Update on the tools story: bit long winded but bear with me! Ordered a tool box like Stevebets along with a 3/8 socket set, spanner set, allan keys and screw drivers all from the pro range and a few other bit and bobs on line for collection on new years eve. I then got a phone call from the branch manager about an hour later to say all in stock and ready to collect. Bowled into the Huntingdon store about half four and wandered straight to the back of the store to collect said stuff. Stood at the counter for a few minutes getting completely ignored by the staff, wandered over to the tool cabinet and looked around thinking someone will be along in a moment to help me. Nothing! Wandered back to the counter and stood and listened to a immature conversation between two members of staff who again totally blanked me and continued their chat about where and how they planned to get pissed and try and pull a bird before midnight. The very professional way they managed to avoid me catching their eye made me wonder why they didn’t work in a top restaurant instead. Few more minutes passed before I said “you know what, fcuk your tools” and stormed out. Shortly followed with an email to customer services. Did I hear anything back from Halfords, what do you think. I now a this vision of bats puffing his chest out and flapping his arms like a demented chicken shouting “told you, told you” Today, 12 days later, I get a call from the branch Manager asking what happened and what he intended to do about which was to deliver the stuff to my home free of charge and offering me a £10 voucher! Woopdedo was my considered reply. Silence! Followed by what do you want me to do to put it right. Told him to think about it and make an offer, no negotiation, just one simple offer that would get my attention or I would send another complaint but this time direct to the CEO. He called me back a few minutes later and offered to give me a trade card, the £10 voucher and if I would come back to the store a very special offer on the goods I ordered that he was not prepared to discuss over the phone. I asked him to explain what the benefit s of the trade card would be. Discounts on tools and parts and asked me to suggest any tool I would consider to buy in the future. Torque wrench = £79 normal price £49 with trade card. Has anyone got any experience of these trade cards and are the discounts as good as they are suggesting etc. Should I see if they are game to give our forum member’s trade cards, is it worth a try, is anyone interested and wanting me give it a go.
It's amazing that Freedom has managed to come across the self same staff members wayyyyyy over there in the third world that I do over here in the 21 st century. It burns my arse more than a two foot high flame to wander around a major, national organisation and be completely ignored. It would be unfair to say it happens every time, sorry Bats, but you do find good and bad every where, but it happens enough times and in enough branches that somebody upstairs must be aware of it. And theirs was one of profit drops announced this morning. I hate having to go in there because if I'm not sure exactly what I want or they don't have it on the shelf where I can find it, it's a major pain in the arse from that point on.
Maybe it was the same guys, sounded a bit like a south west accent either that or they were already pissed. They could have moved east to pick fruit but didn’t have enough qualification so Halfords hired them for fast tracking in their management training program
My mates got a trade card with them and its awesome for the likes of oils and stuff for the track bikes, never knew you could use it on tools though! I think all halfords are like that they must train their staff to piss around, my local branch is bad for leaving you at the counter for 10 mins before serving you. I dont mind though as one of the birds is smoking thats the only positive
Ok will give it a go.....just got to knock some more rusty nails into my baseball bat before I pop in for that little chat.
Sod's law. I have to go in there on the way home to get a new frost protector for Jeanette's car. So I've checked that they have it in stock. I haven't reserved it as that would mean having to find someone to ask for it when I get there. So I'm just going to hope that I can find it when I get there. Ooh, I'll tell you another strange thing about Halfords. They only keep the GT85 with the pushbikes and the WD40 only with the car stuff. Took me ages to find the GT85 despite it showing as in stock on the website. I nearly had to revert to asking then.
Bats I'm with you this week mate. Ordered my twisting lock wire pliers from my BIL who's a mech and should have some nice new Snap on one's in the next week or so
If I was you Matt I'd think about taking Jamie up on his training offer too. I've seen first hand how good some of the navy helo engineers are with lock wiring. Mind you, he is a hamfisted bugger.LOL.
I may just do that Ken, I have a few close mates who have offered and I will be hoping to take them up on it in the next month or so
Swaggered into Halfords this evening dragging my imaginary piece of 4x2 with rusty nails in behind me I asked for the manager. After the initial cowboy style dual stare down he held out his hand in a gesture of submission and weakness we got down to business. He said he had looked over the cctv which had been forwarded to the regional Manager and my facts stacked up exactly as I had said and disciplinary action had been taken, with one regular offender being sacked and an other on a final warning. The put it all right for your sir deal was done. Trade card, special one off deal I can’t talk about and I am a very happy bunny. Let just say Asda price has fcuk all compared to Halfords. Maybe photos of all the swag to follow. We had a further discussion about a motorcycle forum I am involved in (no names given at this stage) and the fact that with the exception of a very few, everyone has nothing good to say about Halfords and everything bad, I went on to say that some traders have got involved and offer discounts and group buys and maybe it might be in Halfords best interest to offer the same or be proactive to over turn the general feeling (special attention to be given to the Blackpool branch staff involving public scenes reminiscent of punishments handed by the Tudors). A couple of ideas were kicked around and a PM will be winging its way to Matt over the weekend. If this comes to anything I am sure the forum powers that be will inform the rest of us rank and file serfs in due course.
Okay, I've been somewhat derogatory about the orange and blue monster but in the interest of fairplay I have to say that when I called in tonight on the way home to pick up a couple of bits, the young bloke on the till was not only courteous but he was attentive, chatty and jokey not just with me but with all the other people in the queue. He served me, asked me what I was intending to do with my purchases and told me that he had some similar kit himself and then wished me a good weekend as I left. That must have been some f*****g phone call you made Freedom.
