I was a professional I.T Test Analyst before retiring and worked on many conversion and migration projects where two companies merged their customer databases, sometimes called Customer Relationship Management and tested many a website for defects. Companies such as VM and O2 use what are called 'Address Look Up files' so when you type in your Post Code, a list of address that relate to that are presented to you to select your home address from a list. There are numerous sources for these files but commonly they originate from the Post Office. However, it seem VM is using one version of the Address Look Up file while O2 uses another. There are differences between the two. Ive seen it posted that difference in address between the two companies is due to representative entering the details when cold calling. Nope, that isnt the case. It's down to the 2 companies data.
To get your O2 Volt benefits there are a number of conditions. Amongst these, so I have managed to learn is, that your name and address held by O2 and VM have to be the same. But is that exactly the same or just similar? For example, an account holder may be Mr John Smith on O2 and MR JOHN SMITH on VM. Does that qualify both names on O2 and VM to be the same for Volt? It might or might not depending on how the system developers wrote the code and conversion validation! Perhaps a mod here could clarify whether this, as well as abreviating a forename on one account, will have an impact?
On the O2 website if you want to edit your address (for Volt benefits!) you enter your house number and post code. This will return a list to select you exact address but the format will be:
Line 1: 12, Acasia Ave,
Line 2: Anytown,
Line 3: Anyshire,
Line 4: PZ9 2ZP
Strangely, on your O2 bill the end of line commas will be stripped out and only the comma after the house number is present. Also, the name and address are in lower case except for the first letter of forename, surname and first letter of each line of the address (well, on my O2 bill, it is).
Virgin Media's address look up presents after entering your postcode a list of addresses foryou to select yours from. This will show addresses as
Line 1: 12 Acasia Ave,
Line 2: Anytown,
Line 3: PZ9 2ZP
Again, strangely the VM bill ALL the name and addresss is in upper case.
Spot any other difference? O2's system includes the county at Line 4. VM has no comma after the house number but has it at the end of address lines 1 & 2. VM also doesnt have the county as part of the address and therefore only has 3 address lines not 4 like O2!
This means if you are told to edit your address on VM to match that on O2 (or vice versa) you cannot because O2 shows a county while VM does not!
The User cannot, as far as I can determine, enter their home address manually in either account with O2 and VM so the addresses match exactly. This is because VM's address look up file does NOT include the User's county as part of the address. Similarly, in O2, the User cannot manually enter their address to match that of the VM account because O2's address file DOES include the county.
Although my VM O2 account is new, my property address is not. Ive lived here since the house was built in 1996.
VM say if you need to edit your address, use the 'Moving house' function! Sorry but what dunderhead decided on that? Editing your address isnt a house move or change of address. The website goes on to say you need to let them know your move out date and move in date. I can see a whole heap of pain using this function to update my address so they match on VM and O2 for me to finally get my Volt benefits.
When is someone going to pick my query up about not receiving Volt benefits? Thank you.
