customers but most made no comment so v hard to get bonus especially as customers did not understand most problems beyond his control.

Maybe slightly off-topic, but as well as not liking negative reviews, some companies clearly monitor forums like this for mentions of them or their services. I discovered this two years ago when I had a moan on here about a phone company. They were not happy, and actually posted on the thread. Initially they implied that what I had said could not possibly be true. Luckily, I was soon able to prove to them that it was. Social media must be a very mixed blessing for them!

I agree. Get fed up with it. Everything you buy online every holiday every visit to doctor, dentist etc. I can't be bothered generally. I do give good reviews for holidays, hotels etc if they are very good and I do read other reviews before booking holidays but it's just getting ridiculous. I recently gave a bad review for a company I was very fed up with only to have a longer questionnaire wanting to know why I gave them a poor rating - it was multi choice and none of the options fitted with my experience! Also whenee bought a rug at Dunelm the salesman (who was very good) asked us to give him a good review online when we got back home but we never managed to find the correct site so felt a bit sorry.

If I get exceptionally good service I give feed back and if I get exceptionally bad service I give feedback. Otherwise I feel that life is just too short.

The last review I was handed last week worked in my favour. I had ordered a freezer and two fellows delivered it. I did not pay to have the packaging removed and popped in their van and the fellow put together the door handle and part of the rear. I am sure he did it because he handed me the review before even laying the freezer on the floor, I told him what I thought of reviews, he laughed, did everything for me I was supposed to pay for so I gave him an excellent review without mentioning the free "extras".

Makes me laugh when the hospital hands you a satisfaction questionnaire whilst you are still an in patient before discharge ....obviously it is prudent to put something positive about your experience or else I am not sure what might happen .......(only joking !) all my hospital experiences here in France have been positive ones, so I was happy to leave positive comments ! Others, online, from places like catalogues, really bug me .....the last one I told them exactly what I thought (after all why be nice if you had a bad experience !) ....the delivery time and date were fine, the garments horrible ....so I sent them back ! Hope it will prove helpful !

At the end of one holiday I was asked to complete the review form and hand to rep before I left. I ignored the request only to have the rep chase me and insist I sign a form to say I'd refused to complete the review. Over the top in my opinion and I thought I was the customer so it was my choice!

I ignore these requests for feedback - they are just too numerous.

What really annoys me are the phone calls on behalf of VW after we have the car serviced. They are not even from VW itself, but a company they employ to do it - I would rather they stopped employing them and reduced the price of the service!

The real problem is that I get several calls every time from different people!