Forum Discussion

Charade's avatar
Charade
On our wavelength
2 years ago

Hmm, have I made a mistake

On the 7th of August 2023 I ordered the Ultimate Volt Bundle over the phone for installation in September 2023.

 
I'm curious as to why I was not offered the choice of the Hisense TV or £200 bill credit, which I believe was offered on the 7th August and available until the 13th of August and so I've bee trying all morning to ask that very question.
 
The virtual whatsapp AI person was "not helpful" to put it mildly and so I rang the number I used to order the Bundle. After many keypresses I managed to speak to a very polite lady who took all the details and said she would have to speak to someone else and would I mind being put on hold for a couple of minutes, which i didn't.
 
After about 30 seconds a computer voice cut in asking me to press 1 for this and 2 for that etc which I ignored thinking that my original contact would come back to me. However after another 30 seconds another person cut in who kept telling me "not to worry" about my installtion as she could change it.
I kept tellng her I didn't want it changed and explained the situation 3 times to her as well as asking how she interrupted my original conversation.
 
She then grasped the idea that I wanted the £200 bill credit and she told me to hold on and the line went dead.

Is this par for the course with Virgin Media? I've been with Sky for 25 years and always managed to speak to someone without a problem but their latest price increase was above and beyond reasonable which is why it was a no brainer to sign up for the Ultimate Volt Bundle

 
So, if anyone from Customer Services (or anyone else obviously) reads this can they please explain why I wasn't offered the "Special Deal" when I booked the Bundle on the day the offer started (and yes, I should have asked the chap I spoke to order about it but the excitement was too much for me 😊 )?
 
Not a glorious start to my time with Virgin.
 
AndyW
    • Charade's avatar
      Charade
      On our wavelength

      Aah I see, thanks for those few words of encouragement 🤔 😕. Interestingly I've just had an email asking for feedback about "how things went for you when you placed your order with us". I think I may have to look up some really big words.

      AndyW

      • carl_pearce's avatar
        carl_pearce
        Community elder

        Just read through some other threads on here...

        When the service is up and running it's great, however, if an issue arrises be prepared for a not so great customer service.

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Thanks for that Carl. So an issue has arisen before I've been connected and experienced the "not so great customer service" now I can look forward to the service being up and running and it's being great - wow, a large fat pink thing has just flown past my window - I can't wait, although it does appear that I'm a TV / £200 down on the deal.

    That's rubbish customer service not "not great"

    AndyW

    • Cardiffman282's avatar
      Cardiffman282
      Trouble shooter

      I would stick to your guns on this one Andy. Your package is eligible for the offer and the offer was effective from 7 August. There is nothing in the offer to further qualify it.

      Don't waste your time and energy calling the clueless offshore VM customer service line. Instead wait here for the forum team.

      You are on a premium package and they should be taking care of you. 

      Don't forget your 14 day cooling off period too. 

    • David_Bn's avatar
      David_Bn
      Forum Team

      Thanks for your post on our Community Forums Charade, and a very warm welcome to you!

      Sorry to hear that you weren't offered a free gift or bill credit when joining Virgin Media.

      We would have to advise that unless this particular offer was requested during the sale process, we wouldn't be in a position to now simply add an incentive to an existing sale that has been completed, or is in the process of being completed.

      If you wanted to take up an offer, with such an incentive, the current offer you're going to have installed, would need to be cancelled and then you would need to speak to our sales team for the specific offer you desire.

      Kindest regards,

      David_Bn 

      • Charade's avatar
        Charade
        On our wavelength

        Wow @David_BN, so I have to request the offer. Where in all the blurb does it say that, bearing in mind the offer expires on the 13th?

        Please direct me to the relevant clauses.

         

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Whoops, Just had an email saying my installation date has changed from 11th September to 3rd October - Wonderful.

    No reason or explanation given and my Sky TV, Broadband and Phone sevice expires 17th September. Absolutely brilliant.

    Thank you so much for your consideration Virgin.

    • Cardiffman282's avatar
      Cardiffman282
      Trouble shooter

      This may be the first of many three week extensions. Keep all correspondence and a timeline and ensure you get all automatic compensation due to you. 

    • Beth_G's avatar
      Beth_G
      Forum Team

      Hi Charade, 

       

      I'm sorry to hear that your installation has been delayed without reason as to why. We'd usually only delay and installation if absolutely necessary, e.g if there are pending construction works due.

      I've popped you over a private message so I can look into this with you and raise a complaint if one hasn't been already.

      Cheers,

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Greetings,

    Well the system was fitted yesterday and first impressions are that all is well - I especially like the remote control. I'm not sure why it just feels right - the rest of the kit is basically the same we had with Sky. Oh, and the ethernet / wifi speed are quite good as well 👍.

    Just one little niggle though, the last thing the engineer did was connect the phone which up 'til then had been with Sky. When I asked long it would be for my number to be ported over to the Virgin system he said it wasn't on the work list. He contacted "someone" who has set the wheels in motion but that will be 8 to 10 days. I assume this is an omission by the person that took my order given the whole point of this topic in the first place.

    it's no real problem really as most of our friend use the mobile to ring us so it's not worth another complaint.

    So hopefully this is the start of 18 months without a hitch.

    ps - I'm not 100% certain how the 18 month contract will handle the delay. The contract is dated to start 11th September but the istallation was 03 October so will the contract end in 17 months or 18 months.

    Hmm, I must find out.

    pps - Thanks to all that have given moral support, words of comfort 😏 and explanations etc. but especialy to Beth 😍 for actually caring, helping to find out the reasons and generally making other people in the heirarchy at least respond.

    • Vikki_M's avatar
      Vikki_M
      Forum Team

      Hi Charade

       

      Thank you for the lovely feedback for Beth 🙂 we have passed this on. 

       

      I will send you a private message now so we can confirm the contract start date and number port for you.

      Please look out for the purple envelope in the top right of the page and pop me a reply when you can. 

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Thanks for your help sorting out the number porting and contract starting query Vikki, job well done 👍.

    AndyW

    Aargh, while I was typing this post, halfway through the word porting a pop-up popped up (?) asking me "How are we doing?". I had to chuckle 😏.

    • Charade's avatar
      Charade
      On our wavelength

      Greetings all,

      Well, here I am 10 months on and I'm still not sure if I've made a mistake or not. The TV works OK, as does the broadband most of the time. Having said that I've had more hassle in 10 months with Virgin than I had with 20+ years with Sky. Allow me to explain.

      About 8 months ago ( I can't actually remember because I didn't think it particularly important at the time) I decided to up my Netflix to Premium from the Standard in my package.

      Four months ago I decided I wanted to go back to Standard. I tried to do it through Netflix themselves and it was rejected. They said it had to be done through Virgin.

      OK,  I trawled through the website and found how to change it and did so, except no I hadn't. The next bill still had the extra for Premium.

      Hmm, I thought so I rang Virgin and spoke to someone who apologised and went away to do something (make a cup of tea I think, she was away a long time). When she came back she said it was all sorted and the next bill will show the reduction.

      NO IT DIDN'T so I rang again and spoke to (I assumed) customer services who, after another possible cup of tea, apologised profusely and gave me a credit for the difference.

      The next bill showed the credit BUT I was still charged for the Premium Netflix.

      I repeated the above rigmarole, was given another credit and SHOCK HORROR, the next bill had the credit  and STILL HAD THE PREMIUM COST for Netflix.

      I repeated the rigmarole again, received an apology and another credit. I asked for the apology in writing and something in writing to say the Netfltz cost had reverted to the Standard price included on my package.

      I did NOT receive a written apology (to be honest I didn't really expect one) but I DID receive an amended contract stating I am now on Standard Netflix.

      With great excitement I awaited my next bill and today it arrived. I've recieved the latest credit and I'M STILL PAYING FOR PREMIUM NETFLIX.

      Now, is it me? Am I wrong to think that somewhere in the Virgin Media backroom staff there is someone who knows what they are doing (this is the third rewrite of that sentence)?

      I'm sure that when I ring up again I'll receive a credit and I'm confident that the next bill will charge me for Premium Netflix.

      I'm eager to see how this develops.

      AndyW

      • Matthew_ML's avatar
        Matthew_ML
        Forum Team

        Hey Charade, thank you for reaching out and I am sorry to hear this.

        Please remember we do bill a month in advance so this was most likely the last one.

        Let me send you a DM and we can confirm this.

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Well  Matthew_ML, it looks like someone in the back room has let you down.

    You assured me that this Netflix problem was sorted and what happens? The bill I recieved today still has the Netflix Premium subscription on it.

    PLEASE SORT THIS OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL!!

    AndtW

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Well, it's another month and after all the replies from Matthew_ML I'm still being charged for Netflix Premium.

    What is comical is that I'm receiving emails vrom Virgin saying that my contract is endind soon (actually April 2025) and if I sign up for another 18 months I can get the full package for £70ish.

    I came to Virgin from Sky and I know I'm going back to them after April 2025. Unbelievable incompetance from this lot.

    AndyW

    • Ilyas_Y's avatar
      Ilyas_Y
      Forum Team

      Thanks for the reply.

      I can see you are in a private conversation with my colleague.
      They will continue to assist from there.

      Kind regards,
      Ilyas.

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Well. last month, after much wrangling, I had a message that the error ( me paying for Netflix Premium when it should be Netflix standard) has been sorted and was told that "This means that this issue is finally put to bed and I am sorry for any trouble".

    Roll on to today and the new bill STILL has me paying for Netflix Premium. Thankfully my contract with Virgin ends 2nd April so it's probably back to Sky for me.

    I wouldn't mind staying with Virgin but I'm afraid that fraudulently taking money from my account for a service I don't have is a step too far and having to ring up for a credit, being told the problem's been sorted only for the cycle to repeat again a month later is a definite no-no.

    It's a shame really because all the front desk people are friendly and want to help but once a problem gets out through the office door basic incompetence seems to rule.

    AndyW

    • Carley_S's avatar
      Carley_S
      Forum Team

      Sorry to hear that this is still unresolved for you Charade 

      My colleague who is supporting you on this over private message will be able to assist you further in investigating what's happened. 

      Should you've any further questions or concerns, please do reach out to them and they'll be able to assist you further. 

  • Charade's avatar
    Charade
    On our wavelength

    Well, here I am again just to inform that yet again I've been charged for Netflix Premium when everyone and everything at Virgin says I'm on Netflix Standard.

    Ho hum.