Plusnet Rewards: Playing hard to get?

[#1]

I feel rather conned by Plusnet after signing up to a contract for more money than I would ever have been comfortable with after being promised cashback.

I spoke to an advisor in chat message before completing the order to reassure myself I would get it. They assured me I would receive a Reward Card after 3 months.

This turned out to he completely false information and by the time it got to 3 months and I phoned up to chase my reward... it had conveniently expired because actually I was emailed a link to claim it 10 days after the order. I go back through all my emails and of course there is no link email ever recieved. I did get all my billing emails tho. Lucky that. I complained rather heavily and they agreed to go back and see the convo with the advisor about misleading me and call me back... of course, they havent! Totally unfair, now I am stuck! 

Maybe I was stupid to believe 3 months but what went through my head was that they might be covering themselves from people getting their rewards and then cancelling early. Turns out they arent worried about us screwing them, its vise versa! Feeling conned. Wish to leave asap Wont ever come back Would advise people thinking about buying on the basis of the reward to watch out!

Moderators Note: Post content changed to OPs request.

[#2]

When I signed up plusnet were offering £50 cashback reward via cheque which other than receiving somebody elses cheque at the same time as my own (which i was going to mail forward until a mass letter went out explaining it was a mass error and new cheques had been printed) (Awesome job leaking customer information to random people Plusnet!) . I recieved my cheque the same week my line went live and everything was finalized so the fact you were told wait 3 months is alarming o_O.

[#3]

@Myadvise - I wouldn't go so far as caling Pusnet Rewards a scam.  Mainly because I would be opening myself up to a charge of libel. 

Having said that, I do agree that the way Plusnet operate their various Rewards schemes leaves a lot to be desired. Previously, I was with BT and they offered a £125 Reward Card to new customers. The card turned up within a couple of weeks. No mess, no fuss.

The Plusnet Reward card, on the other hand, was very difficult to get hold of. It was only because I kept persuing it that I eventually received the PN Reward Card. It should not be necessary to have to chase and chase - just to get something which was originally promised.

It seems to me that the Plusnet Rewards system has been deliberately designed to "weed out" as many customers as possible - by making it easy for us to fail to follow one of their "rules". It is amost as if Plusnet don't actually want their customers to succeed in getting the Rewards promised by them. 

[#4]

Im not opening myself up to anything. In my opinion the Plusnet rewards are promised to you to get you to sign up. I was told by their advisor in a chat that I have a copy of that I would "just receive" a cheque after 3 months which now turns out to be a lie. I was then told on the phone that a link was actually sent out after 10 days which is another lie, because it wasnt.. and that the offer is now expired so I cant get it. They promised to look into it and phone me, of course they havent!

In my opinion this is a scam! You are influenced to sign up to something on the benefit of a reward THEY KNOW you are VERY unlikely to get. They dont put an advert up saying "be in with a chance to win your reward!" Or we will give you a reward but its a gamble on the basis your email comes through and youre lucky enough to click that link! They promise you the cashback, but you dont get it. Complete and utter sham!

[#5]

@Myadvise - Of course, you are free to say whatever you want.  I'm only saying that I (me) wouldn't call it a scam - because some Plusnet customers (like me) do receive the Reward - eventually. 

Like I said, it seems to me that Plusnet deliberately designed their Rewards "system" to be as difficult as possible.  And equally difficult to prove they are in breach of contract by failing to deliver promised rewards e.g. in a Small Claims Court.

I would like to know what percentage of PN customer's actually receive their promised Reward?  And do PN "advisors" have targets to prevent as many customers as possible from actually getting their promised Reward? Just asking questions here, you understand.

[#6]

I hear what you are saying and yes some people do eventually get them. But I would imagine its very likely that only a certain percentage of people are ever sent that link, so for the other half who are not sent it in hopes we will never chase it are being scammed! For the people who do get it or think to chase it because they are better informed than I was are the lucky few it seems! I am a regular checker of junk emails and i never ever had this email link come to me. I would have chased it had I known 10 days was the agreement but was told 3 months.

I think this should be advertised clearly when you sign up what the process is. There was all this in the news recently about broadband companies not being clear about line rental and broadband charges... this con will eventually be highlighted. Because its just misleading and unfair. If they do it on purpose knowing 50% more or less will never get it.. maybe con is a better word but its not right. My advise to people, dont risk it and go else where. Its not worth the hassle trying to get it.

[#7]

I am sorry that you feel this way. I can assure you we're not trying to con anyone.

I will take feedback on board, and I will pass on suggestions and comments raised in this thread.

[#8]

To Plusnet: Your various "opaque" rewards schemes will cost you business in the long run. In your adverts, you promised "good honest broadband" and "plain speaking broadband". All well and good but your rewards schemes are letting you down.

To date, I have found the broadband and also the customer service to be good. However, due to the unnecessarily complicated (and delayed) reward process, I will not be renewing when my existing Plusnet contract expires in October 2020.

If you want to retain customers, I suggest you look at your rewards schemes and either overhaul them or ditch them completely. No doubt, your modelling shows that these pay off due to "customer inertia", i.e. a significant proportion of customers will stay on beyond the end of their initial contract. Well, not me - come October, I'm switching. I will be looking for an ISP that doesn't have any rewards/incentives nonsense.

[#9]

I take your comments on board. 

I do feel though, that it's a shame that you're leaving us when you've stated our broadband and customer service to be good, in-spite of the problems with the cashback.

[#10]

The broadband is better than our previous supplied however, now we aren't balancing our costs out with the promised reward I am paying almost double, so that cancels that out. I cannot use my computer upstairs because the connection constantly breaks, even in the room above the router so.. not worth the high cost at all.

Secondly, your customer service is borderline terrible for such a big company! You offer an online chat service that is almost ALWAYS offline, despite the fact that I have tried to use it multiple times over the last 3 months in the morning, afternoon and evening. Always saying - offline! You don't offer a way to email leaving the only option but to ring an 0800 number from my mobile which isn't free! Nightmare!! 

Thirdly, I don't care if you were the bees knees of broadband! I feel like I have been duped out of something by you therefore I feel absolutely livid about handing over every penny to you every month and I am counting down the months until the cancellation fee becomes affordable (not a fixed £50 early termination fee but actually currently stand at £160, I've already tried to leave you!) I will never recommend you to anyone and most of my family and friends value my option because I am the techy family member. I know it means nothing to you in my little circle, but then I am not the only one that has been stiffed out of their reward and over time my our little circles will become a large number of people. 

Just to update people on the situation, Plusnet took 8 weeks to come back to me on the investigation to say, they can't find the conversation I had with the advisor stating that he told me three months and they won't look into it any further. Completely ignored the fact that I told them I hit the 'send me the conversation' button when I had it and that I have the conversation and can prove he said 3 months - not interested. 

I give up, I cannot wait to be rid of you. 

[#11]

0800 numbers have been free to call from mobiles since 2015.

OFCOM link

[#12]

I didn’t realise that. But that’s 1 plus in a bucket of negatives. Waiting on hold and press this 1 for this 2 for that. Nobody likes calling.. the chat service should work.