Nigel

Review of Blue Whale Spa

After searching for months to find the perfect Hot...

After searching for months to find the perfect Hot Tub we took a trip to Blue Whale Spa. The showroom has an impressive range on display that you can sit in for sizing up etc.
We made up our minds and placed a deposit. I took a picture of the spec on the sign etc.
Service up to this point was good if not great, every time we called their system had our details live on their screen ready to help. We were confirmed first on the install day so we expected to be enjoying out tub that evening!
Install day! - team called as promised to say leaving now with you in xx mins.
In the showroom the sales lady had explained that my wife would need to be present after install was complete to sign it off.

The install team arrived and they wouldn't start work as my wife was still on the school run. 10 mins later my wife was home and signed all the paperwork, only to be then told it was damaged, but a team would be along tomorrow to fix it. HANG ON! you knew it was damaged when you left and didn't tell us when you called and, you've arranged to have it fixed and we're not home!

At this point I was VERY angry, they had made us sign paperwork, prior to notification of the tub being damaged. Don't get me wrong, damage can be fixed, but getting us to sign it prior to telling us was unacceptable.

Needless to say I was straight on the phone, only to be told to call back as no one was in yet. (at 8:50 when they opened at 9am). ME call back when I had explained the issue, HELLO customer service, you should be calling me back! NOT impressed.

So the guys continued to move the tub into position, hose pipe at the ready to start filling, and I noticed it was missing the corner lights. no call back yet I might add and it was after 9am. Yes, I was comparing it to that all important picture of the spec in store.

So on the phone i go again, explain damaged, no lights, understood damage can be fixed, what can you do about lights, guy wasn't listening, kept repeating same things in different sentences about the damage. Then he decides lights can be added later. On goes the hose pipe.

The head guy disappears to his van and confirms he's checked and the skirt and corners are all different the lights cant be added after. GREAT!! by this time the tub is 6 inch full of water. IT'S THE WRONG TUB!! now bear in mind it's my wife's birthday and I had plans for the afternoon and evening. Which involved the hot tub in the evening, lets face it all that money you want to try it out. Hose pipe out, drain plug opened, water emptied.

Naturally i'm back on the phone, now mighty pee'd. You see the tub was near identical, same layout etc. The team started the loading of the tub back on the van and I was on the phone basically getting told they can't sort it the same day. By this time I thought they were trying to pull a fast one delivering a cheaper tub.

I then told them, you sort it today or its cancelled They remained firm saying it wouldn't happen. So I remained just as firm. By this time the tub was half way on the van. I noticed something else. The tub had literally half the jets to the images from the internet. So I mentioned this, low and behold, things start to move. We were getting a tub later that day!

BUT we had to look after the one that was already back on the van! This was the status Quo tub, "On and off and on again!!" The tub was plonked on our drive, off the first crew went, wife devastated, very upset and I didn't even see her face when the flowers I ordered for her turned up as I was on the phone.

So, we have a tub on our drive, and a soggy back lawn to show for the money. Time was ticking and we needed to get stuff done. I phoned back for an ETA.

1h later, 2nd crew arrived with a new tub. This one suspiciously wrapped slightly differently and had their branding on the side.

It was correct, the tub was installed by two VERY professional guys.
So to sum up, someone messed up but they sorted it! but not without due pressure and we didn't have to loose a days holiday from work! etc.
Well done we got there in the end.