After taking out insurance with my iPhone on purchasing one would assume there would be no issue should the need arise to claim from it - how wrong could I be!
After my iPhone landed in the washing up bowl courtesy of our new kitten, I called O2 to make a claim and await the replacement handset as per the terms of my insurance. I spoke with a lovely lady, who took all the details of what had happened, put it all onto her system and went through to her insurance team, to come back on the line and tell me I don't have insurance! After a little digging she discovered that on changing my tarrif earlier in the year the O2 advisor at the time had failed to carry over my insurance policy. I was assured I would receive a call half an hour later to process my claim.
2 hours passed and no call, on calling back at 2pm I was told I did in fact have insurance but that the previous advisor was still investigating my account with the insurance team and a message would be sent to her to call me. 3 hours later - still no call.
I called O2 again, to advise that I was waiting on information and what was the situation. Told by a third advisor that I did have insurance on my account but the insurance team closed at 1pm! Interesting how advisor no2 informed me my account was still being investigated at 2pm. The third advisor took all of my details and promised me a call back by 12noon the next day. I informed him that although my bill was due I would not be making any payments until this was resolved as it was an O2 error and given the response of 'not a problem, I'll put your account on hold which means you won't have any issues and when we get your new iPhone to you, you can make payment then as a goodwill gesture as this is our fault'
12noon comes the next day! No phone call! So I call O2 again, I'm put through directly to the insurance team to be told yes I have insurance on my account but they need me to pass security so transfer me to customer services who will transfer me straight back to insurance.
Enter customer services advisor number 4 - who tells me I don't have insurance! And refuses to put me back through to the insurance team! After 45 minutes and my threats to go to social media, advisor number 4 gets her manager who admits that it is entirely O2's error and authorises for insurance to be re-added to my account, the account to be held and a claim to be processed within 24 hours. Advisor number 4 promises to call back as soon as the policy shows as active and low and behold does so!
On calling me the next morning, advisor number 4 tells me that the policy is now active and the account held but the issue is that the damage occured prior to the policy starting. Advisor number 4 tells me after speaking with 'Sam' in insurance, the best option would be to call later that day to resubmit my claim with the date of that day. I'm informed there will be no issues and thanked for being so calm and understanding of the situation. That all I have to do is give O2 customer services a call and submit my claim which will then be processed straight away and a new handset sent out within 24 hours.
That evening, I make the call - Advisor number 5 states yes sure no problem, takes all of the details, puts the claim onto the system and then states my balance is overdue! I explain that the account is on hold and this claim was authorised by a manager. Advisor number 5 refuses to read the account notes and states that regardless of what has been agreed and noted, the balance is overdue and until payment is received she will not process my claim any further.
After 30 minutes of telling her that this has all been pre-discussed and authorised, she states to me it is T&C's and again repeats that regardless of what has been agreed by a manager she will not process the claim. On my explaining to her that this is unsatisfactory and how I have been told 5 differing versions of events and told I would have no further issues I am unhappy with the level of customer service especially as this is entirely down to O2, and if she isn't prepared to follow the notes on my account I will have no option but to take this to social media she says 'Go ahead' and puts the phone down on me!
Excellent customer service O2, after having an account with you for numerous years I am now considering looking elsewhere as clearly you are not willing to take care of your customers nor accept your own faults. This is entirely an O2 error which has now left me without a phone for 5 days and every promise I have been made has not been adhered to.
I would not recommend you to anyone further at this stage. Has anyone else experienced issues?
