It Pays To Complain.

jambutty · 26-09-2007, 11:55

Several weeks ago Asda started selling ready cooked Extra Special Lamb Shanks with garlic and rosemary in a tasty gravy. At five pound something it might seem expensive but you do get two shanks in separate bags and two shanks would serve three people.

Preparing a shank for the table is by either microwave or simmering for 15 minutes.

The blurp on the box declares, “Slow cooked on the bone in a light gravy with garlic and rosemary for the fullest, richest flavour and fall-apart tenderness.” This is one of the very few Asda products that is represented truthfully on the box.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a box and thoroughly enjoyed the shank accompanied with roast potatoes and peas as my Sunday dinner. However come the Thursday the remaining shank was just as tasty but there was barely half the meat on the bone.

I rang the Asda number so thoughtfully included on the box to complain. The outcome of which has been a letter of apology and a ‘Shopping Card’ to the value of £15.

Just a final note. It is a pity that the Asda office didn’t make a note of my correct address and put Derby instead of Darwen. Bet hey! I guess we can’t have everything and our wonderful postal services were not fooled by the error.

entwisi · 26-09-2007, 12:21

You may wish to tweak the letter so your address isn't on show Jambutty,

Well done on getting something back though!

PS,

***Mr D*** · 26-09-2007, 12:22

Nice one.

I would of complained to, supprising how many large corporations will just compensate No Q Asked.

jambutty · 26-09-2007, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

You may wish to tweak the letter so your address isn't on show Jambutty,

Well done on getting something back though!

PS,

Why? My address is not a secret.

SPUGGIE J · 26-09-2007, 12:31

Nice one Jambutty, and a win for the little guy (not you personally) metaphorically speaking.

I love those lamb shanks as well and the rosemary instead of mint is mouth watering. I have had a few of em and always had plenty of meat on em. Though if it is a case of not happy I will follow your example.

SPUGGIE J · 26-09-2007, 12:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by jambutty

Why? My address is not a secret.

Every one at your house for Sunday lunch then?

entwisi · 26-09-2007, 12:32

Considering you have posted on Identity theft before now it seems churlish to post name, address etc on a public forum.

Plus youleave yourself open to hate mail

grego · 26-09-2007, 12:43

Well done, I've taken food back before and have never had a problem returning anything to Asda, just goes to show it pays to complain.

SPUGGIE J · 26-09-2007, 12:47

Remembered that not long ago my daughter was in Asda with me and went of to order her fav pizza from the fresh make counter. She went back to collect after the alloted waiting time and found they had made it wrong. So off I went with her and told her,though she was a tad dubious that they would make it properly. So she told them what had happened and got a nice suprise when it was replaced with what she wanted there and then. She had a grin to make a Cheshire cat jealous.

jambutty · 26-09-2007, 12:51

But I am a little guy SPUGGIE J and shrinking rapidly too. I reckon that by the time that I am 805 I will be just three inches tall.

Sunday lunch? OK then! But you will get a bowl of gravy and some bread and butter and a picture of the lamb shank to look at.

My name, address and telephone number is in the phone book entwisi. My name and address is on the Electoral Register, which like the phone book is open to public scrutiny. My name, address and phone number is known by my doctor, bank, hospital, DSS or whatever they call it now, not forgetting various government departments, insurance companies as part of an almost endless list ending with the postman who delivers my mail.

It is highly unlikely that anyone would be able to steal my identity from just my name and address.

Hate mail? Bring it on. It, like junk mail, wouldn’t bother me one single jot. And of course it would keep the Royal Mail in business.

The only effect it would have is to fill my waste paper sack quicker.

jambutty · 26-09-2007, 13:10

The Aussies call us whinging Poms and they are right. We do complain a lot but mostly to each other when we should be lodging our complaints to the person who is empowered to do something about it. We moan and groan about how hard done by we are by the government or the local authority, but how many write to our MP or Councillor? Very few I’ll be bound. We all have a voice and we should use it when things go wrong. If more people complained (but not just to each other) we would have a much fairer country.

We the consumers have allowed ourselves to be walked over by commerce. If it weren’t for we consumers there would be no commerce.
We the electorate have allowed ourselves to be walked all over by successive governments to our detriment. The government is a servant of the people, not the other way around.

I had considered taking the offending shank back to Asda grego and I’m sure that they would have replaced it. But compared to the cost of a special trip to do so against the free phone number, the phone call won.

Gayle · 26-09-2007, 13:29

I agree with Entwisi. I know that your address is common knowledge and easy enough to find but idiots don't like to go looking for stuff (unless they have a real grudge) they use information that they find easily.

The case a few weeks ago of the pervert caller is an excellent example. That person took names and telephone numbers from newspaper articles. I too am easy to find should anyone want to (that's not a challenge by the way) but the person in question had found my number whilst reading the paper, thus it was very easy for them to use it. It's just best to not broadcast it if you can help it is what I think Entwisi is saying!

Gayle · 26-09-2007, 13:30

As for your original subject jambutty - I agree that we should complain and in other threads I think I explained how I got a considerable amount from a bank because I stuck to my guns and complained about the service.

jambutty · 26-09-2007, 14:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

I agree with Entwisi. I know that your address is common knowledge and easy enough to find but idiots don't like to go looking for stuff (unless they have a real grudge) they use information that they find easily.

The case a few weeks ago of the pervert caller is an excellent example. That person took names and telephone numbers from newspaper articles. I too am easy to find should anyone want to (that's not a challenge by the way) but the person in question had found my number whilst reading the paper, thus it was very easy for them to use it. It's just best to not broadcast it if you can help it is what I think Entwisi is saying!

I take your point Gayle and entwisi but hate mail and dodgy phone calls don’t bother me.

In any case a stranger to this forum would have a hard time finding Holden Fold in Derby.

WillowTheWhisp · 26-09-2007, 15:10

I expect the Royal Mail worked off your postcode to get the letter to you. Asda's spellchecker has probably never heard of Darwen - shame on them.

Excellent result from your complaint. Unlike our complaint to TESCO way back in May about the exploding Coke cans. Asda 2 Tesco nil (they get one point for the car park thing too).