Some of the worst customer service I’ve ever had
Wanting a particular cable I attempted to visit the Production Wiring (and also Blue Cow Cables) websites hoping to order there than from his eBay shop, to save on fees etc, but neither site was working so I defaulted to emailing John (the owner / engineer).
The process was slow as he was out of the country; but even once back he was still slow to respond and it was a struggle to get him to understand what we needed, despite showing him links to a product he already makes and explaining we just wanted it made with a sturdier/thicker cable.
Once it was (seemingly) understood, we ordered the cables - but they arrived not as we asked but with the thinner/weaker cable. I emailed twice (a day apart) with no response. I let him know I would be returning them so hopefully he can replace the cable with the thicker one previously requested. I wait a day, no reply, and do so with a note & original invoices inside. I then email him the tracking number. No reply.
I chase him a few days after it’s delivered, and again a few days after that. No reply.
When he finally responds he says he’d missed the detail (previously twice asked for) about the thicker cable and that it was not possible to make them like this.
He didn’t ask how we’d like to continue, or offer any sort of apology, instead he states he will ship them back to us.
I was on my email when he sent this message and responded to him within 1 minute of this asking him not to return them to me until I’ve spoken to my colleague to see how he wants to proceed. No reply.
After speaking to my colleague I email John the next day saying he’d like a refund and that I would live with the cable although I’m not happy with it.
He responds by saying he’d already sent them back before he emailed previously. At this point I’m sick of his lack of customer service and ask him for a refund once I return the cables (for a second time). No reply.
I follow up stating that we’d now both like a refund. No reply.
Neither of his websites are running still, but we find a mobile number online.
I call him twice and send a text message asking him to call me, which he receives and reads. No reply.
Meanwhile he emails my colleague saying a refund was not his policy on bespoke cables and offers him a 70% refund to cover restocking fee. There is no mention of this policy on his emails or pro forma invoice (and obviously nothing on his websites as they are down). As an aside, cable sales on his eBay shop however offer a 14 day returns policy.
The cables arrive to me again. I get a response saying as it was a bespoke cable the best he can do is offer a 70% refund to cover restocking fees. I try to call him and his reply is: “If I don't really want to deal with you via email, I'm definitely not going to want to deal with you via phone.”
My colleague returned his cable and had to wait a week for a part refund, he unsurprisingly had to chase John to get it.
At no point did John take responsibility for the error on his part, offer any apology or show any sign of professional care. Your experiences might differ from mine but I found this to be some of the worst customer service I’ve ever had.