An error in the office at Arran Brewery has resulted in people ordering via the website getting free beer. Those entering orders on the site were getting beer delivered whether or not they completed the order or indeed even paid for it.
An “over-zealous member of staff”, to get ahead of the electronic orders coming in from the website, was dispatching goods to all form entries on the web ordering system without realising that unless they were paid they were only an audit record.
Thus, beer has been dispatched to fraudulent card holders, people who cancelled or did not complete their order, and, of course, to genuine customers.
Managing director, Gerald Michaluk (pictured), said: “This is a well-intentioned employee who thought he was doing the best for the customers and the company by getting stock out quickly. It was not until an audit showed a shortfall in receipts that the mistake was realised.
“We will now be writing to all those who have received stock in error with a request that they pay for the goods, or allow us to collect them. This was a very serious breach in our protocol and we will be tightening up on training, and system documentation so that this cannot happen again.”
Gerald would not be drawn on the extent of the issue or the sums involved stating only: “This is not showing our best side; on the other hand there will be a lot of extra happy customers our there.”
