appalling customer service - a new low for Virgin Media

[eveeyeda]

I returned to Virgin Media believing that their customer service had improved since my last bad experience with them - I should have followed my instincts and stayed with Sky. If there's anyone from Virgin Management that reads these boards this is what happened today with a call to your Asian call centre as a result of the following email sent to me

. 

Owed from last month: £29.08

Your previous bill was not settled in full. Action is required by you to clear this amount immediately, further delay may result in your services being suspended. Firstly the wording suggests that I'm at fault when I didn't know anything about this amount being owed (I pay by DD) and secondly according to the customer service person it's customers who raise direct debits not Virgin Media and again its my fault. The person I spoke to continually talked over me and I use the word intimidating as being accurate (think scam calls and you get the picture). I referred him to my October 2023 call when a contract renewal and price was agreed but was told he couldn't access that information (How on earth is a customers contract negotiation not accessible!). More talking over me persisted despite my pleas to improve a rapidly poor experience. In despair I asked for the complaints department and was told you're speaking to them so obviously either I'm being lied to or Virgin Media have done away with any complaints procedure thereby improving their customer satisfaction record and they have no way they can transfer your call to the UK.  I've spent a lifetime in marketing and call centre operations and hand on heart this is the worst example of how to alienate your customers and never getting them back ever. And oh the reason Virgin have more complaints than other providers is because they have more UK customers (really?)  OFCOM launched an enquiry as to the levels of complaints received by Virgin. Well if anyone is listening at Virgin your customer relationship is beyond repair if my experience is anything to go by.

[David_Bn]

Thanks for reaching out to us @eveeyeda, and welcome back to our Community Forums!

Sorry to hear of this poor experience, this falls well below the standards we would expect to issue out to our customers or potential new customers.

I'd be happy to look into the call and ensure that feedback is issued.

We will also be in a place to offer any information on the account and the payment that's required, once security has been passed.

Check out the envelope in the top right hand corner for a private message from me

Thanks,

David_Bn

[eveeyeda]

Is this a new way to reduce complaints? I received a team member private email and was asked to supply information but the reply function was greyed out so I went to view my posted comments only to find it's no longer there. If it's been taken down the question is why (it breaks no legal infringements). So if the team member would like to explain and give me a reply system that works I would be grateful.

[Robert_P]

Is the Private Message available via the option in the top right when signed into the forums eveeyeda? We can see it has been sent by our colleague.

Rob

[Cardiffman282]

"If there's anyone from Virgin Management that reads these boards..."

Yeah I can picture Herr Schuler gathering his top team around the board table and saying:

"Right everyone. We need to maintain VMO2's hallowed position at the apex of customer service surveys. Given our exclusively UK-based customer service provision we deliver a service second to none and Ofcom has just vouched for this. Our customers just love our seamless and professional approach to all of our operations - be they marketing, installation, comms, billing, CRM.  However I noticed today, while reading Bild on the executive WC, as I am sure you all did (heads nod gravely around the table), that eveeyeda said on the forum boards that he had a bit of a crepe experience. We must all redouble our efforts and ensure that the VMO2 brand continues to shine brightly despite this setback. "

[eveeyeda]

Rob, 

Does it make sense that a private message is sent but the reply button is greyed out? The only way I can reply to the team member is to use his name and post the details he requires but that doesn't seem like a good way to link the first post I made and what has happened to my post yesterday.

[Ashleigh_C]

I'm so sorry to hear that this has happened @eveeyeda and that is very odd. 

Just to check, are you typing the message out and then trying reply? Are you able to try via another browser at all?