Avoided Currys for years as I remember how bad they were in the 1980s and 1990s with too may spotted youths that were working on commission that were only interested in quick sales and had no proper understanding of customer service.

Then in 2020, I visited on the recommendation of a friend and ended up buying 3 laptops and a printer together with software and had a top notch experience.

In 2022, one of the laptops needed a minor repair and, again, fabulous experience. Easy and efficient.

Roll on 2023 and another laptop repair. Great initial service from their Swindon store as previously. 4 days later I got a message to call the repair centre so they could confirm what repairs were needed and whether they could proceed given the cost. I telephoned the number requested (01142 627137). There is clearly a problem with the automated service as twice it asked me for the Reference Number and for my phone number. After inputting said details, I spoke to a female assistant who was difficult to understand and clearly had a strong foreign accent. I gave her the reference number (the Eclipse number that was printed on my Service Docket and was to be used for enquiries). Couldn't find it on the system. 5 minutes later she was still struggling to find it so put me through to another team for which I was hanging on the line. I gave up and telephoned again as I'd lost confidence in her. The same problem with the automated system in asking for details twice but finally got through. It then transpired that I had been given two numbers - an Eclipse number on my service docket when I took the laptop into store and a different number on the text messages I had received from Currys following depositing my laptop with them. How confusing is that. Hardly surprising that both call handlers couldn't find my repair and that I had to enter my details twice with the automated service. It happended that the text reference number was the only one that I should be using....

As with the first caller the gentleman had a strong foreign accent which made it difficult to understand everything he was saying. You need to address this issue Currys as these people are the primary ambassadors for your brand. The call operator wanted to arrange return delivery of my laptop but I confirmed that the repairs had not been done yet. I was simply phoning, as requested in a phone call from Currys, to give the go-ahead for the repairs and to make payment. The call operator transferred me to the technical department and, as before, I was left waiting.

At this point, I received a text message from Currys asking me to phone them on a DIFFERENT number to the one quoted on my Service Docket and referencing a DIFFERENT repair number to the Eclipse number of my Service Docket which I had been using to that point.

I telephoned and spoke to a very competent gentleman (Sam) who was clear in the way he spoke and was easy to understand. I made payment (although the first two occasions failed due to a connection at Curry's end with the card provider) and promptly received email confirmation. Finally, job done.

Currys - you need to address:
- the issue of different reference numbers. I should have one number throughout.
- call handlers that can't speak English clearly
- the issuing of different phone numbers
Having been really impressed with my experiences with you over the past 3 years, my experience with you today has left me questioning whether I want to use you again.