Superhub : Poor Virgin Media customer service

[darren_surrey]

This post is just a factual record of some incredibly poor Virgin Media customer service, such that hopefully:
- Virgin Media read these forums and have a policy of continuous improvement through feedback from online criticism
- Virgin Media's competitors improve in these areas

If there are better places to make this post to maximize impact, please let me know.

If this is the wrong place to make this post, I'm sorry and please let me know and I'll move it.

THE BACKGROUND:

I rented my flat out. The tenants (with my permission) put in Virgin Media wifi. I moved back in 3m ago, it's taken until last week to get a change of ownership to go through. Anyway, it's now in my name.

Since moving back in, there has been a shockingly poor experience of accessing the internet. "Resolving host..." for example. It's practically unusuable but we get by as we have no alternatives.

Virgin Media last Sunday were called TWICE to endeavour to fix it; the account wasn't in my name but they did reset the model twice and change some settings.

They invited me to continue for 1 more week and then if still a poor service, and engineer would be called.

That brings us up to the present:

THE DETAIL OF THE POOR SERVICE

Friday night the service was still poor.

Once again I phoned them, again I had difficulty being understood because of the indian staff they employ, but I've had experience of this before in my work so I know to just persist.

The guy had a good attitude to fix the problem, and did try several things. He identified some technical aspects that weren't right (frequencies were mentioned) and said a technician would need to be booked.

The earliest was Sunday morning 8-12 (i.e. today - Sunday 6th March - Mothers Day) or afternoon. 12-4

As I'm paid a day rate when working, I cannot afford this time off work, so I chose Sunday morning, even though it's Mother's Day.

I said this:

"There is a door code downstairs, would you like me to give it to you or will you just get the engineer to phone me when he's downstairs"

They said they would get the engineer to phone me downstairs. The person confirmed my phone number, saw it was the number I was calling from, and also confirmed it was the same number as on my account. I doubly confirmed that the engineer would be passed this number with the call details.

This morning: It's a wide slot at 8-12

I woke at 7:30 and dressed. I ensured my phone was not on silent, and made sure it was not on do not disturb.

I waited and waited.

1200 was approaching and my partner said she had to go to see her son as it's Mothers Day - I needed to stay behind and sort this out.

1200 I phoned Virgin Media.

"The engineer couldn't get access to the property"

Let's set some facts: This place is approx 100 flats, that the majority use Virgin Media. Every communal door has the same door code entry (the device is to stop homeless people from sleeping in the stairwells, therefore the postman etc all get the code freely). Virgin Media will have been to this estate many times and used the same code many times.

The engineer did not phone my phone. He did not make reasonable steps to get in: he did not phone me, nor did he phone the office and say "Hi, there's a door code, what do you want me to do?" - he just turned up, saw there was a code, and left.


What would you have done?

[jb66]

I would have called you and if I got no answer, moved on. He may have called you but never got through, the call center may have not put your number down and he called the old account holders number. Its not in the technicians interest to not visit you

[Stephen]

Aside from the engineer issue today, I wouldn't really say its bad customer service.

They seem to have been listening with you and working with you to get the issue resolved. Even when it wasn't in your name. Thats pretty good in my opinion.

[General Maximus]

I am usually the first one to criticise VM's customer support but Stephen does have a point. You should also be aware that whilst there are many tech savvy peeps on this forum, it is in no way affiliated with VM and they won't read your post or respond to it. If you want them to take a look at your problem then you need to make a post on the official VM support forums here.

That being said, if you would like to post your power levels etc we'll take a look and point you in the right direction so you understand what is going on. Click this link and scroll down to the fifth post and you'll see what we want. You'll probably need to go to http://192.168.0.1 instead of http://192.168.100.1 as instructed in the post.

While you are at it, can you also provide additional info as to whether your connection to the shub is solely wireless, what device you are using (e.g Galaxy tablet or Dell laptop), the make and model and which OS it is running.

[horseman]

Originally Posted by darren_surrey

.....

"There is a door code downstairs, would you like me to give it to you or will you just get the engineer to phone me when he's downstairs"......

What would you have done?

Well I would be posting on VM Forum, but that aside then really you only made two errors!
1. You rang offshore - much more assuring to get appropriate instructions on your customer notes by ringing a UK agent in Swansea. (08:00am best time or if you still get offshore then ask for UK Retentions during Office Hours and they'll transfer you to UK agent)

2. You asked an Indian VM contractor to make a decision without establishing his caste/social standing? Yet apparently you say you're familiar with this?

Next time you'll know better and specifically instruct him to write the Tradesman Access Code AND your mobile number on both your customer notes and also the Tech booking!

Just to make sure then ask him to repeat the instruction in his native tongue Punjabi, Urdu etc.... which naturally you'll be fluent in.
If not best talk to UK agent.

[Kushan]

As much as everyone likes to rag on offshore (who can be downright terrible), getting an onshore agent is no guarantee of anything either. I have been there on the floor with English agents who were as thick, Virgin doesn't hire technical people for technical support, they hire people for customer service and tell them they'll pick up the technical part as they go along, with the minimal of training.

[horseman]

Originally Posted by Kushan

As much as everyone likes to rag on offshore (who can be downright terrible), getting an onshore agent is no guarantee of anything either. I have been there on the floor with English agents who were as thick. Virgin doesn't hire technical people for technical support, they hire people for customer service and tell them they'll pick up the technical part as they go along, with the minimal of training.

Ahhh that explains a lot of questions I had about you.....

Which has probably earnt me a Glasgow Kiss, Jimmy?

[Kushan]

I'm not entirely sure why you've taken such a disliking to me, horseman.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Well l have Two problems, that can better the complaint from the Poster.

1) I complained about poor service on our TV/BB, and an engineer was called (after several calls, to some idiot in CS). The engineer didn't even call.

Called CS, and we were told from INDIA, that the engineer turned up, but no one was in.

Called CS, and told them, that IF an engineer HAD called, our dog. Would have barked intensely, as he sits, by the front door all the time.

We got a Discount.

2). Sat down to watch in preparation for a Spurs game on TV. an Hour before KO. The channel went blank.

Called CS, and they told us that there was a report of a fire, in the local box at the top of our road.

So l went up to the main boxes on out road - still in tact. called CS. and they advised me that there had been a FLOODING, at there main centre.

FIVE minutes before KO, l called CS again. And said that unless my TV was back on by 4.00. I would cancel and go back to Sky.

Have a guess - Yes, the switched the TV /BB back on.

When l asked WHY, l was told that there was a Technical issue in LIVERPOOL, and it was effecting London.

Not only are VM a very poor service. The CS is the worst if have ever come across.

[vm_tech]

You think a problem in Liverpool can't affect London? Depends if it's fed from Knowlesley, because if so it's possible a technical problem there could affect customers in other parts of the country. And I don't believe because you threatened to leave they switched your tv back on. Just when the issue was resolved. Wouldn't be a good way to run a business turning people's tv service off deliberately then switching it back on when they call in really would it?

[Stephen]

Thats hardly a complaint worthy of bettering the OP either TBH.

Just a hardly factually correct whinge I am guessing.

I personally in 13 years as a cable customer have only ever had 2 faults and no issues with the CS. I usually speak to Bellshill or Airdrie. Both in Scotland.

[horseman]

Originally Posted by Kushan

I'm not entirely sure why you've taken such a disliking to me, horseman.

Actually quite the opposite - Clearly my banal attempt at humour/wit/banter falls flat. More smilies needed.
Didn't appreciate how serious you took your past employment with VM.

If some one said my 30yrs with IBM explains why I'm so arrogant and conceited I'd have to agree with them and share a few company jokes about it as well!

Horses for courses - so sorry again. Let's continue via PM if my public apology offered is still insufficient?

I don't deny there are failings/differences in agent tech quality in UK either nor that offshore has imo shown a small but noticeable incremental improvement in the last 6 years. However in my experience (in general) UK Level1 are far less reticent at admitting their technical limitations and thus more willing to escalate/transfer to Level2.
Equally there are more Level1 agents that are not limited by the "traffic light" system of their noddy "Network stats" interface but able to explore further than their offshore counterparts.

Yes I sometimes have problems with UK Regional accents and I'm always apologising for my lack of comprehension but almost to an agent we have a laugh about it including regional weather comparisons whatever!

Offshore are so polite and always profusely apologising for the wait when invariably addressing my questions to a colleague/senior that it becomes wearing. Any attempt to inject humour to lighten & slow their rapid scripted dialogue of excuses falls completely flat. Just like UK there are some (but all to rare) that do know their onions but too far between compared to UK.

That's the price/compromise of sourcing off-shore with a far lower Labour & Burden Rate than UK! If we were all prepared to pay the increased subscription rate for UK quality support then this type of discussion would largely disappear.

That said no way is a Consumer product Level1 support going to attract quality staff as my only experience was with IBM Level1 in Spango Valley Greenock which were excellent (but funded by Corporate Maintenance fees) but still required some occasional feed back/exchange from us in Level2/2.5 at IBM Basingstoke.
The remuneration/mindset was thus not comparable to VM's it seems!

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Well l have Two problems, that can better the complaint from the Poster.

FIVE minutes before KO, l called CS again. And said that unless my TV was back on by 4.00. I would cancel and go back to Sky.

Have a guess - Yes, the switched the TV /BB back on.

Not only are VM a very poor service. The CS is the worst if have ever come across.

Yet you're still paying them. A company that you reckon turned your TV and broadband service off for fun, and describe as a very poor service with the worst customer service you have ever come across.

Who's the fool in this story?

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

When l asked WHY, l was told that there was a Technical issue in LIVERPOOL, and it was effecting London.

Yes. Some of your TV channels come from Knowsley, a metropolitan borough in Merseyside.

You genuinely have no idea how obnoxious you make it sound like you were to them or how ridiculous you sound complaining like this yet still being a customer.

[Kushan]

Originally Posted by horseman

Actually quite the opposite - Clearly my banal attempt at humour/wit/banter falls flat. More smilies needed.

Mea cupla, I have misread your comments entirely, I do apologise

Originally Posted by horseman

Didn't appreciate how serious you took your past employment with VM.

Hmm, I'm not sure if "taking it seriously" is the best way to describe it. I like to think I was one of the better agents, at least from a technical perspective (I always got stuff done, though I'm sure my phone manner could use work). I suppose I must have been to get moved to outage so quickly, but I seen a lot of things that left me...somewhat deflated. I did the job to the best of my ability, but I cannot say the same for many of my colleagues - both onshore and offshore. I had to clean up numerous problems that were caused by agents not doing their job correctly and seen plenty of "repeats" coming back in on a daily basis.

I am not surprised, though. I seen the training those agents were given, it was minimal with a mantra of "you'll pick it up as you go along". I have had conversations with agents that barely knew what planet we were on (But had lovely telephone manner, of course!) and cleaned up their messes as well.

At the same time, I have also been screamed at by customers for things that were genuinely unavoidable or out of our control. I have been a customer in both positions, having had an agent not have a clue and being part of an outage that couldn't be easily avoided. I am happy to give leeway in the latter case, but the former makes my blood boil.

Originally Posted by horseman

If some one said my 30yrs with IBM explains why I'm so arrogant and conceited I'd have to agree with them and share a few company jokes about it as well!

Horses for courses - so sorry again. Let's continue via PM if my public apology offered is still insufficient?

I don't deny there are failings/differences in agent tech quality in UK either nor that offshore has imo shown a small but noticeable incremental improvement in the last 6 years. However in my experience (in general) UK Level1 are far less reticent at admitting their technical limitations and thus more willing to escalate/transfer to Level2.
Equally there are more Level1 agents that are not limited by the "traffic light" system of their noddy "Network stats" interface but able to explore further than their offshore counterparts.

Yes I sometimes have problems with UK Regional accents and I'm always apologising for my lack of comprehension but almost to an agent we have a laugh about it including regional weather comparisons whatever!

Offshore are so polite and always profusely apologising for the wait when invariably addressing my questions to a colleague/senior that it becomes wearing. Any attempt to inject humour to lighten & slow their rapid scripted dialogue of excuses falls completely flat. Just like UK there are some (but all to rare) that do know their onions but too far between compared to UK.

That's the price/compromise of sourcing off-shore with a far lower Labour & Burden Rate than UK! If we were all prepared to pay the increased subscription rate for UK quality support then this type of discussion would largely disappear.

That said no way is a Consumer product Level1 support going to attract quality staff as my only experience was with IBM Level1 in Spango Valley Greenock which were excellent (but funded by Corporate Maintenance fees) but still required some occasional feed back/exchange from us in Level2/2.5 at IBM Basingstoke.
The remuneration/mindset was thus not comparable to VM's it seems!

I have no doubt in my mind that the quality of offshore is far lower than that of onshore. There's also a lot more of them, so your chances of getting a rubbish agent are higher with offshore as well - which doesn't help. My only point was that I have personally had the same issues with onshore agents as well, while I've also had great support from offshore on occasion - as you say, horses for courses. Pot luck if you get a competent agent and just hanging up on the offshore lot guarantees you nothing, it just makes their jobs harder.

They are people as well, which some people forget. I have heard (sadly) some horribly racist things from customers who have got through to me, things like (And I quote) "Thank **** you're English, sick of talking to Pakis". Literally everything in that sentence is wrong (I'm Irish and offshore is in India...) and I can only imagine the attitudes offshore must face when they get people like that, but ignorance aside they get paid **** all, they have worse training than onshore (Which is bad), they get constant abuse (even from within the company, there's a reason they don't like escalating to Second line and it's not just over-confidence), they are monitored to ridiculous levels (Which is why they seem to be following a "script" - they're not, but if they veer even slightly off what they've been told to do, they can get in trouble) and all in all it's a pretty bum deal they have got.

As I mentioned earlier, I have low tolerance for people that don't do their job correctly and I hold that same tolerance to offshore as well, but I wouldn't completely write them off, nor would I assume that onshore have a better clue what they're doing either. It's luck of the draw either way

[Khenryashley]

Two great posts by horseman and Kushan. Sensible,rational and confirms a few things we suspected.
(Did I say rational and horseman in the same post? I must be losing it.)