Need to have a rant and get it out of my system…..
I went into Holiday Hypermarket last Thursday on the way home from work to get my Euros for my holiday this week. Been there loads of times and as it is in an out of town shopping complex, you can park outside and avoid the dreaded town traffic.
I walked in to be greeted by 6 staff all sitting behind their desks chatting away, as there was not one customer in the place. I went to the Foreign Exchange right at the back of the store, no one there but as 6 people had seen me come in I thought one would come and serve me. After a few minutes it was obvious nobody was bothered about me so I asked in a loud voice if anyone was serving. I was told they would ring the girl on the desk as she was on a break! 5 minutes later she turns up, conversation goes like this:
Girl: Can I help you Sir?
Me: Yes please, I’d like 1000 euros.
Girl: OK would you like it all in Travellers Cheques?
Me: No thanks cash please.
Girl: Ohhh! We don’t advise that Sir, you should have Travellers Cheques as they are safer.
Me: No Thanks, cash please.
Girl: OK Sir, it’s your choice.
Me: Yes it is but thank you for advising me.
Girl: I’ll just check the exchange rate…..It’s here somewhere
2 minutes of paper shifting.
Girl: Found it…..1000Euros will be £960
Me: Fine
Girl: We have to check your ID Sir to make sure you are not laundering money.
Me: Here is my Photo Driving License.
Girl: Thank you I’ll just take all the details and fill in this form.
another 2 minutes pass.
Girl: How would you like the Cash?
Me: 900 in 20’s 80 in 10’s and 20 in 5’s please.
Girl: Not sure if I have that amount in the drawer, would you like some in Travellers Checks?
Me: No all cash please.
Girl: OK I’ll just get the Manager to unlock the other counter and see if there is enough cash in there.
After what seemed an eternity the Cash appears on the counter.
Girl: Sorry for the wait Sir…….20, 40 60 80 100, 20 40 60 80 200, etc.
Girl: There we go Sir 1000 euros that will be £960. Would you like to pay extra for the buy back guarantee?
Me: No thanks, just the Euros.
I now slide my Debit Card under the counter screen.
Girl: Oh…. Sorry Sir but we cannot take any cards at the moment as our machines are down.
Me: Well how else can I pay? You don’t accept cheques.
Girl: We can take cash..
Me: I don’t have £960 in my wallet, that’s why I have a card!
Girl: Can you goto the cash machine outside Boots.
Me: I can only draw £200 a day from there, it will take 5 days to get the money. I need to give my bank 1 working days notice to draw that amount from the branch. As it is Thursday and 6.30pm that will be Monday and I have not got time to go into town to get it. When will your machines be working??
Girl: Not sure Sir they have been broken all week………
At this point I had a complete meltdown and went off on a rant that had the veins on my forehead throbbing…
25 f g minutes wasted all for the sake of a sign on the counter saying “Cash Only†or being asked from the beginning how I was going to pay…..I am still fuming even now!! How can a large company operate without being able to take payments from customers for a week or more???
Ordered the Euros from the Post Office online Thursday night, arrived Saturday morning Special Delivery. And got a better rate and free delivery.
Holiday Hypermarket, if you go bust then it is your own fault.
Welcome to the oxymoron of "service industry" Britain. Those who end up at the lower end of the service industries are rarely minded to offer service.
That wall we need to put them up against is getting bigger by the day.I know it's not considered "kind" to say no these days, but no. Just no, ok? And if it's not ok, still no.
31st Mar 2009 12:31 pm
frenchy
Member Since: 05 Dec 2007
Location: Liverpool
Posts: 1037
O...M....G.....That's wound even ME up
I am Feeling your Pain
31st Mar 2009 12:47 pm
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15214
Did she bid you "Have a Nice Day" as you vacated the premises ??I was a normal heterosexual chap, but in these new woke awakenings I now identify as a Wardrobe.
31st Mar 2009 12:49 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72799
On the similar vein to the cash only bit, once ordered 2 pizzas from Dominos, about £20. Got there only to be told it was cash only as their machine was knackered, nearest cash machine was couple of miles back the way I'd come. Now bit miffed that they could have told me when I ordered them so dug out what cash I had (£8 ) and told them I'd pay the full price by card but that was all the cash I had so it was take it or leave it. Pizzas tasted great, esp at £4 each!!!
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g minutes wasted all for the sake of a sign on the counter saying “Cash Only†or being asked from the beginning how I was going to pay…..I am still fuming even now!! How can a large company operate without being able to take payments from customers for a week or more??? 
