Octimon
04-02-2011, 12:39
Not sure where to post this as there is no "Give us your tales of incompetence" forum so as it is to do with an upgrade installation.......
Last week we phoned VM as we felt our package was no longer competetive - eg we were paying £25 for 20Mb yet 50Mb is advertised as being £25. I have to admit that we have discounts on our bill, but according to the narrative they relate to TV and Phone. Anyway armed with what we could get by moving elsewhere, we felt it was worth discussion. I will not mention prices to avoid a flurry of "I'm on the same package but pay £Y" posts, so let's just say our current package is £X per month and I won't mention any names.
Got through to a lady offshore who basically couldn't help and just kept trying to get us to take stuff we didn't need such as Talk International (we don't know anyone abroad!) or an extra V+ box (but we only have one telly!). She also tried arguing that a phone discount described specifically as "TUL for the price of TEW" actually related to our Broadband so we were paying the right price for 20Mb. Like to see you argue that one in Court. Useless.
So. We rang "I'm thinking of leaving". Spoke to a nice chap who looked into it and came back with a price of £X+12 plus free installation to upgrade us to HD (incl sports & movies HD) and 50Mb. We felt that was a bit steep and we were trying to get our price down not up, so he typed it in to the system and came back with £X+5 plus £30 installation fee. We asked him to double check and confirm it included the full sports/movies HD package and 50Mb plus everything we already get and he said it did. We felt, while it was more than we pay now, it was a good price for the extras so let's go for it. Excellent. Earliest Engineer can come is Thursday. Even more excellent as my wife just happens to be working at home that morning so, sorted, Tech booked for 8 til 1.
Come 12 Noon on Thursday, no engineer so my wife phones. "Sorry Madam, you must be mistaken it's between 1 and 6". Err, No, it's you that's mistaken why would I book it for this afternoon when I was going to be at home this morning!!
To cut the story short there followed a debate about who she should complain to including quotes from various VM staff such as
"sorry, we don't have a complaints line as it would be inundated" - does that not tell you something about your company?
"we can knock £20 off your £49.95 installation free" - You told us the installation was £30!! "Oh, in that case I can't give you anything then"
"I am sure you won't find Sky any better" - I don't care what Sky's customer service is like, I'm with you.
Eventually she gets put through to installation team and they agreed to contact the Tech and ask him to attend before 4 as my wife had to get to a work appointment she could not cancel, although she could cancel her 2.00 appointment. Come 3.30 still no sign so I had to cut short my working day and get home so she could go out. Now, both of us are self employed and to us time is money so having to do this is not appreciated to say the least.
Come 5.15 pm still no sign of the Tech. Call VM, speak to offshore centre who just don't understand why we are complaining that a tech booked for 8 to 1 isn't there at 5.15 as he can come any time up until 6!!! Ask to speak to installation team who then advise we are the last call of the day and he should be there by 6. Why could they not have told my wife that at Noon !!!
Tech arrives at 17.55 and installs HD box. Goes to install Superhub and I ask if he can set IP address to that of my existing router. "Sorry, I don't know if that's possible. I don't know much about computers and haven't had much training on this hub. I just install it". To his credit he rang HQ to ask how to do it but was told that is for tech support. So he does his bit in setting up my main PC and running a speed test. Nothing else will connect to the internet or network and it takes me the best part of 2 hours to get everything speaking to each other and on the internet again.
I then go to watch Sky sports HD - "You are not subscribed to this channel"
Phone VM. Offshore call centre. You haven't signed up to HD that's another £7. They don't understand, they can't help. Phone "I'm thinking of leaving"
"No, sorry, your package doesn't include Sports & Movies HD". "But you told us it did". "Sorry, nothing I can do you would need to speak to Mr M that gave you that deal s I can't authorise it."
Phone back this morning and ask to speak to Mr M. "Sorry, I'm in Teeside. No idea who he is, where he is, when he works. Can't transfer you". Explain the problem to her.
"I'm sorry, your package of £X+11 doesn't include HD". "WTF? You mean my package of £X+5?" "No, £X+11"
Right, thats it. You have half an hour to get an engineer here by which time all of your kit will be in the front garden for collection and my direct debit will be cancelled. By the way, tell the engineer it's chucking it down with rain so he better get here on time today".
"well actually we do have a more expensive package at £X+5 that includes HD". WHAT????? That's cheaper!! "Ahh yes, It's more expensive, but you get more discount so it's cheaper" "And it definitely includes HD Sports / Moves, 50Mb and everything we already have?" "yes, definitely." I am just too lost for words.
"HD should be activated within 24 hours but usually a lot sooner."
A tale of pillar to post of total incompetence and everyone at VM telling us different things and contradicting each other. This is no way to run a business.
We are particularly disappointed with Mr M who just appears to have lied to us in quoting for one thing at one price with a morning installation and then booking a more expensive package, with less than we were promised and an afternoon installation. As professional people we are both used to taking detailed notes of telephone conversations as we speak and my wife has her notes from her call to Mr M. It is quite clear what we ordered, the fact he was asked to confirm it (twice) and the price we were quoted (twice).
Whether it is truly resolved by this morning's call remains to be seen (I have a strong fear I will get home tonight and find I have been cut to 20Mb or the TV pacakge reduced from XL to L or similar) but the next time I call "I'm thinking of leaving" I fear that I will be.
I guess this is what happens when you have a duopoly. I used to feel much the same about British Gas customer service but it is amazing how far they have come prompted by increased competition and I would now rank them among the best.
Even if Sky's customer service is seriously ****, surely it can't be this bad.
Last week we phoned VM as we felt our package was no longer competetive - eg we were paying £25 for 20Mb yet 50Mb is advertised as being £25. I have to admit that we have discounts on our bill, but according to the narrative they relate to TV and Phone. Anyway armed with what we could get by moving elsewhere, we felt it was worth discussion. I will not mention prices to avoid a flurry of "I'm on the same package but pay £Y" posts, so let's just say our current package is £X per month and I won't mention any names.
Got through to a lady offshore who basically couldn't help and just kept trying to get us to take stuff we didn't need such as Talk International (we don't know anyone abroad!) or an extra V+ box (but we only have one telly!). She also tried arguing that a phone discount described specifically as "TUL for the price of TEW" actually related to our Broadband so we were paying the right price for 20Mb. Like to see you argue that one in Court. Useless.
So. We rang "I'm thinking of leaving". Spoke to a nice chap who looked into it and came back with a price of £X+12 plus free installation to upgrade us to HD (incl sports & movies HD) and 50Mb. We felt that was a bit steep and we were trying to get our price down not up, so he typed it in to the system and came back with £X+5 plus £30 installation fee. We asked him to double check and confirm it included the full sports/movies HD package and 50Mb plus everything we already get and he said it did. We felt, while it was more than we pay now, it was a good price for the extras so let's go for it. Excellent. Earliest Engineer can come is Thursday. Even more excellent as my wife just happens to be working at home that morning so, sorted, Tech booked for 8 til 1.
Come 12 Noon on Thursday, no engineer so my wife phones. "Sorry Madam, you must be mistaken it's between 1 and 6". Err, No, it's you that's mistaken why would I book it for this afternoon when I was going to be at home this morning!!
To cut the story short there followed a debate about who she should complain to including quotes from various VM staff such as
"sorry, we don't have a complaints line as it would be inundated" - does that not tell you something about your company?
"we can knock £20 off your £49.95 installation free" - You told us the installation was £30!! "Oh, in that case I can't give you anything then"
"I am sure you won't find Sky any better" - I don't care what Sky's customer service is like, I'm with you.
Eventually she gets put through to installation team and they agreed to contact the Tech and ask him to attend before 4 as my wife had to get to a work appointment she could not cancel, although she could cancel her 2.00 appointment. Come 3.30 still no sign so I had to cut short my working day and get home so she could go out. Now, both of us are self employed and to us time is money so having to do this is not appreciated to say the least.
Come 5.15 pm still no sign of the Tech. Call VM, speak to offshore centre who just don't understand why we are complaining that a tech booked for 8 to 1 isn't there at 5.15 as he can come any time up until 6!!! Ask to speak to installation team who then advise we are the last call of the day and he should be there by 6. Why could they not have told my wife that at Noon !!!
Tech arrives at 17.55 and installs HD box. Goes to install Superhub and I ask if he can set IP address to that of my existing router. "Sorry, I don't know if that's possible. I don't know much about computers and haven't had much training on this hub. I just install it". To his credit he rang HQ to ask how to do it but was told that is for tech support. So he does his bit in setting up my main PC and running a speed test. Nothing else will connect to the internet or network and it takes me the best part of 2 hours to get everything speaking to each other and on the internet again.
I then go to watch Sky sports HD - "You are not subscribed to this channel"
Phone VM. Offshore call centre. You haven't signed up to HD that's another £7. They don't understand, they can't help. Phone "I'm thinking of leaving"
"No, sorry, your package doesn't include Sports & Movies HD". "But you told us it did". "Sorry, nothing I can do you would need to speak to Mr M that gave you that deal s I can't authorise it."
Phone back this morning and ask to speak to Mr M. "Sorry, I'm in Teeside. No idea who he is, where he is, when he works. Can't transfer you". Explain the problem to her.
"I'm sorry, your package of £X+11 doesn't include HD". "WTF? You mean my package of £X+5?" "No, £X+11"
Right, thats it. You have half an hour to get an engineer here by which time all of your kit will be in the front garden for collection and my direct debit will be cancelled. By the way, tell the engineer it's chucking it down with rain so he better get here on time today".
"well actually we do have a more expensive package at £X+5 that includes HD". WHAT????? That's cheaper!! "Ahh yes, It's more expensive, but you get more discount so it's cheaper" "And it definitely includes HD Sports / Moves, 50Mb and everything we already have?" "yes, definitely." I am just too lost for words.
"HD should be activated within 24 hours but usually a lot sooner."
A tale of pillar to post of total incompetence and everyone at VM telling us different things and contradicting each other. This is no way to run a business.
We are particularly disappointed with Mr M who just appears to have lied to us in quoting for one thing at one price with a morning installation and then booking a more expensive package, with less than we were promised and an afternoon installation. As professional people we are both used to taking detailed notes of telephone conversations as we speak and my wife has her notes from her call to Mr M. It is quite clear what we ordered, the fact he was asked to confirm it (twice) and the price we were quoted (twice).
Whether it is truly resolved by this morning's call remains to be seen (I have a strong fear I will get home tonight and find I have been cut to 20Mb or the TV pacakge reduced from XL to L or similar) but the next time I call "I'm thinking of leaving" I fear that I will be.
I guess this is what happens when you have a duopoly. I used to feel much the same about British Gas customer service but it is amazing how far they have come prompted by increased competition and I would now rank them among the best.
Even if Sky's customer service is seriously ****, surely it can't be this bad.