Customer care? You must be new

Always one to be seduced by "free stuff", the Diary signed up for a complimentary trial with one of LOVEFiLM’s DVD-rental-by-post clubs. However, money to the value of a month’s membership disappeared from the Diary’s account. Cue apologies from LOVEFiLM and a refund.

But, being the Diary, a stream of DVDs through the letterbox is going to come into conflict with its heroic social life. So the Diary decided to cancel it’s membership.

But it couldn’t! LOVEFiLM chose that moment (having not even hinted at it before) to unveil the condition that memberships can only be cancelled at least five days before the next billing day. They were willing to cancel the account, but would be unable to offer a refund on the next month’s payment that would now have to be made.

Pardon? No refund? That wasn’t the story when the Diary was a new customer. Has the company not learned from the lessons of the mobile phone service providers, that caring for existing customers is just as important as reeling in new ones? LOVEFiLM declined to comment on this matter, merely apologising "for any inconvenience".

Perhaps the company should rename itself Love Money, Thanks, Bye? Just a thought.