Recapturing My Youth – Not !

30 November 1999

Well I am officially working out of town. I haven't had to do that since I gave up the 9 to 5 and decided to work for myself. But my brother was desperate to get someone he could trust for his kitchen, and well, I couldn't think of anyone better. I will be here until the end of the week and then go home to the family on the weekend. I miss them more than I thought I would.

I figured it would be nights on the town and plenty of trips to the pub to recapture my youth – but it turns out that my brother has grown up considerably in my absence and hardly leaves the house, other than to go to work. I thought free and single blokes are supposed to kick up their heels. Turns out the responsibility of a mortgage and a good job are about all he can handle at the moment.

So I have had an evening helper on this job. Don't get me wrong, the input is appreciated and he really does try. But we are nothing like each other. He simply doesn't have the nerve for this sort of job. Making decisions is next to impossible and he has left it all to me. Trouble with this is that if I get it wrong I have to hear all about it at Christmas dinners from here until eternity! Still all the same, it is nice to catch up and spend some quality time with a family member. We just don't do it enough.

Now I did promise last time that I would relay some of my DIY store “challenges”. The first of which has to be the “try returning something and getting a refund” challenge. This is like a recurring nightmare for me. As I don't buy the kitchens or bathrooms for my clients, I rely on them to get the right items and they usually rely on the staff members at the store to help them select the right bits and pieces. They are the experts after all – aren't they?

Well more often than not, something important is missing or incorrect. Most recently for me it was a bath fitting. The store had helped my client select the wrong length piece of piping. I was going to the store so I offered to do the exchange. I get there, receipt in hand only to be told I have to speak to the “adviser” who did the transaction. OK, but he has the cheek to ask me why I didn't check the order when it was delivered, as now the receipt is a few days past their 30 day limit. I explain I didn't get on the job until 3 days previously and anyway why did he send the wrong piece of kit?

Many sighs later Mr Expert agrees to get me another piece of pipe – but surprise surprise there are none in stock despite the computer telling him there should be two somewhere in the store. Cue around 20 minutes of trying to track these items down. No Luck. So I travel to the next closest store where I am able to get the item I require and the manager there tells me the store I deal with is renowned for their “casual attitude to stock management” Hmmm...

Next time in the continuing saga of mismanagement and customer service, you will hear the harrowing story of a 50 minute wait for some fine gritted sandpaper.....

And I will be back in a better mood as I will be eating home cooked food rather than plastic microwave meals!