Absolutely apalling customer service that's made me want to cancel my plan.
I've been using Virgin for 9 months, and the whole time they haven't been great. My WiFi is incredibly unreliable and constantly loses connection. However, I stuck with my plan as me and my housemates are only students and believed we couldn't reasonably afford anything better, and didn't want to deal with the hassle of cancelling and finding something new. Today I receieved an email telling me I had an outstanding balance in my account. This was 5 days after my bill (newly increased in price, may I add) had left by bank account via direct debit, and I could see the transaction in my banking app. Naturally I was confused and didn't want any late fees or restrictions, so I tried to log into my account for further answers. However, I'd forgotten my password and the password reset email refused to be sent to my inbox, no matter how long I waited or how many times I tried, so I called the customer service line provided. Unfortunately, instead of being transferred to a real human being, I had to deal with an automated voice. This was an absolutely abysmal experience, way worse than any other automated customer service line I've called before. Not only did none of the options pertain to what I was asking, the automated voice refused to transfer me to a real human until I could provide my password, which I kept explaining I couldn't do. The continued repeats of "please state your password" no matter how many times I tried to make it go back or change tactic were infuriating. I had to call three seperate times, twice asking specifically about changing my password, and the third I gave up and simply talked about the error in my balance. When I called regarding my balance, it gave me a solution completely unrelated to my issue, and then hung up on me. Not to mention each time I called it sent me a bunch of texts begging me to download their app and log in to my account. Eventually I had to give up on their phone line as it was getting nowhere and tried their chat system on their website. I had to again deal with automated answers trying to figure out what I was saying before I was finally connected to a real human. One person I was connected to never answered me when I asked them a question and I had to disconnect, and after going through three individuals I was eventually told that I couldn't log in because they were having issues with their website, and the outstanding balance was an error and the email was just "a reminder" (despire it coming 5 days after I'd paid the bill and specifically saying the words "you have an outstanding balance on your account"). This experience left me incredibly drained and frustrated. Once me and my housemates have moved out of this house I know I will be cancelling my plan immediately and telling everyone I know not to use Virgin. I already had an unfavourable opinion of them due to their terrible broadband service, but their abysmal customer service is the nail in the coffin. In fact, the only reason I'm writing this here is because they don't have a customer service email I can send this to. (Seriously? How am I supposed to talk to a real human at this company when your phone line is automated and refuses to connect me to a human, and the people in your online chat service ignore my questions.) Sorry, Virgin, but I won't be paying your fee hikes anymore if this is what they get me.VOIP switchover
My elderly parent, 85, was told she needed to switch over to broadband phone. There was not an option or told that she could wait until the deadline. She was informed that the area was moving over. She was not alone. Since moving to VOIP, she has had no end of connection issues with a very intermittent service. She has now had a BUU installed, as she does not have a mobile. This unit is fixed downstairs. So now she has no reliable service in her upstairs bedroom, to call for emergency help. What does Virgin customer service suggest? Well your answer was contact the council to get an emergency button installed!!! Although the transfer to VOIP is not mandatory till December 2025, they refuse to transfer an elderly vulnerable person back to the old reliable service. Instead they are suggesting that she looses more of her dignity and independence by paying for an additional council service- rather than ensuring that she has a reliable service that she can access from her home 24.7 that she pays for!- Disgusted & outraged Please if you have elderly relatives ( who are not tech savvy) do not encourage them to switch over, the new technology is not reliable and will prove to be more of an issue for them