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O2's arbitrary loyalty reward policy

Anonymous
Not applicable

I always had a good experience with O2 but looks like my time with O2 is over.  Both me and my husband have a contract with O2.  We bought the same scheme so our contracts were bought on same day, had same allowances and phone.  Overall, we both have been with O2 for exactly the same duration.  When our contracts ended, we wanted to move to sim only deal.  Financially we have similar incomes, same credit cards, etc etc.

 

Now a high street established company is offering the O2 sim only deal (as a new contract) we wanted for almost a third of price (with automatic cashback). So we thought rather than the hassle of buying a new contract and then transfering our existing number to the new contract, we might try to see if we are eligible for loyalty bonus.

 

We went through live chat.  My husband was offered a £3/month loyalty bonus which he accepted (even though it was still much less than what we were getting through this national retailor) and I was going through the process when the live chat was terminated by O2 (why??).  Anyhow I contact them again and I was told that I can't get the loyalty bonus even though my husband who is in exactly the same circumstances as mine was given the bonus a minute ago.  They can't tell me the reasons for variation in loyalty bonuses and why suddenly the stance has changed (It seems that they don't really have any reasons and the whole process is arbitrary and depends on who you speak to).

 

 

The conversation my husband had was like this

 

"O2 : M***a: What I can offer you is  £16 tariff(12 months Simplicity) where you'll get 1000 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB data with unlimited O2 wifi.
O2 : M***a: However as you are a loyal customer so I can offer you £3.00 loyalty discount so the deal would be for £13.00
O2 : M***a: Or
O2 : Mo***a: You can go with £20 tariff(12 months Simplicity) where you'll get unlimited minutes, unlimited texts and 3GB data with unlimited O2 wifi.
O2 : M***a: And I will provide £4.00 loyalty discount so the deal would be for £16.00.
O2 : M***a: Which means you will get unlimited minut/txt + 3GB in £16.00."

 

 

5 Minutes later the conversation with me was like this:

 

V***a: Thank you for waiting. 
V***a: With us you can go for 12 months SIM only £16.00 tariff including VAT which includes 1000 minutes to any network, unlimited texts, 1 GB of data, and unlimited O2 Wi-Fi every month.
V***a: Should I arrange this deal for you?
Me: no
me: Because if I go through carphone warehouse, I can get the same deal for much less
V***a: I'm sorry, but this is the best I can offer with this deal. 
Me: My husband who has been on the same contract as me for exactly the same duration has been offered a loyalty discount
Me: That's why I asked you to transfer me to the person who was dealing with my upgrade
Me: his number is 07xxxxxxxxx(name xxxxx), you can check his records
V***a: I can understand your concern, but the discount may vary account to account. 
V***a: And for this account this is the best I can offer. 
Me: on what grounds can they vary? Surely you are not saying it's arbitary
Me: Well but your colleague was offering a loyalty discount
V***a:  please try to understand as I mentioned the discounts may vary from account to account. 
info: We'll email a copy of your chat transcript to xxxxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com. 
Me: of course but can you explain on what grounds can they vary?
Me: because we both had the exactly same contract with same phone and bought on same day, contract is matured at same day. 
V***a: I'm sorry, I can not comment on that. I'm from re contract team and can only help you with the deal available for your account. 

 

This is obviously not right and displays double standards.  I know, no one is obliged to have loyalty bonus but if a firm starts dealing an individual preferably over others that too without any criterion then surely that organisation can't be trusted.

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Anonymous
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You could go to the next level to escalate this :

http://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain/complain

Good luck and perhaps let us know how you get on.
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MI5
Level 94: Supreme
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That does seem very unfair to me....
I have no affiliation whatsoever with O2 or any subsidiary companies. Comments posted are entirely of my own opinion. This is not Customer Service so we are unable to help with account specific issues.

Currently using:
Pixel 7a (O2 & Lyca), One Plus 6 (Sfr), iPhone 12 Pro Max (Vodafone)
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Anonymous
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You could go to the next level to escalate this :

http://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain/complain

Good luck and perhaps let us know how you get on.
Message 3 of 11
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Anonymous
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I'm more interested in the fact that someone has been given a "Loyalty bonus" when we have been told for the past couple of years that all old and new customers are treated the same.

 

How many other people have been given a loyalty bonus compared to others who have asked and didn't get one?

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Anonymous
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O2 do still give loyalty discounts to certain customers I don't know why it's only certain ones though it really should be all or nothing
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Anonymous
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Slightly Off Topic but a big Welcome back to @Anonymous

slight_smile
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Anonymous
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Brilliant to see @Anonymous back ☺
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Anonymous
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Thanks guys:)
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L_W_Ward
Level 12: Nimble
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Could it be based on the monthly usage between both of you? 

 

On a side note I upgraded from one Refresh account to another and they priced matched the offer i found at Vodaphone. I got the handset at a reduced amount and a discount on my line rental. I even got £80 cashback but that was via a third party site. I wonder why they didn't price match your sim deal?

iPhone 13 Pro Max 25gBG,
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Anonymous
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@Anonymous wrote:

I'm more interested in the fact that someone has been given a "Loyalty bonus" when we have been told for the past couple of years that all old and new customers are treated the same.

 

How many other people have been given a loyalty bonus compared to others who have asked and didn't get one?


Hi @Anonymous   The "same treatment for all old and new customers" has I think been well and truly abandoned, if it was ever actually applicable.  When I upgraded in March this year, O2 price matched CWH offer and let me have handset without the up-front payment that my chosen tariff involved.  They were not that happy about it and I had to give them evidence of the CWH offer etc but in they end they agreed.  I know that is not the same as a loyalty bonus but it does indicate that a bit of haggle will work. 

One of their arguments for dealing direct with O2 rather than through CWH was that I would have access to superb O2 Customer Support that CWH could not offer!   That still brings a smile to my wrinkled visage.

 

Gerry

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