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Customer Care is a pitiful joke

psychospider
Tuning in

Ok, so I'm writing this on behalf of my father. I have his power of attorney, due to his poor health and age I tend to deal with most things for him, but he does some stuff himself. Virgin know this, I've told them before.


His bills, like everyone elses, are rocketing at the moment. He can no longer afford TV and Phone, and wants to change to just broadband and keep using his freeview TV, he doesn't watch anything on Virgin anyway, and has never once used his phone. So he phoned up to speak to them, which should be stated causes him huge anxiety. He was on hold for 37 minutes, got through to someone, explained his issue... they said they would transfer him, pressed a button, and disconnected his call.

So he tried again, and he got through after 45 minutes on hold. Transfer. Disconnection. 

This caused him to have a big panic attack, he needs help with his account, but the only people who can help keep disconnecting him. So when I had chance, I went around to him and I called for him. I was on hold for 92 minutes. Only to be told that they needed to transfer me, and as you may guess... cut the call.

I decided to try the WhatsApp route, I use this myself when I have issues, and although it can be a pain at least I have documented proof when Virgin inevitably lie about something (such as the £8 discount they keep promising my account, but then never give it, tell me to just pay £8 less as it will correct at next bill and then charge me a late fee for not paying the £8)

It took 4 hours to get through (mid-day til 4pm for my answer) after a lot of back and forth, and me explaining that the £55 fee is too much, and that Broadband alone is currently on a deal for £28, or £24 if you have TV too for some reason I got told they would look in to it and give him the best possible deal. They said the best deal was £53, if they cut his TV package to a smaller one. They were not willing to to start a new contract with him, and remove his TV and Phone until October when his current contract ends. I asked to be speak to retention, as I know there was definitely something that could be done. I was transferred at 5:37 on Tuesday.

I got no answer. 7am Wednesday, I got a message, asking if I still needed the help. I pressed 1, and wrote a big message explaining my fathers situation, and the help he needs, and what he wants to do, and I waited. at 3pm (over 10 business hours since referral) I got a message that said "Hi, do you still require my help?". At the time, I was on the loo. I came back to find this message on my phone, followed by one sent 3 minutes after, that said "Oh dear, we appear to have missed each other. I will place you back in the queue." and I got the generic "You are in a queue" message again.

7am Thursday morning, I get a message. Do I still need help. I press one. I rewrote my message... I got no reply.

Its been 48 hours in total now, of which I've had over 24 business hours, and have been on hold for 22 of them. No one answers the phone, and when they do they hang up. They try and force whatsapp on you, and then never answer it, and despite knowing of my fathers ill health and issues show no care whatsoever. 22 fudging hours on hold, and for that, I got one message and a customer relations team member who waited 3 whole minutes for a reply before kicking me because I dared go for a wee.

I've been a virgin customer for decades, I used to use Blue Yonder, and Dolphin, and other companies but Virgin gobbled them up and I stuck with them... its been well over 20 years now, same for my father, and they cant even be bothered to answer a question, give some help, or do anything, and I'm 90% sure the call centre is abroad so that the people you are dealing with have an easy excuse when they disconnect by accident for the 3rd time in a row.


1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions

I will get my father to take over this account and PM you the details requested.

I've spent the morning myself still on WhatsApp, and finally got someone to speak to me who told me that they are based in the English call centre and are head of customer retentions.

I asked for my a discount, a goodwill gesture, given the poor service for a elderly disabled customer... and this was their response 

"Alright can give compensation if regarding the faults team they analyze compensation will guarantee you and as much i can there is no subjected that i can give it for the compensation now"

So yes, definitely an English person in the English call centres. This isn't even the most confusing message they sent. But they refuse to pass me to anyone else because they're the top level of retention in the UK office.

So I'm gonna have my father do this via PM now, and if needed I'll phone early next week if needed 

See where this Helpful Answer was posted

6 REPLIES 6

newapollo
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

Hi @psychospider 

Sorry to read of the issues you and your father are having trying to downgrade his package to a broadband only account.

There have been numerous posts about calls being dropped, it's being going on too long to be a possible IVR issue.

To be honest it's best calling at 8am when lines first open and are least busy.

I don't know if this is number is still active but according to MoneySavingsExpert website  you can phone Virgin Media's cancellation and retentions department directly on 0800 952 2277 - otherwise it's the usual 150 from a VM landline or mobile or,  0345 454 1111 options 1,1,4 and 4 (thinking of leaving)

This should put you through to Retentions (thinking of leaving) however your call may be picked up first by a front line agent. If this happens be firm and say you want transferring to Retentions. 

Retentions are generally based in the UK and do far more than cancellations. They have a greater degree of knowledge and flexibility, along with a larger range of discounts than the front line agents should you wish to negotiate a new deal rather than just cancel. 

 

I do have a slight worry though as you stated (the part in bold)


@psychospider wrote:

It took 4 hours to get through (mid-day til 4pm for my answer) after a lot of back and forth, and me explaining that the £55 fee is too much, and that Broadband alone is currently on a deal for £28, or £24 if you have TV too for some reason I got told they would look in to it and give him the best possible deal. They said the best deal was £53, if they cut his TV package to a smaller one. They were not willing to to start a new contract with him, and remove his TV and Phone until October when his current contract ends. I asked to be speak to retention, as I know there was definitely something that could be done. I was transferred at 5:37 on Tuesday.



If your father downgrades to a broadband only package then he will need to pay early termination fees for the TV and phone part of his package since his current contract doesn't end until October. 

You can work out the fees using <<< this link >>>     They are capped at £288 (£244 plus VAT)

Dave
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Andrew-G
Alessandro Volta

@psychospider I've marked your post for forum staff to advise - VM have duties to consider the needs and interests of vulnerable customers, and to make access to those services easy for them.  Those requirements are directly in UK law, and within the regulatory requirements for the telecoms sector (for example this).  As far as I can see VM have not taken any account of your father's needs and circumstances, and have not made customer services accessible to him (or indeed you, although that's merely an instance of VM's routinely poor customer service rather than a vulnerability issue).

I can assure you that the regulator and the industry complaints adjudicator consider failing vulnerable customers as amongst the most serious transgressions that a company can make, and you have some options here:

First up, wait for the forum staff to pick this up today, and then see what they can arrange and offer.  In the circumstances I'd suggest you're looking for a substantial discount, waiving of any early termination or package change fees, and a decent goodwill gesture.  Bear in mind that you might want any discount to run as a new contract, otherwise you're into the same cesspit of dealing with VM come September; any new 18 month contract will have early termination charges again.   

If VM won't satisfy you as I suggest is reasonable, then you need to raise a formal complaint with VM, in writing.  This might get a decent response, but if the forum staff haven't got that, then the chances of the oompa-loompas who work in Complaints fixing things is low.  I'd expect a half backed resolution offer at best, maybe a complete fob off.  If either of those happen, you reply to the resolution rejecting it and asking for a "deadlock letter".

If you've go to this point, do a summary complaint to Ofcom.  They don't get involved directly, but it would make sense to highlight poor accessibility and consideration of vulnerable customer needs and poor complaints handling.  Then, when you have the deadlock letter, you take the matter to CISAS, the industry complaints adjudicator.  Set our your case carefully - that VM know your father is vulnerable, but have not made their customer services accessible to him, and have not listened to and understood his limited needs.  Mention any long waits and call disconnections, and how that has made him feel.  Explain your own experience of trying to engage with VM, and the desperately poor service you've encountered, along with the poor handling of the complaint.  Ask for a resolution that includes all the outcomes you want (these can include early release from contract without penalty if you've lost all faith in VM) and should include compensation for the various failings.  They'll review the matter independently and offer a settlement that is binding on VM.

Hopefully the voice of reason will prevail and the forum staff can sort this all out quickly and to your complete satisfaction, that's better for both sides, but if not the road to CISAS beckons.

Kain_W
Forum Team (Retired)
Forum Team (Retired)

Hi there psychospider,

Really sorry about the experience faced and welcome to the community.

To give further assistance on this I've dropped you a PM to discuss further.

You'll find the message within the purple envelope icon.

Thanks,

Kain

I will get my father to take over this account and PM you the details requested.

I've spent the morning myself still on WhatsApp, and finally got someone to speak to me who told me that they are based in the English call centre and are head of customer retentions.

I asked for my a discount, a goodwill gesture, given the poor service for a elderly disabled customer... and this was their response 

"Alright can give compensation if regarding the faults team they analyze compensation will guarantee you and as much i can there is no subjected that i can give it for the compensation now"

So yes, definitely an English person in the English call centres. This isn't even the most confusing message they sent. But they refuse to pass me to anyone else because they're the top level of retention in the UK office.

So I'm gonna have my father do this via PM now, and if needed I'll phone early next week if needed 

Oh and they also offered to change his account, remove TV and Phone, and only charge him £40... but reduce his speed to 50mb.

Which I'm sure is 10 pound more than its meant to be

Anonymous
Not applicable

I put the response through Flesch Kincaid readability tools just for fun because I know how quality and audit focused VM are with customer communication and these are the results 

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