Since I took on our consumer champion column Crane on the Case in February this year, readers have filled my inbox every week with tales of the wrongs they have been done at the hands of companies.
The issues they write in about cover all manner of things, from incorrect bills to refused refunds. And the firms igniting their anger are wide ranging, from energy suppliers to banks, and phone networks to delivery firms.
I’ve rounded up some of the biggest customer service horror stories I’ve dealt with this year here.
From a mortgage lender down-valuing someone’s house by £1.3million, to an energy firm mistakenly telling a bereaved daughter her mother was £41,000 in debt, they make for shocking reading.
Fight for your (consumer) rights: It isn’t always easy, but a persistent approach can reap rewards when you are treated badly by a company
This is Money first started the column back in late 2020, and since then we have won back a total of almost £700,000 for our readers.
The people who get in touch with me have often spent months or even years fighting to get their money back or a wrong righted. I admire their tenacity, but I also wonder how many others there are who have been defeated.
With firms’ call waiting times often painfully long, and their initial responses sometimes unhelpful, it is easy to simply give up. But having seen some of the big wins readers have had this year, I would urge you not to.
I’m not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions, but in 2023, I think we all need to complain more.
It might jar against our British sensibilities, but unfortunately it is sometimes the only way to get what we want – or what we are entitled to.
And with the cost of things like energy bills, mortgages and essential purchases set to remain eye-wateringly high in 2023, it is vital that we get what we pay for.
With firms taking more of our cash than ever, we simply can’t let them get away with treating us poorly or ripping us off.
Often, readers ask me what they can do to make a company listen. Luckily, my counterpart on our sister title Money Mail, Sally Hamilton, has shared her top tips on how to do so this week.
From scouring the depths of the web for the right contact details to compiling a damning dossier of evidence, it is full of useful nuggets.
While I spend plenty of time complaining on behalf of our readers, I must admit that I’m sometimes guilty of not putting up a fight when I experience bad service myself.
But earlier this year, I decided to take a stand. In August, I applied for a new credit card with a big bank. I was off on holiday the next month and needed one that wouldn’t charge me fees for spending abroad.
It said I’d get a decision within two weeks, but it never came – so I turned to the bank’s website and had a fruitless ‘conversation’ with a customer service robot.
I then called its customer service phone number – but was left on hold for ages and didn’t have time to keep calling back.
Please hold: Those who call customer service departments are often left waiting
Finally, I messaged the bank on Twitter. Hours later, I was on the phone to a customer service manager who informed me my application had been lost and apologised profusely. She promised to rush the application through once I had re-sent the documents.
Unfortunately, the card turned up two days after I left for my holiday. When it did, it was accompanied by a £50 cheque for the inconvenience. I didn’t ask for it – and if I had, perhaps I could have got even more.
I’ll admit that working for This is Money might have helped me get this result, but I can think of friends and family from all walks of life who have also seen success after haranguing firms online and on the phone.
Even if it’s just a small inconvenience, I’d recommend dropping the offending firm a line and letting them know.
When an auction house mistakenly put up a ‘for sale’ sign outside my Mum’s home, she called their head office and got sent an expensive bunch of flowers.
And when a friend unwrapped a cold burger from a popular takeaway lunch chain, he emailed its customer service department and was posted vouchers for two free meals. Every little helps.
So for 2023, I’d like us to become a nation of complainers.
I’d love to hear how you get on. And if you hit a brick wall, never fear – you can still get in touch with Crane on the Case by emailing [email protected] and ask for my help.
