Commercial Wine Storage - A bad experience recently.
Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2004 11:30 am
Dear Forumites
I thought that as we generally report less than acceptable service from wineries, that we should do the same for other wine related services. Here is my recent bad experience.
Saturday 24 January
I drove from McLaren Vale to Adelaide (100km round trip) to where I store my wine in Thebarton, at one of the national wine storage facilities (name regretfully withheld), as I wanted to run a complete inventory on my cellar, repack boxes to maximise space (due to fees recently being raised from $50 to $71), and most importantly, to acquire a few choice bottles for Australia Day celebrations.
NOTE: This service provider states 24/7 access.
After entering the main gates, I keyed in my pin to the air-conditioned area door and it stated that 'Entry is Granted'....except the door would not unlock. I tried for 10 minutes as the door was playing up a bit the week before.. but alas to no avail.
I proceed to inform the person in the office who replied curtly 'That's not possible'. After several requests that she come and inspect the situation, she reluctantly agreed to come and check for herself.
"Believe me now?" I enquire.
Without answer she heads off, only to come back and say she will try some keys on the back door entrance to the area. This doesn't work, so she says she will try some other keys, which also didn't work.
After 30 minutes of unprofessionalism and incompetency, I ask her if she is a casual worker there, "No, I am the manager" was the reply, to my complete amazement.
She asks if I can wait for an hour while she calls a locksmith.
Feeling less than enthusiastic now, I decide to leave and ask to be contacted once access has been restored, and to inform me how they expect to compensate me for my major inconvenience.
Friday 31 January
I decide to call and enquire, only to be informed that access was only restored full time the day before (Thursday 30th), but was available during work hours since Monday. "Thank you for the notice!" I quip.
She also states that she has not heard back from her manager regarding compensation.
Monday 2 February.
Today I have been informed that they have considered that there is no compensation required as the problem was quote "out of our hands in the first place"!!
My point here is that whether or not it was directly or indirectly their fault, they are responsible. I would also have thought they would value customer goodwill a little more. Obviously not!
The real unfortunate thing is that I must have recommended this facility to no less than 10 other people who are now using this company.
A Request
Would any of the specialist wine storage companies please consider opening a facility in Adelaide as we are crying out for it.
Demand far exceeds supply.
I thought that as we generally report less than acceptable service from wineries, that we should do the same for other wine related services. Here is my recent bad experience.
Saturday 24 January
I drove from McLaren Vale to Adelaide (100km round trip) to where I store my wine in Thebarton, at one of the national wine storage facilities (name regretfully withheld), as I wanted to run a complete inventory on my cellar, repack boxes to maximise space (due to fees recently being raised from $50 to $71), and most importantly, to acquire a few choice bottles for Australia Day celebrations.
NOTE: This service provider states 24/7 access.
After entering the main gates, I keyed in my pin to the air-conditioned area door and it stated that 'Entry is Granted'....except the door would not unlock. I tried for 10 minutes as the door was playing up a bit the week before.. but alas to no avail.
I proceed to inform the person in the office who replied curtly 'That's not possible'. After several requests that she come and inspect the situation, she reluctantly agreed to come and check for herself.
"Believe me now?" I enquire.
Without answer she heads off, only to come back and say she will try some keys on the back door entrance to the area. This doesn't work, so she says she will try some other keys, which also didn't work.
After 30 minutes of unprofessionalism and incompetency, I ask her if she is a casual worker there, "No, I am the manager" was the reply, to my complete amazement.
She asks if I can wait for an hour while she calls a locksmith.
Feeling less than enthusiastic now, I decide to leave and ask to be contacted once access has been restored, and to inform me how they expect to compensate me for my major inconvenience.
Friday 31 January
I decide to call and enquire, only to be informed that access was only restored full time the day before (Thursday 30th), but was available during work hours since Monday. "Thank you for the notice!" I quip.
She also states that she has not heard back from her manager regarding compensation.
Monday 2 February.
Today I have been informed that they have considered that there is no compensation required as the problem was quote "out of our hands in the first place"!!
My point here is that whether or not it was directly or indirectly their fault, they are responsible. I would also have thought they would value customer goodwill a little more. Obviously not!
The real unfortunate thing is that I must have recommended this facility to no less than 10 other people who are now using this company.
A Request
Would any of the specialist wine storage companies please consider opening a facility in Adelaide as we are crying out for it.
Demand far exceeds supply.
