It’s really disheartening for us to write this post however this situation which has worsened during the current economic crisis can no longer be ignored.
Customer Service staff have seen a dramatic rise in abusive behaviour when being spoken to by some customers. Many in an antagonistic way, lack of respect and with absolute impunity.
Female staff have been reduced to tears by the disgraceful conduct of some customers which has resulted in one of our staff feeling she had no alternative but to leave the company.
Some customers believe it completely acceptable to hold staff to ransom by email or telephone for a variety of different things, most notably the latest consumer trend to demand compensation for absolutely anything at any time or to request free products.
If this is not offered or agreed to a negative review submitted online is then threatened.
More frequent are emails received which are rude, have been typed in an aggressive way demanding immediate rectification via a refund or imply threats.
Customers are ‘shouting’ and ‘screaming’ at staff on the telephone in such an apoplectic rage that some struggle to breathe whilst demanding staff email addresses and telephone numbers to ‘have it out with them’.
We receive emails from customers who claim to have been telephoning for ‘weeks’ and asking why we have not returned their calls. Upon asking if they left a voicemail they reply ‘no’. Of course staff are unsure how to return a call if a voicemail is not left??
Some customers despite our voicemail message requesting customers do not leave repeat voicemail messages are leaving 3, 4, 5 and even 6 voicemails in a very short period demanding to know why their call is not being returned.
Some customers who refuse to use a qualified electrician and may not understand the technical advice received because their light fitting still does not work are resorting to accuse SaveMyLight of being con merchants, supplying second hand reject products and conducting illegal consumer practices for example our telephone number being illegal.
A few customers even have the audacity to accuse SaveMyLight that a product purchased has not fixed their light fitting thus blaming us for their purchase!!
An increasing number of customers after purchase are demanding we amend company policy by ‘changing to a courier that suits them for price, reliability or past experience’.
We even have customers demanding we file complaints against a courier on their behalf because an item was not delivered to the customer’s expectation of a delivery time that suited them!
Some customers are purchasing products from unofficial sellers on Ebay or similar websites who request we give full fitting instructions because we sell the same product. Upon advising the customer that the product was not purchased from us nor do we know its history or production date the customer then proceeds to make threats. Again the most common; a negative feedback somewhere online.
SaveMyLight is receiving returned products from customers that we have never sold with the customer claiming ‘we sent this product’.
This is fraudulent, criminal behaviour.
Some customers are even disassembling the product into many pieces rendering the product unsellable expecting us to refund the sale upon receipt of the goods.
This diabolical consumer behaviour and barrage of abuse against staff MUST stop.
It’s embarrassing for customers to believe they can put pressure on a retailer to make changes to suit them.
As the way retail shopping has evolved since the evolution of online shopping customers wrongly believe that this behaviour is the new normal and perfectly acceptable.
SaveMyLight is at a loss as to where customers are locating these step by step consumer action templates which gives questionable buyer assistance that seems to become worse the further down the list the options go.
Customers are misconstruing advice given to them for example from Trading Standards, Martin Lewis and other online consumer portals and changing this advice to suit their situation thus the retailer allegedly has no legal Rights.
SaveMyLight will not be swayed by demands for compensation, negative reviews left on 3rd party websites, emails insinuating further action if a customer’s terms are not complied with or threats of reports to Trading Standards.
SaveMyLight is not interested in nasty, spiteful, hateful reviews left by vengeful customers when our website has over 350 reviews from customers over the course of many years of wonderful trading.
All Customer Service staff have been advised to do the following:
1) To terminate all abusive telephone calls.
2) To block the sender of any email/s that are threatening or abusive in nature.
3) To place a security block on the customer’s details including their payment details.
4) To refund a sale or void the guarantee on any product/s after purchase thus leaving the customer to seek alternative assistance.
SaveMyLight is here to help you save your light fitting and to give technical advice on the products we sell.
We are not here to tolerate abusive threatening behaviour. No one should go to work fearing they will be abused or threatened. Yet somehow this behaviour is becoming normalised. Everyone working in retail has a right to be protected and a right to be respected.
ALL telephone calls are recorded and abusive emails retained.
