How can I speak to a UK call centre?

[gruff999]

I have been overcharged £10 for four months for no reason and the original people I talked to said that I would be reimbursed but I have had nothing. Original calls were to a foreign call centre on very poor connections. I need to speak to someone UK based.

[finbarRRR]

I recently contacted VM and after going through what I call ‘the preliminaries’, I was connected to a non-UK call centre. My call was answered after about 4-5 minutes (to be expected so no complaints from me on that). Annoyingly, I failed with my password questions and then with subsequent identification questions. None of this was helped by me having a lot of difficulty understanding the gentleman’s accent. It wasn’t his fault, his English was fine, it was just his accent. He is sending me a new password to my home address so that I can ‘have another go’. 
So, here are a couple of questions (one maybe off on a tangent but relevant to the issue, I feel). 
1) When we sign up to VM (many, many moons ago in my case) we create an internet password to enable us to access our VM account. Did we have to create a different password for when we needed to phone VM or is our internet password one and the same?
2) I want to downgrade my package from ‘full house’ to Broadband only, that is no TV, no landline. My current contract is over two years old and I would prefer to stay with VM but, if shove comes to push I would, with reluctance, look at going elsewhere.
Thank you in anticipation of sensible answers.

[Lisa_CC]

Hi finbarRRR,

If you have registered for an online cable account, the password on it would be different to the password that is on your actual account that Virgin Media staff see. It would be the password you would use when contacting us. You will have been asked to set a password on your actual (not online) account and if you didn't, an agent would have prompted you to set one up for security. If you don't remember it, we will go through secondary security and if failing that, then we will send a letter out to your address.

With regards to your second question, it is possible to downgrade your package to broadband only however we won't be able to do this on here. You will have to call us on 0345 454 1111 or send us a text message to 0753 305 1809 where our Text Team can help with the downgrade.

Regards,

Lisa

[TMC1888]

This is assuming that when you text; someone actually does what you ask, doesn't cut you off or ignore 5 attempts to get a reply...7 days of trying, still no luck.

I have been trying to do the same as finbarRRR

[Robert_P]

The messaging team are really busy at the moment as you can imagine given the current situation, but they are working hard to get back to all customers as quickly as possible.

We can't make package changes here via the forums, you can try calling 150 or 0345 454 1111 option 1 then option 4 to speak to the team in regards to this or wait for the messaging team to get back to you.

Rob

[Neil2080]

This is a problem that has been going on since well before my 1st post. Noone will admit how poor the oversees customer service is. It is much quicker to put the phone down as soon as you realise where your call has gone and start the call all over again, they lie, dont follow up etc etc, complete waste of everybodys time. Sooner or later if no calls are actually taken by them they must stop the use of them.....surely!!

[cassie175]

Broadband only is often more expensive than broadband and telephone. I am on BB only and dad is on both, and his is cheaper.

As to contacting VM, i am finding it extremely annoying that when you do they don't follow our wishes. 3 times we have tried to contact them about them overcharging us, each time they have either cut us off or put us on hold for ages. If you try via chat they tell you they are busy and to keep the chat window open for up to 24 hours, but if you miss them saying hello they close the chat. I can't wait at my computer, or leave it it on for that matter, for 24 hour solid.

We have put in 2 online complaints and asked them to email us. Both times i have had no emails but then got letters saying they had tried to phone me and couldn't so they were closing the complaint, or i could ring them if i still was not happy.

They appear to be using Covid19 as an excuse for poor service, but we all know they had that poor service before they were short staffed 😞

Even the private chat i was having with a VM bod on here has stopped, he had been answering fairly regularly and trying to help, but hasn't for months. And no-one else is picking up his chat feed.

My newest contract is up in July, this time i will be off. i didn't agree to have a new contract last July, they just did it because i got someone to phone them for me and they gave me a slight discount, at no time in that phone call last July did they say the contract was renewing, but that's another thread problem.

[finbarRRR]

Thank you for your reply, Lisa. I’ve been with VM for 20+(?) years so trying to remember everything that I did when I joined all those years ago was a very tall order.

I’ll wait for my letter from VM, see what it says then go from there. The text option is useful to have.

Hopefully I’ll be able to come back on here with the situation (both password and downgrade) fully resolved.

[Robert_P]

Thank you finbarRRR, please keep us up to date with this. 

Rob

[finbarRRR]

“Broadband only is often more expensive than broadband and telephone. I am on BB only and dad is on both, and his is cheaper.”

cassie, I hope you don’t mind me asking you this. How much difference is there between you and your dad’s bill. My broadband is M100 fibre. I realise that any potential charge for me might be different as I won’t be a new customer.

I’m assuming that of the two prices shown on the VM advertising whether just for broadband or broadband & landline (ie 1st 12 months for new customers then the larger amount thereafter), I’ll be charged the larger amount straight away. Does that sound about right? 

[Robert_P]

Not necessarily finbarRRR, it does depend on the package and any potential deals available at that time. It is correct though that the more services you have with us the higher the potential discount may be.

Thanks

Rob