Dealing with retentions & getting a UK based call centre

[Dave606]

We are in the last week's of our contract for which our 350mb broadband only will go from £35 per month to £57, though the last month 1 of the discounts appear to be 17 months and not the full 18 months as the other discount as this months bill is £42.

So, I call retentions last night and unfortunately get the overseas call centre.  Trying to cut a deal has proved frustrating so far as quoting deals online for both new customers and with other providers along with black Friday offers that they can't see on their system to verify has limited what they are offering.

So far the best the overseas retentions has offered is 500mb for £36 pm or 1000mb for £42pm.  Yet this is still short of new customer & black Friday deals both with Virgin and other providers.  Current advertised Virgin offers are 500mb  for £38.50 with £100 bill credit right away which make that more £33 per month.  1000mb (well 1130mb) is £45 per month, free for the first 3 months making an effective £37.50 per month.

A BT based line, I can get 500mb for £30 per month or 910mb for £36.  So current retentions offer is well short of what I can get for a comparable speed elsewhere or as a new customer.  And that we now have a comparable speed option elsewhere on a BT based line would I assume make getting a deal more likely as they should know this.

Yes, I know some may well give the same old "but that's new customer only deals" etc.  But I'm pretty much out of contract and actively looking to either re contract or move.  So in that instance expecting to get at least as good as a new customer deal to stay & re contract is not unreasonable when I have options with other providers. 

So what sort of deals have others got recently and is there a different number for UK based retentions who have better access to deals and can verify offers from other providers when negotiating?.

[Dave606]

Anyways, getting home I again try to call the thinking of leaving option and again get the overseas call centre.  Though explaining my issues, my unwillingness to pay the new price or accept the previous deal offered and my wanting to give the 30 days notice twice the lady I spoke to simply tried to renew my contract despite twice asking to just give the termination notice.  I then pushed home that I wasnt happy with the deal offered and just wanted to give the termination notice.

She told me she would transfer me to another department, It was the UK based 1, great I thought when I heard the  thick Scottish accent.  Only we went through some security questions to be told they need to reboot the computer as they can't access the account details of something and would call me right back and first verified my mobile number.  Still waiting 20 minutes later for the call back!.  Starting to get annoyed with this now as surely they could simply have put me on hold!.  

[japitts]

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@Dave606 wrote:

The contract includes 2 separate discount offers for which I assumed 1 was for 17 months instead of 18, don't know a why I thought 1 of the discounts were not both for 18 months, but this months 17th month bill is £42.33 meaning the lesser of the discounts appears to have been removed by the looks of it

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Does your bill date straddle the end of discount period? To put it another way, do your discounts expire partway through the bill cycle? The dates should be shown on the bill, and if this applies - your discounts will be pro-rata'd this month.

[Dave606]

An interesting thought, but not sure.  The bill is dated 18th October and debited 8th November.  The discount and therefore contract is to 22nd November.  Maybe there is something in the detail I'm missing that clarifies for sure.  But surely the billing syncs with the contract?, kind of crazy if billing is part way through the contract month.  But the 1 thing I know for sure that I'm definitely still in the minimum contract period as both that and the discounts are up to 22nd November.

[japitts]

It's very rare that the billing date is in line with the contract dates, so pro-rata charging is extremely common.

If your bill is dated the 18th and your contract dates are the 22nd, there's at least part of the reason.

[Kath_P]

Hi Dave606, 

Thanks for coming back to us on this one. As you're billed in advance for your services, you'll likely be charged for between November - December this month which is why you've noticed some of the discount expiring. You can see the discount end dates, along with the service dates you're being charged for on your bill. 

In terms of cancelling, there are 3 ways in which you can do this:

• 1) You can speak to the team on 0345 454 1111 and selecting options 1, 4 then 4 again.
• 2) You can WhatsApp the team on 07305327112. Replies aren't instant and can take a few hours however it does allow you to go about your day whilst waiting for a reply.
• 3) You can write a letter stating that you wish to cancel your services. You will need to include your account number, your name and full address as well as contact details for you. Send your letter to Virgin Media, Sunderland, SR43 4AA

Keep us posted on how things go. 

Thanks, 

[Dave606]

So this morning I've spent ages trying to sort things out & get a deal or give my notice, but left more frustrated than ever.

Phone a little after 8am and get the UK based call centre, great.  Talked to the guy and sounded very promising at first.  Said he needed to put me on hold to see if they could offer me a deal (is this normal practice when I'd already been talking to him for several mins about the account?).  Again like last night I get disconnected for no reason.  10 mins later surprise surprise I actually get a call back!, unfortunately its not the same person I previously spoke to that was dealing with me (despite that they asked for but and verified my number before disconnecting me) but a completely different person in the overseas call centre who was not aware of the previous conversation.

They went through all the security questions yet again several times because they couldn't verify the password they said is wrong that I know is correct because its both my dayghters name and had to input it when I first called.

This person made an offer that by any standards is a joke.  He said he would put me on hold and look again after saying I'm not happy and want to give my 30 days notice.  

Get disconnected yet again, which is seriously annoying they do this now.  The same person rings back 5 mins later & apologies saying they dont know what happened.  Saying I've had enough and their offer is way to far from what I get get elsewhere he said he would put me through to the cancellation department (hello, thats the option I had picked each time when previously calling so which department picks up cancellation requests then?).

Guess what, I get disconnected yet again, seriously fuming now as no call back this time and disconnected by 4 separate staff members in total now each time when they oddly need to put me on hold or transfer me and each time I reject an offer and say I want to give the 30 days notice.  To do this and reject my request multiple times and cut me off is bang out of order and taking the mick now.  

If I cancel payments I'm in breach on contract, yet VM can ignore my cancellation requests and cut me off than process it and that's legal?.

[japitts]

There have been similar reports - https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.php/2023/07/ofcom-investigate-virgin-media-uk-over-customer-cancel...

You may find it easier to give postal cancellation, the address is shown at https://www.virginmedia.com/help/cancel-virgin-media , be sure to use a recorded method.

[Dave606]

Doesn't surprise me that there are similar reports of similar problems.  That I've encountered the exact same issue & problem 4 times each with different VM employee's suggest to do this and discontinue the call as soon as a person make intention and request to cancel is a standard authorised practice.  As no way can it be just coincidence this has happened 4 times with different members of staff.  Funny how they font need to put you on hold and disconnect you to buy or upgrade services and only when trying to cancel or negotiate!

[Kath_P]

Hi Dave606, 

Thanks for coming back to me on this. I understand the frustration and can only apologise that you've been cut off. This wouldn't have been intentional but I can see it's not a great look. 

I'd like to look in to this further for you but in order to do that I will need to confirm some information with you to pass security. 

I have sent you a direct message to allow us to do this with you in a private space. If you are using a PC/Laptop then you can just click on the little ✉ at the top right-hand side of the page to access your inbox. If you are on a mobile/tablet device then instead click on the little circle icon in the top right then select 'Messages'. 😊

Thanks, 

[Dave606]

Thanks for the response Kath, but I have since thankfully managed to get hold of a more attentive UK call centre member of staff when trying again just now that didn't feel the need to put me on hold or forwards my call and thus cause a disconnection as per previous calls.  Strange how all previous calls ended in a disconnection by different staff members!.  This person however was very good and could even see the that the previous calls were made and made particular note of last night's promised UK call centre call back that was logged as supposed to have happened after they rebooted their system yet there was a note to say the staff member had finished their shift or something and was supposed to call back today yet this call never happened.

So this guy looks at the options, verified what I quoted from elsewhere and what I quoted as their own black Friday new customer offers etc.  Result is I agreed to an offer for 1000mb (ok 11320mb) I'm happy with that sits just a little above the cost of the current black Friday new customer deal after the 1 month free they said they would manually add as an account credit. 

Though they said the 1 month free won't show in the contract as that will need to be added manually as account credit by his manager of something.  Assuming they stick to the offer of the first month free as account credit which I'll look out for I have a deal I'm very happy with.