Forum Discussion

mikesh's avatar
mikesh
On our wavelength
2 years ago

Why do we tolerate how Virgin treat their customers - us?

I have agreed with Virgin to continue my Virgin Ultimate Bolt contract for another 18 months. I know it's not called this now, but have all the things I had for £80.75 per month instead of £60. This is about the same rate as my favourite biscuit, chocolate hobnobs have increased over the same period. This part I am happy with.

What I am less than happy with is the amount of brown stuff they have made me wade through over the last two weeks to get to this price, that I agreed in August and suddenly grew to £100 a month later. It took a formal complaint to get this resolved by the Resolution Team two days before the cooling off period was ending and me cancelling the contract. 

I had only found out the cooling off period timing days before. Am I stupid in believing any transparent and honest company would start a new contract as and when the old one expired? The transparency and honesty chapter has obviously been torn out of the Virgin training manual. 

They started the service immediately without telling me, adding £60 to my costs, and when I asked Virgin about this, Homer Simpson who has now found a job at their Scottish call centre, told me I should have asked for the new contract to start when the old one finished. I asked how was I to know, to which he replied I just should have known.  Bless him, he did admit if I put up his IT support contract without telling him, he wouldn't like it. How are people like this allowed near phones?

How is it legal to start contract while others are still running – without telling you?

I am sure everyone at Virgin is under pressure. I am sure it’s not exactly a fun place to be. Having worked in the IT industry for 35 years Virgin are showing all the classic signs of a company on the verge of something bad or being swallowed up by someone larger:

  • Long waits for calls to be answered and allowing no easy email contact.
  • Totally disinterested/unhelpful staff, who realise their days are numbered
  • Little promotion and advertising.

Only my thoughts,