Unbelievably bad customer service. 8 days, hours of calling and waiting, still not resolved.

[Anonymous]

My phone service went down at my home 8 days ago.  I am self employed and use my phone for work.  o2 said a mast is broken but they have no idea of when it will be fixed because nobody can get in touch with any engineer's.  Maybe phone them?  o2 is supposed to be a phone company.

EVERY person right up to the mangers were RUDE, condesending and I left with out answer.  

Even the guy in the shop!  I have worked in call centres and realise how frustrating it can get but belive me i was nothing but polite.  

Having been an o2 customer for years and experienced nothing but great customer service i was really shoked.  I feel completly left in the dark (not only by the fact my phone is not working but by the company) and the only way to sort this is through legal action to get out of my contract so my company can get back on it's feet.  If anyone else has exprienced this please let me know because i am at my witts end.  Thank you .

[MI5]

If you feel suitably aggrieved follow the complaints procedure http://service.o2.co.uk/IQ/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE?New,Kb=Companion,question=ref(User):str(Mobile),C...

[Anonymous]

I have.  They said they will get back to me with in 10 days.  That was 4 days ago.  But this means i am with out service for 10 days before they even replie.  So that will be 12 days without any service.  Why do i even need to complain?  Why can this not just be sorted by someone on the phone?

[perksie]

I guess people will always appear rude and condescending when they can't give you the answer you want, but the network side don't pass that info back to CS so they can't.

At least you know the problem is being worked on and they won't want a mast out of operation for any longer than necessary.

The only redress you might get is a goodwill gesture of some cash back if the repair lasts for an extended time.

Considering the weather and working conditions repairs are no doubt taking a bit longer than usual.

[jonsie]

I always wonder why people whp rely on their mobile for business at home have no other contingency plan.

Just saying

[Anonymous]

Maybe having a payg mobile on a different network.

Then you could leave a personalised voicemail greeting on your 02 account saying please use this number to contact me etc etc.

I'm not defending the network but like already said by Jonsie a contingency plan is a good move.

Good luck with your complaint.

[Anonymous]

Unplanned outages (where a mast suddenly goes down): O2 aren't going to know in advance of it happening so everything is reactive.

The honest answer (and presumably the one you've had) is that they don't know how long it will take to fix.

The reason for that is that there are so many variables that may/may not affect things,

1) Access. O2 don't always own the land their masts are situated on. They therefore have to agree access with the landowner. Some landowners are easier to deal with than others. Mast sites have actually been decomissioned before and a new one built in another location because of access issues with beligerant landowners.

2) Health and safety issues. If its not safe to climb up the mast then it won't happen. Weather can play a large part in this. As can time of day - ie daylight hours only.

3) Whats wrong with the mast. Is it a small issue of a loose connection that can be fixed on the first visit, or are there replacement parts needed? If so theres a time required to order parts in (large mast components can hardly be sitting in the engineer's van...). Can the mast even be fixed or does it have to be decomissioned?

4) Decomissioning. To build a new mast takes time, in some cases up to and over 6 months. There is planning permission to go through, including objections from the public (the same people that use the services) as they don't want an unsightly mast near their homes.

So, just a few examples of what can affect things. You can see from that that no two mast failures are ever the same. Thats why no timescale is given.

Push/Complain/Shout as much as you wish, the only answer you are going to get about timescales is that there isn't one.

You'll be compensated for the time lost without access to the service. O2 don't have to (see your Ts and Cs) but they generally will as a goodwill gesture.

As for running a business from your mobile, at home. Why not have a plan B like a landline / a pay/go mobile on another network. Most successful business have contingency plans and don't rely heavily on one particular contact method.

[Anonymous]

Ok but why should i have a contigency plan for something i am paying for that should work?  The point being i seriously think this not being sorted.  I have been fobbed off with no answer and no end in sight to my problem.  Tommorow will be 9 days. 

I appriciate telling me what the reasons are for not getting to the mast etc.  But why has o2 not given me any reason?  You would not take your car to a garage and the mechanic say "no idea when it will be fixed and we dont know whats wrong with it"  or they would deffintely get it fixed in a day or so but 8 days!?  

To be honest it is the way i have been treated that is the worst thing and that makes me angry.  And the fact that nobody has taken responsibility for the problem.  Maybe they have had cuts in thier customer service due to the reccession.  Who knows but what was once a company i stayed with soley for their customer care has turned into one who totally ignores loyal customers.   

[Anonymous]

Use a landline or are they now extinct. Plus the bad weather didn't help so there is no grounds for legal

[perksie]

Getting angry won't help, you have been given all the possibilities here, now you will have to wait until it's fixed.

You are no different to any other customer and have had the same response as anyone else, they are dealing with it.

There is no way of getting more information, sorry.