topic Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting... in Pay Monthly

O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 08:14:29 GMT

Hi guys,

I'm a pay monthly customer (24 month contract) at O2. I sent my Samsung galaxy S4 white for repairs due to battery and network connection problems(under warranty). The staff were friendly and happy to send it off.

2 weeks later I get a package and I open it to find a S3 mini Blue! With a note saying that they have repaired my phone.

Shocked and disappointed that I would have to wait longer for my phone, I took the S3 along with my repair receipt to the O2 store. The manager told me that she would handle this case personally. Since then I've had to chase them again and again for progress.

The manager has been working on my case and is friendly but bad at keeping communications; I’ve had to call her each time for updates.

I am now in my 8th week without a phone!

In terms of progress:

I was promised a replacement phone within two weeks but didn’t receive it and upon contacting and asking them for an explanation, they told me that it had been disapproved since the O2 repairs was blaming O2 store for not sending them my phone in the first place.
Then it was a reapproved by the franchise manager and yet I still received nothing and was told that they would chase it up again.
And lastly I was told that my phone had been sent for recycling by mistake and that I was being refunded. I was not told how much but that the payment had been made and should be in my account shortly. However, again, I got nothing. I contacted the manager was told that she would chase it up and I would be given a refund or a replacement phone and that I should contact her again on Monday (today 1/12/14)

Now, what I would like to know from you guys (please) is if there’s anything more which I can do? I’ve been very patient with them, having to endure 7 weeks without a phone and being charged monthly for it is very inconvenient and infuriating. Furthermore, the only replacement phone O2 offers its customers is an old £26 phone with no smart features such as email etc...

Any company especially a big one such as O2 should not be allowed to treat their customers like crap and not give them the respect they deserve. They should put their customers before profit and loss. I should have been given a replacement phone or a refund straight away as this was clearly their mistake, not mine.

Thanks for reading.

Kind regards,

Aniq

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 08:25:10 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum.

What an utter mess ! 😔

Please don't accept a phone that is in anyway less in spec and price than your original.

I'd speak to the manager again and or call customer services on 202.

Personally also if this was me I would think about escalating this to http://www.o2.co.uk/how-to-complain

They do offer only feature phones to lend while a customers phone is away for repairs.

Also we do suggest using the manufacturer uk support site to arrange repairs as they know their hardware and software better and we have recently heard some not so good stories from O2 repairs.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Cleoriff — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 08:48:05 GMT

Hi @Anonymous

An absolute disgrace. The key parts of this story are....they sent your phone for recycling by mistake..and you have been without a phone for nearly 8 weeks.

Therefore you are owed a phone of the same or similar specs asap.

It seems that you really have to keep badgering them for some sort of resolution.

Don't be tempted to cancel any direct debit payment. The only loser there would be yourself.

Our community coordinator @Toby frequently helps with issues of this nature. I am wondering whether he feels he could have an input into your case?

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

MI5 — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:00:37 GMT

Have you called a UK CS rep on 202 to discuss this?
It seems you are been given the run around, which is sadly the way things are with O2 at the moment 😞

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:22:10 GMT

Hello @Cleoriff @bandofbrothers @MI5

Thanks for the warm welcome and responses.

If I am given a replacement phone, should O2 refund the amount charged for the handset for the previous month? Also, considering the hassle I’ve had to go through, even a replacement phone of the same spec doesn’t sound appealing. I will be refunded (hopefully).

@AnonymousI will follow your advice and complain if I’m not given a definitive solution today

@Cleoriff thanks for the advice and I won’t be cancelling any direct debit payments as I would like to settle this as peacefully and as quickly as possible. And, I’m looking forward to hearing from @Toby

@MI5 I’ve not spoken to UK CS yet as the manager told me that she would handle this case personally and deal with them herself.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Bambino — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:42:42 GMT

I think you've waited long enough. In fact you shouldn't have waitied this long. Call Customer Services.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

MI5 — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:46:40 GMT

I echo that from Bambino.
Call CS and also ask that they refund you the time without your phone.....

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:47:17 GMT

What an absolute shambles! I'd be demanding the latest handest of my choice and compensation. What about all the personal info on the phone, as well as photos etc the OP may not have backed up, thinking that they would be getting their phone back!

With such a debacle to date, I'd be worried they haven't fully wiped the phone before disposing of it, and id be changing all my passwords/logins asap!!!

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Toby — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:49:38 GMT

Hi Aniq,

Sorry to hear about this situation. As Bambino has said, give customer services a call to see if you can get an update. If you do with no success, send me a private message and we can have a chat about this to see if I can help.

Cheers, Toby

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:49:47 GMT

You're welcome.

Make a list of what costs you've incurred and lost usage. Then put that forward in a constructive manner.

I certainly hope they see sense in this case and offer a reasonable solution.

Please let us know what they do / say.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Cleoriff — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 09:57:49 GMT

@Toby wrote:
Hi Aniq,

Sorry to hear about this situation. As Bambino has said, give customer services a call to see if you can get an update. If you do with no success, send me a private message and we can have a chat about this to see if I can help.

Cheers, Toby

Thanks for your input @Toby Lets hope @Anonymous has a better christmas than anticipated

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:25:37 GMT

This is the best (Worst) one yet. How anyone can call this customer service is beyond me.

As advised I'd call Customer Services and get

1) A brand new S4

2) A refund for the time without a phone

3) An apology in writing

4) A significant golden handshake

5) Option to terminate contract by mutual agreement (If that works in your favour)

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:33:03 GMT

Woww, so many responses! Thanks guys!

@Tobythanks and I’m going to speak to the manager of O2 Tooting for an update first. Depending on what she says, I will contact O2 CS if I’m asked to wait again. Also, I’m new to forums and don’t know how to send a private message.

@Anonymousthanks and in regards to the data on the phone, I backed up everything before sending it for repairs. I’m not a very confident person, especially not on the phone to someone; not sure how I would go about convincing them of refunding me and offering me compensation. But I will try.

@Anonymousthanks and I should have used better wording. By “without a phone” I mean without my phone. I’m not completely without a phone. I’ve borrowed and have been using a cheap alternative phone and haven’t really incurred much cost apart from the monthly phone payments O2 take out and the weird feeling of being without your personal phone for soo long

Thanks again guys, I will of course keep you all updated.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Cleoriff — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:33:25 GMT

Hi To send Toby a private message just look in his signature It gives you the link there.

Best of luck. Hope all goes well...

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 10:38:06 GMT

Ok but if you've not been able to utilise say your data and they'll be able to tell from your usage pattern they hopefully will take that into consideration.

As I suggested make a decision to what would appease you reasonably and see what they say.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

jonsie — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 11:27:18 GMT

Put a clear and precise case to complaints. Tell them what they need to do to satisfy you. The very lady is a brand new phone and a hefty reduction in your monthly tariff charge.

There is no excuse for such utter incompetence and apathy in dealing with this. I would be firing off an email complaint to the CEO. PM me if you want the email address....

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Toby — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:03:47 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Woww, so many responses! Thanks guys!

@Tobythanks and I’m going to speak to the manager of O2 Tooting for an update first. Depending on what she says, I will contact O2 CS if I’m asked to wait again. Also, I’m new to forums and don’t know how to send a private message.

Sorry for not making that clear! Use the link below to send me a private message if you would like to. There's a link in the top-right where it says 'Contact me'

http://community.o2.co.uk/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/60444

Let us know how you get on with customer service

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Anonymous — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:53:18 GMT

Hey guys,

Just to update you guys, I tried ringing the store but the manager was busy in a manager's meeting so I contact CS instead. They said that the only thing they can do is offer me a refurbished S4 and nothing more and if I want a refund or compensation then I would have to contact the store again.

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

Cleoriff — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:40:57 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hey guys,

Just to update you guys, I tried ringing the store but the manager was busy in a manager's meeting so I contact CS instead. They said that the only thing they can do is offer me a refurbished S4 and nothing more and if I want a refund or compensation then I would have to contact the store again.

I wouldn't be happy with that! It appears O2 CS are passing the buck back to the O2store. ...Let us know the outcome if you do eventually get to speak to the manager. They cant be in 'meetings' all day...:smileysad:

Re: O2 lost my phone - 7 whole weeks without a phone and counting...

jonsie — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 17:03:40 GMT

Take it to the top and don't settle for a refurbished. ...