I ordered a present for my daughter from a website that was apparently set up by the CEO of Expansys and is called Zutux. It was significantly not as described, but since it is so close to Christmas, I have decided, for the time being, to keep it since their ineptitude has left me in an almost impossible predicament.
There follows a brief email exchange with them with a remarkable final email from them at the bottom and which has lead me to ask the question in the title of this thread.
I telephoned them and was promised a call back, which I did not receive, hence the first email.
I did receive a call, during which I indicated that I was going to return the product and following this, I received the email below.
Having looked for a replacement product and it being too late to order online for Christmas delivery, I chose to keep the product and wrote the following email.
I was sent this in reply.
Given that they offer anyone who orders anything at all from them £5 just for doing so, £4.99 appeared to me to be somewhat cheap, hence my reply below.
Astonishingly, I received this in reply. Quite what I have done to deserve this is not clear. Note the additional paragraphs at the end of the message, this is precisely how it was sent to me.
Finally, I sent the following email to Roger Butterworth, the founder of the site, although presumably, since he also received a copy of my last email, this has been done with his knowledge.
If Amanda worked in any of my businesses, she would be summarily dismissed for Gross Misconduct, whether or not it was December 23rd. Customers may not always be right, but they always pay the bills. They are not an interruption to the business, they are the reason for the business.
Expect Zutux to go the way of Zavi if this is the best they can do.
There follows a brief email exchange with them with a remarkable final email from them at the bottom and which has lead me to ask the question in the title of this thread.
I telephoned them and was promised a call back, which I did not receive, hence the first email.
Dear Sir
I telephoned yesterday regarding the product that you sent me, since it was significantly not as described.
I was promised a call back, which I did not receive.
Why was I not called back?
Regards,
Cetelco
I telephoned yesterday regarding the product that you sent me, since it was significantly not as described.
I was promised a call back, which I did not receive.
Why was I not called back?
Regards,
Cetelco
Dear Cetelco
Thank you for your email.
I am sorry that you were not telephoned back on Friday. We are still currently waiting for an answer, for your query, from the manufacturer of this product. At this present time they have not yet replied.
As soon as we have this information, we shall contact you.
Kind regards,
Sales
Zutux
Thank you for your email.
I am sorry that you were not telephoned back on Friday. We are still currently waiting for an answer, for your query, from the manufacturer of this product. At this present time they have not yet replied.
As soon as we have this information, we shall contact you.
Kind regards,
Sales
Zutux
Dear Cetelco
Further to our telephone conversation please find attached a returns form.
Could you please complete and return this to me and I will then arrange for parcel force to collect this item and return it to us.
Kind regards,
Amanda
Zutux
Further to our telephone conversation please find attached a returns form.
Could you please complete and return this to me and I will then arrange for parcel force to collect this item and return it to us.
Kind regards,
Amanda
Zutux
Dear Amanda
Many thanks for your email and for your time today on the telephone.
As discussed, I have attached images of both the screen, with the processor clock speed clearly displayed and also the instruction manual, where the speed is also declared. These were taken with my iPhone, but do give you a very clear picture of the issue.
Having searched for an alternative product, at such short notice and very quickly reaching the conclusion that it is simply not going happen, I have decided to keep the tablet. Naturally I am disappointed that it was not as advertised and only sports an 800MHz processor and not the 1GHz processor that I had ordered and I would ask that Zutux make some gesture in order to ease this disappointment.
I do not expect this, but would like it and will leave it up to you to choose what to do. Of course, you may choose do to nothing and either way, I shall be keeping the product which of course will also save you the expense of courier fees and RMA costs.
Merry Christmas.
Regards,
Cetelco
Many thanks for your email and for your time today on the telephone.
As discussed, I have attached images of both the screen, with the processor clock speed clearly displayed and also the instruction manual, where the speed is also declared. These were taken with my iPhone, but do give you a very clear picture of the issue.
Having searched for an alternative product, at such short notice and very quickly reaching the conclusion that it is simply not going happen, I have decided to keep the tablet. Naturally I am disappointed that it was not as advertised and only sports an 800MHz processor and not the 1GHz processor that I had ordered and I would ask that Zutux make some gesture in order to ease this disappointment.
I do not expect this, but would like it and will leave it up to you to choose what to do. Of course, you may choose do to nothing and either way, I shall be keeping the product which of course will also save you the expense of courier fees and RMA costs.
Merry Christmas.
Regards,
Cetelco
Dear Cetelco
Thank you for your email. I would like to apologise for not replying to you sooner, but we have been incredibly busy.
Thank you for completing the form, and for all the information you have provided. You will be pleased to hear that we have amended this item on our website to show 800 rather than 1GHz, until we receive verification from the manufacturer.
I have spoken to our accounts department and they would like to offer a refund of your postage costs £4.99, by means of an apology for the mistake and confusion. Alternatively, if you would prefer I am able to offer you a £7.50 voucher off any future purchase from our website(s).
Could you please let me know which offer you would like to accept.
Kind regards,
Amanda
Zutux
Thank you for your email. I would like to apologise for not replying to you sooner, but we have been incredibly busy.
Thank you for completing the form, and for all the information you have provided. You will be pleased to hear that we have amended this item on our website to show 800 rather than 1GHz, until we receive verification from the manufacturer.
I have spoken to our accounts department and they would like to offer a refund of your postage costs £4.99, by means of an apology for the mistake and confusion. Alternatively, if you would prefer I am able to offer you a £7.50 voucher off any future purchase from our website(s).
Could you please let me know which offer you would like to accept.
Kind regards,
Amanda
Zutux
Dear Amanda
Thank you for your reply. I will take the £4.99 as I cannot imagine for one moment that I will ever shop with you again.
You call this a mistake and confusion - I call it incompetence and misrepresentation. Were it not just a few days before Christmas then I would reject the goods out of hand. As it is, I reserve the right to report this transaction to Trading Standards and put you on notice that I may yet reject the product, should I find that anything else is wrong with it. In addition, why on earth must you await verification from the manufacturer, is it not plain enough from the images I sent you that the product is significantly not as described?
I run my own business, I understand that mistakes will be made, but what sets apart the good companies from the others is how they respond when mistakes are made. I was offered a product with a particular specification, I ordered that product and paid for that product yet was sent something with an inferior specification. In percentage terms, the processor is 20% slower than I ordered and sticking with the percentage theme, your refund is 3%.
You made a mistake and have been given the opportunity to assuage my disappointment yet have succeeded in compounding it. A remarkable feat and I wonder how that fits with the "...highest standard of customer service" that you are apparently passionate about. I notice also that you are offering anyone who orders anything at all £5 off, so greater than the refund you have offered me.
How do you intend to process the refund, since I am not at all interested in receiving any further correspondence from you and request that you remove or suppress my personal details on your system, in accordance with my rights under the Data Protection Act 1998?
Regards,
Cetelco
Thank you for your reply. I will take the £4.99 as I cannot imagine for one moment that I will ever shop with you again.
You call this a mistake and confusion - I call it incompetence and misrepresentation. Were it not just a few days before Christmas then I would reject the goods out of hand. As it is, I reserve the right to report this transaction to Trading Standards and put you on notice that I may yet reject the product, should I find that anything else is wrong with it. In addition, why on earth must you await verification from the manufacturer, is it not plain enough from the images I sent you that the product is significantly not as described?
I run my own business, I understand that mistakes will be made, but what sets apart the good companies from the others is how they respond when mistakes are made. I was offered a product with a particular specification, I ordered that product and paid for that product yet was sent something with an inferior specification. In percentage terms, the processor is 20% slower than I ordered and sticking with the percentage theme, your refund is 3%.
You made a mistake and have been given the opportunity to assuage my disappointment yet have succeeded in compounding it. A remarkable feat and I wonder how that fits with the "...highest standard of customer service" that you are apparently passionate about. I notice also that you are offering anyone who orders anything at all £5 off, so greater than the refund you have offered me.
How do you intend to process the refund, since I am not at all interested in receiving any further correspondence from you and request that you remove or suppress my personal details on your system, in accordance with my rights under the Data Protection Act 1998?
Regards,
Cetelco
Dear Cetelco
Thank you for your email.
You obviously feel very strongly about our company and our products so therefore I recommend you return this product to us asap for a full refund, as it is obviously so abhorrent to you.
As for taking us to trading standards, do as you wish. we have absolutely nothing to hide and have not committed any crime or
fraudulent act. We made a mistake and rectified it. You have decided to wage a lengthy (and rather repetitive) series of complaints, as is your right, and I have offered you a refund on several occasions.
As you mentioned in your earlier email, you "ask that Zutux make some gesture in order to ease this disappointment. I do not expect this, but would like it and will leave it up to you to choose what do do. Of course, you may choose do to nothing and either way, I shall be keeping the product"
That is your decision, but I have decided to withdraw any offer of monetary compensation to you and would ask that you return the product as soon as you can.
Please contact Sales@zutux to arrange your return, as I do understand that you want no further correspondence from me, and I feel the same about you.
As soon as this product is returned I will remove all trace of you from our system and records.
Amanda
Zutux
I am sorry you feel this strongly about our company and our products. I would suggest you return the product immediately as it is so abhorrent to you.
I shall not be processing your refund, it is withdrawn as it was a gesture of goodwill, which has been wasted on you.
Amanda
Zutux
Thank you for your email.
You obviously feel very strongly about our company and our products so therefore I recommend you return this product to us asap for a full refund, as it is obviously so abhorrent to you.
As for taking us to trading standards, do as you wish. we have absolutely nothing to hide and have not committed any crime or
fraudulent act. We made a mistake and rectified it. You have decided to wage a lengthy (and rather repetitive) series of complaints, as is your right, and I have offered you a refund on several occasions.
As you mentioned in your earlier email, you "ask that Zutux make some gesture in order to ease this disappointment. I do not expect this, but would like it and will leave it up to you to choose what do do. Of course, you may choose do to nothing and either way, I shall be keeping the product"
That is your decision, but I have decided to withdraw any offer of monetary compensation to you and would ask that you return the product as soon as you can.
Please contact Sales@zutux to arrange your return, as I do understand that you want no further correspondence from me, and I feel the same about you.
As soon as this product is returned I will remove all trace of you from our system and records.
Amanda
Zutux
I am sorry you feel this strongly about our company and our products. I would suggest you return the product immediately as it is so abhorrent to you.
I shall not be processing your refund, it is withdrawn as it was a gesture of goodwill, which has been wasted on you.
Amanda
Zutux
Dear Mr Butterworth
Please read the following exchange and I look forward to receiving your comments.
It is an astonishing outburst and appears completely at odds with the proud boasts on your website.
Quite why Amanda has seen fit to insult me personally is not clear. Her conduct is unnecessary, unprofessional and inexcusable. There has been no lengthy series of complaints, there have been precisely four emails, including this one and my first was simply a question regarding why I had not been contacted following a promise that I would be.
I have made my position clear and had accepted the refund that was offered. My position remains unchanged.
I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
Regards,
Please read the following exchange and I look forward to receiving your comments.
It is an astonishing outburst and appears completely at odds with the proud boasts on your website.
Quite why Amanda has seen fit to insult me personally is not clear. Her conduct is unnecessary, unprofessional and inexcusable. There has been no lengthy series of complaints, there have been precisely four emails, including this one and my first was simply a question regarding why I had not been contacted following a promise that I would be.
I have made my position clear and had accepted the refund that was offered. My position remains unchanged.
I look forward to hearing from you in due course.
Regards,
Expect Zutux to go the way of Zavi if this is the best they can do.
Comment