Homeworks - Pattaya

TVmonitor · May 21, 2009

Is anyone else experiencing problems with this store?

I had a problem a while back with my Thai debit card, they told me they could onlyaccept credit cards - however the cashier took my card all the same. I was assured the probem had been solved and then a year later - I encountered the SAME hassle all over again. This time I asked BEORE using the card and the first time it went through - the next daty it didn't and I was told agian they had problems with debit cards - yet theyseem perfectly happy to carry on without any warnings or instructions to their staff.

I've found the staff not only unconcerned but deliberately obstructive on both occasions - and when I asked to contact their head office (Central) they refused to give me the contact details.

alexbangsare · May 21, 2009

I had a similar problem where they told me they wouldnt accept my platinum card . They told me they only take gold cards, i told them i would call my bank and complain and then suddenly they agreed to accept it. Ive heard its becase they (the merchant ) pay a higher fee for accepting platinum cards ? i think its BS . All my local banks have been giving me platinum cards lately i dont think there is anything special about them.

To make the story even better i went back there 2 weeks later to buy somthing and was told if i used my citi platinum card i would get an extra 8% off ??? TIT!

sotsira · May 21, 2009

I've shopped in all the home appliance stores in and around Pattaya and i have to say i would'nt trust any of them, it's certainly a buyer beware policy for me everytime i need to buy something.

I've found that the sales assistants can often lie to you about product information just so you buy an alternative brand which i can only assume they make more commission on.

I've also recently been lied to about a product that was marked at an inflated price for them to offer it to me at 50% discount, i thought it was too good an offer and then checked it with the manufacturer to find out that the RRP was only 20% more than the sale offer price.

I've also been lied to about when certain promotions end so that you are pressured into buying their product.

So my way of dealing with these incompetant sales staff and their lies is not to listen to them make my own judgement on a product and then tell them i can buy the same product cheaper at one of their rival stores, most of the time they reduce the price or offer me an even better price, recently i played them against each other in this way and saved myself a nice tidy sum as i needed many kitchen & bathroom products due to a renovation im doing.

So play them at their own game and don't be shy to haggle on the prices as they hate losing out to their rival stores.

longball53098 · May 21, 2009

I come in to this topic with positive reactions from Homeworks in So Pattaya. I have had occasion in the last 2 or 3 months to buy all of my appliances and bath fixtures there as well as a Lazyboy recliner and a new bed.

The wife and i spent hours there shopping talking and listening. We/she always were treated with respect and she was given more than enough information about products and pricing that she could tell me whats what and we could make a choice. I am quite aware of the sales games they play to get you to buy the promoted product that day, week or month. They try to steer you into what they want and not what you want. But our overall experience with the sales staff was very positive and we intend to continue to shop there.

As for the cashier staff when we needed to make the payments they were more than helpful and I paid on most occasions with my SCB Debit card. No hassles and no problems. I did have one day when the card would not work after just making a purchase in the same store at the Power Buy area. The front Homeworks cashier said my card would not work. It took a few calls and it was determined that my debit card limit for the day was reached. Not Homeworks problem but they were more than helpful to call SCB and try to resolve this. I got the limit increased and we were fine.

We had several things on hold for delivery later and the staff keep checking with us to make sure if we need the products yet or not. No pressure to deliver when they are told not yet.

I have very high marks for Homeworks and staff.

Sorry you all don't have the same feelings

whatchamacallit · May 21, 2009

We wanted to buy 8 AEG water heaters, but the friendly and all smiles sales girl convinced us to buy Fujika instead - "Fujika has service department in Pattaya" she assured us with big smiles - so we bought eight 8000-watt Fujika Water heaters. Well her smiles turned into long face the minute we started returning them one by one, one week after another (yes all 8 of them) for repair (Main Problem: Water only luke warm) - the promised 1 week repair turned into 1.5 month each time we return one for repair. Homeworks came with all kind of excuses trying to put the blame on us "Water pressure not strong!", then "Water Pressure too strong", then "You didn't install it correctly", on and on and on. We gave up, we went to Kanyong and bought eight 6000-watt AEG Water heaters and they've all been working since. TIT

Rimmer · May 21, 2009

I often seem to get stuck behind someone who wants to pay with a card. It takes longer to process and there is always a risk of the transaction being turned down leading to misunderstandings, arguments and delays to other shoppers. Their favorite trick if one card does not work is to pull out another then another and so it goes on.

The system in Thailand is not yet up speed with respect to paying for goods by card and I would respectfully suggest that you go to the ATM or bank and get cash for your shopping experiences and quit holding everybody else in the Q up?

longball53098 · May 21, 2009

Sorry Rimmer, I have been using my SCB debit card at most major retailers in Pattaya and Thailand for more than 3 years and I cannot remember anytime that it took longer than a minute to process the purchases. I have seen people fumbling around with their wallets longer than that.

Asianrider · May 22, 2009

when i have returned goods back to Carrefour never had problems, the desk at front is normally helpful

billaaa777 · May 22, 2009

It wasn't the sales girls fault or the water heaters fault either. I am almost 100% positive it was your electricians fault. Did you bother to look at the specs for the electircal cable to be used to attached them to the breaker box. It was either a #6 or #8. Do you know what they cost per meter? No Thai electrician is going to buy it, they use #2 which is about the 1/10th the cost per meter.

I can just imagine your answer disputing this FACT as soon as you read this. But, this is simply one more case of people building that don't know what they are doing and then attempting to blame others.

I can tell you don't know what you doing because you should of bought water heaters from HomePro. Which if you buy the correct brand, they come out to fix it at your condo. Who would ever buy an appliance you have to take in to be repaired?

How do I know this? You build 50 condos is Pattaya over the last 4 years and you learn from your mistakes.

whatchamacallit · May 23, 2009

Forgot to mention... Their Technician/Electrician/installer actually came to inspect and told us that they were installed correctly... but the water pressure was too high... too much water going thru for the water heater to heat it up..... (I thought his statement was ridiculous!!).

TVmonitor · May 23, 2009

Homeworks on Thaivisa –

OK - I agree that other stores ca have problems and you can get good and bad goods everywhere - but the nature of Homeworks makes them stand out from the crowd when it comes to complete and utter indifference to customer grievances......

Yes customer service throughout Thailand is poor - but Homeworks are an International company owned by Central and claim to be a good business with good service

This thing with the cards is FAR WORSE in Homeworks than other similar stores.

Homeworks actually have a BETTER range of products than say Home pro - but because the whole place is so completely disorganised and couldn’t care less about customers I am very reluctant to buy form them - even though they carry stock I can't find anywhere else.

Furthermore - if you try to complain, you are met with a wall of indifference - trying to contact them in any meaningful way is a farce - they haven't got a main phone number in Bkk- they don't reply to emails - in fact if you look at any of their publicity material, it is almost impossible to get through to a customer service agent or manger outside the shop that caused the problem. I’m sure this is a deliberate policy on Central’s part.

TVmonitor · May 23, 2009

BTW - the 2 cards I had problems with were Kasikorn (Visa Electron) and SCB - (Cirrus Maestro) debit cards.

Gulfstream · May 23, 2009

Have had a few bad customer service incidents at Homeworks and no longer shop there. The manager would NOT speak to me.

In contrast, with HomePro had a couple of product issues and the Manager and her assistant stepped right in and were great.

Strongly recommend HomePro.

eljeque · May 23, 2009

I have built and refurbished a 1/2 dozen houses in the past few years.

I could not say that either Homeworks or HomePro are worthy of praise.

HomePro

few years ago, they mixed some paint that did not come out as the color I was shown. I brought it back and showed them their paper with a color on it, their sticker and their paint. They did their best at the CUSTOMER SERVICE DESK to avoid the situation, and then tell me how I was doing something wrong. I simply continued with my requests, and after the paint mixer man had his complaints about me, a semi-mangaer finally arrived and had new paint mixed for me. The actual problem of the paint mixing machine making an error was never looked into.

Bought a washer-dryer combo machine once. It did not dry the clothes. The "installers" came by to look at it. They ran it, asking to run only the lightest and least amount of clothing in it, but we rejected their request. After an hour of drying time. The clothes were still wet. The installers asked to run it for another hour. REJECT!! Told them to take the machine back. The manager at HomePro tried to argue that dry did not mean, DRY. But dry enough to iron. That response was rejected as well. We were told the 36,000 would come out of the salesgirl's check. We told the manager to tell the company that their brochures are misleading. They provided a voucher for 36,000 which we promptly used.

HomeWorks

Bought some cabinets for the kitchen. Went back to buy some more in the same color. They sold us three of one shade and one of another lot, so it did not match well. We returned it, but they did not have anymore of the same lot. So, they wanted us to keep it, and finally backed down ahd gave us a refund slip.... They wanted to put a 30-day time limit on it, but finally agreed to 90 days.

It does not matter which store you use here.

Sometimes things go well, and sometimes they don't.

Thaifan2 · May 23, 2009

Could not agree more .How hard is it to get cash from the many ATM machines at every big store .The cun_ts always end up producing at least 2 cards when the first gets knocked back .

TVmonitor · May 24, 2009

You're confusing 2 issues here - ALL major stores accept Debit and Credit cards - there are good reasons to use them - keeping track of expenses being one - BUT - with HOMEWORKS - their tills actually won't receive debit cards!

This peroblem existed over a year ago - and still persists - the staff don't tell you until either you arrive at the till or AFTER they've swiped your card - that's when the problems star as they don't know if the oney has left your account (which BTW it usually has) .

THere are NOsigns up in English to warn customers - I suspect there is nothing in Thai either.

If you use a CREDIT cad you will be OK.

THis is a problem that HOMEWORKS have had alone for over a year - they have not rectified the situation and have made no effort to warn shoppers.

Whether you like it or not, shoppers who see the Visa and Maestro signs will believe they can use their cards - they will then proceed to fill uptheir carts with stuff - maybe even extra stuff - knowing they can pay for it with plastic - BUT NOT WITH HONEWORKS!!!!

longball53098 · May 24, 2009

Sorry to disagree here but in the last 3 months I have used my SCB debit card at both the cashiers tills and the service counter for purchases well in excess of 200k baht and their system has always worked flawlessly and no issues with them. I also have used my card to special order product. I don't have a credit card and always use my 2 debit cards at Homeworks and most other major retailers in the area

NO PROBLEMS

NanLaew · May 24, 2009

Yes, they are the store that place repackaged customer returns, including faulty and incomplete goods back on the shelf.

"HomePro... you will (have to) keep coming back!"

farangpattaya · May 24, 2009

HomePro.......that's next to Carrefour isn't it?

Bought a foldable chair on the 1st October 2008, price THB 2,900.

Basically I used it more as decoration as a piece of furniture.

On the 3rd of May I took a seat in it, and it broke down, one of the pvc/plastic connections broke.

Went back to HomePro, wanting a solution, which was to my opinion: Money Back!

While complaining at the Customer Service Desk I saw that the same chairs were sold now for THB 2,399, but more important: There was a sign stating: "Max. 75 kg". hel_l, that sign wasn't there in October.

Anyway, the people at the service desk checked my receipt and found their solution: "Misteeerrrr! You buy chair more than 14 days laew! Cannot change or give money back!" and they kept repeating that frase on whatever I said, until I decided to put some bluff in my game (or maybe it wasn't bluff at all):" Listen, your so called 14 days, is a period in which I can return the chair without reason and I will get my money back. It's a non-satisfaction warranty customer law from your government. Until this morning I was very satisfied with the chair until it broke down. Than it is a technical problem and the technical warrantee on these kind of products lasts at least ONE year."

Well, to make a long story short: I called for the responsible manager and we agreed on the compromise, that I was allowed to take goods from the store up to THB 2,900. Whether I was right, I don't know, but at least I got what I wanted.

TVmonitor · May 25, 2009

Home pro seem to be way ahead of HOMEWORKS on customer service.

...but STILL they want to argue the toss on things that are clearly a vendor's or manufacturer's fault

TVmonitor · May 25, 2009

You're not disagreeing - you're simply stating your own singular experience - which doesn't include an encounter with their customer service department........which is the crux of this debate

Again the point I'm making is that the cards SOMETIMES work but they are not consistent and they have admitted to me there is a problem with DEBIT cards - twice over a period of a year or more.

now many customers may get through with no problems, but that does not make it acceptable for others to have to go through the hassle fo trying to find out if money has been debited from their account or not, then paying cash if they want to take the goods at all...and so ending up paying twice.

it is safe to presume that the majority of customers DO get through unscathed - HOWEVER - this does not excuse the ABYSMAL customer service at the place that you al;most certainly will encounter if you ever DO get a problem......it may well be YOUR turn next!

Edited May 25, 2009 by TVmonitor

longball53098 · May 26, 2009

You're correct that I point out my experiences and not that of others. I have made at least a dozen purchases using my debit cards at that store and my cards always work. Does that mean ALL debit cards work? No not necessarily. I am not going to re-read all the posts and quotes but I think you're complaint is waiting behind someone that has a problem with their card and then wasting time trying more cards. I guess this has happened to you more than once.

You say that the system here in LOS is "not up to speed" for handling these card transactions. My comments are to disagree with that statement as I believe you are incorrect about the "system" being flawed.I am not the only person that uses a debit card and I have not witnessed this kind of thing as a country wide problem. I have seen other people using cards to pay at various stores and I cannot remember seeing any problems.

I will agree it is vary frustrating to be in line waiting to check out and there is a problem be it with a card, a price or whatever. It always seems to happen to the person in front of us and it always takes forever to resolve it.

As for Homeworks customer service. My dealing with the staff has up to this point been positive. Any issues have been resolved. I have not had to return anything yet so I can save a comment about that until I do. I have noticed at the front of the store a big sign in English that clearly spells out the return policy of Homeworks so when I do have an issue I will check the policy to avoid any misunderstandings

Edited May 26, 2009 by longball53098

doggie888888 · May 26, 2009

If you don't like it, go to another queue!

doggie888888 · May 26, 2009

If you guys cannot accept that credit cards are the norm these days and cannot tolerate to be behind a card user, go join another queue. I do understand your frustration though: the point of sales systems here and the credit card line to the banks can be remarkably slow (well, we have all experience slow internet connections at home, no matter how much we pay). But for the many times that I have tolerated a cash user fumbling for the exact change and looking for the correct coins&notes, you can put up with me producing 2 or more credit cards. Sorry, it's my right...and you can blame the stores for not addressing this issue for old fashioned cash users like you.

TVmonitor · May 29, 2009

Im sorry but the CRUX of the matter is NOT cards (which BTW are the norm these days) but CUSTOMER SERVICE and their policies and practices in this area which considering the nature of the company are in my opinion if not verging on criminal setting new standards of indifference and imcompetency.

Customer service is fine when you are simply buying things - although there is a problem with queues , cards etc - but and it's a big BUT - it's when things go awry that you get to test the real metal of a company - HOMEWORKS are still in the dark ages.

Edited May 29, 2009 by TVmonitor

praglen · December 26, 2009

I need a wooden, slatted door for my condo apartment in Pattay(no exposure to weather). Standard size: 35" x 79". Where should I go and what will I expect to pay?

Pakboong · December 26, 2009

When loyalty among ownership, management and service staff does not exist, by rule, customer service does not exist. The service staff only intend to work there at slave wages until they win the lottery or next month which ever comes first.

Edited December 26, 2009 by Pakboong

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