Forum Discussion

Another_Account's avatar
Another_Account
Tuning in
2 months ago

Worst customer service (again, again and again)

I don't usually post things but I am that angry and confused that I feel the need to share my experience that I've had over the last 3 weeks with every method of communicating with Virgin.

Background

Longstanding customer of circa 25 years but 10 years ago I moved to internet and landline only.  Generally happy with the service up until now but it all went haywire when my landline (plugged into the wall - important part for later in the story) started not getting a dialling tone and/or when contacting it, it was engaged.  Internet working fine with no outages

What did I do

  1. Everything I was supposed to per the web-help.  Results - no problems in your area.  Do I still have issue? Yes
  2. Went into a web loop of link to link to link but nothing to help
  3. Phoned customer services, test, phone back, loop, test phone back, loop.  Do I still have an issue? Yes.  Have I spoken to anyone No.
  4. Whilst in the internal loop and checking for results in the hope I would be transferred to an 'agent' I noticed I was out of contract.  Sign up for a new one - discounted rate!!  I'll do that while I wait
  5. After 2 hours I didn't hang up on my self promised last call for the day and I finally got to speak to someone.  Problem solved.  It was only just beginning

First Contact

  1. Advised of the problem and after 40 minutes I was told that they would send me a cable to upgrade to the new network and it would be with me within 3 or 4 days.
  2. During the discussion it became apparent there was no record of me being in contract.  I said that I had just done one.  Quoted the reference etc - no record.  I thought no more of it and thought it might be a timing issue,

The aftermath

  1. Told the family to share their mobile numbers as the landline wasn't working and all of a sudden the line started coming in and out and then back for a short period.  No worries, the cable is on the way
  2. Days go by, nothing and today I got to the end of tether during another sustained outage and decided to use Webchat.  Would this be the resolution after 9 days waiting on the cable.

Webchat debacle

Before I start the rant, you have to be aware I've been on this for nearly 4 hours before I ended up quitting and decided to post here.

  1. Agent 1 - 3 letters of your password etc.  Get to confirm your monthly payment and date of payment.  I told her what the old amount was but that I have a new rate (quoted the reference again and pasted the email into the webchat) and she told me no you don't.  Okay what are you going to do about that?  and where's my cable to fix my phone?  - Response - transferred me to concern team
  2. Agent 2 - 3 letters of your password.  What is your problem?  Rinse and repeat for 30 minutes.  A message pops up why are you leaving us?  WTAF? We have protocols to follow I will transfer you to our technical people.  Wait, wait what is going on with my contr......
  3. Agent 3 - 3 letters of your password.  By this point I am furious.  I've told him I am not giving you it unless you can tell my 100% that you can address both the contract and cable issue.  Yes I can.  Pause, pause, explanation, rinse and repeat yet again.  Ok, we don't send cables out anymore!  Again, WTAF! So why did your colleague tell me I was being sent one and why is my account not reflecting my new contract..... Pause, Pause. Then the best of the lot - Are you still available to chat?  You bet your bottom dollar I am.  Tell me what kind of cable and what about my contract.....  I've updated your account for the new contract.  Agent 3 terminates call 
  4. Webchat - Do you still want to speak to someone
  5. Agent 4 - Joins the call and I thought f**k it and leave it after waiting on the chap for 20 minutes to say hello

My Virgin Media - Let's see what this looks like now

  1. You are out of contract.  Oh **bleep**!
  2. Renew online, get my second reference, tick,tick, boom, get emails confirming
  3. Your are out of contract.  Did I do something wrong?  Let's try again
  4. Renew online, get my third reference, tick, tick, no boom until check, email received, MyVirginMedia - You are out of contract.

So I don't know if I have 3 contracts, 4 contracts, no contracts.  My phone isn't working properly and I don't know what I have to buy (that they were sending me) to resolve my issues.  

Shocking on all levels

 

 

 

  • goslow's avatar
    goslow
    Alessandro Volta
    2 months ago
    Another_Account wrote:

    I don't usually post things but I am that angry and confused that I feel the need to share my experience that I've had over the last 3 weeks with every method of communicating with Virgin.<snip>

    I think if you need your landline switching from a wall socket connection to a connection from the VM hub, that often seems to require a tech visit to make the changeover for an individual customer (as opposed to a whole area switchover).

    You can check if the phone line via the hub is enabled by logging into the VM hub admin pages and on the 'Welcome' page after login see if it shows 'Telephony' is enabled/ready or disabled as below

    https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Home-Phone/Landline-Dead/m-p/5570189

    Screenshot from the above is for a Hub 5 but other hubs have a similar display.

    The adapter you require is a RJ11 plug to BT socket which connects to the TEL1 socket on the hub (available from your preferred online supplier, Amazon, eBay etc, for typically a few quid)

    Only worth getting this yourself though if telephony has somehow been activated on your hub. If you need a tech visit to do the phone switch, the tech should provide one for you.

    You are unlikely to receive a reply from the VM forum team here in ‘Community Natter’. A VIP or moderator might move your topic to a better forum, such as ‘Managing Your Account – Cable’ to get a VM reply.

  • scrd01's avatar
    scrd01
    Dialled in
    2 months ago

    NOT true VM moved to VOIP, for >>LANDLINE << phone connection.... and should have sent you a connector to plug into the router, and given you an approximate date when this should happen

    (the connector as shown in your photo😀) 

     

    note there are caviats... ie >>if<< your old landline is used with a medical alarm system  

  • Robert_P's avatar
    Robert_P
    Forum Team
    2 months ago

    Hello Another_Account

    We're sorry to hear of the landline issues experienced and the problems getting this resolved when speaking to the team. We appreciate you raising this via the forums and providing as much detail as you have.

     

    Firstly and importantly we'd like to address your frustration in regards to security and the three characters, this is a legal and regulatory requirement across all providers and is paramount to us here at Virgin Media to ensure all of our customers details remain secure and that we're only discussing specific details with the account holder.

     

    We're eager to look into the landline issues experienced and issues with your package, we would like to advise that if you renewed online, these are processed by a team and can take 14 days to be applied but may be longer during busy periods.

     

    I will send you a Private Message, please keep an eye out in the top right when signed into the forums for the envelope. This is where you will be able to find my Private Message and be able to respond. Please be aware security will be required to be passed.