[grocerjack]

I posted on a thread here about a month ago on the disgraceful issues I've had with VM and trying to migrate to the XL VIP package for £85. I've been on cable since it was Nynex then C&W who ran the franchise, through to NTL before VM. Despite several painful and very long and fruitless phone calls over several months where all I got was Indian call centre staff and subsequent diversions to incorrect or unknown departments, they still hadn't "merged" my apparently separate phone and TV accounts. Apparently this was down to NTL who moved the physical TV and phone cable when I moved in 2000 but never adjusted the billing info. So, my phone was left registered at my previous address and my TV pack was registered at my current address. Funny how they always managed to bill me for the phone, but apparently I was being billed at my current address for a phone they had located at my previous address!

Anyway, after some initial sympathy and help from a member here I then sent the full unexpurgated version to VM via the Contact Us section on their web site. No word of a lie, within 15 minutes I had received a call from a lovely lady at the Chief exec's office, firstly sympathising with me, then taking a full detailed account of everything and then promising me solemnly to get the whole issue fixed. She then rang back within a further hour and asked me for some technical details on my set up (V+ Box and 2 normal STB's) and the asset/serial numbers on boxes and cards. Then she disappeared into the ether saying she would call back no later than a week afterwards. For one week I heard nothing, but she had stated she would call me when things were being fixed. Of course 5 days into the week I assumed the whole thing had gone down the usual black hole. However, she had left me her details and personal contact number and email, so I bided my time, storing up my departure speech for the week anniversary of her call. One week to the day, and almost the hour i got a call from my better half saying the whole TV had gone mental with channels disappearing and re-appearing and blue screens etc. Before I could call this lady though she called me and explained that the account merger and upgrade was happening there and then and that she was with the engineers doing the work! One hour later and all the services were back. My first bill arrived, fully merged and for the first time since getting the V+ box and going on the XL pack in February I had the right bill!

My point here is that nothing can replace such personalised service in changing the perspective of a customer undergoing the customer service hell that I had. I have always been happy with the package and quality of the products/services I get from VM, even to the point of being fully supportive of them in their spat with Murdoch International! This one person, by taking time to listen and understand, has turned my perception of VM the full 180! I work for a big mobile phone company and we have learnt the value of UK based call centres and excellent customer service. Lets hope VM stop looking at the bottom line and return to UK call centres and genuine customer care.