Hopeless Customer Service

[Anonymous]

I think I have just spent around 4 hours today on the phone to O2 and I have got absolutely nowhere!

Let me explain, I have been with O2 for over 10 years now and because of this I am on a really old billing system which only a few people at O2 can access. I have been trying to upgrade my handset today, but depending on whom I spoke to would depend on my upgrade date eligibility. Earlier this year I enquired as to my upgrade date and was informed 23rd July, so I phone up and after being transferred 4 times (and to the same lady twice who sounded very sheepish) was told that I can upgrade in October this year but she could not access all of my notes (due to my billing system) so she transferred me to another lady who then told me that I could upgrade in Jan 2011, so I said thanks but bye.
Then after 2 minutes O2 call me to tell me that I can upgrade now?!?!? And what handset am I looking at.
I told them I have 3 handsets I am looking at (HTC Desire, Samsung Galaxy S, or the SE X10, as all are android with a 1 GHz chip) the best he or retentions could come up with is a minimum of £30 pm over 24 months. So again it was thanks but no thanks.

After doing a bit of research a whole host of firms e.g. carphone warehouse, phones4u, & dailafone, are doing most if not all of these handsets for £25 pm over 24 months and with more minutes.
I then called to ask for my PAC code to leave and was told that even though I can upgrade now I, cannot leave now as I am still in contract until Feb 2011!!
How is it possible to upgrade 6 months before the end of a contract but not leave (without paying for a PAC)
The woman was quite rude pretty much saying 'either way, you are with us until 2011 unless you buy yourself out'
Has anybody else had such incompetent service? And why can't O2 retentions match other providers???

Sorry for the long rant, but this has drove me bonkers today!! :robotmad: :robotmad:

[Anonymous]

Its common knowledge that you can upgrade early, the more you spend the earlier you can upgrade. It doesn't mean you can cancel.

I don't see how its hopeless, when you had difficulty they called you back and offered a solution. Which you are free to accept or not.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate that I can accept their offer or not, but why is their offer uncompetitive compared to other providers?

Also, why is it that I can go to the Carphone Warehouse for example and get a far better deal on a handset, ironically on the O2 network, than what O2 themselves can offer.

I don't expect a mega deal because I have been with them for 10 years just a deal that can match others out there.

And going back to my original post, why is it that in the space of a 10 minute call, I can get 3 different answers to the same question?

[Anonymous]

I agree that the information being given is a little confusing hence the callback.

Its all about choice !

Dont upgrade and see if you can lower your package to the lowest possible and only use the package mins/texts etc.

Then go to another retailer and open up a new contract.

ok you'll have two contracts running but at least you can have the handset you want.

Or buy out the remaining months.

Or buy it sim free or on payg and put your contract sim in it.

or buy it from somewhere like a highstreet store that deal in traded in handsets such as c.e.x.

[Anonymous]

Some very good advice from chunky.
And its practical too. A far better approach and less stressful than getting all upset about a perceived slight.

[Anonymous]

4 hours trying to resolve a problem is a blessing, my issues have been discussed for at least 6 hours per month over an 18 month period.

Since Telefonica took over o2, customer services have gone down hill irrespective of the loyalty you have shown them. This is not the fault of the advisor but the system they have to operate with, I have been a customer for 23 years !

If o2 concentrated on cellular communications instead of having fingers in non related pies they probably could compete with others, assuming they cared about retaining you of course.

[Anonymous]

I think I have just spent around 4 hours today on the phone to O2 and I have got absolutely nowhere!
Let me explain, I have been with O2 for over 10 years now and because of this I am on a really old billing system which only a few people at O2 can access. I have been trying to upgrade my handset today, but depending on whom I spoke to would depend on my upgrade date eligibility.

Just for you own info I am in the same position. The billing system that you are probably on is called "DICE" or at least that is how you pronounce it. As I understand it this is no longer the consumer billing platform and you are clasified as a consumer contract on the business billing system.

If you ask the person you talk to to put you through to someone who has access to DICE then should understand what you are talking about.

Also for your info I now have a smart phone on a contract on that billing system, which apparently should never happen and if you want my advice you don't want to get into that position because you data usage will not be supported properly.

If you want a smart phone you need to move onto a smart phone tariff on the new system. My advice would be to get hold of someone at O2 who understands what you are talking about and get them to move your account to the new billing system before you upgrade. Once the account transfer has been done then do the upgrade.

The upgrades team can do the whole thing in one go but if they get it wrong your phone can lose service until it is sorted out. i.e. if you go that route never do it at the end of a week, always the beginning.

A number of the comments here are critical of O2 and I agree they have got worse lately. If you persevere and get through to someone who really understands how their internal systems work then you can usually get everything sorted out pretty quickly.