Faulty Equipment and Appalling Customer Service
Planning a home birth? Avoid madeinwater at all costs.
We were supplied a 'new' birth pool and accessories from madeinwater. We tested the pool prior as required, but on the day the 'brand new' thermometer they supplied did not work. Our midwives would not let us use the pool as precise temperature control is critical. On explaining this to madeinwater customer services they told us the midwives were incorrect and that we would not get a refund. Amazed, I asked if the customer service adviser was in any way medically qualified, he said 'No, but lots of people don't hire with a thermometer, are you telling me they are wrong?'. This was only the start of our problems.
Here's is an exert for the NCT website:
"Keep the temperature of the water at or below 37ºC at all times (35º-37º is optimum during the first stage of labour and 37º-37.5º during the second). If you become overheated it can cause distress to the baby and discomfort to you."
Then when it came to organising return of the pool things just got worse and worse. We have been waiting now for 5 days for collection of the pool from DPD. Everyday we wait in, everyday we get a cancelled collection. They are unable to find our house... a house on a suburban street in London. Easily googleable.
Madeinwater's solution. Just keep rebooking the same company over and over again. We've even sent screen shots of the front of the house to them. Again, failed collection.
We opted for home birth as the less stressful route, this company has made our experience a complete nightmare. From the faulty equipment and arrogant customer service, to the ongoing botched collection. My advice is to avoid this company at all costs.
UPDATE: We’ll you can see their reply below, it’s only taken them 4 months. A company that supplies faulty equpment and then tries to wriggle their way out of it. Our midwife was using the thermometer to measure the temperature of my birthing wife, and I refused to give out her details as I didn’t have her consent. NHS midwives work hard enough without being pestered by incompetent customer services staff. Notice they don’t deny the thermometer was faulty.
We waited in almost a week with our newborn, every day expecting collection between 9-5pm. Every day it failed. These guys thought it was acceptable to just keep re-booking and re-booking, making excuses. I did also complain to DPD.
You can decide who has the nasty attitude here, the unrepentant company supplying faulty goods and making false accusations or the frustrated consumer who still has not had an apology or any form of compensation.
Truly the worst customer experience of my entire life, I deeply regret ever using these people’s services.
August 18, 2017
Unprompted review