tomtheguvnor
27-10-2009, 14:32
Having become completely frustrated with Virgin Media's inability to resolve my problem I'd thought I'd post here to see if anyone had any advice or could offer a little empathy ;).
The first bit of the story can probably best be summarized buy the complaint I sent to Virgin Media a couple of weeks ago:
Having previously experienced poor service, staggering levels of incompetence and, on one occasion, racist language from your company in it's former incarnation (NTL), I was hoping that under the Virgin brand you might have undergone some operational improvements. Alas this is evidently not the case.
This week I moved into a new property. Some weeks ago via your website I attempted to setup a new account with Virgin Media to provide TV, phone and broadband at this new property. I entered all information as requested and chose the date for installation from those available to be the day after I moved in.
I subsequently received an email from your credit department who requested I send through "proof of address" via fax. I attempted to do this but found that the fax number I had been provided with failed to answer.
I attempted to call your credit department who, after keeping me waiting in a queue for 25 minutes, informed me that the fax number I had been given "didn't work" and provided me with another.
I then successfully faxed my proof of address to the new fax number.
I requested confirmation via email that the credit department had received these details and asked for progress on setting up my account. In particular, I requested confirmation installation would occur on my chosen date. I received no response.
I attempted to call your credit department to get confirmation, but was disconnected after 20 minutes on hold. I attempted to call another number I found for Virgin Media and was told by a very rude and abrupt woman that I needed to call the credit department and it "wasn't her problem".
Subsequently, earlier this week I called your sales department to see if they could shed any light on the progress of my order. I was told that it still had not been approved by the credit department! Apparently they still required further proof of my new address and proof of my date of birth (which I have now faxed to yet another fax number).
WHY DID THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT NOT REQUEST THESE DETAILS FROM ME DIRECTLY?
WHY DID THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT NOT RESPOND TO MY REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE ON PROGRESS?
WHY DOES IT FALL TO ME, AS A CUSTOMER, TO DRIVE YOUR INTERNAL PROVISIONING PROCESS FORWARD BY SPENDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF ON THE PHONE TO YOUR COMPANY IDENTIFYING SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO ASSIST?
Consequently I have been advised that once the credit department do approve my application (assuming they are capable of doing something), I will need to wait another 10 days for an installation. This is incredibly inconvenient as my partner is currently unable to get to her office and needs a home internet connection in order to work.
I must tell you that I would have long ago cancelled my Virgin Media application and used a competitor's service had an alternative been available to me (I am prevented from getting Sky due to planning restrictions). So unfortunately I am stuck with your badly run organisation until Ofcom takes on your monopoly of cable TV. This is not the expectation I have of Virgin brand which in other sectors is a byword for excellent quality and service (well... maybe with the exception of the trains...).
Shortly after this I managed to finally get hold of a guy in sales called Nick who seemingly had his head screwed on. He told me that unfortunately my faxed ID could not be read by the credit department (who uses fax these days?). Of course no one in credit had bother to tell me this - I had to find out myself by calling and asking.
I arranged with Nick to email (yes email - that 20th century technology) scanned PDFs of my ID and proof of address and he would take it up with credit on my behalf.
A few days later, Nick advised me my application had been accepted. He said he'd waive the £50 for the V+ box they'd normally charge for my trouble. He gave me an confirmed installation date of Thursday this week. It all seemed to be finally sorted.
However...
This morning I receive a call from Patricia in the complaints department. She had received my complaint (above) and asked if I could be persuaded "not to cancel the service"! Apparently, since I last spoke to Nick, my account and the installation had been cancelled DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT!! No one had contacted me about it. Apparently I need to fax them proof of date of birth!! Given their lack of success with handling the previous 3 attempts I have made to fax them documents I have refused to do so.
This is utterly outrageous. Why should I as a customer be forced to orchestrate the provision process because of the incompetence of VM staff and their inability to talk to each other or their customers. Patricia even said she couldn't call Nick because he was "in another part of the country"! YOU ARE A TELECOMS COMPANY! EVER THOUGHT OF PICKING UP A PHONE? IF I CAN CONTACT HIM DIRECTLY BY PHONE, WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU? No one takes any responsibility, their staff only seem able to Teflon problems off onto each other.
Virgin Media is clearly in a monopoly position - this is the only way it can get away with delivering such catastrophic service. They should be investigated by Ofcom and broken up. Why are there no other competing cable providers? BT were forced to unbundle their local loop for this very reason - why can't the same happen with Virgin.
Right, I think that's my rant overwith...
The first bit of the story can probably best be summarized buy the complaint I sent to Virgin Media a couple of weeks ago:
Having previously experienced poor service, staggering levels of incompetence and, on one occasion, racist language from your company in it's former incarnation (NTL), I was hoping that under the Virgin brand you might have undergone some operational improvements. Alas this is evidently not the case.
This week I moved into a new property. Some weeks ago via your website I attempted to setup a new account with Virgin Media to provide TV, phone and broadband at this new property. I entered all information as requested and chose the date for installation from those available to be the day after I moved in.
I subsequently received an email from your credit department who requested I send through "proof of address" via fax. I attempted to do this but found that the fax number I had been provided with failed to answer.
I attempted to call your credit department who, after keeping me waiting in a queue for 25 minutes, informed me that the fax number I had been given "didn't work" and provided me with another.
I then successfully faxed my proof of address to the new fax number.
I requested confirmation via email that the credit department had received these details and asked for progress on setting up my account. In particular, I requested confirmation installation would occur on my chosen date. I received no response.
I attempted to call your credit department to get confirmation, but was disconnected after 20 minutes on hold. I attempted to call another number I found for Virgin Media and was told by a very rude and abrupt woman that I needed to call the credit department and it "wasn't her problem".
Subsequently, earlier this week I called your sales department to see if they could shed any light on the progress of my order. I was told that it still had not been approved by the credit department! Apparently they still required further proof of my new address and proof of my date of birth (which I have now faxed to yet another fax number).
WHY DID THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT NOT REQUEST THESE DETAILS FROM ME DIRECTLY?
WHY DID THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT NOT RESPOND TO MY REQUEST FOR AN UPDATE ON PROGRESS?
WHY DOES IT FALL TO ME, AS A CUSTOMER, TO DRIVE YOUR INTERNAL PROVISIONING PROCESS FORWARD BY SPENDING A LARGE AMOUNT OF ON THE PHONE TO YOUR COMPANY IDENTIFYING SOMEONE WHO IS ABLE TO ASSIST?
Consequently I have been advised that once the credit department do approve my application (assuming they are capable of doing something), I will need to wait another 10 days for an installation. This is incredibly inconvenient as my partner is currently unable to get to her office and needs a home internet connection in order to work.
I must tell you that I would have long ago cancelled my Virgin Media application and used a competitor's service had an alternative been available to me (I am prevented from getting Sky due to planning restrictions). So unfortunately I am stuck with your badly run organisation until Ofcom takes on your monopoly of cable TV. This is not the expectation I have of Virgin brand which in other sectors is a byword for excellent quality and service (well... maybe with the exception of the trains...).
Shortly after this I managed to finally get hold of a guy in sales called Nick who seemingly had his head screwed on. He told me that unfortunately my faxed ID could not be read by the credit department (who uses fax these days?). Of course no one in credit had bother to tell me this - I had to find out myself by calling and asking.
I arranged with Nick to email (yes email - that 20th century technology) scanned PDFs of my ID and proof of address and he would take it up with credit on my behalf.
A few days later, Nick advised me my application had been accepted. He said he'd waive the £50 for the V+ box they'd normally charge for my trouble. He gave me an confirmed installation date of Thursday this week. It all seemed to be finally sorted.
However...
This morning I receive a call from Patricia in the complaints department. She had received my complaint (above) and asked if I could be persuaded "not to cancel the service"! Apparently, since I last spoke to Nick, my account and the installation had been cancelled DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH THE CREDIT DEPARTMENT!! No one had contacted me about it. Apparently I need to fax them proof of date of birth!! Given their lack of success with handling the previous 3 attempts I have made to fax them documents I have refused to do so.
This is utterly outrageous. Why should I as a customer be forced to orchestrate the provision process because of the incompetence of VM staff and their inability to talk to each other or their customers. Patricia even said she couldn't call Nick because he was "in another part of the country"! YOU ARE A TELECOMS COMPANY! EVER THOUGHT OF PICKING UP A PHONE? IF I CAN CONTACT HIM DIRECTLY BY PHONE, WHY THE HELL CAN'T YOU? No one takes any responsibility, their staff only seem able to Teflon problems off onto each other.
Virgin Media is clearly in a monopoly position - this is the only way it can get away with delivering such catastrophic service. They should be investigated by Ofcom and broken up. Why are there no other competing cable providers? BT were forced to unbundle their local loop for this very reason - why can't the same happen with Virgin.
Right, I think that's my rant overwith...