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Delayed Installation

domgreen
Tuning in

Hi VM, 

I was wondering why the customer service at VM is so poor and that no-one seems to take responsibility to deal with a problem rather than just passing the baton?

After moving into a new property, I had an engineer appointment to install the broadband router on the 7th May. After turning up, the engineer looked everywhere around the property and spent time on the phone calling others. Eventually, he said there was nothing he could do as there were no external fiber optics cable to the property. This is despite the fact that both online and a prior call to VM said that this would not have been a problem. I was willing to give them benefit of doubt. 

I then did not hear anything for a 3-4 days, despite the engineer saying he would update me. I called up VM, where I had to book in external fiber optics installation. The earliest appointment slot they had was 25th of May (18 days after the initial appointment), which is a rather long time to wait, but it is what it is. 

An engineer was then supposed to come the day after (26th May), to then finish the installation and get things set up. I knew it wasn't going to go well as soon as the engineer started to look around the whole apartment in exactly the same way as the other engineer did nearly 3 weeks before. He then goes outside to check and make phone calls. He then apologies and explains there is no external fiber optics. Not only was I not informed on the failure to install the cables, but their own engineer was not informed. I wasn't surprised when the engineer said that this was the 3rd time that day where he couldn't do his job to issues like this. I wasn't blaming this guy, as it wasn't his fault. Clearly the company has tragic internal communication which leads to long delays and poor customer support. But someone needs to take responsibility, and not just have everyone saying "oh this other person hasn't done their job" or "there is nothing that I can do".

After being promised to be updated by the engineer that evening (again), I heard nothing so I called VM customer support today (27th May). The first time I called, they said there was an engineer appointment to come on/around 12th June. After asking whether or not the fiber optics  would be installed prior to this, I couldn't get an answer. I then recalled the VM customer support in hopes of getting someone more helpful. Another person explained that external works had been booked in for today, which I had not been notified about or told by the previous support person. However, they too also said the earliest appointment slot was on the 12th June. When I explained that this was too long of a wait, they suggested I continue to look at the appointment section in the app, in hopes an earlier appointment slot comes available. This shouldn't be my job, it should be an internal process to improve installation times for customers, but whatever. 

I tried to create an account on both the app and online but obviously this doesn't work (and yes I tried another browser etc). 

It appears that there is no internal communication and poor processes. Why do I have to wait in two weeks increments? 

Cheers, Dom

 

21 REPLIES 21

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person
FYI - Re. VM’s recent installation issues - see John’s excellent précis of the situation in message 18 here…

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/QuickStart-set-up-and/Multiple-Failed-Installations-zero-commun...

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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

Akua_A
Forum Team
Forum Team

Hi @domgreen,

Welcome to our community forums and thank you for your first post.

Sorry to hear about the ongoing issue you have been having with your installation. We can understand this is not ideal and we want to best help.

I have been able to access your service on our systems and I can see you have recently been in contact with our team regarding this. Was our team able to bring clarity to the situation?

Do you need any further help?

Thanks,

Akua_A
Forum Team

New around here? Check out the do's and don'ts, in our Community FAQs


Hi @Akua_A, 

I had been told by customer support that there was planned (rescheduled) fiber installation on the 28th May. After contacting customer support various times, and getting different bits of the picture, I found out that the installation had been delayed until the 31st May due to it being a "2 man job". I was also told another installation was needed (21st June) as the cables were broken/faulty (the ones not installed yet, which was confusing).

There was no clarity on the situation. Yes, there were specific appointments stated, but no faith in these dates not being changed or materialise to anything.  

Having no confidence in VM, I am sure I will be in contact again when the next engineer turns up as hopeless as the last two. 

Dom

Hi @domgreen,

I can appreciate this isn't a great start! We work really hard to ensure our information about all properties is up to date, however in cases,  we can come up against issues during or shortly before installation that are unpredictable and outside of our control. If external works are required, the install can not go ahead until this has been completed. 

We do apologise for any inconvenience caused. 
 

Ayisha_B
Forum Team

New around here? Check out the do's and don'ts, in our Community FAQs


Hi, 

As expected the works were not completed yesterday. 

A man, from Kelly Communications, turned up and looked around, spray painted the floor and spent a considerable amount of time on his phone taking photos. He then left and did not return. After calling VM this morning, they gave me the reason the work was not completed was due to not having a permit?! I don't know if this a valid excuse or not, as one would expect to have a permit after three weeks. Now I have no date for when the repull will be done and the next engineer will turn up and state the obvious that there isn't a wire, leading to another delay once again. 

Dom

Hi @domgreen,

Thanks for coming back to us. I'm so sorry things have been delayed yet again! I know that is incredibly frustrating. 

I've taken a look at our systems and can see you spoke to our team since posting and they were able to advise you of the new scheduled re-pull date.

If you would like to raise a complaint, let us know and we can get that logged and assigned to our Installs team for you. 

Kind Regards

Ayisha_B
Forum Team

New around here? Check out the do's and don'ts, in our Community FAQs


Hi @Ayisha_B, 

I spent around 2 hours on the phone with the customer support team. I spoke to about 6 individuals, having to clear security and explain my whole situation each time. I got sent to various team/departments all of who had no idea and gave me different reasons for delays. At one point, I was passed from customer support, to another team who said they weren't the right team, and then back to customer support. It was a total joke. Then I spoke to some guy steven who said he will get to the bottom of things. He disappeared for about half an hour to do some digging, and then the phone line went dead, which was rather suspicious. 

I got various dates for the repull, ranging from the next day to the 21st of June, clearly, no-one has a clue.  

I also realised I have been charged my first month's bill despite having no internet whatsoever. I asked three different people if I could get this refund, all saying the pathetic excuse saying that couldn't be done and that it would be credited on next month's bill?!!

I have already raised a complaint with the complaint's team. I'm assuming this will not lead to anything. I was also offered £5, also credit, for the inconvience, which was hysterical. 

Regards, 

Dom

 

jbrennand
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

I always believed that you cannot be billed until the connection was installed and activated. So just checking... are you absolutely sure you have been charged?

I will ask VM whether that is new (or the old!) policy.


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John
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I do not work for VM. My services: HD TV on VIP (+ Sky Sports & Movies & BT sport), x3 V6 boxes (1 wired, 2 on WiFi) Hub5 in modem mode with Apple Airport Extreme Router +2 Airport Express's & TP-Link Archer C64 WAP. On Volt 350Mbps, Talk Anytime Phone, x2 Mobile SIM only iPhones.

If a duct has been blocked a council permit is needed if digging is required to clear the blockage. Then a 2-man team can pull a cable from the cabinet to your home, and then a tech can attend to do the installation. So, in total there are four processes to be done.

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