Communication

[Harbo]

Or rather lack of it!

Why is it that sometimes, it is impossible to send an email direct to an Organisation or a Dept?

I have experienced it twice recently both about the same issue - getting a refund on a Deceased Person's Travellers Cheques.
Amongst my mothers possessions we found a large bundle of unused Australian dollar Amex TCs.
Attempts to have them refunded over here failed and in the end they had to be sent back to the USA.
For security I used Royal Mail Airsure
- "Guaranteed and fully trackable".
After 26 days still no confirmation of Delivery!
Contacting the PO is a complete mystery - the procedure goes around in a loop - when I did eventually get a response it was from a "do not reply link" which said their tracking system had failed! So to follow that up I have to start all over again!!??
The American Express are nearly as bad with only telephone numbers given.
I've tried 3 times now and each time they say they will look into it and call back. "you don't " I say "cannot you give me an email address that I can write to - to make contact?" - reply: "sorry Sir no - we'll get back to you".
I have now written an airmail letter to Amex just asking for them to confirm or deny receipt of my original package.
If they didn't receive it then it's down to a Post Office Claim for which I do not hold much hope?

Very frustrated.

Rod

 

[nev]

I sympathise.
after the throbbing vein at my temple finally burst trying to sort a simple issue with BT, I wrote a letter to the customer services dept, asking them why a company as large as they are, with all the resources available to them, could not sort a simple problem out.
i was then contacted by some dept or another and now have a direct line to my own 'little man'. if ever i have any issues i just call him and he sorts it out. (as it should be!)
From then on if i have any issues with any company i write. seems to work!

 

[DrPhill]

For some companies it pays to write straight to the head man. I found this page useful:

http://www.connectotel.com/marcus/ceoemail.html

Royal mail is on there. I have thrice emailed CEO's - they never get to see it. Their PA probably punts it off immediately to a subordinate with instructions to 'sort this, sort this now, make sure they are happy'. Works really well. You will get an apologetic letter and a quick resolution. I wonder why the CEO's do not publish this information themselves?

 

[RogerS]

DrPhill...an excellent link, thanks. You are correct. Virtually all major companies have a dedicated customer service team (outside the ones Joe Public gets through to) who will respond to issues raised through this channel. The trick is getting the initial contact and so your link is perfect.

There is one sector though who are impervious to any complaints via this route and that is the insurance sector for whom customer service is somewhere down there on the sole of my shoe along with the dogsh*t. For them, after you have exhausted their own internal complaints procedure, is the Ombudsman.

I do agree with the OP that companies who don't supply an email address are annoying. Some companies it might be justifiable on the grounds of security, for example, banks. Simply because Joe Public doesn't understand that emails are (usually) sent in clear and so when they send an irate email withall their bank details in etc and then they get their bank account compromised, it all goes to Hell in a handbasket. I am surprised about Amex as whenever I speak to them on the phone they are invariably helpful and sort things out.

Another reason for not giving an email address is that they lack the systems infrastructure to support case management via email and/or don't have these systems integrated with their other communication channels to the customer.

 

[Jonzjob]

I googled 'amex uk' and came up with this site. If you click on the Travelers cheques tab it gives an 0800 U.K. number. Also a geographical 01 number.

I also agree with starting at the top, the MD or what ever they'er called these daze. It's the best way to get results.

 

[Harbo]

The 800 number takes you to very nice people in the USA.
They are very symphathetic but cannot confirm that my package has been received because "it may take 30 days to get it on their system"! They promise to ring back, but don't and having to repeat the same story each time I ring is annoying?
As I cannot confirm that my package is lost, I cannot make a claim to the PO and the cheques are worth about £2k!
My initial attempts to get a refund, on Amex's instructions, was to do it through my Bank(s) and even though they spoke to Amex and were given "Authorisation Codes" they would not do it!
Even the Travel Agent (First Choice/Thomas Cook) where they were purchased a few years ago wouldn't handle them!

Rod

 

[Harbo]

A very large plastic DHL envelope arrived today from Gurgaon India containing a letter from American Express, Utah.

Still no email or direct telephone number to contact, but insisting that I have to go through Probate or use a Notatary declaring I am the Administrator.
I'd already sent copies of the Will and Death Certificate.
Didn't need Probate to release her other funds?

Looks like it could get expensive?

Rod