Virgin Media Community

[AnnoyedMike]

How do I get the online chat to connect me a human instead of an idiotic bot that gives me an idiotic message about wanting to continue the conversation on WhatsApp?

Why does Virigin Media assume everyone has WhatsApp or is willing or able to install it in order to communicate with them?

Why does signing in to My Virgin Media on the website require clicking a "sign in" link, entering email and password, then getting another page where I have to click a button labelled "sign in"?

Why does the "Chat to us now" button on https://www.virginmedia.com/support/help/change-my-package/my-current-package/customer-exclusion not do anything (in two different web browsers) meaning I have to go hunt around the website for another chat button that does work?

Why, after I've initiated an online chat whilst signed in to my account, do I get asked to provide my name and whether I'm an existing customer?

Why is everything about the Virgin Media website so generally shambolic?

Why would I be willing to pay over 60% more than my current package as Virgin Media expects me to?

Why, Virgin Media, why are you so very bad at customer service?

[Paulina_Z]

Hi @AnnoyedMike,

Welcome to our Community Forums! I'm very sorry to hear that you've not had a great customer experience with us and had some trouble with our website. I completely understand how frustrating that must have been! 

Can you tell us a little more about what happened and what your issue is surrounding? Why are you needing to get in touch with us?

We'll be more than happy to help as soon as we have some further details.

Thank you.

[AnnoyedMike]

What happened is I tried to use the online chat on the Virgin Media website and a bot kept telling me to use WhatsApp instead. No matter what I told it, it told me to use WhatsApp instead. What is the point of the online chat if it won't connect you to a person?

I want to talk to someone about how I'm not willing to pay over 60% more for my package as of next month. The website explicitly advises using the online chat instead of calling. It says "Chatting to a member of our team is usually quicker than calling, and you may be offered a better deal..." it's bizarre and reflects badly upon Virgin Media that how good a deal someone would get is dependent upon the communication method they use. It's infuriating to be advised to use the online chat and then find the online chat consists of nothing but a bot that tells you to use WhatsApp or come back later.

[AnnoyedMike]

And please make the forum stop emailing me about utterly pointless stupid badges.

[AnnoyedMike]

Why when I click "plan details" on any of the plans at https://www.virginmedia.com/broadband/broadband-and-phone do I get taken to https://www.virginmedia.com/# instead of being shown plan details? Why, how, is Virgin Media's website so bad?

[Martin_N]

Our apologies for any frustration with this. The Whatsapp service will put you through to an agent after you go through the initial questions. 

You can also call into the team via 150/0345 454 1111 to speak with them. 

^Martin

[AnnoyedMike]

How did you reach the conclusion that replying to my complaining about being told to use WhatsApp with advice on how to use WhatsApp would be helpful?

[AnnoyedMike]

The website explicitly advises to use the online chat instead of calling to get a better deal. So why would I call if it may mean I don't get as good a deal?

[newapollo]

Hi @AnnoyedMike 

I would advise calling in and speaking to retentions for the following reasons:-

Using either whatsapp or the text messaging systems would put you through to normal first line customer support/regrades.

This would be the same as dialling 150 from a VM landline or mobile and selecting  options 1,1 and 4 Changes to your package or moving home

However, if you dial the above number and select options 1,1, 4 and 4 you will be able to speak to retentions (thinking of leaving us)

Retentions (thinking of leaving us) are generally based in the UK, and have a greater degree of knowledge and flexibility, along with a larger range of discounts than the front line agents.

Hopefully you can then negotiate a deal with them that's suitable to your pocket and needs in exchange for a new contract. Or failing that and if you still aren't happy then you can place a cancellation request with that team.

[AnnoyedMike]

I could phone but as I said, the website explicitly suggests using online chat because you may get a better deal. Look, here's a screenshot

It seems very odd but that's what the website says. So it must be true, right? Right? Because the alternative is that Virgin Media is telling customers something which isn't true. Which would be a stupid thing to be doing as it would make them seem untrustworthy.