Non payment of Referrals discounts

[#1]

3:22pm, Friday 14 Jan 2011
Good afternoon 'Plusnet'
Oh dear ... I had hoped that my problem might have been resolved at last, but no !
It starts with question Question #36107880 dated 8:29am, Friday 15 Oct 2010... Non payment of Referrals discounts ... continues thro Question #36693383 and now Question #37044842
You have given me answers, some of which are quite baffling and really mind blowing ...
1. The first thing is that it does depend on the account of the person you have referred, if that person falls into failed billing or a payment is made late the discount may not be applied. Likewise if the person leaves Plusnet the discount
won't be applied. ...(so why don't you check ?)

2. EU webspace was restricted (currently showing site removed holding page), EU aware unable to restore previous files but can we pls setup new web space. ... (You what ?)

3. It is difficult how far we can go on investigating this as we can't check on the relating account for further details. ...(You must be joking?)
4. As for the previously mentioned webspace the permissions are correct and we do no hold an archive for you, there for you will need to re upload a page or site to make use of the webspace. (What does webspace have to do with non payment of my referrals discout ?)
And so we go on through October, November, December and well into January ... but wait ? On 20 December 2010 you write :
The next action on your Help Assistant Question is due on Wednesday 12th January at 9:00am. This Question will remain open with the Customer Support Centre until this time.
I think someone forgot ? It is now Friday 14 January, or perhaps I am mistaken and you are still in the process of sorting it ?
I do notice my account for Dec-Jan has been issued and that once again you have failed to take my 'referrals' into account.
You say in your 'Issue 29 of Plus, Plusnet Newsletter' that:
'We have a lot to shout about and want to get our Good, Honest Broadband out to as many people as possible.'
'You can help us spread the word, and get something from us as a thank you. Why not recommend us to your friends and family through our 'My Referrals' scheme?'
How can I honestly continue to recommend people to your company ?
Is there really any chance what-so-ever that someone in your company can sort out this problem with referrals not being paid .... and I believe there are also others with the same problem .... without pushing the problem to another
desk/department then shoving it into a pending tray for a couple of weeks, have a quick glance at it, then pushing it off to yet another department, another pending tray ... ad infinitum ?
I look forward to hearing from you ... ?
Busybees
*****************
Replied to on 18 Jan 2011
1, This is correct but we can manually add the missed discounts after.
2, Not sure how this effects referral discounts.
3, We can investigate any issue with referrals, we may not be able to tell you why the discount was not added but we can manually add it for you.
4, This sounds like a website removed issue, nothing to do with referral issues.

.............. I am totally lost by these answers ... Help someone ? Ohhh .... My referral discount now amount to some £14, not much but it all adds up.
And so we go back into the 'pending tray' ?
Is there no help for the 'widows son' ?
Busybees

[#2]

Hi busybees,

Quote

1. The first thing is that it does depend on the account of the person you have referred, if that person falls into failed billing or a payment is made late the discount may not be applied. Likewise if the person leaves Plusnet the discount won't be applied. ...(so why don't you check ?)

We simply can't divulge information about a third party's account I'm afraid, we usually advise customers to check with the person they referred in situations like this.

Quote

2. EU webspace was restricted (currently showing site removed holding page), EU aware unable to restore previous files but can we pls setup new web space. ... (You what ?)

This looks to be a mistake, a comment about an entirely unrelated matter. Apologies for any confusion, I'll take this up with the agent who added that to one of the 3 tickets you've quoted.

Quote

3. It is difficult how far we can go on investigating this as we can't check on the relating account for further details. ...(You must be joking?)

Again, this is absolutely true I'm afraid. We can and do check such accounts but data protection prevents us from sharing such information. If you can, check with the person you referred, they may be able to shed some light on the cause of the issue for you.

Quote

4. As for the previously mentioned webspace the permissions are correct and we do no hold an archive for you, there for you will need to re upload a page or site to make use of the webspace. (What does webspace have to do with non payment of my referrals discout ?)

Please see my answer to your second question.
In summary we appreciate that this matter is frustrating but I'm afraid the cause of the unpaid referrals is two fold and seems firstly seems to lie in some of the issues we've mentioned with the people you have referred to us, as unfortunately these relate to third parties we can't tell you precisely what this is. Secondly some of the issues relate to problem 62259, this has now been resolved and you should have been credited for any referrals that were not given.
I'm just sorry that we could have been more 'straight up' with you about the causes of this from the off and that we're unable to be any more specific.
Please reply if you have any further questions or concerns about this.

[#3]

Good morning Adam Walker
Sorry, but I think you have gotten this back to front ? Plusnet have promised to pay me a discount for each and every person that I refer to them. Yes ?
You are a 'Plusnet staff' yes ?
Might I suggest you read Question #36107880 dated 8:29am, Friday 15 Oct 2010... Non payment of Referrals discounts ... continuing thro Question #36693383 and also Question #37044842 , before making any more comment ?
If you had bothered to have a quick look at my referrals list ... you will see that all and each of those persons I have referred, the amounts have been credited to my 'referrals account' each and every month.
My problem is ... 'Plusnet' are NOT DEDUCTING THIS AMOUNT FROM MY BILL EACH MONTH.
Now, please no more nonsense answers ... I have never asked to have sight of third party details and/or accounts nor do I wish to.
I have checked with all those I have referred, their bills are all paid and up to date ... read the above questions listed and in particular to that of '5:20pm, Sunday 17 Oct 2010'

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Secondly some of the issues relate to problem 62259, this has now been resolved and you should have been credited for any referrals that were not given

I haven't the faintest idea what problem 62259 is ... but it certainly has not resolved my problems.
I repeat ... I HAVE BEEN CREDITED ALL REFERRALS DUE ... where credited is the key word, but ... PLUSNET ARE NOT DEDUCTING THESE AMOUNTS  FROM MY MONTHLY BILLS.
Busybees

[#4]

Quote

My problem is ... 'Plusnet' are NOT DEDUCTING THIS AMOUNT FROM MY BILL EACH MONTH.

I've looked at your account and recent bills and have found the reason for this not being deducted, basically because you've had some free months broadband there hasn't been anything for the referrals to be discounted from. Referrals discounts can *only* be applied against broadband subscription payments, so in your instance they have been building up and will be taken off the next time you are actually charged for broadband.

[#5]

Good morning Chris
Many thanks for your speedy response ... but ... I did say in my last ... No more nonsense answers.
You haven't looked at and read Question #36107880 dated 8:29am, Friday 15 Oct 2010... Non payment of Referrals discounts ... continuing thro Question #36693383 and also Question #37044842 , before making this comment have you ?
If you had, you would have read:

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Question #36107880 Your Response 8:29am, Friday 15 Oct 2010 Previous discounts amount to £2.50 per month for months up to and including July 2010 ... August £1.00 (invoice *******) .... September £1.50 ( invoice ********)...

My discounts started falling from £2.50 to zero thro August and October last year ... I was not in receipt of as you say and I quote ... "basically because you've had some free months" at this time.
If your comment is truly the case ... why did I have to go thro three months of back and forth nonsense answers ?
Why did my discount drop from £2.50 in July last year to £1.00 in August and the up again to £1.50 in September and please check my bills ... when all those who I had referred had fully paid their bills and on time and at a time when I was not in receipt of 'free months' ?
I have read and re-read the 'Terms and Conditions of the My Referrals scheme' and cannot find anywhere within, any reference to non payment or withholding payment of discounts should any person be in receipt of  'free months'.
Perhaps you can put me right and quote chapter and verse ?  
... Referral payments will be made as a discount to the referring account ?
Just been back thro my old mail from yourselves ... a flyer put out to 'Get three months free broadband' and I quote from that flyer

Quote

3 months free broadband for you and a friend. Our treat. Sounds like a tempting offer, doesn't it? And it's really easy to get. Simply recommend a friend to Plusnet before 10th October and we'll give you a whopping 3 months broadband completely free*. To sweeten the deal we'll give your friend 3 months free broadband too^. Even better, you'll still get our normal referral discounts on your bill each month

Each month
Each month
Each month
Please sort this out and no more 'nonsense answers ... !
Busybees

[#6]

Quote from: Chris

I've looked at your account and recent bills and have found the reason for this not being deducted, basically because you've had some free months broadband there hasn't been anything for the referrals to be discounted from. Referrals discounts can *only* be applied against broadband subscription payments, so in your instance they have been building up and will be taken off the next time you are actually charged for broadband.

Did the conditions of the offer not say "This offer is specific to 3 months free broadband for the first Plusnet Value, Plusnet Extra or Plusnet Pro broadband signup referred during the offer period and does not affect the current monthly referral values. These will be paid in addition to this offer."?  And do the Referral FAQs not say "If your referrals discounts becomes larger than your subscription fee, the surplus amount is paid to you, either by cheque, or is automatically put into your account, if you pay by Direct Debit"?

[#7]

And some lucky people have so many referrals that they never pay subscriptions and do get monthly cheques

[#8]

Good afternoon 'Bruce47'
Thanks for your input ... unfortunately you were rather quick off the mark and had responded quicker than I had finished writing up.
The Plusnet 'Free Broadband' sent out last 10 Sept 2010 states ...

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Plusnet Get 3 months free broadband when you recommend a friend* Hello. 3 months free broadband for you and a friend. Our treat. Sounds like a tempting offer, doesn't it? And it's really easy to get. Simply recommend a friend to Plusnet before 10th October and we'll give you a whopping 3 months broadband completely free*. To sweeten the deal we'll give your friend 3 months free broadband too^. Even better, you'll still get our normal referral discounts on your bill each month Pass on this special link to ensure you and your friend both get 3 months free broadband: http://www.plus.net/latest_offers/ Make sure you give your Plusnet username to your friend so you get your discount. When prompted, your friend will need to enter the special code 'refer3' to get their 3 months free. All the best, Nick Rawlings Commercial & Marketing Director, Plusnet

There is nothing in the Terms and References for this offer to even suggest that an individual's referral discounts will not be paid or paid at the end of the three months.
http://community.plus.net/3mths_free_referrals/?WT.mc_id=ec_int_201009_Ref3m1&link=ReferrerOfferTerm...
As to your second point  my discounts have only just this last month become larger than my broadband subscription fee. Plusnet has neither sent me a cheque nor credited my direct debit account.
I also have my phone via Plusnet, so I do get a monthly bill of some £20 - £25 from which the referrals discount could be taken.
Bee good
Busybees

[#9]

just come out again

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Get up to a year of free broadband when you recommend friends. A year of free internet. Sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, it's simple. Recommend Plusnet to 3 friends before the 28th March and we'll reward you with a year's free internet1. What's more, if you don't manage to get 3 people, we'll still reward you for each person you sign up. Have a look at what you could earn: Friends signed up   Free months 1 = 3 2 = 6 3 = 12 Whoever you recommend is also on to a good thing as they'll get 3 months of free broadband2. Simply pass your Plusnet username to anyone you think would benefit from our good, honest broadband and make sure they sign up at the following page using the offer code 'refer3'. http://www.plus.net/refer The last date for anyone to sign up is the 28th March, when we'll work out how many referrals you've made and how much free broadband you've earned. And finally, because we really do appreciate your time, we'll even give you your normal referral discounts each month for every person you recommend. Service recommended   Monthly referral discount Value = 25p a month Extra = 50p a month Pro = 50p a month We'll store these credits up, so you'll get them when your free months have been used. To find out more about this great offer, please visit our referrals page. www.plus.net/referrals Why not try sharing this offer with your friends on Facebook or Twitter? All the best, Nick Rawlings Commercial & Marketing Director, Plusnet

[#10]

Hey Busybees,
I was helping our customer support teams this evening and came across your ticket.  I've had a good dig around in it (about an hour and a half!) and I think I've worked it out.  Have a look at your ticket and prod me if you think we've still got it wrong.
Sorry for the faff!   

[#11]

The only issue I have with schemes like this is that they don't reward customers fairly.
I have various forums I frequent, where I have a link for people to find out more about PN and sign-up if they wish.  Reading the email that was sent out last week; any customers who sign up following that link will not benefit.  Why can it not be a simple case of any referrals between now and 28th March gets the new customer the 3 months broadband free?