Totally obnoxious customer service

nsgdm1 · 15-07-2011, 16:15

I have had to phone Virgin customer service this morning and must say was the worst and most obnoxious person I have ever dealt with.
Last week my son had Sky tv installed at out house as he got an unbeatable offer from work, he is moving out in 3/4 months time so to save paying for 2 tv services I decided to cancel my virgin for this period ,with every intention of reinstating it when he has gone.
This morning I recieved a new 12 month contract from Virgin media which I was not informed about ,but would not have minded really as no intention to leave ,but the price on it had risen from £21 a month for phone and broadband to £27.99 a month.
I called customer service to point this out and must say the person I spoke to was the most unhelpful and obnoxious person I have ever dealt with.
I told her my problem and she said ,no that is what is on our system so that is what you must pay I tried to explain that this was not the price quoted and she said we dont do a package for the price you said so you must pay the amount quoted.
I told her that I would not pay and would cancel all my services and she said ok then that is £150 (or £180 not too sure was getting rather annoyed at this point) cancellation fee and she would put it through I said I was noy willing to pay the fee and would just stop my direct debit and not sign the new contract.
She said I could noy do that as 7 days had passed since my phone call ,I told her that I did not get the contract (that I knew nothing about ) untill this morning ,after the 7 day period ,and she said that was not their problem.
I then asked to speak to a supervisor or someone senior and she said ,no they will not speak to you and even if they did they would back up what she had said.
I then asked her to get someone to listen to my phone call from when I downgraded ,she said that it wasnt available as they were only for training.
I then reiterated that I had been quoted £21 and she said that whatever was on their system was the truth ,basically calling me a liar.
After further arguing my point with this person I put the phone down as all it was doing was getting me more and more annoyed.
I have since been on to my online banking to cancel my direct debit so that no more money can be taken.
The sad thing is I have been a customer of theirs for well over 10 years right from their telecential days and for the sake of what would probably be less than £30 total until I reupgraded my tv services they seem to have lost a customer who has always paid their bills on time ,been happy with their service up until today , and had no intention of going elsewhere for their tv,phone,internet at anytime in the future.
I know not all customer sevrive staff are not like this person as when phoning before they have generally been plesant and curteous .
Just shows how one person can quickly ruin a reputation and loose Virgin longstanding custom.

Digital Fanatic · 15-07-2011, 16:46

Sorry to hear what's happened to you....

Have you spoken to Customer Relations? Give them a call on 150, select option for "thinking of leaving us", they should be able to sort this out.

nsgdm1 · 15-07-2011, 16:50

That was who I phoned ,can not belive I am still so annoyed about this 3 hours after the phone call

Sirius · 15-07-2011, 17:33

Sounds to me like retentions are changing there tune

greyposter · 15-07-2011, 17:54

Last two weeks I've had nothing but politeness from customer service.VM made two omissions but corrected them with grace.

nsgdm1 · 15-07-2011, 18:06

I usually get good customer service ,just today the operator was disgusting ,was not even thinking of leaving ,just wanted the price that I was quoted being charged for the next 3 to 4 months then was going to go ack to my current full v+ and multi room plus xl on broadband and phone package ,but she was obnoxious and obstructive in every way ,really wound me up with her attitude I had to put phone down before I got to the personal insults stage ,like I said the difference in what they quoted and what I was billed would work out less than an extra £30 total for them over the 4 months.

Sirius · 15-07-2011, 18:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsgdm1

I usually get good customer service ,just today the operator was disgusting ,was not even thinking of leaving ,just wanted the price that I was quoted being charged for the next 3 to 4 months then was going to go ack to my current full v+ and multi room plus xl on broadband and phone package ,but she was obnoxious and obstructive in every way ,really wound me up with her attitude I had to put phone down before I got to the personal insults stage ,like I said the difference in what they quoted and what I was billed would work out less than an extra £30 total for them over the 4 months.

Well i hope you get it sorted, There is no place in any company's customer service for people who are obstructive or obnoxious

Wick3d · 23-07-2011, 23:56

Maybe you got unlucky that day, but calling and speaking politely always works wonders.

nsgdm1 · 24-07-2011, 00:23

I always speak politely.When I called them it wasn't to complain or rant at them it was just to query the differing prices and the new contract that I was not informed of ,like you say I must have been unlucky that day because usually the staff are polite and helpful.
I complained about this phone call online and on the Monday following I had a phone call from Virgin appologising profusely for the attitude of their operator and even agreeing that the price I had originally been quoted was correct ,apparently the operator had worked out the packages wrong and there was no need for new contract (or they realised they were loosing a longstanding customer for such a petty amount) ,it was quite funny though how many times he said about when I re-upgrade my package to include the TV again ,only to be told by me IF I upgrade it or decide to stay with sky, he kept saying call us before you decide so we can see what we can do

nutellajunkie · 24-07-2011, 19:22

I know its a late reply, and I hope you got it sorted out in the end.

However, I must say, 7 days? I got 14 days to change my mind, which is typical business ethics. I am not sure why you were given 7. With our postage it can sometimes take that long to deliver, as you experienced.

Its a shame that one ignorant "sales" woman had to go and spoil it for you, because you like me, have been with them since the good ole days.. Now its just as corrupt as the rest of the companies in the world.

Still, cable is technically the best, so just keep fighting for your rights.. Also, do what I do, record your calls, and tell them you are recording. Even if you don’t record and tell them, they usually will buck up their ideas - this for any company.

Peil · 28-07-2011, 08:43

The distance selling regulations say that for services you get a 7 working day cooling of period.
As for recording, they are well within their rights to terminate the call at that point.

nsgdm1 · 28-07-2011, 10:33

Amazing ,Virgin get better ,after being told it was sorted on Monday and the price was £20.99 and no new contract ,I recieved a letter this morning with a new contract in it and the price stated as £29.49 going up to £35.99 after the promotional period ??????
This letter was dated the 19th of July which was before the phone call ,I can only assume that Virgin pre date their letter so that the date you recieve them is after the 7 day cooling off period as I find it hard to belive that Royal Mail are that bad for 2 first class letters to both take over 7 days to be delivered ,especially as I have no problems with any other mail.
I called and the operator said it was right ,after explaining my call she umed and ahhed for a minute or so then said that £20.99 was right as there are 'invisible discounts that do not show on the letter' considering the letter is dated before the phone call they must be very talented to pre-empt my acceptance of the original offer, when I queried her about the price increase after the promotional period she said the period was 2 years ??? strange time scale for promotional period, I suppose until I get my next bill and they take payment I really have no idea what the cost will be because I would never trust a thing they said again.
God job I recorded the call myself because if the cost is different to what she said on the phone then it solves any cancellation of contract issues as it will be them breaking it not me .

---------- Post added at 10:33 ---------- Previous post was at 10:24 ----------

Peil ,I think you have misunderstood some of what you have read.
In reply to your points
1) If you are not informed of the need to sign a new contract ,then the contract arrives 12 days after the time of the phone call how can you possibly cancel it ,if the contract had arrived in the 7 day period then this problem would not have arisen (since then I have recieved another contract from them with a higher price on ,again recieved over 7 days from date on it.)
2) The call was terminated by myself not Virgin, and as for the recording Virgin stated that the recording of calls can not be used for resolving disputes on for training,(although I imagine this may change if the need to confirm facts was in their favour).

My post was not an attack on Virgin as I have been with them for over 15 years ,it was on the operator who took my call.