Hi All
I like to share my current experiences regarding my home phone billing and perhaps nominate PN for having least customer service skills in the industry.
Perhaps this tale will provoke PN into a grown-up response rather than justifying process as a means to block customer service.
This long and complex tale starts simply enough.......
Yesterday, I had an e-mail from PN, saying my phone service was suspended because I'd breached my credit limit of £50 by £5 and that I would be charged £5.68 as well. I was a bit surprised as I hadn't recieved any of the warning e-mails allowing me to increase credit in time.
I thought that a simple call to customer services would clear this up. So I dial the 0845 number and am told I am being routed to credit control. Oh well, I thought they'll do as well as anyone. Whilst waiting for someone to answer I started looking at my on-line bill.
In particular the call summary which showed this for other calls (premium rate). I know that I had been making premium rate calls, but I just wanted to check how much they had cost me.
Call Type Total Calls Duration (hh:mm:ss) Total Cost Options
Other 7 00:39:00 £31.87 View details
So I drilled down, to see the following.......
Date of call Number called Time of call Duration Included mins Cost
28/08/2009 09042450100 14:15:39 00:09:00 no £11.71
21/08/2009 08715501010 09:18:47 00:08:00 no £0.87
19/08/2009 09042450100 20:02:41 00:03:00 no £3.96
19/08/2009 09042450100 19:56:52 00:04:00 no £5.25
TOTAL: £31.87
I pointed out there were only 4 calls adding up to £21 or so, which would leave me within my credit limit.
I said given this, I didn't have any confidence in PN's billing system and how could they be sure I had exceeded my limit. I was given a long explanation about how I could have made calls in last 4 hours (which I hadn't).
I then discovered that a call I paid for last month is being billed again this month, this was only a cursory glance, so there maybe more . I showed the lady the two calls and she mentioned there was an issue regarding duplicate calls to be resolved.
However, I could get my service restarted if I topped up my account. I said I didn't want to do this as I don't think I have exceed my credit limit. I also mentioned that I am a good customer of many years who has always paid his bills.
At this point I felt obliged to say, PN are making their internal issues my problem and whilst I am happy to pay for all calls that I make, could they re-enable my service until they resolve the issue. I also asked to speak to supervisor as the call centre person could not resolve this. "Ok", she says, only to return a couple of minutes later to tell me "All the supervisors are in quality meeting". After me expressing confusion about the difference between "quality meetings" andcustomer issues, it was agreed I would be called back.
6 hours later, still no call returned, so I dial back again. This time I speak to
[CSA Name Removed], who informs me he can fix my problem , when I mention I was hoping to speak to a supervisor, he tells me he is one. So I go through the whole explaination again.
[CSA Name Removed] tells me I have to top up. I explain why I don't think I should, he tells me that this is the only why to get phone service again.
I suggest that I talk to his manager, "No" I am a manager, "OK, someone senior then, who can resume my service". "No, no one higher in the company will talk to me and no one in the company can resume my service whilst there is an outstanding query, he is the best I will get".
after somemore pointless debate, I think, this going nowhere fast. I am still being polite and producing reasoned arguments (to my mind anyway). So I suggest a way forward, unblock my line, up my credit limit and don't charge me the £5.68 fee. "Not possible, because I have to top up and pay for the calls I have made." I explained that we should explore his statement and agree when is logic became flawed.....
Me "You can see you are billing me for at least one call twice, do you have confidence in what you are saying"
[CSA Name Removed] "Yes, we can't unblock until we investigate"
M "But this is your issue"
N "You can top up"
M "But do you know that I have exceed my limit"
N "You can top up"
M "How can we resolve this?"
N "You can top up and anyway the phone service is only an add-on to the broadband, so we don't care so much" (This is as close to the direct quote as I remember)
M "Wow, do you mean that? And can I quote you when I write to complain?"
N "Sure"
M "Ok, I see no resolution here, call me when it's fixed"
So nothing happens all day, so I choose to top up. I feel really let down, I'm a good customer who's bearing the brunt of internal pain. I shan't be recommending anyone else to PN and I will be looking to move to someone else. Sad after a few years, but the measure of a company is how treats customers and PN showed me what I am worth to them.
(For what it's worth my job is selling and implementing billing systems for Telcos, so I do know what I'm talking about. Unlike PN staff who feel the need to pretend.)
UPDATE As at 10:00pm on day 2, no resolution or phone call from PN to let me know what's happening.
One very unhappy customer
Stoneyard
[Moderator's note by Thomas (Be3G): agent's name removed as per the forum rules.](sorry Be3G, won't make the mistake again)
