I am writing this
to express my profound disappointment and dismay regarding my recent experience with your customer service. As a loyal customer of Virgin Media, and subsequently O2, for approximately 20 years, my recent phone call has not only left me deeply frustrated but has also completely undermined my trust in your company.
On Thursday 18th September at 5:06pm, I called your customer service team to request a new SIM for my youngest daughter. For 20 years, I have enjoyed adding and managing SIMs under consistent and predictable terms. I expected a similar experience, but what transpired was entirely different.
I was informed by an advisor (who identified themselves as Mary) that my long-standing discount was no longer valid. This was apparently a result of my migration from Virgin Media, which seems to have been used as a pretext to dramatically increase my costs. The price quoted for adding a new SIM was £79, which is a significant and frankly exorbitant increase compared to my current per-SIM cost of £10.50. This represents a transparent money grab, leveraging my status as a long-term customer during the merger.
This interaction was made worse by the poor quality of the customer service I received. The conversation was difficult and awkward, leading me to believe the advisor was incentivised by commission rather than being motivated to provide a satisfactory solution. This experience is a stark departure from the consistently positive service I received from Virgin Media and is frankly indicative of a business model that no longer values its existing customer base.
To be clear, my complaint is twofold:
- The arbitrary removal of my legacy discount and the inflated pricing offered for a new SIM. The value proposition that kept me as a long-term customer has been unilaterally eroded post-merger.
- The unacceptable standard of customer service, which was unhelpful, unprofessional, and appeared to be driven by financial motives rather than customer satisfaction.
I demand a fair resolution to this issue. I expect you to honour my long-term loyalty and offer a new SIM for my daughter at a reasonable rate consistent with the terms I previously enjoyed. I also expect a proper investigation into the conduct of your customer service team.
As a consumer, I am aware of my rights and the role of the Communications Ombudsman. If this matter is not resolved to my satisfaction, I will not hesitate to escalate my complaint.
I expect a response and a clear path to resolution within five working days.
