Shame on you VM

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Russ

Fair comment.

However I like to think that if I had a company that was being lied about in a national newspaper, I'd probably want to do something about it such as launch legal action or put out a statement denying it and giving the real version of events.

The last thing I'd do is leave a guilty silence over what initially happened. But maybe that's just me.

For al we know they are in the process of suing the **** as we speak, believing anything that rag prints is a silly thing to do considering their past history.

[Russ]

Could be, however I'm pretty certain we'll be able to look back at this in 12 months time with nothing about any subsequent legal action being reported. Although the silence of course may be part of a settlement agreement.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by Russ

Could be, however I'm pretty certain we'll be able to look back at this in 12 months time with nothing about any subsequent legal action being reported. Although the silence of course may be part of a settlement agreement.

We will probably never know one way or another to be honest.

[NIco V]

The Scottish doctors prognosis for the alleged/convicted Lockerbie bomber was that he will die in 3 months but he died in 3 years.

Go to Vomit Media's point of view, do they extend the contract daily, so he keeps in contact with his family, doctors AND 911?

VM was reasonable.

[watzizname]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

As far as I know there is no defined process to cover this particular situation - processes are usually only mapped out for regular queries.

The reason I said it would have been approrpriate to get the customer to write in is that it's likely to be dealt with in a slightly more considered position. To be honest when I was on the phones I would have had difficulty in knowing what to do with a call such as this.

Thanks for your honesty.. I also agree, which was why i wondered if their were established procedures in place an employee could follow in order to find out if the customer was genuine or just trying it on.

Originally Posted by Peter_

Quite simple really he would have been advised to send in written proof of his illness which any doctor worth is salt would supply for the patient.

What else could any company do except ask for written confirmation, any less than this would leave companies open to abuse of their systems.

Anyone that thinks that a company should act any differently to the above is living in fantasy world of their own design.

You'd think so, but if it isn't actually company policy to do so, it hinges more on the type of representative you end up interacting with.

Originally Posted by Peter_

Do remember that this is the **** we are talking about and they just like any other daily paper will make a case like this fit the required headlines just to sell newsprint and without hearing the actual call all that they printed can be taken with a pinch of salt.

A Virgin Media spokesman said: 'We will bring Mr Allen’s contract to a close as requested and have applied a credit to his current mobile in case he’d like to keep use of the number.

'We’re sorry for any distress caused at this time.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2148044/Virgin-Mobile-Terminally-ill-cancer-patient-told-pay-160-cancel-contract-early.html

Well, given that VM have apologised for the incident, I'm leaning toward it not being The '****' "stirring the bull droppings" (for a change at least) and it relating more to VM requiring a set policy, instead of being entirely reliant on their employee to figure it out and do the right thing.

[Peter_]

Originally Posted by watzizname

You'd think so, but if it isn't actually company policy to do so, it hinges more on the type of representative you end up interacting with.

Any such request would have to be in writing and that is company policy in fact it is every companies policy.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

The only time l would read The Sun, is in the toilet then it would be flushed down the toilet.

[Pierre]

Non-story.

Bleeding heart ballcocks article that that fails to grasp reality.

I feel sorry for the guy, and I would fear to be in that position myself. However, contracting a terminal condition does not free you of all your responsibilities. If it was a mortgage or a car and he owed thousands would you be shouting "shame on you
Lloydstsb or ford?"

I'm sure if you get through to the right person this kind of thing can be sorted out..... And it looks like it was.

I don't understand why it was posted........

[Russ]

Originally Posted by Pierre

I feel sorry for the guy, and I would fear to be in that position myself. However, contracting a terminal condition does not free you of all your responsibilities. If it was a mortgage or a car and he owed thousands would you be shouting "shame on you
Lloydstsb or ford?"

I'm presuming you can see the vast difference between a long-term secured loan costing tens or hundreds of thousands, and 12 month contracts which are routinely ended early under similar circumstances?

Originally Posted by Pierre

I'm sure if you get through to the right person this kind of thing can be sorted out..... And it looks like it was.

Doesn't look like anything of the sort to me. Given that the company has not denied this, it looks like the customer was met with the usual brick wall until VM were approached by a paper.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Peter_

We will probably never know one way or another to be honest.

Maybe, Maybe not..

I've noticed that Private Eye does report on legal actions of this kind though, as does The Mirror if The Sun is involved.

---------- Post added at 23:12 ---------- Previous post was at 23:00 ----------

Originally Posted by Pierre

Non-story.

Bleeding heart ballcocks article that that fails to grasp reality.

I feel sorry for the guy, and I would fear to be in that position myself. However, contracting a terminal condition does not free you of all your responsibilities. If it was a mortgage or a car and he owed thousands would you be shouting "shame on you
Lloydstsb or ford?"

Not sure about dying customers, but I speak from experience that when taking over a mortgage from a dead person, most banks will allow you to take a brief payment holiday before requiring that you take out another mortgage to cover the costs. However, in this case, the family aren't quibbling over a loan that may be in the hundreds of thousands of pounds. They are quibbling over £160.

I'm sure if you get through to the right person this kind of thing can be sorted out..... And it looks like it was.

Seemingly when the papers got involved.

People did every day. I daresay bearing in mind the amount of customers Virgin Media have, a few of their customers die every day. I am staggered they don't appear to have a procedure for this.

I don't understand why it was posted........

Maybe to highlight where VM initially failed a customer? Seemingly only correcting it when the Newspapers got involved?

[m419]

Originally Posted by Russ

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...ient-told.html

Unfortunately I am not surprised by this in the slightest. Goes to show that the NTL 'Traffic Warden' mentality is still alive and well in Virgin Media.

We'll see what sky's policy on this is as well as most other companies, just let the contract run and it will eventually get cut off when it hasn't been paid and go to a debt collector who will then be informed that the customer is dead. That is what happened with my mums Santander account. Didn't even have to send off any certificates, many debt collectors check up on this stuff.

[Sirius]

Is this still rumbling on, Must be a slow news day in "we hate VM land"

Originally Posted by Sirius

Is this still rumbling on, Must be a slow news day in "we hate VM land"

Hahaha