SAYNOTO0870.COM - John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844

nicholas43

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John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Sep 4^th, 2013 at 8:11pm

John Lewis have switched their store contact numbers from geo to 0844. Their standard response to complaints about this includes the following utter nonsense:
Quote:

The number has been put in place to reflect a move to a centralised contact handling operation and allows all customers, no matter where they live, to call us at the same cost.

An 0844 number, depending on your calling plan, can be less expensive than an 01/02 geographic number. It is more and more frequently included in mobile calling packages and can cost less than calling an 01/02 number from a landline, particularly during the day when most customers call us.

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« Last Edit: Sep 5^th, 2013 at 2:27pm by Dave »

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allegro Senior Member Offline Posts: 335	Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers Reply #1 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 6:08am Particular shame on John Lewis who have a reputation as an ethical company. So far Waitrose have not followed suit.
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loddon

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Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers
Reply #2 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 7:29am

It is a shame that John Lewis have chosen to damage their reputation for good customer service by using 0845 and 0844 numbers. You would think that with their highly thought of approach to customer care they would be more careful about this issue.

However, their attitude is not totally beyond redemption as can be seen in the "Contact us" part of their website which states :---

"Contact us @johnlewis.com

If your query relates to order tracking, please click here.

If you're experiencing difficulties placing an order, please email us with details of the problem and we'll try to resolve it as quickly as possible. Alternatively you can contact our Customer Service team on 08456 049 049 to place your order.

If you'd like to ask a question, make a comment on your experience of using johnlewis.com, or tell us you're not happy with a product or service you've received, please contact us through one of the methods below.
◾By email
Complete our online form to send an email to our Customer Service team. We aim to respond to your email within 24 hours of receipt
◾By telephone
Call our Customer Service team on 08456 049 049, any time between 7am and midnight, 7 days a week. (Please refer to your service provider for call charges.)
◾By telephone from abroad
Call +44 (0)1698 54 54 54
◾By fax
Fax us on 08456 049 050. (Please refer to your service provider for call charges.)
◾By post
Write to: Customer Services, johnlewis.com, PO Box 19615, Erskine PA8 6WU.
◾Technical support
If you have any queries or problems with an electrical or technology product, call our JL technical support line on 0844 693 1799 (call charges will depend on your telephone provider. Please check with your operator for exact charges) or email technicalsupport@johnlewis.com from 8am to 9pm weekdays, 8am to 8pm Saturday and 10am to 6pm Sundays. To help us handle your query promptly, please have your model number available."

http://www.johnlewis.com/customer-services/essential-information#cq-i-contact

I have just called the 01698 number from within the UK as a test and had a reasonable conversation with a JL representative and said that I was testing their number to see if they would service a UK customer. She said it was ok to call this number but would recommend that UK customers call the 0845 number. When I asked why that recommendation she didn't know. I mentioned that 0845 and 0844 are rip-off numbers and they can be very expensive to call and would she pass on my comments to her management; she agreed. JL also offer email contact which is better than having no alternative.

It is deplorable that they are promoting an 0844 number for technical support which is clearly in contravention of the new requirements of the proposed legislation implementing the EU's CRD rules. It is surprising that JL would introduce an 0844 number at exactly the time when legislation is being introduced to prohibit such numbers!!! Shocked

One wonders just how aware of the business environment JL actually are? Embarrassed

Do they realise that soon they will be required to abandon use of this 0844 number under the new legislation???? Embarrassed

I have passed my comments to John Lewis via their contact us email/web system and will post their response here when received.

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« Last Edit: Sep 5^th, 2013 at 7:45am by loddon »

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kasg Senior Member Offline Posts: 320 West Sussex Gender:	Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers Reply #3 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 10:33am nicholas43 wrote on Sep 4^th, 2013 at 8:11pm: It is more and more frequently included in mobile calling packages I bet they can't find a single example of that.
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Barbara

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Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers
Reply #4 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 11:20am

Hi, has anyone who has been emailing John Lewis over this used the email addresses from ceoemail.com? I have used these for something else a couple of months ago & got a phone call from a member of the CEO's staff? FYI the CEO's email is: charlie_mayfield@johnlewis.co.uk. I do find their attitude over this appalling as, if I needed to contact them, my nearest store is some 50+ miles away & I would want to check stocks etc rather than make an abortive trip - why should this cost me money?? They would lose my business as email contacts are all very well but if I'm calling before I set out, I need a reply there and then not the usual "within24/48 hours".

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loddon

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Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers
Reply #5 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 2:03pm

Thank you Barbara for your suggestion. I have now sent the following message to both the Chairman and Managing Director of John Lewis Partnership :---

"We see you want customers to call you on 0845 and 0844 phone numbers even though you also have normal geographic numbers and offer at least one for customers overseas. We also understand that you have just introduced additional 0844 numbers.

Do you realise that these numbers cost most callers a heavy premium when compared to normal geographic numbers? Most people these days have already paid for their calls using a “calls inclusive package” so the marginal cost for calling a normal number (01, 02, 03) is zero whilst 0845 numbers are excluded from most packages and 0844 numbers are excluded from ALL packages.

We advocate that companies should offer normal numbers for their customers to use, with 03 numbers where a non-geographic number is desired by the company.

We would like to know why John Lewis Partnership has decided to introduce 0844 numbers at precisely the time when the Government (Dept for BIS) is in the process of implementing the EU Consumer Rights Directive (CRD) which will require companies to make available to customers non-premium rate numbers for all post- contract phone based communications. So for technical queries on electrical goods 0844 and 0845 numbers will be prohibited. It seems remarkable that JLP should be introducing such numbers at this inappropriate time. We ask if JLP is aware of this imminent legislation and the EU directive on CRD?

We also ask how you intend to justify the use of 0845 numbers for your Customer Services functions in the light of the forthcoming Ofcom regulations which will introduce the need for users of such numbers to declare the “Service Charge” associated with such numbers and how you will justify the imposition of charges on your customers when they wish to call you?

It is surprising to us that John Lewis Partnership would risk damaging a cherished reputation for good customer service by using 0845 and 0844 numbers."

Any response will be posted here.

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« Last Edit: Sep 5^th, 2013 at 2:05pm by loddon »

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Barbara

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Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Reply #6 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 3:24pm

Thank you loddon, I was going to email the person in the CEO's office to whom I spoke previously (& who still owes me a further reply!!) but I think it might be best if I wait now until you have a response to your emails, I will check for the postings. (Incidentally, that website I mentioned has been invaluable in making contact with the person responsible at the head of organisations - not just in relation to telephone numbers - I may not have always received the reply I wanted but at least I have always had a more considered response than the usual dross from CS staff.)

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bigjohn

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Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Reply #7 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 5:09pm

Their is a thread running on MSE on this subject

See: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4738691

The original poster there said " A reply I had from JL customer services states "The 0844 numbers that we use reflect a move to our centralised contact handling operation and to provide customers with the means to contact us at a standard rate, which is set by the customer's telephone operator, and is the same regardless of the time of day"

He also said " A reply from a JL customer care case manager about the change to 0844 numbers affirms "This change has been a well considered business decision, we have researched this thoroughly and ran a trial on a number of stores before deciding to implement this change".

The Partnership Board of John Lewis can be found here http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/content/cws/about/the-partnership/governin...

For my local store Poole http://www.johnlewis.com/our-shops/poole they come up with a unhelpful statement.

" Telephone
0844 693 1753*

*Call charges will depend on your telephone provider. Please check with your operator for exact charges."

The old number 01202 756 020 still works the 0844 693 1753 number is answered by the John Lewis contact centre.

(Amended to correct my error ).

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« Last Edit: Sep 5^th, 2013 at 7:30pm by bigjohn »

BJ.

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Dave Global Moderator Offline Posts: 9,902 Yorkshire Gender:	Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844 Reply #8 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 6:02pm bigjohn wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 5:09pm: The old number 01202 756 020 no longer works the 0844 693 1753 number is answered by the John Lewis contact centre. The 01202 number is answered with an IVR (menu). In what way did you find it not to work?
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Ian G

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Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Reply #9 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 6:41pm

Quote:

*Call charges will depend on your telephone provider. Please check with your operator for exact charges.

At least they have a space in the page template ready for when Ofcom demands:

*Calls incur a 7p/min Service Charge. Your telephone provider will add their Access Charge."

Maybe then it will sink in what they have done.

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« Last Edit: Sep 5^th, 2013 at 6:42pm by Ian G »

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bigjohn

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Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Reply #10 - Sep 5^th, 2013 at 7:29pm

Dave wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 6:02pm:

bigjohn wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 5:09pm:

The old number 01202 756 020 no longer works the 0844 693 1753 number is answered by the John Lewis contact centre.

The 01202 number is answered with an IVR (menu). In what way did you find it not to work? Huh

I stand corrected Dave i must have misdialed. Embarrassed

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BJ.

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loddon

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Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers
Reply #11 - Sep 7^th, 2013 at 7:45am

loddon wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 7:29am:

I have passed my comments to John Lewis via their contact us email/web system and will post their response here when received.

I have just received a response from the John Lewis Customer Services department :---

"Dear .............,

Thank you for your email in response to my colleague, H...... .

I have duly noted your concerns over the 0845 and 0844 and can only advise from my position that the move was to reflect a centralised contact handling operation.

As you have already written to our Managing Director and Chairman, I would advise that you await for an equally detailed response from them to ensure that the matter is being discussed without duplication.

If you require any further assistance in the meantime, then please feel free to contact me again.

Kind regards,

A...... S.............
Customer Service
John Lewis"

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Auntie Ripoff Newbie Offline Posts: 1	Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844 Reply #12 - Sep 7^th, 2013 at 8:47am Yes, you phone an 0844 number to speak to a particular store, but still get the call centre and wait on hold while they try to contact the store, clocking up 0844 profits meanwhile.
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allegro

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Re: John Lewis store numbers changed from geo to 0844
Reply #13 - Sep 8^th, 2013 at 7:57am

Judging by that response the change to 0844 does have a feel of cock up about it rather than conspiracy. Where nobody in the team making the changes was aware of the issues surrounding 08xx numbers, even though they should have been. Combine that with some unscrupulous telephony "consultants" and you get a bad result, just as with GPs.

Either way, whether it's cock up or deliberate policy, it's a black mark against one of our best retailers.

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loddon Supreme Member Offline Posts: 599 Reading UK Gender:	Re: Hall of Shame: Companies changing numbers Reply #14 - Sep 10^th, 2013 at 10:14am loddon wrote on Sep 5^th, 2013 at 2:03pm: Any response will be posted here. We have received a reply from John Lewis, so as promised it is reproduced below. Edited: Response removed by Dave
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