Do VM Customer Services ever reply to emails?

Theodoric · 02-03-2007, 19:40

Almost 2 weeks ago I emailed VM Customer Services from the VM site asking how I could get Customer Line Identification for my landline phone. After nearly a week with no acknowledgement, never mind a reply, I emailed them again last Sunday asking them for a reply.

Well, I did receive an acknowledgement on Monday promising that they would be in touch soon. Unfortunately the Virgin definition of "soon" obviously includes the phrase "how long is a piece of string" because I'm still waiting. Is there any way of putting a rocket up their backsides or must I sadly conclude that Virgin Customer Service is the same as ntl's, namely atrocious?

awibble · 02-03-2007, 19:51

i called CS about the same thing today, basically they are very far behind...calling is quicker.

Theodoric · 02-03-2007, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by awibble

i called CS about the same thing today, basically they are very far behind...calling is quicker.

I've 2 reasons for emailing.

Firstly, this isn't a matter of extreme urgency so I'm willing to use email, and wait what would be a perfectly acceptable couple of days, rather than paying for a phone call, not to mention all the attendant hassle.

Secondly, having followed, off and on, the threads in this forum about CLI and ntl, I felt that something in writing that could be quoted back at them might be advisable.

AndyCambs · 02-03-2007, 21:06

Calls to customer service are free on 150/151

awibble · 02-03-2007, 21:18

Trust me, its quicker on the phone.

AndyCambs · 02-03-2007, 21:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by awibble

Trust me, its quicker on the phone.

I'll second that - and they are really helpful too.
They even made a point of giving me first and last names.

Theodoric · 02-03-2007, 22:08

OK, I might give the phone a go. Re the free customer service numbers. Are they 150 and 151? I thought that these were something to do with reporting faults.

02-03-2007, 22:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theodoric

OK, I might give the phone a go. Re the free customer service numbers. Are they 150 and 151? I thought that these were something to do with reporting faults.

150 is customer service, 151 is faults, as far as I know, Theo, I must try, one day, when I have a problem

mainlime · 03-03-2007, 02:09

Submitted a change request through the VM website a week ago just to add redirection to my phone account - no acknowledgment, no reply, no call redirect. And why did I try to do it online instead of on the phone? Because I'd already been on hold for about 20 minutes trying to get through to a human being. I had hoped that the influence of Telewest and Virgin might dredge NTL's customer service up from the eighth level of Hell but apparently not.

info4u · 03-03-2007, 02:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Theodoric

OK, I might give the phone a go. Re the free customer service numbers. Are they 150 and 151? I thought that these were something to do with reporting faults.

I would recomend customer services also by phone than online

Can I ask why you didnt check out the phone packages?

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...efeatures.html

Quote:

Call Display
Lets you see who's calling you before you answer the phone. Setting it up is simple, just dial 150 free from your Virgin Phone or on 0845 454 1111. It costs ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£1.75 per month.

ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£1.75 a month - Setting up is simple just dial 150

Which beats waiting on hold and waiting for an email

AndyCambs · 03-03-2007, 04:11

CLID isn't available in my area....

awibble · 03-03-2007, 10:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by info4u

ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£1.75 a month - Setting up is simple just dial 150

Which beats waiting on hold and waiting for an email

Which is the phone number fomr a virgin phone to call Customer Service and sit on hold

scrotnig · 03-03-2007, 11:17

The trouble with emails in most companies I've dealt with, is that the customer perception is wrong.

The customer perception is that there is a whole team of dedicated staff waiting to respond to emails.

The reality is, emails tend to be dealt with by normal customer service staff who take calls, and they are only permitted to do so if no calls are coming in. Which is somewhat rare.

Dealing with emails is almost *always* the responsibility of someone who has too many other things to do.

It shouldn't be like that, but it is.

Theodoric · 03-03-2007, 11:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by info4u

I would recomend customer services also by phone than online

Can I ask why you didnt check out the phone packages?

http://allyours.virginmedia.com/html...efeatures.html

ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£1.75 a month - Setting up is simple just dial 150

Which beats waiting on hold and waiting for an email

I have had a go at finding it on the Virgin site but unfortunately, like a lot of sites, the Virgin search engine is pre-Google, not to say prehistoric! Searching on CLI and CLID gave zero hits. "Customer Line Identity", IIRC, gave 3 hits but none of them seemed immediately relevant.

Anyway thanks for the link. I can now consider any reply from Virgin as an interesting exercise in the standard of their email support.

Theodoric · 06-03-2007, 17:45

Just as a little update.

VM have still not replied 2 weeks on. I did get a second worthless promise last Friday, following a second email, promising to get in touch soon. I realise that they may be busy but this is setting a new record in appalling service - 2 weeks and still no reply to a simple question.

And, yes, I know that I could phone them but VM are now seriously annoying me with this display of complete and total disdain for their customers. Is there anyone I can email to complain about their refusal to reply; it's obviously no use emailing Customer Support again and I simply don't believe that phoning and complaining will have the slightest effect.