Sarah Nixon

Kristian was careful, thorough and tidy. He clearly explained what he thought was the problem and options for putting it right. And, all that without being patronising, as I have often observed others to be. Thank you for a job well done.

The greenhouse stores website was easy to follow and made it easy to choose and order a greenhouse. Delivery was efficient and prompt. That’s where it stopped. I have three suggestions for Greenhouse stores.

Sort out your switchboard. The recorded message gives callers a choice depending on whether they are wanting to buy or have already bought a greenhouse. What it doesn’t explain is that the second option takes you away from Greenhouse stores to the Individual greenhouse supply companies. If you have received the wrong items (I received the right size glazing and wrong sized frame), then you rather confusingly need to choose the wanting to buy option. After choosing the already bought option I had several days of fruitless and frustrating discussion with someone who eventually told me I wasn’t talking to Greenhouse stores and needed to get in touch with them. I rang greenhouse stores again and chose the sales option. The rather charmless person I spoke to there shouted at me for not ringing Greenhouse stores in the first place. Which leads me to point 2.

Get some customer service training. Good customer service has several basic rules. These include: listen to your customer (he didn’t); do not raise your voice to your customer (he did); and do not put the phone down on your customer (he did).

Sort out your refund system. I eventually gave up and arranged for return of the greenhouse. It took a month from the day it was collected by the carrier to receiving the refund in my bank account.

I now have an excellent greenhouse from Halls, a company with wonderful customer service. It did cost me a little more, but sometimes price isn’t as important as service.

I contacted a couple of companies about transport for my dog from Dumfries to Derbyshire. 101 Pet Express stood head and shoulders above the rest from the start because they had actually bothered to read and answer my questions, and showed care for my dog who is quite emotionally needy.
From then on everything was efficient and straightforward, including arranging dates around my house move, and making the arrangements for pick up and drop off.
On the day John kept me very well informed on his journey to Dumfries, collection (including photos), and journey south.
Jazz arrived safely having apparently slept for most of the journey. Although he arrived somewhere totally new, Jazz seemed totally unperturbed by his adventure; so that, less 24 hours later he has alteady settled into his new home and is currently asleep in his new favourite spot on the back of the sofa behind my head!
Big thanks to all at 101 for making what could have been an ordeal for both of us so completely painless.