virgin media not resolving complaint - awful service

[plan10fromspace]

Going a bit insane here

I raised a complaint about a billing issue where virgin promised to do something but didn't, got back a cookie cutter response which ignored the body of the complaint and offered no resolution. Raised another complaint and again i got back a cookie cutter response and was advised that if unsatisfied i needed to call virgin media to resolve. So I called them, told the issue cant be resolved over the phone as i need to send proof of the conversation where they promised to do the thing. Download whatsapp to speak to them there, no one responded for HOURS and then when someone does pick up the chat they wait 5 minutes for you to respond and then close the chat and you have to go through all the security rubbish again just for no one to respond to you for hours. Ive now had an ongoing live chat with 0 progress made for 48 hours.

Ive never had service this bad in my life its insane, does anyone have advice on taking this further, surely they have a complaints department with an email? 

[goslow]

If you have complained to VM, and VM has not resolved your complaint to your satisfaction, you would reject the complaint 'resolution' and VM should provide you with a deadlock letter. VM should do this proactively but regularly fail to do so. With a deadlock letter (or after 8 weeks have passed since you first complained) you can go to arbitration

https://www.commsombudsman.org/

While waiting for a VM forum team reply ...

You can share your hopeless complaint experience with OFCOM.

They launched an investigation into VM on 13 July 2023 specifically into VM's cancellation and complaints processes.

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/bulletins/enforcement-bulletin/open-cases/cw_01275

Case ref. no. and an email at the bottom of the above page or submit with same info via the contact form

https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/SitesFormCCTMonitoring

Submitting information won't help your individual complaint but it will contribute to the OFCOM investigation and it sounds like your experience is directly relevant to the terms of reference of the investigation.

[Jeeksy]

Good luck to you. I'm 7 weeks in from my initial complaint, now 3 open complaints and still virgin media refuse to call me back after promising to do so. I call or message pretty much on a daily basis and I'm getting nowhere. 

Sadly no advice to give just be prepared for this to drag on and get nowhere. If you're not then cut your losses and terminate your contract. I'm too stubborn to do the latter.

I had learned that the messenger/chat service is a complete waste of time. Virgin media give those staff no power to connect you through the the complaints team - I suspect nothing more than a tick box exercise for the regulator. 

[goslow]

Any involvement from OFCOM may well turn out to be a tick box exercise. It is, however, the only time they have shown any significant interest in the business antics of VM so, while the opportunity is there to tell OFCOM what a complaint or cancellation experience is like with VM, customers may as well use it.

Based on the feedback on here, complaints to the ombudsman are more useful and do seem to favour the customer in general.

[jpeg1]

As you have found, Virginmedia/VMO2 policy is to keep you waiting for so long that you will give up and stop bothering them. Your time, whether waiting on the phone or on line, costs them nothing at all.

This principle applies to the 'complaints' system too, so don't rely on that. All you can do is to wait out the eight weeks until you can move on to the next stage with the Ombudsman.