Contract, contact amongst other issues

[steviejones133]

I’m having MAJOR issues also trying to contact VM.

Our services went live on Friday 10th June. Prior to this, we were told that a certain channel we wanted would be included - upon installation and after the engineer left, we soon discovered that this channel was NOT available and the TT guide said “call to subscribe”

Initially, as there was an option to live chat via WhatsApp, I chose that option. Agent told me not to worry, channel would be activated if I phoned the next day. I’d spent 3 hours on live chat by this point.

So I phoned the next day, was told by the agent to turn my box off and unplug it and he would activate the channel. This did not work and I was told by the phone agent to go back to live chat!

I did that - another few hours - and guess what, I was told to phone instead of chat as they couldn’t do it!

Phoned back (after getting cut of several times after being on the phone for several hours) and got through ti an agent who said he was going to activate a lifestyle pack and add add a recurring credit to our account so it didn’t cost anything as we were promised this via live chat……got cut off again!

Back to live chat, same rubbish about how I had to phone so I spent 3 hours on the phone trying to cancel everything and go back ti sky. Each time being cut off after an hour on hold.

Tried again via chat - 4 hours of WhatsApp messaging resulting in a disconnected chat after waiting all day for some kind of resolution.

WHAT WAS I THINKING! 

I’ve spent practically 2 days trying ti resolve this, getting cut off, being told lies and false promises, one person saying one thing, another saying it’s incorrect.

This is probably the worst customer experience I’ve had and I’ve only been with virgin for a few days!

I hope that someone can reach out to me because this is beyond being funny when I can’t even contact VM to cancel my services and go back to sky!

[steviejones133]

Thanks Matt, currently tapping away to WhatsApp yet again regarding this complaint. No resolution yet proposed….

[steviejones133]

Okay, so now this is getting beyond ridiculous!

Let me explain in full for the numpties here at VM who don’t seem to share a brain cell between them.

My order was placed with the TV side of things being MIXIT configured with Entertainment, drama & documentaries (see below) however we were told we would get TLC HD which was obviously a blatant lie.

So, it’s clear as the nose on your face that this includes DOCUMENTARIES AND DRAMA!

Fast forwar pd to this complaint about being lied to about channel availability and after many days and hours spent on the phone, on WhatsApp and here, it’s finally agreed that the lifestyle thing would get added to my package and a rolling credit set up so it didn’t cost us any extra.

Thinking that Matt here had resolved this via PM, I checked my channels and whilst lifestyle/TLC HD were active, all the documentary channels were now unavailable!

So, this mysterious “credit” is no such thing - basically VM just swapped one thing for another without telling me that I’d lose the doc side of things and have “pretended” that they’ve done me a favour/credit by making a change I could have done myself. I could have done that, but the principle here was about being lied to in the first instance and getting the channel we were told we would get activated.

VM made the change as below

Clearly, lifestyle swapped with documentaries which means no “mystery credit” required for this change. Nice of VM to let me know of this, wasn’t it? - yet they’re still insisting they’ve credited my account to cover the lifestyle change!

VM niw saying they can’t give two credits to add the docs back on and insist it would be another £7pm, which oddly enough was the mysterious lifestyle credit value which obviously doesn’t exist because I was already paying for docs which they removed kindly without telling me!

I wish someone at VM with half a brain cell could understand this and that they haven’t done anything for me at all about being lied to, all they’ve done is swap one pick for another and continue to think they’ve done me a favour…..

Idiots…..

[newapollo]

Hi again @steviejones133 

Sorry to see this issue is continuing.

I notice that the free netflix isn't included in the second screenshot.

[steviejones133]

Free Netflix? - we were told we’d have to pay for it if we wanted it………tell me more about what I’m being robbed of!

Dave - does my explanation of the channel issue sound accurate to you? - can’t help but feel VM haven’t got a clue what they’re doing, or not doing as the case may be!

[newapollo]

Hi again @steviejones133 

Sorry it's my mistake about the free netflix, it's because I glanced at your original order screenshot and saw (but didn't read) the text regarding netflix. I thought it was included but it's not.  It's just the the Ultimate Volt bundle, the Biggest TV bundle and the Biggest Volt TV bundle that qualify for the free netflix.

As to having the two Personal Picks on your package, I understood what you meant and thought that the VM Forum Team had agreed to add the Entertainment & Lifestyle Personal Pick alongside the Drama & Lifestyle Personal Pick and waive the additional fee since you were promised the TLC channel when you signed up.

[steviejones133]

Dave, I thought as much regarding Netflix, no matter.

As for the bloody massive headache of VM packages, as you can see we originally had entertainment, drama and docs - I was under the assumption that lifestyle would simply be added to this and the rolling credit applied for all the lies.

I certainly wasn’t expecting to lose one element because of the addition of lifestyle.

If I go into the VM app and look to upgrade TV, it’s clear to see that I can add each “pick” independently as I’ve tried it out….each one £7pm. I had two to start with - still got only two so clearly no mystery credit applied. God knows why VM can’t re-add the docs aspect with the promised rolling credit (which I clearly have not had due to the swap) to get me back where I thought I’d have been with drama, docs and lifestyle.

This is REALLY doing my head in now and I’m THAT close to just sacking it all off and going back to Sky. My initial package clearly states docs & drama, this whole debacle was simply to add lifestyle so I could get the channel we were lied to about. It wasn’t an exercise In dropping/swapping one thing for another - it was about VM making up for their blatant lying - so I fail to see why I should lose channels just to get the channels that were falsely advertised to me!

[steviejones133]

I’m quoting Matt here from his PM.

Can’t add three picks huh? - how come I can if I go into my VM app and look to upgrade? - yet more lies. See my previous post - all three options ticked entertainment plus drama, documentaries and lifestyle. All £7pm. I already had drama and docs so all that needing doing was adding the lifestyle with the rolling credit for all the lies - no need to remove one of my picks.

What are you on about regarding a second credit!!! - all you did was swap one for the other!! - no rolling credit was required to action this so you’ve not given me any kind of credit have you?

Each pick is £7pm as per the above screen captures. As noted, I originally had drama and docs, so £14. Following me thus far?? - to add lifestyle is simply £7pm extra which is what this “mysterious credit” should have been for, but instead, VM chose to remove one and replace with the other claiming they’ve applied a credit and can’t now apply a further credit! - wth PLANET ARE YOU ON VM?

I would be certain the change VM made In swapping my doc to lifestyle didn’t require any rolling credit to be applied because as I have said, all they’ve done is swap one for the other (and not tell me about it) and not done anything to compensate me for being lied to….in fact, all they’ve done is to “rob Peter to pay Paul” as the expression goes.

Why oh why can’t VM just do the decent and right thing given that I was lied to and just stop messing me about with even more lies and babble.

[Andrew-G]

Time to read the customer guidance for CISAS, methinks.  They will sort it out.  Key point is that your complaint needs to be either eight weeks old, or you can approach CISAS earlier but must have had a VM "resolution", rejected that and asked for and received a deadlock letter. 

[steviejones133]

Andrew, I had hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but we shall see.

The way I see it is quite clear to me…..I signed up with drama and documentaries, was lied to about channel availability during the process as specific channels were NOT available.

It took quite some time before my WhatsApp chat confirmed that VM would add lifestyle at no extra cost. Screenshots posted previously. Nothing ever mentioned about losing channels due to this change.

That obviously led me to believe that my package would then include the two original drama & documentary options along with the lifestyle which was to be added.

It is clearly possible to configure a TV package to include all three. Only ONE rolling credit is needed which VM said they can do.

I really don’t care for how VM’s TV packages are structured, or how they facilitate provision of these three picks, all I care about is getting what we ordered along with the pick we were lied to about. How VM do that is their business, I really don’t care how as long as my monthly payments do not change during my contract.

To me, that doesn’t appear too difficult to sort or unrealistic for me to ask for, given the circumstances.

[Andrew-G]

@steviejones133 To me, that doesn’t appear too difficult to sort or unrealistic for me to ask for

Well, forum staff are the Last Chance Saloon when VM's customer service fails.  Unfortunately, the company is hidebound by broken process, dysfunctional IT systems, poor communication, and the first line customer service is too often very poor.

So I'm of the view that yes it is a simple request, and not merely realistic, just enforcing your contractual and legal rights.  But it's probably still too difficult to sort for VM.