What to do with bad customer service?

[old higsonian]

Obviously this is Finland so the customer service bar is very low. However, at some point even the low expectations are not met and you start to think this must be violating some consumer rights. Is there anything I can do?

Basically a company taking an unreasonable amount of time over a task and failing to inform me of the lack of progress or the reasons behind the lack of progress. The result is inconvenience to me, but not any significant costs.

Do i just have to take it or is there anything I can do or threaten them with?

Obviously I have already been involved in (heated) discussions with them and tried all I can to get my job done.

[cathe]

Hey,

check here, it is the Consumer Agency.
http://www.kuluttajavirasto.fi/en-GB/consumer_advice/

Or the Consumer Disputes Board.
http://www.kuluttajariita.fi/index.php?language=en&linkID=0&subLinkID=0

From my experiences the consumer advisory service from the Agency didn't do much and was quite incompetent...

Wish you good luck with it!

[old higsonian]

Thanks.

Looks like the shouting had an effect and things seem to be moving.

I now remember approaching Kuluttajavirasto earlier and not getting much joy.

[onkko]

So you dont tell anything and want to know what to do?
Hire other business to do what you want them to do.

[Kutittaa]

Obviously this is Finland so the customer service bar is very low.

I already dislike your attitude, and instead will just tell you that you need to get over yourself. If you don't like the country, leave.

[frankb]

old higsonian wrote:
Obviously this is Finland so the customer service bar is very low.

I already dislike your attitude, and instead will just tell you that you need to get over yourself. If you don't like the country, leave.

I don't know about the OP's actual problem etc. but I know that a statement like 'get out' sounds like the American reaction to people who didn't approve of Vietnam War - 'If you don't love it, leave it!*

One thing is absolutely sure: Customer Service in Finland is absolutely ATROCIOUS. No appeal is even possible - companies have walled off their totally ineffective CS departments from management or anyone else. Gigantti CS tells you they are prohibited from giving stores' phone numbers, they themselves have no access to phones where they can call you back, etc. Bauhaus doesn't even have ANY phone! One company after another is doing this.

And if someone sdesn't like that - they can move out. What??????

[Ice_Man]

I've only had positive customer service experiences in Finland!! I keep hearing about how it is bad but haven't seen it myself. IMO it's superior to UK customer service but maybe that isn't saying much.

My Finnish g/f sometimes insist I deal with issues in English, as foreigners get better service as it's easier for the Finnish company rep just to go along with the customer wants rather than trying to argue in a foreign language.

Maybe I haven't been living here long enough

[frankb]

I've only had positive customer service experiences in Finland!! I keep hearing about how it is bad but haven't seen it myself. IMO it's superior to UK customer service but maybe that isn't saying much.

OK fine - let me just ask you to do two things and let's see what you come up with.

1. Buy a phone from Gigantti. Bring it in for service for the THIRD TIME within a few weeks of being new - you get a message after a week that it is ready for pickup - call their CS and ask for a phone number so you can ask the shop what was done to it because the fellow at service when you brought it in said he was requesting a NEW PHONE in exchange. The shop is a 50 km round trip so you would like to know before going there. I believe you will find that you can't call the shop - it is prohibited. They will put you into a 'callback' system and they say you should hear from them within three days!

2. You want to buy some floor tiles from Bauhaus. It is a 50 km round trip. You want to check that the store has them in beige and they are in stock. You look for the phone number EVERYWHERE - forget it!

And these have been within the last week. For more fun and games try Elisa, Sonera, DNA, Fortum, Kesko, Finnair etc. etc. The best CS depts are at Stockmann (at a price!) - and at the Tax Company (again at a price )

deal with issues in English, as foreigners get better service

This is one ploy - it used to be a lot more effective before companies started prohibiting 'agents' from going outside 'policy lines' in any language - policies which are rarely set up with customer friendliness in mind - they are basically designed to say 'no, we are not permitted to do that.'

Finnish companies have never learned that for every € you spend KEEPING a customer, it would cost you 10€ to get a new one. Get a really lousy meal in Finland - one they even acknowledge because it is a new cook whatever - and you will be offered a 'free' cup of coffee (coffee which has usually been on the hot pan for hour(s) to boot). Only now are they starting to come around on that one - but it takes a lot of persistence on part of the customer.

[old higsonian]

Thanks to cathe for reminding me about Kuluttajavirasto. That was what I was after. However, having tried to activate them on an earlier case then I remember it is not much of a threat.

I wasnt looking for advice on the specific case and dont want to tell tales on the company here, at least not before this is concluded. They still have a chance to recover the situation, to some extent.

Its not really being controversial to say that in general customer service in Finland is poor. The main reason seems to be lack of competition in a small market. Usually you dont have many second choices or getting out of your first choice and into the second choice is a hassle and time consuming.

Of course I have experienced good customer service and often that is down to well meaning people in their own businesses or individuals going out of their way in the big companies (Finnair being one example).

Anyway, its a minor inconvenience that only pops up every now and then and in balance with the big picture of living in Finland, then I think I will stay.

[Kutittaa]

call their CS and ask for a phone number so you can ask the shop what was done to it

Why do you need to know what was done to it? Gigantti is a cheap store. If you want good CS go to Stockmann and pay out the ass. Stop complaining. I've bought numerous things from Gigantti and have returned 2 items to have them repaired. Who cares what is done to the product. They are usually replaced or fixed. Does it matter? Ok you have to return it 3 times. Get a grip and realise that you shouldn't buy from there maybe? So it's Gigantti's fault that the phone broke? Why not complain to the manufacturer or stop dropping it all the time and it might work.

The shop is a 50 km round trip so you would like to know before going there.

Big deal. If it's fixed, then you go and get it. Gosh what kind of complaining person are you? If your phone was repaired and they said it was done, go and get it and ask at the store. Sure, Finnish companies don't provide much support over the phone but that is just something you have to deal with. Is it really the man at the counter's fault? No. This is one reason why things can be cheaper at certain places. Because there isn't always someone to listen to your over-critical paranoid questions.

Sorry I don't see the big deal in a 50km round-trip. It's about 60kms round-trip to the corner store here in Australia, and about 80 to the nearest town.

I believe you will find that you can't call the shop - it is prohibited.

Calling many of the places in Australia is also prohibited. This is just the way it is. What makes you think that Finland is an exception? Why would Gigantti allow you to call them so you can complain about products that they can't do anything about? Do you understand what Gigantti is? They are a reseller, they buy thing in bulk from the manufacturer and then sell them at a higher price per piece... If you have a problem with any item everyone knows that it is best to WALK IN to a store rather than complain over the phone.

They will put you into a 'callback' system and they say you should hear from them within three days!

Because there are tons of clowns like yourself who break their tech and then have to send it back to get it fixed. If you have an issue with it, stop bashing the retailer and start complaining to the manufacturer! If you are seriously silly enough to send it back THREE TIMES within its warranty without asking for a refund then you deserve to jump through hoops.

I got a Hi-Fi system from Gigantti. One speaker was broken, yeah it was some cheap no-name brand one. They wanted the whole thing back, not just the speaker. I gave everything to them. Waited a week, was called that it was fixed. I got it back, everything worked but then it wouldn't turn on after 2 days. I returned it again and demanded a refund and I was refunded without a problem. Sure it wasn't the best experience ever but I got my money back and then went and got something else I preferred anyway.

2. You want to buy some floor tiles from Bauhaus. It is a 50 km round trip. You want to check that the store has them in beige and they are in stock. You look for the phone number EVERYWHERE - forget it!

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bauhaus+puhelinnumero

Second result in google, I can see the @#$% number without even having to click on the search result! If that isn't the place you are looking for, then ask to be connected to it. Sheesh! Don't you know how to google? Click the second search result and look on the left. All the contact information is there. What is your problem?

And these have been within the last week. For more fun and games try Elisa, Sonera, DNA, Fortum, Kesko, Finnair etc. etc. The best CS depts are at Stockmann (at a price!) - and at the Tax Company (again at a price )

I will agree that DNA was bad, and didn't even look at my order for 2 weeks, and 2 people lied to me about having looked at it when they hadn't. You just have to use your intuition. Sure, CS might suck in Finland but the QoS (Quality of Service) is fantastic. Call me 'American' or whatever you want, I couldn't care less. "If you don't like it, leave." Every country has big issues. Read my thread "You @#$% Finns have got it so easy".

Finnish companies have never learned that for every € you spend KEEPING a customer, it would cost you 10€ to get a new one. Get a really lousy meal in Finland - one they even acknowledge because it is a new cook whatever - and you will be offered a 'free' cup of coffee (coffee which has usually been on the hot pan for hour(s) to boot). Only now are they starting to come around on that one - but it takes a lot of persistence on part of the customer.

Why not just cut your losses like the rest of us normal people? Realise that companies can make mistakes and that workers can make mistakes. People aren't perfect, you just sound like one of those arrogant fools who is never happy having to follow the simplest procedures when something isn't 'satisfactory'.

The best thing you can do is NEVER GO BACK. You're the customer, and your € counts. SO DON'T GO BACK. Rather than waste your time complaining to a wall, don't make the 50km round trip. Or move closer to the city for crying out loud! Rather than complain, just get up and leave. You lost a bit of money on a dinner or whatever, who cares. Maybe it ruined your night. Who cares, go somewhere else. How cheap are you? Seriously if you want to get angry, tell everyone what a !"#¤% place it was and they'll lose business. You obviously aren't the only one who got hard done by, and if that is the case then they'll lose business and you'll get the 'closure' that is obviously so important to you.

[frankb]

What a rant!

Good thing you bailed out and went to Australia - we've got a pretty fine place here and work on fixing things so they're better.

SHEESH - try to get a life and spend time on things a bit closer to you - good thing we didn't end up with colonies on the moon - you'd be on their forums wasting time

---------------------------------------

Glad you found a BH phone number. Their managers told me some weeks ago that they had cut off phone service as they wanted store personnel to work on people physically there. And didn't want a separate department. So they perhaps have found out how stupid that policy was.

No sensible person spends gas and time to drive 60 km to find out if the store has beige tiles in stock. And you shouldn't either. You should be out digging in your backyard for minerals to ship to China - like all good patriotic Australians.

++

Phone (Nokia) defective in 1 week - software lost all info - three more times to service - Gigantti asked for new phone - as 2x in service had done NOTHING - of course someone wants to call during DAY to find out what was done. And where do you come off to just say it was continually dropped? (The consumer law in Finland says Gigantti is responsible to the customer - NO ONE ELSE - the seller is the party to do something! - they have to arrange repair or replacement - so they are exactly the people to talk to)

If you are seriously silly enough to send it back THREE TIMES within its warranty without asking for a refund then you deserve to jump through hoops. -

That's exactly the point - Nokia and DNA have told Gigantti they don't do anything about phones unless 3X in service - even a 'new' phone - Gigantti management has not told them that is nonsense and Gigantti continues to sell Nokia - salesman told me that if they refunded new defective phones they would have a warehouse full of defective stuff.



[/i]

[kevinyooo]

+1 to frankb.

Obviously this Australian guy is bitter with foreigners other than himself for some 'undisclosed' reasons.

[Kutittaa]

What a rant!
Good thing you bailed out and went to Australia - we've got a pretty fine place here and work on fixing things so they're better.
SHEESH - try to get a life and spend time on things a bit closer to you - good thing we didn't end up with colonies on the moon - you'd be on their forums wasting time.

Indeed. I'll be back in 3 days. Australia isn't the 'paradise' that most people think it is. But it's a great place for 30+'s and over, retirees and holiday makers. Apart from that we're very much behind the rest of the world.

My point mate, was that Finland isn't so different from other places on earth, even those on the other side of the planet. Take the bitter with the better ey ole' chap? Rather than get in a tuff about things you can't fix, as I stated before. Just make your € count and tell everyone else to go somewhere else. Negative feedback speaks a million times louder than positive feedback. Companies reel from negative feedback. No hard feelings

Glad you found a BH phone number.

C'mon man.... google next time. *facepalm* I shouldn't even have to say the 'G' word...

No sensible person spends gas and time to drive 60 km to find out if the store has beige tiles in stock.

You're right. A sensible person consults google with a 2 second query to see if there is a phone number available. Instead of having an arrogant tantrum about customer service on a forum and then proceeding to be insulted when someone tells you to grow up.

Who should grow up? Me who thinks you're acting like a bit of a tool, or you who seems to be the one ranting. *chuckle*

You should be out digging in your backyard for minerals to ship to China - like all good patriotic Australians.

Now now, no need to crack out the ole' racism can. I didn't vote for Johnny Howard and I'm a greenie at heart. Pop on Youtube and do a search for "NSW CSG Protest" I'm the one causing the huge scene I don't want people digging anything up in Australia except for vegies! So keep your trap shut

To the rest of your silly post. It's fine to blow off some steam, just keep it away from me and don't let me single you out for a good e-bashing. Even though you're gluttons for punishment.

I'll say it again, sit down have a cuppa and take the bitter with the better. Next time steer clear of those places

There's a good boy

[frankb]

You're just a plain idiot that can't even read. Let's hope they don't let you back in Finland. Go dig in your back yard for Rare Earths.

[Pursuivant]

I thought it was opals in anustralia?