Halford's Customer Service

[Jacqui Harvey]

My son just went to Halford's to get them to check out his battery.  They told him he needed a new one.  He said that was fine he would take one.  After buying it The guy then said shall we fit it, but there will be a charge.  No, my son said I will do it myself. He put it in and asked the guy could he tighten it up. The guy told him no,he could not do that as they where not fitting it. The guy then said to my son, do you want to leave the battery and we can dispose of it?.  O.K. my son said.  However, guy came back with the battery and told my son as Halfords had not fitted the new one, they could not dispose of the old one.... What great customer service Halfords offer. 
I just said to Phil, could you ever image this happening in Turkey, firstly you woudl get a cup of Cay and the staff would fall over themselves to fit the battery and keep the old one.

[Scunner]

I too have a Halfords customer service/car battery story - doesn't everyone?

I had a Halfords battery (with HALFORDS written all over it, own brand style) with a 3 year no quibble guarantee, which failed long before then - the date of manufacture was on the battery, under two years earlier. Anyway, it was shot so I took it back.

A freakish looking youth complete with bushy beard and several face piercings told me I would need to produce the receipt. My argument was that it was undoubtedly bought from Halfords (what with it being a Halfords brand battery) and was undoubtedly less than three years old (date of manufacture stamp) therefore a "no quibble" guarantee was assured and could I have the replacement.

The guy refused so I asked to speak to the manager who I was told would be back in 20 minutes. I waited 20 minutes and no manager came into the store area so I asked the pierced gothic metal collector to go and remind him I was waiting. He did, then returned and told me the manager was "too busy" to see me.

I went through the whole case again, and was informed by the fluffy bearded lad half my age that he was "getting pretty bored of this conversation now".

Further calls to Halfords Head Office received equal levels of interest - none.

No problem, I don't need Halfords and will never go there for anything. I look forward to their demise and closure.

[KKOB]

Mary Portas did a piece on them in The Telegraph

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/caraccessories/9333928/Shop-Mary-Portas-at-Halfords.html

[Fran]

Not halfords but customer service related. Today my daughter had arranged for virgin to install a HD box, as she is in Turkey it was left to me to wait for the engineer. When he arrived he asked if he could use the toilet, which I replied of course. Some 20 minutes later I texted my husband to tell him that the engineer had asked to use the toilet and I was being to think that he had had died in there. The noises and smell were similar to those produced when a recently deceased person is moved. He eventually re-appeared and never said a word, just carried on with the installation. After putting my gas mask on I noticed that at least he had opened the bathroom window. I should charge virgin for the bottle of bleach I had to put down the toilet.

[fletch]

I hate to be the one to say this but I fail to see where the Halfords employee has done anything wrong? It will cost the company money to dispose of the battery and they also pay the employee his wages so if your son has decided to not take the option to pay for the fitting why should the company be expected to assist? Sorry!

[Jacqui Harvey]

O.K. Fletch, so Halfords test your old battery and remove it for you, then sell you a new one and make 100% profit, then expect you to pay extra for them to turn two screws to fit a new one, and this is good customer service??

Surely, it helps the environment to take the old battery whether the customer pays for fitting or not,it would seem a sort of blackmail to me, let us fit your new battery or you have to take the old one away. I hope all their customers are as  conscious as my son and dispose of their batteries in the correct manner.

However, we will  find somewhere else to buy any car supplies we need in future.  If anyone else finds Halfords service good and acceptable, you are, I am sure, welcome to use keep using them.

[scorcher]

That's decent of you JH - am I right in sensing that the antique business is going through a bit of a lull ?

[Jacqui Harvey]

Wherever did you hear that?? Just spent the whole afternoon wrapping parcels to send to Australia, amongst other places.  
However, my son is not in Antiques..unless you mean antique toilets 

[fletch]

So, what you are saying Jacqui is that if I were to go to Halfords and purchase an oil/air filter, a gallon of oil and some spark plugs.......then service my car in the car park, Halfords should then offer to dispose of my old parts for me?

If you go and purchase a new tyre these days there is an amount built into the cost of the tyre to pay for the disposal. I'm sorry but it is still hard to see where the guy gave a bad service? Your son wanted a battery and he sold him one at the go away and fit it yourself price! Your son opted not to pay for any service as he told the guy I will fit it myself and obviously he couldn't. I think it is really bad when people come on to an open forum screaming about a bad service when in reality they have received exactly what they paid for.

Sorry but that is how I see the situation and I am sure others have their opinion as well. The disposal of things like car batteries are not cheap and this is factored for in the price for fitting.

You are right in saying that in Turkey they would have disposed of it for him but it may well have been done so at the bottom of somebody's road as I don't think re-cycling is at the top of the list out there.