11 h. ago Scam victims forced to report fraud to chatbots as major holiday booking site replaces customer service staff with AI

A major hotel booking site has replaced its customer service staff with AI , meaning scam victims are now forced to report fraud experiences to a chatbot.

Economics

21 h. ago Lanarkshire locals urged to upgrade energy meters to avoid disruption

Advice Direct Scotland, which runs the energy advice service energyadvice.scot, is warning of waning interest among customers about the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off.

Politics

23 h. ago Tributes to legacy of Ayrshire boutique queen as business closes doors

Beau Beau Boutique was the vision of Victoria Williamson, who drew customers from far and wide for her renowned service.

Politics

46 h. ago Halifax warning for any customers using one service as 'charges may apply'

A customer asked Halifax what limits would apply to them

Events

68 h. ago Eamonn Holmes rages 'nobody cares' about his 'special needs' in new GB News outburst

Eamonn Holmes has raged that 'nobody cares' about his 'special needs' in a new outburst on GB News, as he opened up about his frustrations with customer service

Politics

6 d. ago Printbox London (Same Day Printing London) Recognised for Reliable Customer Feedback and Service Reliability

Printbox London (Same Day Printing London) Recognised for Reliable Customer Feedback and Service Reliability  The Courier-Journal

Economics

7 d. ago PayPal ‘down in global outage’ as thousands report issues with major payment service

Thousands of users have reported wide spread issues with payment service PayPal going down, with business owners and customers unable to transfer money from their accounts

Politics

1 week ago Vodafone confirms cause of huge internet outage amid angry demands for compensation

Customers vented their frustration on social media after Vodafone services went down for thousands yesterday

Politics

1 week ago Vodafone customers demand compensation as network issue full statement

Over 130,000 Vodafone customers across the UK have been left without internet and mobile service for hours today.

Economics

1 week ago Vodafone outage: thousands of broadband and mobile users report problems

Many customers say they cannot access services including the internet or make mobile phone callsTens of thousands of Vodafone customers were reporting that they could not access services including the internet and making mobile phone calls on Monday.Consumers started reporting problems on the website of the outage monitor Downdetector from about 3pm on Monday. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Pick a Colour by Souvankham Thammavongsa review – behind the scenes at the nail salon

This impressive novel shows how war, colonialism and migration play out in a small room where everyone’s name tag says SusanPick a Colour, the first novel from Laotian-Canadian poet and short-story writer Souvankham Thammavongsa, takes place over one summer’s day in a nail bar; implicitly in Canada, but it could be in any city. The narrative potential of such businesses, where customers pay for a particular service and expect to receive other kinds of care, has been explored in films and novels set in taxis, hairdressers and, in Katja Oskamp’s Marzahn, Mon Amour, a chiropody clinic. Such settings open rich questions: who has the power, the one who pays or the one who shapes the customer’s body, often with alarmingly sharp implements? How human can such exchanges of cash for care or “beauty” be? What do we buy and what do we sell in these transactions?The novel sets out its stall plainly. Narrated by Ning, the salon owner and a retired boxer, t...

Politics

1 week ago Woman buys luxury coat on Vinted but instantly regrets decision after collecting parcel

A woman, who has around 150 five-star reviews on Vinted, was left fuming after she was scammed by a seller but was delighted with the customer service she received from the platform

Politics

2 w. ago Hack of age verification firm may have exposed Discord users’ ID photos

Names, email addresses and other contact details of about 70,000 global users could also have been takenGovernment ID photos of about 70,000 global users of Discord, a popular messaging and chat platform among video gamers, may have been exposed after hackers compromised a company contracted to carry out age verification checks.Some users’ names, email addresses and other contact details, IP addresses and messages with Discord’s customer service agents may also have been taken. The attacker has been trying to extort a ransom from the company. No full credit card details or passwords were seized. Continue reading...

Culture

2 w. ago Hack of age verification firm may have exposed 70,000 Discord users’ ID photos

Names, email addresses and other contact details of users from around the world could also have been takenGovernment ID photos of about 70,000 global users of Discord, a popular messaging and chat platform among video gamers, may have been exposed after hackers compromised a company contracted to carry out age verification checks.Some users’ names, email addresses and other contact details, IP addresses and messages with Discord’s customer service agents may also have been taken. The attacker has been trying to extort a ransom from the company. No full credit card details or passwords were seized. Continue reading...

Culture

2 w. ago Ofcom rejects rival network providers' calls to stop Openreach broadband deal

Openreach has launched a discount scheme allowing internet service providers to upgrade customers to full fibre while paying the lower 80/20 Mbps rental rate.

Economics

2 w. ago Dogs name toys while elephants name each other. Animal language is more complex than we imagine | Helen Pilcher

If we really want to grasp what animals are ‘saying’, we need to understand their communication on their terms, not oursAnother day, another cute story about how dogs can grasp elements of human language and use them to communicate with us.First, there was Mr Waffles, the Yorkshire terrier that“talks” to his owners by pressing electronic buttons that have been pre-programmed with words and phrases. In one of his videos, viewed more than half a million times, the pint-sized pooch stares defiantly at the camera and responds to an empty packet of treats by pressing the “I don’t give a damn” button. Followed by the “bitch” button. Bad dog, Mr Waffles.Helen Pilcher is a science writer and the author of Bring Back the King: The New Science of De-Extinction. To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Seamus Heaney’s unpublished poems to be released — read one exclusively here

The Poems of Seamus Heaney, out on Thursday, will feature all 12 of the revered Irish author’s collections alongside uncollected works and 25 poems yet to be publishedA trove of unpublished poems by the late Irish poet Seamus Heaney is set to be printed alongside his collected and uncollected poems, published together for the first time.The Poems of Seamus Heaney will feature his 12 collections interspersed with poems published in magazines, journals and newspapers, plus 25 poems selected from Heaney’s large number of unpublished works.Chair, Pocket Knife, Guitar is an unpublished poem by Seamus Heaney extracted from The Poems of Seamus Heaney, edited by Rosie Lavan and Bernard O’Donoghue with Matthew Hollis, to be published by Faber & Faber on 9 October 2025 (£40). To support the Guardian order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Leading European customer service provider launches advisory board

A leading European customer service outsourcing provider has announced the launch of its advisory board today (2).

Economics

3 w. ago Plans to convert former Kilbarchan community garden into parking facility refused

Kilbarchan Vehicle Services wanted to use site for customer cars but was unsuccessful in its bid for planning permission.

Politics

3 w. ago Halifax warning to customer over withdrawing money from cash machines

The customer was shocked to be hit with a limit on their account

Economics