Changes to Member Centre, Billing

[#1]

I would like to ask how such changes are tested from a user perspective, because the recent changes to the member centre, in my opinion, make it much harder for users to access information that used to be very easy to find. I cannot come up with any change which is beneficial enough to warrant the cost and effort that was likely to have been needed to design and implement the change. As for the much awaited 'improvements' to the billing system, quite frankly I would rather have waited another ten years for this to happen if it meant that the systems were thoroughly tested such the problems experienced and reported on the forum were eliminated. Users being billed after leaving and delays to refunds, double billing, previously agreed discounts being removed, referrals not credited, failed billing. How can so many different issues get missed in testing, assuming that testing actually took place. And now so much effort is required by support staff to deal with these problems that it has increased wait time for phone queries, and other problems are being neglected. I would consider leaving except for the risk of creating more problems for myself by attempting to do so, and I can't find the information that would allow me to make that decision.

For example, how do I find out when line rental saver expires? I used to be able to see a list of past invoices, but no obvious way to get to these. Usage stats are no longer showing. 'Find out more' under Email on the Member centre home page doesnt take me to a guide or help page for email, or even to 'Manage my Mail', but in fact dumps me straight to the Webmail login page. View my Questions is now buried at the bottom of a help page 2 layers down from the home page, when they used to be prominent.

I hope this feedback is taken into account the next time any changes to systems are introduced at Plusnet. I don't expect to see any response in the near future whilst Plusnet staff are too busy dealing with problems of their own making which seem to have made a significant detrimental impact on customers.

[#2]

Hi @maranello, thanks for your post.

Although I can't discuss in-depth our back office testing and system implementation, I'm more than happy to pass on your suggestions on improving the layout, functionality and features within the new member centre.

With regards viewing older bills, you're able to do that by going to https://www.plus.net/my.html?action=mybillsandpayments and then clicking 'View your bills'.

I can assure you that the other issues you've mentioned have been logged and we're working to get them resolved as quickly as possible.

I hope this helps.

[#3]

My wife manages a UAT team at one of the banks, I think her job would be in jeopardy if she oversaw as many problems as I keep seeing being reported 

[#4]

---

@OskarPapa wrote: With regards viewing older bills, you're able to do that by going to https://www.plus.net/my.html?action=mybillsandpayments and then clicking 'View your bills'.

---

Only up to about 1 year ago though. And when I try to check previous payments it only displays back to the beginning of my current contract period about 3 months ago even if I check the 15 month option. I've been a customer since 1998 and used to be able to see details from way back.

[#5]

Hello @quelquod / @maranello

As per GDPR we can only keep the previous 15 months on your account to see and download. I'll check with our back office support teams to see if we would be able to get anything further back than that for you. Is there any bill in particular you would like a copy of?

[#6]

---

@Mads wrote:

Hello @quelquod / @maranello

As per GDPR we can only keep the previous 15 months on your account to see and download.

---

As I said above, I can only see the last 3 months payments even when the 15 month option is ticked. Coincidentally (?) this is the start of my most recent contract period.

(and as I pointed out I've been here much longer than 3 months)

[#7]

My apologies for not seeing that @quequod,

If you could confirm which bills you would like a copy of and I get it emailed out to you.

[#8]

@Mads

I have found the bill I was looking for, which was for my LRS payment to determine when I need to renew. Thanks anyway for the offer to provide a copy.

As per GDPR we can only keep the previous 15 months on your account to see and download

However, I was not aware of any requirement or restriction resulting from GDPR such that I would not have on-line access to historic bills/invoices beyond 15 months. If Plusnet are allowed to retain the historical data such that it can be retrieved on request, why should I not have access as a customer and subscriber. I could understand if the 15 month restriction applied to the retention of data for ex-customers, but why for existing customers? Does this mean that for example, emails held on the server that are older than 15 months will also be archived?

[#9]

@quelquod wrote:
As I said above, I can only see the last 3 months payments even when the 15 month option is ticked. Coincidentally (?) this is the start of my most recent contract period.

(and as I pointed out I've been here much longer than 3 months)

I suspect you're looking at "View My Payments" as opposed to "View My Bills".

View My Payments will only show you up to 15 months of payments from the 1st September 2018.

View My Bills will show you 15 months of invoices in total.

Let me know if I'm wrong and you are checking View My Bills.

[#10]

---

@Mads wrote:

Hello @quelquod / @maranello

 As per GDPR we can only keep the previous 15 months on your account to see and download.

---

I do not believe that GDPR sets this rule - the time is variable depending on the data and the purpose for which it is collected.  The timescale(s) in use should be declared in the company privacy policy.

It would be interesting to know which GDPR rule is being referenced here?

[#11]

---

@Mads wrote:

Hello @quelquod / @maranello

As per GDPR we can only keep the previous 15 months on your account to see and download. 

---

I really do not believe that to be the case - financial records should be retained for a minimum of 6 years (HMRC rules).  In any case, any relevant retention under the GDPR is for the period the data controller specifies.  If Plusnet decided that 10 years was appropriate, keeping them for 10 years would not be at odds with GDPR as this response seeks to suggest.

It really is infuriating when organisations use GDPR to spout such tosh!

EDIT: I posted before reading to the end of the topic!  Yes, what Maurice said!! 

[#12]

---

@Gandalf wrote:

@quelquod wrote:
As I said above, I can only see the last 3 months payments even when the 15 month option is ticked. Coincidentally (?) this is the start of my most recent contract period.

(and as I pointed out I've been here much longer than 3 months)

I suspect you're looking at "View My Payments" as opposed to "View My Bills".

View My Payments will only show you up to 15 months of payments from the 1st September 2018.

View My Bills will show you 15 months of invoices in total.

Let me know if I'm wrong and you are checking View My Bills.

---

No you're not wrong.

Can you not see the first line of my post which says " I can only see the last 3 months PAYMENTS even when the 15 month option is ticked."

Why can I not see my earlier payments?

And why can't I see both bills and payments stretching back several years as I used to? This is absolutely nothing to do with Data Protection.

[#13]

---

@quelquod wrote: 
No you're not wrong.

Can you not see the first line of my post which says " I can only see the last 3 months PAYMENTS even when the 15 month option is ticked."

Why can I not see my earlier payments?

And why can't I see both bills and payments stretching back several years as I used to? 

---

That’s because View My Payments will only show you what’s in the new billing engine, which was launched as of September 2018.

You’ll be able to view your legacy invoices by clicking on the View My Bills button.