GrinGod [dot] Com

I ordered a projector yesterday and paid £10.70 for the next day delivery. For some reason, they asked me to confirm the delivery address by email and I did so immediately… for them not to open the email I sent (yet)
when I looked on the internet for their number, I discovered that a lot of people were complaining about the same thing and I found this page with the number. I cried victory and I called… what a disapointment. It’s only a recorded message saying that all customer enquiries are done electronically!
DABS is BAD!

Record of conversation with DABS messaging service 19/12/07 ended 1004 hrs

Andrew (1348): Good morning, how may we help you?
Mark Whiteley: Hello, my order number was 96286XX and I’ve been trying to contact you about an item that arrived damaged.
Mark Whiteley: Please can you or someone call me on 012XX 7853XX
Mark Whiteley: hello?
Andrew (1348): Im sorry we do not have a telephone service
Mark Whiteley: well that’s what I understand, so can you help?
Mark Whiteley: Is this an automated service?
Andrew (1348): Did you sign for the goods as damaged?
Mark Whiteley: That was impossible since the signature machine only permitted a signature, I said I wanted to but it was not possible and since I had not unpacked the TV I was not sure if the TV would be damaged.
Mark Whiteley: Since then I see the TV has a scrape on the top edge and I want to discuss my options with a human being
Mark Whiteley: Are you a human being or an automated entity?
Mark Whiteley: hello?
Andrew (1348): I am human
Andrew (1348): But that is not the issue, please email couriers@dabs.com and inform them of this, the courier team will assist you with the matter
Mark Whiteley: So what can I do Andrew?
Mark Whiteley: How will they assist? Lets cut to the chase here. The TV seems to work ok and where it will be the scrape will not be noticable, and it’s christmas and I don’t want to return it. Can I get a discount because it’s damaged or do I have to return it.
Mark Whiteley: Do couriers@dabs.com have a telephone number?
Andrew (1348): Sorry no they done
Andrew (1348): don’t*
Mark Whiteley: ok discount or return then?
Mark Whiteley: I can email through photo’s if you like and I have several witnesses to the damaged arrival.
Mark Whiteley: Hello?
Mark Whiteley: Are you ignoring me now or doing something?
Mark Whiteley: Hello……
Andrew (1348): I was doing something, please just email the courier team and they will advise you accordingly and answer any and all questions
Mark Whiteley: That’s no good I have already emailed and sent messages and received no replies.
Andrew (1348): But you have not emailed couriers
Mark Whiteley: Sorry, I am not willing to wait for someone to email me back. My question is simple return or discount – this is not a courier issue.
Andrew (1348): Yes it is as it was damaged in transit by a courier
Mark Whiteley: The issue is return or discount.
Mark Whiteley: can you answer that question please – can you offer a discount or do I have to return it?
Andrew (1348): An the courier team can answer this not me
Mark Whiteley: But I can’t talk to the courer team, they will email me back. This isn’t fair. I have to wait for a reply which may not come.
Andrew (1348): They will reply to your email
Mark Whiteley: Do I have to drive to Bolton to get this sorted before Christmas
Mark Whiteley: When will they reply?
Mark Whiteley: If I bring the tv to bolton can I get a replacement there and then?
Andrew (1348): Sorry no you cannot, couriers usually take a couple of hours at most to reply
Mark Whiteley: Why not? You have a shop at Bolton, I’ve been there, why can’t I bring it back?
Andrew (1348): We do not have a shop at Bolton we have a warehouse
Mark Whiteley: I’ve been to the shop a few years ago. Why can’t I return the goods to the warehouse then?
Andrew (1348): The customer collection service has been discontinued for a while now, and you cannot return to the warehouse
Mark Whiteley: OK can I have a phone number for someone with the authority to give me an exchange please?
Andrew (1348): Sorry we do not operate a telephone service, please email couriers@dabs.com this is the only way to solve your query as we are only going around in circles
Mark Whiteley: This isn’t very helpful.
Mark Whiteley: The circle is your creation, not mine. I offer several ways to resolve it at considerable personal cost.
Andrew (1348): And I advise of the only solution to your queries
Mark Whiteley: How can a company owned by BT not have telephones?
Andrew (1348): We are owned by BT, we are not BT thought
Mark Whiteley: You do have telephones don’t you, you just wont give out the numbers.
Mark Whiteley: So just hold on there Andrew and I’ll email couriers at dabs, we can wait a couple of hours together and then talk again eh?
Andrew (1348): Im sorry but I cannot say on here talking to you going around in circles all day, when you have emailed couriers they will sort your problem out.
Andrew (1348): Thank you for using this service. Goodbye.
Thank you for using this service. You may now close this window.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

At 1430 hrs with still no response to my email to Dabs, waiting since 1347hrs at the instant messaging window, this was the instant messaging conversation that finally began:

The next available Agent will be with you in a moment.
You are currently at position number 4 in the queue.
Alternatively, you may email us with your enquiry to assistance@dabs.com
All agents are currently busy. Please stand by.
You have been connected to Susan (1108).
Susan (1108): Good afternoon, how may we help you?
Mark Whiteley: Hello, Please would you chase couriers@dabs.com and see when they will answer my email sent this morning after talking with Andrew(1348) and being advised that couriers would respond to an email within a couple of hours. The problem is that I need to resolve this quickly due to Christmas and have lost 2 days already because no-one responded to my messages. Please can someone help?
Susan (1108): Which order does this relate to?
Mark Whiteley: 96286XX
Mark Whiteley: Hello?
Susan (1108): Was there any damage on the packaging?
Mark Whiteley: Yes the packaging was damaged but not sufficient that I would refuse delivery. It could have been fine inside. As it happens it wasn’t.
Mark Whiteley: Are you talking to the couriers dept now?
Susan (1108): Just adding details to the order.
Susan (1108): Is the damage minor?
Mark Whiteley: Well, yes it is minor and that’s why I wanted to talk to someone but couldn’t. The TV seems to work ok but I can’t be sure and I am in two minds as to whether to return it or not you see.
Mark Whiteley: There is a scratch/scrape on top of the set and whilst it won’t be visible when I wall mount it, I shouldn’t have to accept damaged goods as new so I wanted a discount to keep it really.
Mark Whiteley: If I can’t get a discount then I can return it and buy from somewhere else, no problem.
Susan (1108): I have just checked and we would be able to offer a refund of £50.
Mark Whiteley: This TV cost £1600 and you wouldn’t be able to sell it again if I returned it. Is that really the best you can do?
Mark Whiteley: Come on, it is Christmas…..
Susan (1108): I can only advise that we are only able to offer this due to the cost price and to offer any further it would be more cost effective to bring the item back.
Mark Whiteley: Ok Susan, then I accept your offer. That is good and I am happy. Thank you. Now I would like the amount of £50 credited to my payment card please – you aren’t offering me a credit note for Dabs are you?
Susan (1108): I will arrange for this to now be refunded back to the card.
Mark Whiteley: You are helpful and have retained a Dabs customer. Thank you and have a happy Christmas. The only other thing to ask is whether this affects the as new, warrantied status of the set?
Susan (1108): No this would not affect the warranty in anyway as the this would cover any manufacturer faults rather than cosmetic issues.
Susan (1108): I can confirm the refund has been issued back.
Mark Whiteley: OK Thanks and I hope you enjoy your holiday – you are a credit to Dabs.
Mark Whiteley: bye
Susan (1108): Thank you for using this service. Goodbye.

Well, thanks to Susan, I got a reasonable agreement which satisfied my needs, proving that most people are reasonable if they are treated reasonably. Had I been repeatedly fobbed off and ignored I would have become annoyed, as would anyone. Was this outcome affected by posting on this blog? I can’t say for certain, but let’s just say maybe…

Read all the reviews etc above after spending weeks getting annoyed with dabs customer service which included emailing csmanager@dabs.com

I opt’ed for Sean Mack’s advice with him being an ex employee he would be the best person to get advice from.

I emailed kshallicker@dabs.com and jsiddall@dabs.com and within 10 mins received a response from karen saying she would investigate. A couple of hours later karen emailed again with a resolution and an apology.

I bought a sat nav around November this year, it became faulty, so returned it to Dabs, and as its discontinued they have said they will recredit my paypal with the £99, but this was over two weeks ago and despite contacting them via there chat service (I spoke to Katrina) there is no refund…….any advice on what I can do now? Would paypal be able to help?

Hi. i just posted a comment about how the customer service is terrible and how i couldnt cancel my order but through searching for ages i have found a number which has alowed me to cancel my order by phone

0870 129 3100

hope this can help you if your having trouble

I have just spoken to some one at dabs the number is 08704293026 its works a humanodi.

This may be of interest to DABS and then again perhaps not!
I was intending to make a purchase of around £500′s worth of computer equipment from either DABS or another company.
Found this site .
Will not now be making the purchase from DABS.
Good Customer service is essential.

Was so pleased to find this blog… as hav9ng no published number is rubbish! But… Oh dear..
My faith is dying by the minute. I ordered a TV on Monday – paid for next day delivery – it arrived really quick – the next morning. However – in the box there was only the TV and half a lead! No packing list, instructions, power leads etc., remote control.
So I emailed “assistance@dabs.com” as on the “Box Note” and also via the online contact form via “dabs.com/help” as also advised on the “Box Note”.
This morning there was no response still so I called the number 0870 429 3010 and while I got through to a human he advised me to go through the chat help online – I said I couldnt as my firwall wont allow it.. he advised using the onlne form – I said I had and had no response. He told me I had got through to some corporate dept (? cant remember) and that he couldnt help. He sympathised and said all he could do was take my details and email someone asking them to call me. Ok its only 10:30 am Wed but thats not great… and I am totally down hearted after reading all these experiences.
I emailed kshallicker@dabs.com which bounced stating that the address was not valid at the organisation. Perhaps along with Steve Huston our Kate has left?!
Will try all other emails on here and let you know how I get on!

My God – just about to give up hope! Jon got back to me!!
It seems thay have now despatched the missing items for me…. it took some rattling of cages but we got there….
My advice? Either dont buy from DABs or if you do and have a problem try all emails and numbers in my above posts! Be polite but give deadlines…
Phew…

Hi Folks

I found the info that everyone has posted here to be very helpful so I though I would post my experience. (Both good and bad actually)

Got an email saying that there was an “Address Authorisation” problem. I proptly replied, but a couple of (working) days passed with no activity. Tried the ‘live chat’ facility a couple of times which was useless (I think once it was a real person and a bot another time). Then I went looking for phone numbers which brought me here.

I called 0870 4293700 as mentioned in another thread on here, which is the Sales number. They were helpful and put me through to a very helpful gent called Clive in Customer Services. I explained the problem and he authorised my payment address and said that my order was now completed and being picked for dispatch.

As other have mentioned as long as you’re polite they’re quite helpful.

Probably not worth over using that phone number though, else that will probably get switched over to the recorded message too!

I ordered an AMD phenom Quad core pc package from Dabs on Easter Sunday. (Quick Link 5dkfws) it’s description boasted about all the power and capabilities of the pc and that it came with multimedia keyboard and optical mouse and there was a nice picture accompanying it. Waited patiently and wednesday the following week 1 box was delivered containing the AMD phenom pc a keyboard and a mouse. NO monitor or speakers. I checked the advert and it shows pc, monitor, speakers, mouse and keyboard and it states multimedia in description. 12 emails and 3 days have passed already without a human reply. I have filled in a returns form and it looks like my only option is to return it. Might try all the addresses and phone numbers above…..

John (17th April..) thats terrible! Has it all come yet? If not – call the numbers and emails as above!

Is anyone else having problems logging into the dabs.com website at the moment?

Yesterday I tried my usual login and password but they weren’t accepted, so instead i registered a new account and ordered the items I want to buy.

Today I wanted to logon to check the order status and…. guess what, it wont accept my newly registered email and password either!.

Tried their realtime chat. To be fair the person on other end seemed nice and not a total idiot, but was unable to help. I don’t think its a problem my end because I completely flushed firefox’s cache/cookies and even tried in both a different browser (IE) and on a completely different machine!.

Hi everyone,

I’m Jon and I’m the Customer Service Manager for Dabs.com.

Reading back through this thread is quite an education. I can see the definate changes in our service over the years. I believe that we’ve come a very long way but we can’t be complacent. One of the biggest changes is that there is a genuine desire to listen, change and improve in my department and the business as a whole.

Although I can understand the temptation to mail individuals in the organisation directly, can I ask you first to contact me and my management team on csmanager@dabs.com if assistance@dabs.com isn’t getting you a resolution. When individuals get mailed I lose sight of root causes, your mail may disappear and the team can end up duplicating work (which slows everyone’s solutions down). I promise you we are picking up those mails and they will be responded to.

The vast majority of our customers have a happy, drama free experience however for the few who don’t – rest assured I take each and every customer’s issue seriously and I make you my personal promise that where a resolution is in order it will happen. Customers are ultimately in charge of the business, and I know that without customers my colleagues and I will all be looking for a new role.

Jon

Just to update you, I got a bounceback from csmanager@dabs.com. I don’t think that Jon’s new era of customer service can be very successful! The most recent phone number in the list is to the former dabs@work which is now BT Business Equipment and they just give you the same old story, we can’t help you and Dabs don’t have a phone!

I would reccomend anyone having problems contact the courier service first. For me this was HDNL. I placed an order on 11 January which showed as delivered 12 January. I haven’t bothered chasing until yesterday because I was in no particular hurry but was concerned when I tried and found the same as everyone else, Dabs have no phone number on their website.

Instead of bothering with their email system I called HDNL who advised me my item had been left with a neighbour all of this time… they had not thought to leave a note at my house or update the Dabs website with said information!

If your case is different and the courier service deny having received the product from Dabs at least you will know where the problem lies and Dabs cannot fob you off by blaming the courier.

Ordered £750.00 worth of PC components for a new system, paid £20.00 for Saturday delivery, only the case arrived, the rest of the components (£700.00 worth) has vanished into thin air. The courier (HDNL) says DABS have only given them the one box, can’t get hold of a human at DABS for love nor money.

I have been a DABS customer for more than ten years, I bought my first PC from them, and many other PC’s and bits and pieces over the years, as have alot of my family and friends due to my recomendation, well, you can guess what I’ll be telling them now !!

Avoid DABS like the plague.

Previous posting was interesting. I’ve just bought a little 19″ combined TV/monitor made by LG from DABS and it sags forward too. The flimsy plastic foot is just not rigid enough to hold it upright – it sags about 5 degrees forward and is so bad that it’s gone in may bedroom – if it were visible to visitors that would all ask if it was bust or whet! This has badly disappointed me and only the fact that I have been unwell has kept me back from contacting them about. Also compounded by the fact that in spite of all the chortling DABS does about service awards etc., I have had to realise that it’s inescapable that customer service with them is just continuous cr*p. The pity is that they have a lot of good elements but they do not hold together and function well enough as a whole. My experience: bad product description led me to buy a wireless router that turned out to be for cable, although the web info did not mention cable. I had to use the online chat and contradict what the Karen xxxx person was saying in order to get me postage refund. She asserted that I had bought multiope items in the purchase and thus postage would not be refunded. I had to tell her that that was not the case. Anyone with my order onscreen would have seen that. I object to having to chisel to get back what’s righfully mine. Today I tried to but another item and it would only offer me free but slow post delivery. It would not explain whay it was doing that and once again their chat people, Karen yyyy, was of no help. I bought the item elsewhere. I shall coninue to use them to read customers opinions (very very valuable), but I can’t see myself buying much from them anymore. I honstly belive that if their customer people actually SPOKE to us using their vocal chords they would be more productive and be more helpful. The view I have of their chat people is of a collection of indiviuals who can’t get back-up to sort out difficult questions so they either don’t complete dialogues or give formulaic advice from a poor knowledge base. Aargh, the Internet can deliver more than this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Many thanks for DABs tel nos. I spoke to a very nice young lady abd she gave me the tel no of their Customer service 08704293407. If is no answer, leave a message and try again later. I spoke to another nice lady (my lucky day!) and she gave me 2 tel nos for LG.
Good luck!

Dabs is a nightmare!

I have sent them faulty processor a MONTH AGO and they do not respond to any mail. They have no phone.

I definitely do not buy anything there anymore.