LaithwatesWine

I am happy to provide feedback. Your product is wonderful. I purchased membership last December as a gift for my son. He loved the wine, particularly the quality and unique selection. I had fully intended to renew membership as my gift to him again this year. Instead, I have canceled the membership. The reason? Remarkably poor customer service. Allow me to elaborate as I have kept detailed notes.

6 months into the membership I called and requested notification via email as to when my account would be debited. I never received an email, nor did on go into a spam account (I checked). Nonetheless, I budgeted accordingly knowing the shipments were quarterly. My account was debited in September, 2015 so I anticipated another debit in December. By pure chance, I happened to check my account yesterday, Sunday, Nov. 1st and noticed a pending charge of $154.99 from Laithwaite. I immediately called your 1-800 number and spoke with Tim, who very cordially canceled the shipment and the charge. This did NOT however, release the funds back into my account. Tim stated I would need to contact my credit union informing them of the cancelation. And this is where the nightmare dance began.

I will try to be brief, but please be aware that I spent over an hour on hold (or more) today with your company, trying to get my funds released back into my account. My funds. My time. For an order I DID NOT MAKE! Disgusting.

The first Laithwaite employee I spoke with this morning (app 8:00 a.m. EDT) was "Williard" who said he was in central FL, and told me "Brian" in billing could call my credit union.

I called Laithwaite at 10:45 and spoke with supervisor "Todd", who stated Brian would be in at 11:00 and "would get it taken care of" and would call me.

At 11:15 "Brian" called me and said he could not get thru to my credit union. I gave him the same explicit instructions and asked him to try again. (The number that appeared when he called me was 470-61)

At 11:30 I received a call from the 470-61 number and when I answered the caller hung up. Again, disgusting.

I immediately called Laithwaite back (waiting on hold AGAIN for 10+ minutes) and explained to "David" what had happened. David told me there would have to be a 3-way call including my credit union, Laithwaite and myself. I stated that I had already spoken with numerous individuals (including supervisors) and NO ONE had said anything about a 3 way call. I then demanded to speak with ANOTHER supervisor and was transferred to Aja.

Aja informed me that she was a floor supervisor and there was no else for me to speak with. She stated my credit union would have to call Laithwaite because "Brian" had been unable to contact my credit union. She could not provide me with the name of ANYONE that Brian had spoken to, which I find suspect. She gave me her extension (*******) and said when my credit union called (after having to wait on hold of course) they would be transferred directly to her.

And this is where irritation really turned to anger.

At 1:00 I contacted "Avis", a supervisor at my credit union, who offered to call your company and conference me in. Avis and I waited on hold, (of course) and eventually reached Aja at ext. *******. Avis requested a charge order number from Aja in order to release the funds. Aja stated she would have to "walk over" to the billing department and get it. When Aja returned to the call she stated that Laithwaite didn't use order numbers and no one in billing had any number to provide!

WHAT? It appears this entire scenario was just a song and dance with no intention of honestly trying to assist, what had been, a satisfied customer! Every single supervisor ought to be fired, particularly Brian and Aja. I've NEVER experienced such a ridiculous song and dance as I experienced today with your "customer service" reps. And all of this, ALL OF THIS, because of an order I DID NOT PLACE AND WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF.

Of course I canceled my membership, who wouldn't? But your company certainly owes me for the hours I spent on the phone, the stress of worrying payments might bounce because of the "pending funds" debacle and sheer frustration of the variety of story lines I was given.

Shameful. Absolutely shameful.