OK. I have a Yachts in your Coccyx? in a bookmakers whose name sounds like Tadnooks. Put simply, I know of a What's in your box? in a Ladbrokes. Ignore that miscellany and folly. Let's concentrate on the rest of the posting.
I stopped off at this Ladbrokes shop. The machine used to be a good one, but it's not anymore and it doesn't have that note acceptor on it, so don't bother with trying to find it ok? Alright. Good. One.
It was just a quick pop in for a bit of y'know.
Anyway.
Fragmented. I'll try and make it more concise. Keep on reading please. DON'T IGNORE ME - KEEP ON READING OR I'LL SWITCH YOU OFF.
To recap. I've popped into a Ladbrokes to play a s34 AWP.
Two staff one behind the counter and one up front tidying up things.
I'm playing the s34 AWP on a low stake.
The one staff member 'tidying' stops to watch me play.
**This is annoying**
The machine is comatose. It costs £8 for the first board, despite y'know. It kills me on a 2 going higher for win stopper. It seems I'm being jinxed. I carry on. £5 for next board and this looks like an exercise in loss minimisation. £13 in and £1 out on a 50/50. Very harsh for this machine. The dially thing drops in but misses. So it's due a dially. The £14 does the old Eclippse cabinet drop into no man's land and give no credit. Well she's still watching, so I mention the quid loss to her, might as well y'know. She acknowledges and goes behind the counter.
Fine. Maybe it'll get her tidying and not watching again.
She comes back. Check this out...
"I need to turn the machine off now."
"Why is that?"
"The machine is malfunctioning. It needs to be looked at by an engineer. I need to turn it off now."
"It's only a stray coin drop, can I just please finish off this session as I've put quite a bit in?"
<<Silence>>
I put in another £1 - more missed dial.
"YOU MUST COLLECT YOUR BANK AND FINISH, THE MACHINE MUST BE SWITCHED OFF!"
"It's due to pay, it's working fine. If it does it again I'll let you know. Can I just finish playing the machine before you switch it off?"
"WHY ARE YOU IGNORING ME?! THE MACHINE MUST BE SWITCHED OFF NOW!!"
<<more missed dials>>
"IF YOU DON'T COLLECT YOUR BANK YOU WILL LOSE YOUR MONEY"
"I don't understand why the machine has to be switched off this instant. I've put a lot of money in and it's due to pay a bit back. The problem isn't affecting the game, it's just a random stray coin that dropped through to the bottom. I'm not that bothered about it. Please can I finish my game in peace?"
"DO NOT BE DISOBEDIENT!! YOU WILL OBEY!! COLLECT YOUR BANK!!! NOW!! (really shouted loud like I was a naughty child)"
This may sound comical and quite funny (she really did say that). It may sound like a crazy Dr. Who villain but her whole attitude was terrible. She didn't seem the brightest spark in the box and she was not budging an inch. She had no charm.
At this point (thankfully) the dially gave it and I was offerred £11.49 which I dealt at. The box showed MEGA STREAK which was annoying as I knew had she not been there I could have cogitated and y'know and probably cleaned up the £35. I wasn't that bothered about the quid. It was only as she was hovering (not hoovering! She probably should have been hoovering actually!!) and I thought she might as well deal with the stray quid. In an arcade they'd just give you the quid back (not Shipleys as they're cretins), in a pub, well you wouldn't bother in a pub, probably not in an arcade either really. Only as she was there and her bulky, non charming ignorant persona was jarring with me that I mentioned it.
"That's all I wanted, just to see the dial."
She gave me the quid back.
"I'm not being deliberately awkwa....." but she was walking off whilst I was talking to her, so I said
"Are you ignoring me?"
"No, but if you don't finish the game when I ask you to in future you'll be barred from the machine."
That's the second time this year I've recieved POOR customer service from staff at Ladbrokes.
Since the incident with the FOBT I never play on line poker at their tables any more. William Hill in comparison offer superb customer service. They put up with and listen to my whinging and respond. I've also found their counter staff obliging in their shops as well. Straight forward and polite. This Ladbrokes cretin was something to behold. Terrible.
I'm sure someone will tell me that it is company policy that the machine must be switched off if an IOU is claimed and that I was the one in the wrong for not collecting out my £1 at the first opportunity. Maybe so if rules be rules, but I rate that as despicable, ignorant and unacceptable customer service.
Was it really that hard to accommodate my needs? Was I being unreasonable?
I was tempted to have it out with the ignoramus, but I still quite like chipped wiyb? and don't want to cause a name for myself, so I let it drop.
BFG - sort your cabinets out.
Ladbrokes - two staff members have failed to impress me by a long margin this year.
Maybe two bad apples out of many good ones, but I'm not impressed.
Rant over. Thanks.
Duplicated rant.
You get a job in the betting shop these days if you fail the "Mobile Phone Wide-Boy Salesman" and the "Trainee Mcjob Assistant Manager" interviews. I believe the new mantra is "The Customer Is Always Wrong".
ps. Have finished my first week under Coral's "Self-Exclusion Scheme". Believe it or not there are seven Coral's shops between work and home (THREE MILES!!!!!)
ps. Have finished my first week under Coral's "Self-Exclusion Scheme". Believe it or not there are seven Coral's shops between work and home (THREE MILES!!!!!)
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jeffvickers
- Senior Member
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- Joined: Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:05 pm
- Location: North of England