preferential treatment for VM employees (Support)

[SapperGB]

Those having 20mb broadband issues.

I would like you all to pop over to the newsgroup virginmedia.support.broadband.cable

When you are there please look for a post made by Duncan Bradley on 27/11/07
at 18:27.

Here, Duncan posts the usual support request regarding his slow 20mb speeds.
support begin by helping him in the usual way then once Duncan reveals he is
a V.M. Employee, support responds with "ill mail you - so we can take this
out of the newsgroups".

I for one am extremely angry at this, Duncan is a customer, the same as us.
in fact he probably gets his services cheaper. He is suffering with an issue
that thousands of other customers are also trying to get resolved, yet as
soon as he reveals who he is the support is given on a 1 to 1 basis.

Does this mean VM are hiding something? are they giving out another level of
support to favoured 'customers'?

ive tried to reply to the thread but it looks as though it is locked or
something

Please discuss, .

[Impz2002]

hmm that really is a bit sneaky !

shame we will never know the possible outcome !

[Northeast_user]

Those having 20mb broadband issues.

I would like you all to pop over to the newsgroup virginmedia.support.broadband.cable

When you are there please look for a post made by Duncan Bradley on 27/11/07
at 18:27.

Here, Duncan posts the usual support request regarding his slow 20mb speeds.
support begin by helping him in the usual way then once Duncan reveals he is
a V.M. Employee, support responds with "ill mail you - so we can take this
out of the newsgroups".

I for one am extremely angry at this, Duncan is a customer, the same as us.
in fact he probably gets his services cheaper. He is suffering with an issue
that thousands of other customers are also trying to get resolved, yet as
soon as he reveals who he is the support is given on a 1 to 1 basis.

Does this mean VM are hiding something? are they giving out another level of
support to favoured 'customers'?

ive tried to reply to the thread but it looks as though it is locked or
something

Please discuss, .

Perks of the job. *shrugs* I see nothing wrong with it. OK it's a bit of a kick in the a**e to the paying public but he may have to put up with our whinning on a daily basis.
I'd like to add that i'm not the greatest fan of VM, but haven't you been helped in the past from workmates/people you know?

[SapperGB]

I dont think its quite like that, it could be looked at that way but why lock the thread? why not post the usual "FU set to..."

Just because a customer is also an employee it doesnt give VM any right to treat him/her any better.
its not like a staff discount card, although i suspect he already gets a discount as it is.

[Northeast_user]

I dont think its quite like that, it could be looked at that way but why lock the thread? why not post the usual "FU set to..."

Just because a customer is also an employee it doesnt give VM any right to treat him/her any better.
its not like a staff discount card, although i suspect he already gets a discount as it is.


Oh please don't get me wrong. The locking of the thread was totally out of order. I just don't see (but maybe I do) why the discussion wasn't carried on.
If you think of it on the employees point of view, they really wouldn't want it to come out as to who and where this person was/is.
And as for VM treating this person different, I guess if their details were given and some higher person did read the thread that their employment would be cut short.

[AmAtoL]

I don't see how VM can give preferential treatment to employees, they sure as hell won't reroute my internet to bypass all those dodgy servers will they :/

[joglynne]

A lot of the help on the newsgroup virginmedia.support.broadband.cable is given on a one to one basis. You only have to look through the posts to see all the help they give to individuals asking about their BB.

IMO...His tread was a mirror of many others and the way that he posted his problem shows that he was not trying to get preferential treatment. I have no problem with this employee being dealt with in the manner that he has as it is common practice in many firms for assistance to be given in a more private manner than if the employee was a member of the general public.. To read more into the closing of this newsgroups thread is again IMO merely to give in to paranoia, the techs could have contacted him on the quiet and just let the thread die; instead they were up front about it being closed.

Vm employees have been through a rough time and I for one do not begrudge them their perks.

jo runs away quickly to avoid expected flames.:tiptoe:

[Gary L]

It's not technically possible to *lock* a thread on usenet. try again and tell us what if any error you get.

news:5o_2j.54183$c_1.45317@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk

[joglynne]

It's not technically possible to *lock* a thread on usenet. try again and tell us what if any error you get.

news:5o_2j.54183$c_1.45317@text.news.blueyonder.co .uk

Interesting.:tu: I never realised a thread on usenet couldn't be closed. I have no wish to make a post on that thread but I have just had no problem opening up the thread to post a reply and there has been a post since the tech decided to take the problem out of the newsgroups.

[SapperGB]

ya but try and send a reply, they dont appear. ive tried dumping my local file etc. yet my reply at 22.13 isnt there....

unless anoe else can see it.

[Gary L]

Interesting.:tu: I never realised a thread on usenet couldn't be closed.

The magic of usenet. the place where "thread locked" has no meaning :)

---------- Post added at 00:22 ---------- Previous post was at 00:20 ----------

ya but try and send a reply, they dont appear. ive tried dumping my local file etc. yet my reply at 22.13 isnt there....

unless anoe else can see it.

"Testing testing one two three, me mic sounds nice"
that one? :)

[SapperGB]

The magic of usenet. the place where "thread locked" has no meaning :)


I did say locked 'or something'

---------- Post added at 00:22 ---------- Previous post was at 00:20 ----------



"Testing testing one two three, me mic sounds nice"
that one? :)

agghh... i give up,
i need a sense of humour rebate from VM cos ive none left

[Gary L]

agghh... i give up,
i need a sense of humour rebate from VM cos ive none left

Seriously mate, it's not such a big deal what Edward did. it was more of a matey thing that he did. Duncan did not want any preferential treatment even. if he did then I would agree with you that it was wrong what happened.

:)

[Rone]

Cmon if there are any perks working for VM who would'nt use them, i cant see any perks in this case helping an employee much more than a standard customer.

[Numenor]

As an ex-employee of Telewest i can see why they asked for his details to mail him.

Because there is a huge conspiracy against the average punter?
Because theres an amazing secret support line for employees?

No.

Probably because it will be much easier to give support and fix the problem through mail rather than doing it in a public thread. Also easier and safer to give mac addresses, IPs etc.

So its not a plot against you, it was to solve the problem quicker and get onto the next person with a problem.

And if he did get a bit or preferential treatment for being an employee, whats the big deal? Have you never gained from your own company by being an employee? If its that big of an issue, apply for a job with Virgin Media........;)

[WHISTLED]

I also dont see what the big deal is...

It would be a miserabe company where colleagues didnt offer help to one another, there is no indication it was at the expense of any full paying customers.

I cant have VM but I would expect to pull a few strings if I did and experienced problems.

I think your gripe would have more weight if staff didnt help fix peoples problems on this site! Are they not jumping the queue also?

[homealone]

I also dont see what the big deal is...

It would be a miserabe company where colleagues didnt offer help to one another, there is no indication it was at the expense of any full paying customers.

I cant have VM but I would expect to pull a few strings if I did and experienced problems.

I think your gripe would have more weight if staff didnt help fix peoples problems on this site! Are they not jumping the queue also?

Fair point - except when you consider that VM employees do, sometimes, get 'warned off' posting here - and more rarely their help here is used against them during disciplinary action....

I'm not prepared to share the 'evidence' for my comments, even in PM, so please, no-one ask, but I would also like to say that the VM employees who do help on here are worth their weight in gold plated latinum :)

Why shouldn't they help each other out, too :angel:

[VirginVirginUser]

I Dont See Anything Wrong With Free Perks It Is Part Of The Job

[WHISTLED]

Fair point - except when you consider that VM employees do, sometimes, get 'warned off' posting here - and more rarely their help here is used against them during disciplinary action....

I'm not prepared to share the 'evidence' for my comments, even in PM, so please, no-one ask, but I would also like to say that the VM employees who do help on here are worth their weight in gold plated latinum

'Some' Virgin employees do yes, and so 'some' of those employees should if that help impacts ther own role and objectives or more importantly and more frequently their activity and published vews reflect badly on the company.

Personally I would be quite happy for my people to help a customer on here of they can do so, I would expect to be asked first though. I would react differently if their discussions reflected badly though.

I have no interest in evidence I know a couple of people you are referring to - in one hand I agree they can be very helpful to individuals not so much with the bigger picture - Disclaimers dont change a great deal.

[homealone]

'Some' Virgin employees do yes, and so 'some' of those employees should if that help impacts ther own role and objectives or more importantly and more frequently their activity and published vews reflect badly on the company.

Personally I would be quite happy for my people to help a customer on here of they can do so, I would expect to be asked first though. I would react differently if their discussions reflected badly though.

I have no interest in evidence I know a couple of people you are referring to - in one hand I agree they can be very helpful to individuals not so much with the bigger picture - Disclaimers dont change a great deal.

Thanks for your reply :)

I haven't ever seen a VM employee 'reflect badly' on here - well maybe after they left ;)

but 'goodwill' can & should have a powerful effect - however, zapping people who help - well that just doesn't - imo :)

[kgibsonuk]

You've probably seen me complaining lately regarding my service. Trust me, VM employees get no special treatment when it comes to support ;)

[Jonnymeg]

Also, just to point out, there are things that general tech support and CS can not do to a staff account.
Staff accounts are handled by a different dept.
Maybe the helper wanted to point the user in a direction of assistance without posting names and numbers etc in the public domain.
He also could have wanted to talk to him in jargon than the public may not have understood.

[Paul K]

Also, just to point out, there are things that general tech support and CS can not do to a staff account.
Staff accounts are handled by a different dept.
Same with Sky, there is a seperate phone number for staff/ VIP so that calls do not get handled by people that may know you or work with you. It's just a safeguard. I just had to get my line capped and it was handled without fuss through email by a "super user/ team leader" who had to take it as I cannot use the standard TS route.