Pre install team nightmare

[Pullinmyhairout]

I ordered my broadband on the 27th September 2021 for my new home. My next install date is January 10th 2022

The 9th October was my install date. The VM installer came and saw that the cable which had been cut from my new home needed to be installed, he noted that there must be a blockage which needs completing before he can install.

4 promised install dates later and I’m still getting VM installers sent to my house looking to install and discovering that the works needed to complete the job have not been done. Each time someone turns up the same scenario unfolds. I have spoken to the pre install team many many times which ends in a promise with a new date, which is never met.

I have also had promises of phone calls from technicians, managers and area managers which never happen.

My next install date is 10 January 2022. Baring in mind I’m clinically vulnerable and both me and my wife are working from home and we have no internet. They sent a 4g sim for us to use in the meantime which is next to useless. This is beyond acceptable to treat people like this. Stringing them along with false dates. Each time no-one contacts to say what’s going on. The pre-install team are a mess.

The customer service is terrible, hours upon hours of waiting, passing me through to the wrong departments and having to start the process again and again.

Sometimes I get put through to other departments and after explain my issues they are very understanding explaining ‘I would have left by now’…

23rd December, they have sent the wrong team out again. They can't do their job because of blockage, no surpise.

Other outsourced teams who came to lay the wire’s, but can’t because the unblockage team never turn up say, 'you should threaten to leave because they start pushing through things faster'. Is this really the process that needs to be taken? Something is not right here, surely they aren’t prioritising people who falsely threaten cancellations over people who have been patiently waiting for install for over 3 months?I have no other options left I feel like I have no power in this situation. My complaints are yet to be replied too. 

My complaint on the 2nd November has vanished. 

[Martin_N]

Hi Pullinmyhairout,

Thank you for your post and welcome to the community. 

I'm truly sorry to hear about the issues you've been having with getting your services installed. 

This certainly isn't what we want for any of our customers. 

I have been able to locate your account and would like to see if there is anything that can be done to help. 

What I will do is private message you to get some details. 

^Martin

[JBe · Accepted solution]

That sounds really terrible - my heart goes out to you not least because I'm suffering similar (see my posts) as are many others here

I would really like to understand the root cause of the issues here inside VM,  if only to try and make sense of it but fear we will never find out unless an employee 'whistle blows' and takes it to the Press

What is staggering is the total lack of communication, ownership of the issues and constant lies by the call centres/online chat etc.   Delays of course happen in all walks of life but the way Virgin Media are treating their customers and the stress caused is truly shocking.  Someone should be held accountable for this.   I wonder if  John Malone or Lutz Schuler even know (or care....)

Good luck

[Pullinmyhairout]

Yes it’s a total joke.

Thanks for the support, I feel for you also.

I’ve just found out that my first complaint that I lodged (which disappeared from my complaints list in which you can keep tabs on its progress), was put down as resolved…. This clearly is not resolved and very much far from it. (Virgin have just confirmed this is not resolved)

This also means that I have to wait from my next complaint to reach the 8 week period before I can escalate this and make virgin accountable for their ridiculous lack of action on getting me internet with constant lies and poor customer service.

I can’t wait for the media companies I’ve contacted to write up their story, they have already shown their support and willingness to write an investigation into Virgin Media’s treatment of customers. 

About time.

[jbrennand]

FYI - See John’s excellent precis of VM's New Installations process - in message 18 of this thread...

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

[Pullinmyhairout]

Another technician was sent out, they came, they weren't sure why they came. I explained the situation and they said yes that's not good enough, I'll get a message to the areal manager... (been here before)

Nothing since. 

BUT, today! Today was finally the day where the drainage team were coming to get them unblocked. Confirmed by many people over the phone and I bet you can guess what... they didn't show up.

I'm Currently speaking to someone on the pre-install team who (much like the last 5 install dates) has assured me the next magical date will be the 26th Jan.. A little reminder. I was meant to have my internet installed on the 9th October 2021....

Someone did call me to say the drainage team will not be coming today, thats a first. but they said there isn't a permit.. 6 weeks is how long it takes to get one so why is it taking over 3 months.. I think it's another lie.

So again, I wait for the new date, which it the 25th.. something tells me that this won't be the day they install because I'm living groundhog day.

Anyway another technician will come on the 18th.. to tell me it's blocked, not sure why that might be? I've explained that i'm not sure why your sending someone out to confirm the issue as thats been done 5 times already...

There must be someone who can take control of this situation? There must be a managers manger who can make this happen. This is insane.

If anyone reading this has the number for the drainage team or the aerial manager or anyone higher in the company, forward them this cluster f**k of a situation and see if they think it's acceptable? 

Ross

[Z92]

First I've heard that VM have a "drainage team".

They have engineers that deal with installing cable to the inside of your house and contractors which install pavement ducting and cabling upto your property boundary. If there's any blockages, these contractors will typically unblock (eventually) and then install. Since they are different teams it can take many months as for example team 1 finds a blockage, team 2 comes out several weeks later and clears the blockage, then team 1 finally comes back out and finds they still can't install cable and goes back to team 2. This can happen for like 6 months. Meanwhile VM will guess at install dates until they are given the all clear. Foreign call centers, no knowing about any of this can organise engineers to come out which can't actually do anything once they get to you because the groundwork hasn't been done.

[Pullinmyhairout]

Yes, I know this is what they are calling it 'Drainage Team'...

This company is the worst run company I have ever dealt with.

I've just had a call to confirm my new install date (which will never happen) and they just ran through the details and got to how much it will cost per month and it has now doubled in price from when I signed up!?

I said what is going on I havn't een got internet yet and you are now saying wheni finally do get it it's going to cost me double the price I signed up for.. they replied with ' you will have to call up to talk to customer service about this'. Great, another thing to sort out! why do i have to follow up all the time having to correct you lot with your own mistakes?? Such a waste of my time!

[anj747]

I am going through a similar nightmare. Don't forget you are entitled to daily-compensation for a delayed install - https://www.virginmedia.com/help/automatic-compensation - It should be "automatic" but don't hold your breath - you may need to contact CISAS to enforce. Good luck.

[jem101]

@Pullinmyhairout yes is is all a sorry tale of woe isn’t it? I suppose the only saving grace might well be that these sort of events can’t be the norm and VM’s apparent ‘Chuckle Brothers’ approach to problem ownership and organisational skills might only manifest itself comparatively rarely.

Not that this in any way excuses them or helps you at all.

OK then here’s what you need to do, don’t bother contacting VM again, we’ll unless you happen to own shares in a company that manufactures blood pressure medication and you fancy increasing their share price. Investigate alternative broadband suppliers and if you find something that you think is suitable and they can supply quickly then sign up with them. If you can do this on a rolling monthly contract (even if it is a little more expensive), so much the better.

Now at some point before the heat death of the Universe, VM may or may not decide that you are now worthy of giving them some month each month, and manage to sort your connection out. You then have 14 days to try it, if you want to keep it and dump the alternative supplier (especially if it’s on a rolling monthly contract), then fine, otherwise you are free to simply cancel without any penalty at all.

This has two advantages, firstly you know that the cables are all in place and working should you decide to sign up with VM again at some point, and secondly, the perverse pleasure in knowing that in return for messing you about, it has cost them money to get you connected up and they won’t see a penny of return for it!

John