The definitition of 'emergency': A situation, especially of danger or conflict, that arises unexpectedly and requires urgent action".
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Just as well there's an AA insurance policy that promises approved tradesmen on hand 24 hours a day... plus callouts within four hours. Phew!
(Do you have something to say about this story? Tell us what you think by emailing us here. Don't forget to include 'AA' in the subject line. Watchdog will publish a selection of viewers' comments underneath each story, both throughout and after the programme is on air. Please remember to include your name as you would like to see it published).
And it has a certain reputation to live up to, Even their advert claims that 'some people see us as the fourth emergency service.'
Which is why Sharon Bouckley bought the AA's heavily-advertised home emergency response policy in November last year. She told Watchdog,
"With the AA name behind it I thought it would be superb cover. On the 30th December, I discovered that I had a leaking toilet, had to basically turn off the water at stop cock otherwise the leak would have been severe and caused a flood."
A potential flood in the loo sounds like a real emergency, but what was the AA's response?
Sharon said:
"This wasn't rectified for some six days, in spite of me chasing the complaint. They gave me no indication during all the phone calls of when somebody would come out. It was like banging my head against a brick wall. I was very frustrated. I assumed that having emergency response cover and paying for the privilege of having that, the matter would be resolved within a short timescale. Not six days."
Six days for a simple leak in the bathroom? Whatever happened to that promised four-hour call out? Maybe the AA's better with something bigger...
Will Lamming's boiler broke on Christmas eve. It took the AA nearly a week to get someone round to look at it. And how long to actually fix it? 27 days.
And some people have been waiting even longer than that. Dan Cheriton's one of them. He took out Home Emergency Response cover when his boiler broke in October. The AA was quick to fix it that time. But when it broke again in December, it was a different story.
Dan said:
"I came home, felt the house was really cold. So that's when I called the AA, initially to say hey, I've got a problem with the boiler - can you come out and take a look at it? And they said they would get back to me. I thought I would get exactly the same service."
But he didn't. It took 24 hours to send someone. And how long to fix it? 59 days.
Dan said:
"I couldn't keep count of the number of times I had to call them. They would promise to come out and I would come home from work and they wouldn't turn up so I had to call them again.
I had to go out and purchase a couple of electrical heaters because it was absolutely freezing, but they offered to contribute towards the cost of those so that was great. I did receive a cheque from the AA, unfortunately it wasn't made payable to me despite coming to my address, so I couldn't bank it.
The AA call themselves the fourth emergency service, and they brand this the AA home emergency response, to then take 8 weeks and 59 days to come round and fix - that is clearly not an emergency response."
So, we've heard about leaking toilets and boilers. What about burst pipes and flooded drains? The AA promise a super-quick response to these problems, too.
Well, Paul Barreto had Home Emergency Response cover for his pipes and drains.
So, when one of his pipes burst, he naturally expected the AA to respond. Fast. But they didn't. They took nine days to send a contractor... who told Paul he'd have to identify the source of the leak himself.
Paul said:
"It was just disaster area, everything was soaking wet. The walls were absolutely soaking wet like someone had hosed them down. I was expecting them to come out and sort this leak out and fix the problem straight away. I was a bit confused by this because normally when you have a leak fixed, you firstly don't really know where it is and secondly they tend to investigate it and find the leak and then fix it.
I was quite angry, but then it got to the point where it turned to despair because nothing was happening whatsoever. They kept promising that they would get someone out to me."
A promise they failed to keep.
Finally, 29 days after his first emergency call, Paul gave up - and got a local plumber to fix the problem instead. Yes, 29 days - which is nobody's idea of an emergency response.
Customers like Paul reckon the AA should stick to fixing cars...
AA Statement to BBC Watchdog 6th April, 2011
AA Home Emergency Response
We would thank you for bringing these customer issues to our attention.
The AA takes all complaints and customer problems extremely seriously and we are very disappointed to learn of the issues these particular customers have experienced. We do value the Watchdog feedback as it provides us with the opportunity to make improvements and get things right.
We entered the home emergency market last October as we felt we had an opportunity to make a real difference. Our members had told us that they felt there was little choice in what they perceived as a complex arena and that they would welcome us using our expertise at the roadside to provide home assistance.
We very much regret that this was not the experience of the customers you have highlighted.
The prolonged severity of temperatures and weather conditions last winter affected the whole industry and all companies struggled to get to customers in unprecedented conditions. Demand for home emergency assistance surged in December 2010 to over double of that of December 2009. In setting our annual forecast, we based the projected number of call outs on industry research. We took the previous harsh winter into account but underestimated the increase in cases due to the extended onslaught of sub-zero temperatures.
This does not excuse the poor service provided in these cases. The AA has a proud reputation for customer service and it is our absolute intention to provide the same excellent level of service to customers in their homes as we do at the roadside. Unfortunately, we have not delivered that level of service to these four customers and for that, we are genuinely sorry.
We offer no excuses for the poor service these customers experienced. We contacted them last week to once again apologise and ensure their complaints have been resolved.
We are committed to providing great service in this field and are determined to ensure that we deliver against our promises. To that end we have commenced a root and branch review of:
- our processes,
- systems,
- training
- communications
- supplier contracts
In relation to the specific questions you raise.
1. Why has the AA repeatedly not met claims made in television adverts and other material that they provide an emergency response, including calls outs within 2-4 hours and emergency repairs 24/7?
The short answer is that demand for the AA's new service overwhelmed supply during the unprecedentedly severe winter weather. During this period we provided a good service to many people, but we acknowledge that, at the same time, we offered a poor service to an unacceptable number of people. We are totally committed to putting this right and will be relentless in pursuing the necessary improvements to ensure that we meet demand, even in exceptional weather conditions.
Investments and changes we are already making to improve the service include:
We recently appointed a new supplier with an additional 2,000 tradespeople across the UK
We have increased trained staff to deal with claims by 57%
We are recruiting additional specialists
We have revised our early warning system to alert us sooner if there are problems
We have improved the quality of monitoring and auditing our suppliers
2. What does the AA consider to be a reasonable time to respond to a person with an emergency who is covered by their policies?
Given the unprecedented conditions this winter, our aim of attending within 2 - 4 hours was unrealistic and we acknowledge that for some of our customers it was much longer. This is not the service we want to provide.
We have reviewed what would be a "reasonable time" and have also looked at the response times of other companies. For example, another major company will attend the same day but only if you pay a premium and call before 10am. We don't charge anyone a premium for same day service. For boiler breakdowns, we would aim to attend the same day where possible and certainly within 24 hours. For other types of home emergencies, we believe it is reasonable to respond as quickly as possible - prioritising according to the emergency and individual circumstances - and certainly within 24 hours. We are increasing our supplier base across all services to ensure that we can reach our customers when they need us.
3. What will the AA be doing to ensure that customers in the future do get the emergency response they are paying for?
We have commenced a root and branch review of our systems, processes, suppliers and communication channels to ensure that we make the necessary improvements to give our customers the service they deserve.
We have already:
Appointed a new supplier adding 2,000 tradespeople to the base plus additional specialists in drainage and electrics in the next few weeks
Increased the number of trained staff to deal with claims by 57%
Reviewed all outstanding jobs to improve completion times
Introduced a higher level of quality control
Increased the level of technical training provided to our claims handlers
And in addition we are:
Implementing new systems to improve engineer response times and parts ordering
Increasing the number of claims handlers to 75 over the next few months
Integrating IT systems with our suppliers to improve the accuracy of the information we hold/capture
It is still firmly our intention to offer customers a real choice in this market from a name they trust at a competitive price. We are completely committed to making a difference for our customers and providing a level of service in the home that is second to none. Our determination to do this will only be matched by our unrelenting pursuit to not just meet, but to surpass our customers' expectations in the future.
To help us achieve this we want to hear from our customers - and to help them tell us their views, suggestions and problems, we have set up an email address, specifically for this purpose - AAHomeEmergency@theaa.com.
We would ask any of our customers who have experienced problems, or have views, ideas or suggestions on improving our service to email us and let us know.
We trust this provides some context around the issues and clearly underlines our commitment to get things right for our customers, now and in the future. We would ask that this response be used in full on your website.
Watchdog Viewers' Responses:
I took out an AA Home Emergency boiler servicing policy in December.
They have not performed the service as they say my equipment is not covered by the policy, but neither have they given me a refund of my £108. They haven't responded to my letters and emails asking for a refund. I have now passed the matter over to my bank to investigate, to see if they can help on the grounds the AA have not provided me with the service I paid for - luckily I paid with a Visa card.
D.Rowland, Lancashire
Had a problem last month with a burst pipe. The AA service was appalling. They simply didn't understand the words 'emergency' or 'response'. They did not want to know as it happened on a Sunday afternoon! Maybe they should rename the product as the 'Fawlty Towers' response.
Mrs Tracy Hilliard, Bexleyheath
Who you gonna call - the AA?
In order to see this content you need to have both Javascript enabled and Flash installed. Visit BBC Webwise for full instructions. If you're reading via RSS, you'll need to visit the blog to access this content.
Just as well there's an AA insurance policy that promises approved tradesmen on hand 24 hours a day... plus callouts within four hours. Phew!
(Do you have something to say about this story? Tell us what you think by emailing us here. Don't forget to include 'AA' in the subject line. Watchdog will publish a selection of viewers' comments underneath each story, both throughout and after the programme is on air. Please remember to include your name as you would like to see it published).
And it has a certain reputation to live up to, Even their advert claims that 'some people see us as the fourth emergency service.'
Which is why Sharon Bouckley bought the AA's heavily-advertised home emergency response policy in November last year. She told Watchdog,
"With the AA name behind it I thought it would be superb cover. On the 30th December, I discovered that I had a leaking toilet, had to basically turn off the water at stop cock otherwise the leak would have been severe and caused a flood."
A potential flood in the loo sounds like a real emergency, but what was the AA's response?
Sharon said:
"This wasn't rectified for some six days, in spite of me chasing the complaint. They gave me no indication during all the phone calls of when somebody would come out. It was like banging my head against a brick wall. I was very frustrated. I assumed that having emergency response cover and paying for the privilege of having that, the matter would be resolved within a short timescale. Not six days."
Six days for a simple leak in the bathroom? Whatever happened to that promised four-hour call out? Maybe the AA's better with something bigger...
Will Lamming's boiler broke on Christmas eve. It took the AA nearly a week to get someone round to look at it. And how long to actually fix it? 27 days.
And some people have been waiting even longer than that. Dan Cheriton's one of them. He took out Home Emergency Response cover when his boiler broke in October. The AA was quick to fix it that time. But when it broke again in December, it was a different story.
Dan said:
"I came home, felt the house was really cold. So that's when I called the AA, initially to say hey, I've got a problem with the boiler - can you come out and take a look at it? And they said they would get back to me. I thought I would get exactly the same service."
But he didn't. It took 24 hours to send someone. And how long to fix it? 59 days.
Dan said:
"I couldn't keep count of the number of times I had to call them. They would promise to come out and I would come home from work and they wouldn't turn up so I had to call them again.
I had to go out and purchase a couple of electrical heaters because it was absolutely freezing, but they offered to contribute towards the cost of those so that was great. I did receive a cheque from the AA, unfortunately it wasn't made payable to me despite coming to my address, so I couldn't bank it.
The AA call themselves the fourth emergency service, and they brand this the AA home emergency response, to then take 8 weeks and 59 days to come round and fix - that is clearly not an emergency response."
So, we've heard about leaking toilets and boilers. What about burst pipes and flooded drains? The AA promise a super-quick response to these problems, too.
Well, Paul Barreto had Home Emergency Response cover for his pipes and drains.
So, when one of his pipes burst, he naturally expected the AA to respond. Fast. But they didn't. They took nine days to send a contractor... who told Paul he'd have to identify the source of the leak himself.
Paul said:
"It was just disaster area, everything was soaking wet. The walls were absolutely soaking wet like someone had hosed them down. I was expecting them to come out and sort this leak out and fix the problem straight away. I was a bit confused by this because normally when you have a leak fixed, you firstly don't really know where it is and secondly they tend to investigate it and find the leak and then fix it.
I was quite angry, but then it got to the point where it turned to despair because nothing was happening whatsoever. They kept promising that they would get someone out to me."
A promise they failed to keep.
Finally, 29 days after his first emergency call, Paul gave up - and got a local plumber to fix the problem instead. Yes, 29 days - which is nobody's idea of an emergency response.
Customers like Paul reckon the AA should stick to fixing cars...
AA Statement to BBC Watchdog 6th April, 2011
AA Home Emergency Response
We would thank you for bringing these customer issues to our attention.
The AA takes all complaints and customer problems extremely seriously and we are very disappointed to learn of the issues these particular customers have experienced. We do value the Watchdog feedback as it provides us with the opportunity to make improvements and get things right.
We entered the home emergency market last October as we felt we had an opportunity to make a real difference. Our members had told us that they felt there was little choice in what they perceived as a complex arena and that they would welcome us using our expertise at the roadside to provide home assistance.
We very much regret that this was not the experience of the customers you have highlighted.
The prolonged severity of temperatures and weather conditions last winter affected the whole industry and all companies struggled to get to customers in unprecedented conditions. Demand for home emergency assistance surged in December 2010 to over double of that of December 2009. In setting our annual forecast, we based the projected number of call outs on industry research. We took the previous harsh winter into account but underestimated the increase in cases due to the extended onslaught of sub-zero temperatures.
This does not excuse the poor service provided in these cases. The AA has a proud reputation for customer service and it is our absolute intention to provide the same excellent level of service to customers in their homes as we do at the roadside. Unfortunately, we have not delivered that level of service to these four customers and for that, we are genuinely sorry.
We offer no excuses for the poor service these customers experienced. We contacted them last week to once again apologise and ensure their complaints have been resolved.
We are committed to providing great service in this field and are determined to ensure that we deliver against our promises. To that end we have commenced a root and branch review of:
- our processes,
- systems,
- training
- communications
- supplier contracts
In relation to the specific questions you raise.
1. Why has the AA repeatedly not met claims made in television adverts and other material that they provide an emergency response, including calls outs within 2-4 hours and emergency repairs 24/7?
The short answer is that demand for the AA's new service overwhelmed supply during the unprecedentedly severe winter weather. During this period we provided a good service to many people, but we acknowledge that, at the same time, we offered a poor service to an unacceptable number of people. We are totally committed to putting this right and will be relentless in pursuing the necessary improvements to ensure that we meet demand, even in exceptional weather conditions.
Investments and changes we are already making to improve the service include:
We recently appointed a new supplier with an additional 2,000 tradespeople across the UK
We have increased trained staff to deal with claims by 57%
We are recruiting additional specialists
We have revised our early warning system to alert us sooner if there are problems
We have improved the quality of monitoring and auditing our suppliers
2. What does the AA consider to be a reasonable time to respond to a person with an emergency who is covered by their policies?
Given the unprecedented conditions this winter, our aim of attending within 2 - 4 hours was unrealistic and we acknowledge that for some of our customers it was much longer. This is not the service we want to provide.
We have reviewed what would be a "reasonable time" and have also looked at the response times of other companies. For example, another major company will attend the same day but only if you pay a premium and call before 10am. We don't charge anyone a premium for same day service. For boiler breakdowns, we would aim to attend the same day where possible and certainly within 24 hours. For other types of home emergencies, we believe it is reasonable to respond as quickly as possible - prioritising according to the emergency and individual circumstances - and certainly within 24 hours. We are increasing our supplier base across all services to ensure that we can reach our customers when they need us.
3. What will the AA be doing to ensure that customers in the future do get the emergency response they are paying for?
We have commenced a root and branch review of our systems, processes, suppliers and communication channels to ensure that we make the necessary improvements to give our customers the service they deserve.
We have already:
Appointed a new supplier adding 2,000 tradespeople to the base plus additional specialists in drainage and electrics in the next few weeks
Increased the number of trained staff to deal with claims by 57%
Reviewed all outstanding jobs to improve completion times
Introduced a higher level of quality control
Increased the level of technical training provided to our claims handlers
And in addition we are:
Implementing new systems to improve engineer response times and parts ordering
Increasing the number of claims handlers to 75 over the next few months
Integrating IT systems with our suppliers to improve the accuracy of the information we hold/capture
It is still firmly our intention to offer customers a real choice in this market from a name they trust at a competitive price. We are completely committed to making a difference for our customers and providing a level of service in the home that is second to none. Our determination to do this will only be matched by our unrelenting pursuit to not just meet, but to surpass our customers' expectations in the future.
To help us achieve this we want to hear from our customers - and to help them tell us their views, suggestions and problems, we have set up an email address, specifically for this purpose - AAHomeEmergency@theaa.com.
We would ask any of our customers who have experienced problems, or have views, ideas or suggestions on improving our service to email us and let us know.
We trust this provides some context around the issues and clearly underlines our commitment to get things right for our customers, now and in the future. We would ask that this response be used in full on your website.
Watchdog Viewers' Responses:
I took out an AA Home Emergency boiler servicing policy in December.
They have not performed the service as they say my equipment is not covered by the policy, but neither have they given me a refund of my £108. They haven't responded to my letters and emails asking for a refund. I have now passed the matter over to my bank to investigate, to see if they can help on the grounds the AA have not provided me with the service I paid for - luckily I paid with a Visa card.
D.Rowland, Lancashire
Had a problem last month with a burst pipe. The AA service was appalling. They simply didn't understand the words 'emergency' or 'response'. They did not want to know as it happened on a Sunday afternoon! Maybe they should rename the product as the 'Fawlty Towers' response.
Mrs Tracy Hilliard, Bexleyheath
Who you gonna call - the AA?