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

[mikesh]

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,

[mikesh]

"The thing is the people you (eventually) get through to are generally not VM staff. Instead they work for subcontracted outfits in developing countries where the going rate for call centre agents is a fraction of the UK minimum wage.The VM CEO has indicated that even they will be replaced at some point by increasing take up of AI."

By which time VM's clientbase will be seriously diminished and they have been absorbed by someone much larger. 

[QuoteThisRaven]

You are completely right.

VM comes to poor European and Asian countries such as mine.

They pay us the minimum wage or just a bit above it. Wages that barely allow you to survive, much less live.

Then they give you bonus if you abide by unrealistic metrics that you will not meet if you play fair.

Some of us forget about such bonus, such presents from the poison hearted, and play fair. Some think about the little extra conforts said meager bonus will grant them.

And thus, what you described comes to pass.

[mikesh]

Thank you.

[mikesh]

All companies make mistakes. The measure of any business is how they deal with these.

I use Ionos to handle my domains and emails, along with those of several of my clients for a reasonable fee that has remained unchanged for three years. 

Today I got the first invoice for the third year and they had failed to apply their agreed discount. I emailed them at 11.10am, by 11.20am I received an email reading:

Dear Mike,

Thank you for your email. 

Your contract Partner Expert (8xxxxxxxxx) has now had the 50% discount applied for a further 12 months contract term. 

Further to this, I have cancelled £18 from your open invoice for the basic fee. Moving forwards the Basic fee will now be £xxxxxxx +VAT 

Sincerely,

Rachel

IONOS Customer Service

They had cancelled the fee for a full month's service.

Virgin were only like this, crediting me a full month of £60 at the begining of this year - what happened to them.

[mikesh]

Virgin were once like this, crediting me a full month of £60 at the beginning of this year - what happened to them?

[jpeg1]

I also use IONOS - a great company who are an example for others to aspire to. 

[mikesh]

Yes they are and they never try to tell me I am on a rolling contract.

I feel the only way to get Virgin back on track is for anyone with a grievance to complain to CICAS which I will be doing. 

[NotStupid]

mmmm.... Well I guess that's there's no point in replying to you QuoteThisRaven  looks like you've been kicked out.

Any other community members notice this ?

[Cardiffman282]

I hadn't but sadly there has been radio silence from them for a fortnight now. 

[citycash]

Virgin don't car about customers only revenue.

We have been with them for 15 years since we joined Birmingham Cable. At then end of every contract they double the subscription charge and justify this by increasing the internet speed.

WE were paying £28 pcm for Broadband only, then about six weeks ago the contract ended and the price increased to £57pcm with 250mbs or some ridiculous figure.

I didn't go ahead and renegotiate immediately because there is a NEW NETWORK called LIT Fibre just being installed in our area, so I was hoping that this would be up and running soon , so that I could dump Virgin Forever.

However, the new network is still not availed, so I thought I will give Virgin a chance as I have No Interest in Either SKY or BT.

But just watching TV last night saw an advert for NEW CVUSTOMERS, £26pcm for 136mb - £26pcm for 136mb, 

This is appalling that they will give this to someone that has never put a penny on Virgins Coffers, Never Contributed to the Share price and Nothing towards the wage bill or Directors Bonuses.

This really got my goat, so I endeavoured to get through on the phone and after half an hour on the phone I got the bill reduced to £31 pcm for 132 mbs Broadband only, Fixed for 18 months. This sis still $5  more than NEW customers, So I am still not really happy with Virgin.

BUT This is the last time that I will ever renew will them, LIT Fibre WILL be available by the next renewal time and I WILL Leave, I really do despise this companies practices