100M : Existing customer upgrade confusion

[speedymove]

I have been a VM customer for nearly 2 years with XL broadband, TV and Phone. I saw the advert for TIVO yesterday and thought to myself.. "its time to for an upgrade and see what deals they will offer a good customer like myself".

After checking their website and seeing the build your own bundle option, I managed to work out a package which meant I was to upgrade my broadband from 20 to 100 MB, downgrade my TV and Phone a level and swap my V+ for a TIVO. All this for £15 a less per month to what I am paying now, at this point, it couldn't be better!

So, I then saw the link on the website for existing customers to change their bundle online.. "Excellent" I thought, "I don't have to deal with customer services, yippee!" I clicked the link and was taken to a page which states that I had to ring customer services to upgrade.. "Oh bummer"

I phoned the number and what followed was a spiral of confusion that lasted for nearly an hour as I tried to make it clear exactly what package I wanted. The problem seemed to be that because I was upgrading some parts and downgrading others, they couldn't deal with it all in one place. Each time one operator became confused by what I was requesting, I was transferred to another and had to start the whole spiel over and over again.

Eventually, I managed to speak to someone who understood what I was asking for and we finally managed to work out the monthly cost and one off costs as well.. To my surprise, my monthly costs were nearly £10 a month more than their website quote, plus I had to pay the activation fee of $49.95 where new customers did not.

Why is this so difficult VM? This is a relatively simple process, I should be able to go online and tick a few boxes and get the bundle I want without all this damned confusion. Am I asking too much? Seriously, I am not asking for anything special, I just want the deal they are offering new customers on their website. And I want the ability to do it easily without the confusion generated by dealing with people who don't understand what I am asking for!

[kwikbreaks]

All companies offer new signups some sort of incentive and the free activation probably falls into that category.

It may or may not be that the new customer bundle price you got from the website was a limited time deal which got more expensive after 3 months. For the most part calling retentions (150 thinking of leaving) will get you a deal that matches or betters new customer prices after any promo period.

VM are one of the worst companies around for not automatically reducing existing customer pricing to match new deals. You'll regularly see posts from people stuck on deals and prices they struck just after Noah beached his ark on prices that would get the next service level up now. VM seem to relish running their business like a car boot stall so you have to haggle to get the best deal. The answer is obvious - call retentions and haggle.

[speedymove]

Originally Posted by kwikbreaks

All companies offer new signups some sort of incentive and the free activation probably falls into that category.

It may or may not be that the new customer bundle price you got from the website was a limited time deal which got more expensive after 3 months. For the most part calling retentions (150 thinking of leaving) will get you a deal that matches or betters new customer prices after any promo period.

VM are one of the worst companies around for not automatically reducing existing customer pricing to match new deals. You'll regularly see posts from people stuck on deals and prices they struck just after Noah beached his ark on prices that would get the next service level up now. VM seem to relish running their business like a car boot stall so you have to haggle to get the best deal. The answer is obvious - call retentions and haggle.

You are absolutely right and I understand all the marketing nonsense to entice new customers and all of that. I also understand to some extent why they try to make it difficult to downgrade certain services by having to speak with customer services (you need the patience of a saint for that).

What I don't get is the ineptness of customer services. I am sure I am not the first person to have requested upgrades and downgrades at the same time. However, it would have seemed like I was that first person judging by the confusion my request generated among them.

I did eventually speak with retentions and within 10 minutes we struck up a deal and I got what I was asking for, 100 meg broadband and downgraded TV and phone for a good price and also felt appreciated as a good customer. A win win for myself and VM. Now, why do we have to jump through all these hoops and have to deal with rude and inept representatives of VM when you have to threaten to leave to get real service? It is mental!

[ErnieBean]

Originally Posted by speedymove

I have been a VM customer for nearly 2 years with XL broadband, TV and Phone. I saw the advert for TIVO yesterday and thought to myself.. "its time to for an upgrade and see what deals they will offer a good customer like myself".

After checking their website and seeing the build your own bundle option, I managed to work out a package which meant I was to upgrade my broadband from 20 to 100 MB, downgrade my TV and Phone a level and swap my V+ for a TIVO. All this for £15 a less per month to what I am paying now, at this point, it couldn't be better!

So, I then saw the link on the website for existing customers to change their bundle online.. "Excellent" I thought, "I don't have to deal with customer services, yippee!" I clicked the link and was taken to a page which states that I had to ring customer services to upgrade.. "Oh bummer"

I phoned the number and what followed was a spiral of confusion that lasted for nearly an hour as I tried to make it clear exactly what package I wanted. The problem seemed to be that because I was upgrading some parts and downgrading others, they couldn't deal with it all in one place. Each time one operator became confused by what I was requesting, I was transferred to another and had to start the whole spiel over and over again.

Eventually, I managed to speak to someone who understood what I was asking for and we finally managed to work out the monthly cost and one off costs as well.. To my surprise, my monthly costs were nearly £10 a month more than their website quote, plus I had to pay the activation fee of $49.95 where new customers did not.

Why is this so difficult VM? This is a relatively simple process, I should be able to go online and tick a few boxes and get the bundle I want without all this damned confusion. Am I asking too much? Seriously, I am not asking for anything special, I just want the deal they are offering new customers on their website. And I want the ability to do it easily without the confusion generated by dealing with people who don't understand what I am asking for!

Yet the TV advert says everyone

[kwikbreaks]

I'll be honest here I'm a naughty naughty boy - I've only phoned in a few times for changes and have always gone direct to retentions for package changes - I prefer to speak to the organ grinders.

[speedymove]

Originally Posted by kwikbreaks

I'll be honest here I'm a naughty naughty boy - I've only phoned in a few times for changes and have always gone direct to retentions for package changes - I prefer to speak to the organ grinders.

Exactly! Here is an idea for VM, get rid of their call centre monkeys and save a fortune. Invest that money in improving their customer relations by offering sweeteners to their valued punters. Pump some of that cash into the retentions department and rename it.. Ooohh, I don't know, how about, "Customer Services".

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by speedymove

Exactly! Here is an idea for VM, get rid of their call centre monkeys and save a fortune. Invest that money in improving their customer relations by offering sweeteners to their valued punters. Pump some of that cash into the retentions department and rename it.. Ooohh, I don't know, how about, "Customer Services".

They are two completely different jobs with different very skillsets and you are best ringing as soon after 8am as possible for a UK agent.

[greeninferno]

Virgin customer services is the pits.

as others have said cut through all the crap and go straight to retentions its amazing what they can achieve when you state you are on your way and why.