Guanche did us a great service introducing us to Leroy Merlin, so good that I hereby inaugurate the official ChalkCat Leroy Merlin thread.
For background, if you haven't been on the rant thread, start here (http://chalkcat.com/index.php?topic=1668.msg40402#msg40402). Make sure to go at least through here (http://chalkcat.com/index.php?topic=1668.msg41621#msg41621).
So, two weeks ago OH and I went up to the north and walked around slack jawed at the sheer enormity, selection and prices in Leroy Merlin. Surely we instantly marked ourselves out as provincials from the west. What a store.
OH had found exactly the Junkers solar water heating system he wanted so we arrived ready to buy. We may have met one or two of the exemplary employees Perikles and Janet encountered. Then we found a guy who was primed and ready to help us. Did we want to buy immediately or have them install it? To install it they would have to visit the site and give us a quote for the products, grua, installation, etc. 30€ for the service and if we purchase the system they will take the 30€ off the price. Deal!
So he gave us a date for the visit, Friday the 20th, and the engineer would phone to confirm a time.
We know what happened next, don't we? Friday came and went....nothing Monday. Tuesday I phoned the installation department and had to leave a message on their machine. No return call. Wednesday I got a - wait for it - live human being! I explained the situation, she took my information and said she'd phone me back. No return call. Friday I phoned and guess what - I got the same woman. She knew immediately who I was and said quite animatedly "Do you mean nobody phoned you? Give me 10 minutes."
In 5 minutes my mobile rang and it was the engineer who said he would come today between 3.30 and 4.00. He sounded like he had really been scolded.
The phone rang early this afternoon and it was the engineer, apologising because he was on a job running over, and could not come today, but would phone me tomorrow to confirm a day/time. Obviously I forgave him and I really do expect to hear from him tomorrow. If I don't, no problem - I have his number in my mobile.
So this thread will develop as the situation develops, and as people add whatever Leroy Merlin news they have. It is one hell of an impressive store so I hope it develops pleasantly. I am beginning to understand what a cargo cultist feels like.
Your sojourn in LM was the same "department" as the one we were searching, so very likely you were talking to one of the morons who failed to help us. In our case, the absolutely clear fact was that they had in stock just what we wanted, but they were just too lazy to get the item from store so denied it was possible. It required a minimum of effort which nobody was prepared to make, unless given a kick up the arse. The only solution seems to be to kick up a fuss every time, but what a mentality when you have to fight to actually buy something. :33:
"but what a mentality when you have to fight to actually buy something"
You will recall but other members will not know about our struggle to buy a chest freezer from Electro-Cris. We got the default English-speaking guy who would fit right in in our favourite department in Leroy Merlin. After three visits over several weeks which resulted in nothing, even after complaining to a supervisor, we went home :017: and were astounded a few weeks later when a Spanish-speaking employee phoned me up and told me the freezer we ordered had arrived! It was never an official order. Nevertheless, we hurried over and paid for it and they delivered it. And the delivery guys walked off with OH's Stanley tool (box cutter). He went out and bought himself another one.
We shall be lending no more tools to any deliverers or installers.
Bastard electrician still has my best kitchen knife ... do you have one, he asked, showing me his knackered knife. Yes, I said, lending him the only one to hand which happened to be my best one. I'll leave it on the step when I'm finished, he said. Guess which fucking knife he left ... and which he walked off with?
:gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit: :gonnagetit:
I know what I'd do with it if I ever caught up with him.......
Never lend anything here , you either get it back broken or don't get it back at all .
Talking with experiance here . :)
If I were going to write an open letter to Leroy Merlin, it would go along these lines:
Dear Leroy Merlin,
Hello and congratulations for being at the top of my shit list!
It is now three weeks since we visited you in your lovely store 90km away from where I live. In the intervening time, the date for your engineer to come by to give us a quote for hardware and installation passed without notice by anyone at Leroy Merlin. Trying to get a live human being to answer the fucking phone is a real challenge, and there is no sense leaving voice mail because people do not return my calls. It took me a week to get you to get the engineer to phone me. On a Friday (one week after the first date) he promised me a visit on Monday between 3.30 and 4.00 only to phone on said Monday to say he had a job overrunning and would phone me Tuesday. Admittedly, he did not say Tuesday of which century. But I am clever and his mobile number is in my mobile so I phoned up the next day when another guy took a message. Once again, the trail went cold. Today at 13.45, he phoned and said he'd be here in half an hour. Anticipation! In less than 15 minutes he phoned to say he'd been called to an emergency in Los Cristianos and couldn't make it. When I asked when he could come, he said he really couldn't say.
So Leroy Merlin, that is why you occupy the top spot on my shit list. And you can :asskiss:
Warmest regards, Myrtle
I understand they now repair Mercedes!!! :021:
You know, it's quite clear that a complaint to them would just go into the bin. I think the only way forwards would be to complain to their head office wherever that is. I'm thinking of doing that just to let them know that the La Laguna branch is staffed by total arseholes and they need to know. Time for a futile jesture or two methinks.
apart from Montse. She really tried ...
Quote from: Delderek on Mon 7 Oct 2013, 16:52
I understand they now repair Mercedes!!! :021:
God forbid!
Quote from: Perikles on Mon 7 Oct 2013, 16:59
You know, it's quite clear that a complaint to them would just go into the bin. I think the only way forwards would be to complain to their head office wherever that is. I'm thinking of doing that just to let them know that the La Laguna branch is staffed by total arseholes and they need to know. Time for a futile jesture or two methinks.
Well, if you find a way to do it, let me know.
Is jesture a play on words? A sort of tragicomic complaint?
Quote from: Myrtle Hogan-Lance on Mon 7 Oct 2013, 17:29Is jesture a play on words? A sort of tragicomic complaint?
I could claim it was intentional and a clever wordplay, but in fact someone was calling on Skype and distracted me.
Quote from: Myrtle Hogan-Lance on Mon 7 Oct 2013, 17:29
Well, if you find a way to do it, let me know.
Here (http://www.leroymerlin.es/atencionAlCliente.html) is the page where they invite you to send opinions. It's just possible that a comment to Head Office gets noticed.
I can confirm that complaints are looked at. The wife has had reason to complain on a number of occasions. These complaints resulted in one contractor being sacked and possibly another LM employee. After the complaint he was never seen again. I may add they were both total aresholes and deserved all they got!
On other occasions the wife has received letters thanking her. Soon after she had the first employee sacked they installed a queuing system with the numbers from the dispensers on some of the dept. We think that was a direct responce to her complaint.
She had the management system explained to her and it would seem the store is managed by committee with diffrent managers for the morning and evening shifts and changed daily with all employees who are qualified, all ultimately governed from France.....or something like that :undecided:
We have spent thousands there whilst doing up the house so we, well the wife doesn't take any shit!
Well done to the Guanches. Hope I can achieve such results. I also do not take shit, but that is difficult in a foreign language. Nevertheless I am inspired by your example.
The management thing sounds very French to me.
I must quickly add that the wife is just as quick to call the duty managers attention to good service. :toothygrin:
I love Mrs G. :kissbloom:
Okay, just got off the phone with the woman at the store in La Laguna - the same one I've spoken to on two other occasions. I brought her up to date on the two further appointments cancelled, said it was unacceptable (response, por supuesto) and what can we do as we have now lost three weeks? She understands the complaint and was sighing in all the right places. Now she's taking the complaint to the manager so we'll see what that yields.
I have all of the 'events' written down so that if I have to use Perikle's link all I have to do is type it in.
Ah hah! Ana just phoned from the store and the complaint has been kicked up the chain. She wants to try to get the guy here this afternoon if I understand correctly. Watch this space.
Progress Myrtle! The thing is with (sorry if you already know this) LM and a number of other retailers is that they only use contractors. LM and Ikea sell the stuff and the fitting or delivery is contracted out. If nobody complains then LM don't know theres a problem.
Even in Ikea the people who make the 'Sets' living rooms, kitchens and the like are contractors not employed by Ikea.
I'm beginning to sound like an advert for LM!!! :D
Quote from: Guanche on Tue 8 Oct 2013, 14:45nobody complains then LM don't know theres a problem.
Then it's very much up to a good management to contact people directly and ask whether they are satisifed with the contractor. Relying on complaints is just pathetic.
NEWS FLASH!
The contractor phoned me a few minutes after Ana, and said he could be here between 4.30 and 5.00, and he was true to his word. He's just gone after having a very thorough discussion and inspection. He did say that Leroy Merlin was "very angry" about their not providing the quote thus far. So, it's off to Juan's boss to do the quote and I have to get on to our plumber for the things he has to do.
Fingers crossed, looks like we are set to make more progress.
I suspect Ana was the first one from LM to contact the contractor. They risk loosing the LM contract and no doubt a lot of money. This is what happened to us on one occasion. The contractor fired one of the drivers while we were still in the store talking to the duty manager! The contractor then had to pay the value of the items they had damaged over €700. It was that or lose the contract.
Yup Guanche, think you are on track. The guy who came left and came back and rang the bell twice for things he had forgotten. Clearly thinking and clearly mitigating damage. He was a good guy so we hope the rest goes as well.
Just wanted to mention that Ana has taken complete charge and we have the quote and I am hoping to have a hot shower soon.
It seems that you just have to get up the chain a bit before things work, whether dealing with shop floor workers or contractors. And of course repeated complaining helps to get up that chain.
Like so much else here, they need to review their practices. but have a captive audience so little incentive ...
Quote from: Myrtle Hogan-Lance on Sat 12 Oct 2013, 09:02
Just wanted to mention that Ana has taken complete charge and we have the quote and I am hoping to have a hot shower soon.
From your experience above, and ours with the heater, I have this image of LM as a small group of angry energetic women with whips, trying to goad the reluctant male employees into actually doing something for their wages.
Let me know when you've recovered from the 'flu AND had a shower, and I might drop by. ;)
Quote from: Perikles on Sun 13 Oct 2013, 12:06
From your experience above, and ours with the heater, I have this image of LM as a small group of angry energetic women with whips, trying to goad the reluctant male employees into actually doing something for their wages.
Let me know when you've recovered from the 'flu AND had a shower, and I might drop by. ;)
That's gonna make her feel a whole lot better :whistle:
Quote from: Delderek on Sun 13 Oct 2013, 17:07
That's gonna make her feel a whole lot better :whistle:
I figure I can string this one out for a while! :giggle:
Fontanero coming in the morning to see what we need him to do. OH going back to Goyo's in the afternoon as the piping he needs is supposed to be in. Paying for the system organised. Placing the order is getting closer as is the prospect of a hot shower.
I am not obsessed with hot showers but the lukewarm ones are wearing thin.
The fontanero dropped by at my request so OH could clear positioning of a hole and electrical cable with him, for 5 minutes. Well, an hour later he's just gone and the tube OH bought to go up the side of the house and house the water pipes, electrical cable and other cables is a no go. It will crack and have to be replaced in 2 years. So we're off in a mo to go buy reinforced UPVC which of course still has to be painted and installed by Saturday when the fontanero comes to do his thing in preparation for Leroy Merlin delivering and planning to install the solar water heater on Monday.
What could possibly go wrong?
OH may well have to buy me a beer on the seafront after this trip.
The heat is on.
Agrocanarias delivered the reinforced UPVC tubes, 45s (degree angles) and codos (90 degree angles) and brackets. I have started painting the UPVC while OH has been drilling holes and putting the brackets on the side of the house.
Leroy Merlin phoned a while ago to confirm they will deliver and install starting around 10.00 on Monday. They expect to do it over Monday and Tuesday.
Have to phone the fontanero tomorrow morning to tell him he absolutely has to be here Saturday morning. Of course this means the tube has to be installed by the time he gets here.
Drop dead time to be ready for Leroy Merlin is 10.00 Monday.
What could possibly go wrong?
:okey:
Quote from: Myrtle Hogan-Lance on Thu 24 Oct 2013, 17:38What could possibly go wrong?
You are of course aware of the strictly monitored law in Guia de Isora that insertion of tubes is illegal on Fridays. :tiphat:
:Woot_Emoticon: :Woot_Emoticon: :Woot_Emoticon:
It is difficult painting tubes when your Staffie wants to sit in the way, stretch between them and fart at you as you attempt to paint.
It is disastrous when your OH drills through a water pipe trying to make the hole for everything which has to go from inside up to the roof, and you have to turn off all the water to the house, and the plumber wont' be here til 0830 tomorrow.
It is aggravating to have two excited SBTs jumping around getting in the way as you are trying to see if there is any way you can turn on partial water, whether pipes are connected in ways you don't know and so forth as you have to rush around quickly because of the leak.
I don't suppose you will be hearing much from me today.
oh no! :undecided: If you need water, hot or cold or drinking, whatever, you know where we are ...
The fontanero was here at 0830, left at 1300, returned at 1500 and left at 1730. The plumbing is ready! (And we have the added bonus of running water and hot water.)
Sadly the fontanero does not think I have a future in painting and thought the way I painted the tubos was a bit pathetic.
OH now has to do the electrical cabling and mark the position of the placa and we'll be ready for Monday.
Fingers crossed.
Both the installers and the Junkers people said they would arrive this morning between 0930 and 1030.
The Junkers guy rang the bell at 0925 and all of the Junkers equipment is in the courtyard.
We await the installers and grua.
Installers and grua showed up just after 1130.
The tank on its way to the roof.
[attach=1]
The placas on their way up.
[attach=2]
While they were at it we asked for a favour and here is the little barrel on its way down
[attach=3]
and the big barrel on its way up.
[attach=4]
The big barrel which we use as a table wouldn't fit through the doorway so this was the first opportunity to get it upstairs. It goes better with the tall chairs we have up there, and the little barrel goes better with the normal height chairs in the courtyard.
So the installation continues.....
Hands up anybody who didn't see this one coming: there are parts missing from the supporting frame! They really do need to be there as designed. The technician is pursuing it via his boss and I am pursuing it via Ana at Leroy Merlin.
Now we sits and we waits.
oh no, I thought it was going too smoothly ... albeit after you'd had to kick ass ...
:banghead:
This beats reading a good thriller any day. :D
Quote from: Jack O'lantern on Mon 28 Oct 2013, 14:38
Hands up anybody who didn't see this one coming: there are parts missing from the supporting frame! They really do need to be there as designed.
You must be well pleased that you got them to install it. This is exactly the kind of thing which happens when you try to install it yourself, and they claim that the bits were definitely there and you must have lost them. Now all you need do is shrug your shoulders.
Do you have hot water?
Well after a number of frantic phone calls, it turns out the bits we don't have are an optional extra for areas which experience high winds. So the installation continued, and continues. This morning they said they would be here til about 1530, but they are still at it and have connected up the water. At present, there is no hot water as I think they are filling up the 300l tank. OH has been with them every single moment of the day, supervising every step. And supplying a vast array of tools which he has been careful to get back.
Just been called - more later......
Ladies and gentlemen, ghosts, ghouls and goblins, I present to you
[attachimg=1]
The water is presently heating and we should have hot water in another hour or so.
Both the guy from Junkers who delivered the main kit and the guys from the installation company were super and said we must call if there are any problems. All very professional and a pleasure to deal with.
So for now, it is :thumbup:
Can´t wait to go back and buy more at Leroy Merlin.
:Woot_Emoticon:
:Woot_Emoticon: :Woot_Emoticon: :Woot_Emoticon: :Woot_Emoticon:
Why is it facing north?
How do you figure it's facing north? Looks like south to me. Or are you having a go at irony now? :whistle:
My goodness. The lengths some people will go to to have a shower. Costs me a whole 50p to heat a tank of water.
Quote from: GOD on Mon 28 Oct 2013, 19:49
Why is it facing north?
Why don't you go ask your German hiking friend? For the record, it's south facing. Sheesh. Some GOD.
And Delderek, multiquote isn't working so I will say to you that sunshine is free. Apparently. One of my neighbours drove by today and I told him we were installing the system and he said he has one too, and that it works
casi todos los días and we had a giggle repeating
casi todos los días to each other.
Almost every day.
Early days, stay tuned..............
Quote from: Jack O'lantern on Mon 28 Oct 2013, 20:57
Why don't you go ask your German hiking friend? For the record, it's south facing. Sheesh. Some GOD.
If you say so. But why are they are at what seems like 45 degrees? Without thinking about it too much, I would have thought that if our latitude is 28 degrees, which it is, then the maximum efficiency of the heating elements would be achieved by having them also at 28 degrees to the horizontal. Or are they?
Goodness gracious GOD, one would think you knew something about the subject! :clap:
The placas are at 35 degrees, which is how Junkers specs them for Spain...the peninsula. Ours should be at 28 degrees as you correctly state, but they don't cater for us. The good news is that in winter, 35 degrees will improve the performance which is probably a net benefit.
Quote from: Jack O'lantern on Mon 28 Oct 2013, 21:35
Goodness gracious GOD, one would think you knew something about the subject! :clap:
The placas are at 35 degrees, which is how Junkers specs them for Spain...the peninsula. Ours should be at 28 degrees as you correctly state, but they don't cater for us. The good news is that in winter, 35 degrees will improve the performance which is probably a net benefit.
Well, I know a little about it, which is why I asked the question. From the photo it was impossible to judge the actual angle, and I'm surprised that it's as low as 35 degrees. As you say, it's probably a net benefit in winter, and in summer there is no point in having an optimum angle because there is far more heat available than you need. :tiphat: