Made many mistakes thoughout my life. Did one today. So what did I do to put it right. I contacted O2.
That was my second mistake.
I have PAYG as I have very low usage, about £60-80 pa so no value in a contract. I let my credit drop very low (6p) & found that calling 4444 didn't work. Strange but it didn't connect to anything. So, online, top up via the web. (Just to be clear, I'm very PC savvy. I work in an IT environment & provide face-to-face support at work.)
Entered phone number, filled in the card details, topped up. Ooops, I entered the wronmg number. Ring customer services. No, that isn't possible. Try Live Chat; that feels very 0898, what are you wearing to my old head?, but gave it a try anyway.
What is the problem? I explained. Ring Payments Team, 03448090222. OK, thanks. Rings PT, automated service, 2 options, options 1...if you know the number you are ringing about press 1. I press 1. Automated service, tell me what you problem is. I'm having trouble topping up. Click, straight to the automated top up service. But I don't want that. I ring off & try again (don't say top up), try payment instead. The service explains how I can get to my bill. But I don't want that. I try again (don't say top up or payment). Try problem. Straight to top service. But I don't want that...back to live chat.
I explain again, Ring 03448090222. I explain this is an automated service & doesn't help. No, it isn't an automated service, press option 3. I patiently explain that it is an automated service & there are only 2 options. Long pause.
Option 1, comes back the Live Chat response. But what should I say. I laboriously explain that if I say, top up, bill, payment, I get some sort of automated service. Say payment problem. But while I'm doing this I am in the service again but saying nothing or making stupid noises down the phone. After a myriad I'm sorry I didn't get that responses, a menu.
Options 4 for cancellations. I try that. 20 minutes later I get a person. At this stage I have been at this for approximately an hour. Person explains that he will put me through to one of the Customer Service Team who will sort this out.
Only 2 or 3 minute wait on hold again. Another Person happily tells me this is nothing to do with O2. I need to contact my bank. Now, I can see that there might be logic in this but my next questions is, when I contact my bank & ask them to reverse the paymwnt (they may or may not but let's assume they say yes), the loser here will be O2. If the number that now has my top up (assuming it does & isn't just in limbo) uses that credit & the bank gets back the payment from O2; who has lost out?
I suspect I have lost out because I made the mistake. Hands up, my fault. My problem here is the dire customer service I have received and the 20 minutes of absolutely terrible music I had to put up with to get it.
Talk about insult to injury.
But there's more. The email I received confirming my (erroneous) top up had an email address in it for feedback. I duly send a polite but critical email. Surprisingly, this has been returned as undeliverable. I'm not surprised, I would hazard that the inbox has exceeded its capacity since it was emptied 10 minutes earlier.
Michael Price
