Following up complaints?

[DaBoz]

I don't know where to post this to on this forum, and coincidently I don't know where to go to VM when this happens either!

I have raised a complaint via the VM website and got an email confirmation saying they'd call back as soon as possible, usually within 5 days. This is the second time I've raised this complaint and I have also made 5 calls over 6 weeks to get a problem resolved.

I'm running out of options. Who do I go to when VM just doesn't resolve an issue and appears to have given up (they haven't called back for my second complaint)?

Have I been flagged on their system as a persistent complainer? I have a genuine issue that effects several people in my street, and I am not the only one to complain about it, so I don't believe I'm being unreasonable.

Boz

PS Calling 150 doesn't give me a complaints or general option. The closest option I have found is "I am thinking of leaving you"... which is a problem because I've just signed up to TiVo!

[weesteev]

Care to share the issue, we maybe able to help? (or point you in the right direction at least).

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by weesteev

Care to share the issue, we maybe able to help? (or point you in the right direction at least).

It's a long story unfortunately, so here goes...

There's a green cabinet (junction box?) opposite my house on the pavement (about 2 feet wide, 3ft heigh) and the door has been vandalised so that it has been ripped of it's hinges and the lock broken.

Over the last 2 years, I have lost telephone connection 3 times because vandals rip out the cables inside. Each time it happens, I have to call VM for an engineer to fix our line, and it always turns out to be the due to the vandals.

This is a huge inconvenience to all, as I lost my phone for at least a couple of days, VM have to waste an engineer visit and I have to take time off work to greet the engineer, or wait without phone until Saturday. Usually, the damage affects a number of VM customers in the street (so the last engineer told me).

However, after each visit, the engineer just uses electrical tape to stick the door back on. And funnily enough, the vandals rip the door off again within weeks.

On March 3rd I called VM to report the door being off again, and was told it would be fixed in 5 days. I repeated this for a month (during 1 call I got a £10 good will gesture), then filed a complaint online which I was called back with and promised the door would be fixed as the issue had been escalated to an area manager. That was 2 weeks ago and in the meantime I called again and also filed another compaint online. I discussed with neighbours and discovered someone in the street has also complained to VM about the cabinet door.

Yesterday the door was put back on the green cabinet. With 3 strips of black electrical tape.

The whole purpose of me calling up is to get the cabinet adequately secured so that the door cannot be simply pulled off. I don't want the inconvenience of losing my phone for days again, so I'm trying to get VM to be proactive and prevent the problem happening in the first place.

Also, having a vandalised cabinet brings the street image down and promotes more vandalism, but that's another story.

So who do I go to, and why are VM snubbing me now?

Boz

[weesteev]

This is a tricky issue for many reasons, the guys on the front line have limited tools to deal with issues like this.

I would drop an email to neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk with your details and the CEO office team will get on the case for you.

HTH

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by weesteev

This is a tricky issue for many reasons, the guys on the front line have limited tools to deal with issues like this.

I would drop an email to neil.berkett@virginmedia.co.uk with your details and the CEO office team will get on the case for you.

HTH

Thanks, I'll try that then if I get no response by end of today (5 days since second complaint).

I understand the engineers' tools issue, however there is no excuse for how VM CS have not dealt with the situation over 6 weeks. I've been through various departments, and none were helpful as all promised definitive action within 5 days, but nothing happend and no follow up communication to explain why nothing happened.

I was even told I should call the engineers direct and ask them what the problem is! That's just ridiculous!

As I say, thanks for the advice and I'll email the CEO tonight.

Boz

[weesteev]

Depending on the cabinet type, there may not be replacement doors available in such a short time frame. There were something like 20 different manufacturers of street cabinets and pedestals and this has been cut down to only a couple. Some legacy cabinet designs are no longer used (or supplied) and spare parts are non existent, sometimes a full cabinet shell replacement is the only option and depending on the design this may require an outage to disconnect the existing equipment.

Hopefully you can get a result on this soon, although I wouldn't be surprised if it was a few weeks before it was fully resolved. Keep us posted.

[DaBoz]

Originally Posted by weesteev

Depending on the cabinet type, there may not be replacement doors available in such a short time frame. There were something like 20 different manufacturers of street cabinets and pedestals and this has been cut down to only a couple. Some legacy cabinet designs are no longer used (or supplied) and spare parts are non existent, sometimes a full cabinet shell replacement is the only option and depending on the design this may require an outage to disconnect the existing equipment.

Hopefully you can get a result on this soon, although I wouldn't be surprised if it was a few weeks before it was fully resolved. Keep us posted.

I don't doubt any of that, it would have been a good idea for someone at VM CS to tell me that though.

However a temporary solution could have been achieved quickly, as even the use of black electrical tape took 6 weeks!

Boz

[DaBoz]

I've sent an email, and will let you know how I get on. Came home today and saw that the 3 strips of black electrical tape didn't hold the door on. It fell off during the day. Pitiful.

Boz

[DaBoz]

CEO office called back first thing this morning and the cabinet door has been replaced.

Still have a lot of questions to be answered, but for now, the issue appears to have been fixed by emailing the CEO.

So, 6 weeks of getting nowhere with CS, or 24 hours emailing the CEO?

Hmmm.

Boz

[weesteev]

Glad its sorted.