WOW is all I can say so far!

Last week I ordered an Exiles shirt direct from the RFL following a promotional email. Yesterday it arrived, except that it was an England shirt! I emailed last night and this morning I received a phone call from someone (who I have since found out is a Business Development Manager). I thought great, that's fast!

The first phone call went fine but he wasn't able to get the order up on the computer so said he would ring me back

The second phone call was when the fun started! Firstly, the error is 100% the fault of the RFL for sending the wrong shirt. The gentleman asked me to send back to England shirt and he would send out the correct Exiles shirt. I asked him how he wanted to arrange for the shirt to be sent back in terms of how they would pay for the postage. He told me that it would only cost about a pound and I should pay for it. I explained that that's not how things work, at which point he started to abuse me for arguing over a pound. When I said to him if it's only a pound why don't you pay for it he told me he'd have to take it further and hung up on me!

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER!?! He has definitely convinced me to spend more money with the RFL

I wait in anticipation to find out what happens next. I have replied to an email from a customer service representative telling them what has happened

Is it worth getting so worked up over a pound?

We could set up a postage hardship fund for you?

Like I said to the guy on the phone, the pound is irrelevant it's the principle and the standard of service

Edit - Not to mention the law and basic consumer rights

I see where you're coming from to be fair and was only tongue in cheek.

I work in dispute resolution and generally find the best thing to do is sort out the core issue first, then any recompense for inconvenience etc to follow after.

I would recommend that you say to the RFL "OK, I will arrange for the return of the shirt so that you can send me the correct one, however, I would expect you to acknowledge the inconvenience caused by the delays in receiving the incorrect order, and having to go out of your way to send the incorrect item back."

Then the main issue will be sorted, and you can then pursue whatever recompense you see fit.

Last week I ordered some inkjet cartridges online, 2 x black, 1 x Photo Cyan and 1 x Photo Magenta. I received 2 x black, 1 x Cyan and 1 x Magenta.

I rang their sales department who apologised for the error, promised to send the 2 correct cartridges by next day delivery (which they did) and told me to keep the other 2 cartridges with their compliments.

That's customer service! They now have my loyalty.

I have now received a phone call from somebody different who has told me that a pre-paid envelope will be in post today to send the England shirt back. Once they have received that back they will post the Exiles shirt out

Right outcome in the end and the second guy handled the situation exactly how I expected it to be done in the first place!

Just means I have to wait another week for my shirt

Let's call an emergency meeting at Red Hall.

I'm sure we can make a bid on behalf of the 13 SL clubs for the Postage fund.

He has a valid point IMO.

Why should he be out of pocket and accept bad service?

Is this unprofessional conduct indicative of how other departments throughout the RFL act? I was always taught that for a company to suceed, they had to subscribe to the company's ethos at all levels, and not merely pay lip service to it.

Was it Gareth Raynor?

this is an organization that has steve macnamara as its national team coach.

go figure.

As mentioned it's not the most serious issue ever, but you do get the feeling that this degree of incompetence and lack of proactivity is rampant throughout the organisation.

Was this the same "business manager" who got us such a good naming rights deal last year I wonder? Sounds like he has the credentials!

I got a couple of Exiles shirts last week through the same RFL offer & they look snide as hell with the printed on badges you should have kept the England shirt.