Virgin Media : Call center.
Virgin Media : Call center.
Author
Discussion

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Probably the worst customer service experience I have ever come across.

Three times I have rung now, asked them to activate a v+ box I have bought. And three times I have been mid explaining the problem and twice they have hung up on me. Now on the third call and its going back and forth from faults to customer service. I have asked to speak with a manager and two of the times tey said I had to call back to do this LOL. And the other time she told me a v+ box was £49.99. I didn't ask the price you idiot. FFS

How do I get out of this vicious circle? And no, I can't have sky.

So pissed off. And the bit that gets me is each one makes up a different reason, they are all bs.

Edited by okgo on Saturday 13th June 18:20

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

233 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Bin the telly and go outside and not bother with brain sucking crap


Sayes the man posting on PH

Jasandjules

72,574 posts

258 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Can you not go online and use the web interface to contact them?

TheEnd

15,370 posts

217 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Throw it in the Thames!

jamoor

14,506 posts

244 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Get a card sharing box or a chipped box to teach them a lesson.

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Give up with it. Cancelling the whole lot.

Allanv

3,540 posts

215 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
I thought all equipment from virgin was essentially rented to the customer in with the subscription therefore it should be impossible to buy a second hand unit from anywhere. As it has to be returned to virgin if you leave or upgrade.

I might have it wrong though.

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.

robinhood21

31,111 posts

261 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
I'm a tad confused. I have V+ with Virgin and could not purchase the box like one can with Sky, but have to pay Virgin £5 per month for the privilege.

mouseymousey

2,642 posts

266 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
robinhood21 said:
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
I'm a tad confused. I have V+ with Virgin and could not purchase the box like one can with Sky, but have to pay Virgin £5 per month for the privilege.
Correct, you never own the V+ box, it's just rented.

In answer to the original question I have found the best way to get to speak to someone who can help you is to ask for the retentions department. When you're through to them tell them you will cancel all your services unless they can get someone to actually help. Works every time for me.

Saddle bum

4,211 posts

248 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Dealing with Virgin Media and its call centres has been one of the worse experiences of my life. I am not joking or exaggerating.

I liken it to trying to nail a jelly to the wall.

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
I know its not their fault, but I can't help going fking mental when I can't get the problem sorted

anonymous-user

83 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
Saddle bum said:
Dealing with Virgin Media and its call centres has been one of the worse experiences of my life. I am not joking or exaggerating.

I liken it to trying to nail a jelly to the wall.
Not a patch on BT, who seem to be in a parallel dimension of absolute awfulness. I spent well over an hour on the phone to various call centres (alternating between India and Scotland apparently) just trying to get a line installed into my house, I was considering self-harm towards the end.

Yet when I phoned up to cancel, the entire process only took 2 minutes confused Isn't it supposed to work the other way around?

J500ANT

3,103 posts

268 months

Saturday 13th June 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
Probably the worst customer service experience I have ever come across.
You've never called 3, or MBNA, or Capital One, have you?

Greedydog

966 posts

224 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
Symbolica said:
Saddle bum said:
Dealing with Virgin Media and its call centres has been one of the worse experiences of my life. I am not joking or exaggerating.

I liken it to trying to nail a jelly to the wall.
Not a patch on BT, who seem to be in a parallel dimension of absolute awfulness. I spent well over an hour on the phone to various call centres (alternating between India and Scotland apparently) just trying to get a line installed into my house, I was considering self-harm towards the end.

Yet when I phoned up to cancel, the entire process only took 2 minutes confused Isn't it supposed to work the other way around?
Oh don't get me started on BT! What a shower of useless ignorant incompetent fktards! (It's only 10am and just the thought of them has me swearing)... hours just waiting to speak to a person followed by explaining the same story 9 times to people across two continents and then they cut me off! I mean a telephone company operative who can't even work their sodding phone... or more likely they can and couldn't be arsed doing anything. The standards do seem to vary hugely tho', from BT to the likes of RBS (who, although the company is useless, were polite and efficent) and the company I work for where our call handlers would be slaughtered if they behaved like BT and the ilk. I guess when you've got a monopoly or as near as dammit your customer service doesn't have to be as good.......

aclivity

4,072 posts

217 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
No you don't.

You cannot buy a cable box to use with Virgin Media from anyone. There is a hugely complex process by which you can buy a virgin media box, but that is so rare as to be nonexistent.

So if you have "bought" a virgin media box you have been duped at best, or are in receipt of stolen goods at worst.

aclivity

4,072 posts

217 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
jamoor said:
Get a card sharing box or a chipped box to teach them a lesson.
And be ripped off even more than he already has - paying over the top for a box that will become a doorstop within 12 months? Not to mention being liable to civil prosecution for theft of service?

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
aclivity said:
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
No you don't.

You cannot buy a cable box to use with Virgin Media from anyone. There is a hugely complex process by which you can buy a virgin media box, but that is so rare as to be nonexistent.

So if you have "bought" a virgin media box you have been duped at best, or are in receipt of stolen goods at worst.
Odd that they made a point of telling me that once it was bought it's yours. Still could have just been another call center jockey making something up to suit the conversation.

It was my mates, he gave it to me.

okgo

Original Poster:

42,085 posts

227 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
aclivity said:
okgo said:
aclivity said:
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
No you don't.

You cannot buy a cable box to use with Virgin Media from anyone. There is a hugely complex process by which you can buy a virgin media box, but that is so rare as to be nonexistent.

So if you have "bought" a virgin media box you have been duped at best, or are in receipt of stolen goods at worst.
Odd that they made a point of telling me that once it was bought it's yours. Still could have just been another call center jockey making something up to suit the conversation.

It was my mates, he gave it to me.
In that case, you will never be able to have it activated. Not at all. It's not yours, it's not his (unless he has gone through the hugely complex process, which I can assure you he would know about) and it's not something that can be passed about like that. By ringing Virgin Media and letting them know that a box has been passed on will likely attract some attention - did you give them the serial numbers whilst trying to get it activated? Your mate may well be getting some post too!

Call centre agents have been known to say stupid things to get a sale. Hardly going to make the headlines on the evening news, though!
They are terrible at their jobs, they infact are not fit for purpose. They cannot understand english, they cannot solve problems, they will not escalate calls. fking uselss. I am sure my mate won't care as he has emigrated. And I certainly don't care as I have cancelled everything.

Edited by okgo on Monday 15th June 10:26

aclivity

4,072 posts

217 months

Monday 15th June 2009
quotequote all
okgo said:
aclivity said:
okgo said:
Not the v+ box though, you own it when its bought.
No you don't.

You cannot buy a cable box to use with Virgin Media from anyone. There is a hugely complex process by which you can buy a virgin media box, but that is so rare as to be nonexistent.

So if you have "bought" a virgin media box you have been duped at best, or are in receipt of stolen goods at worst.
Odd that they made a point of telling me that once it was bought it's yours. Still could have just been another call center jockey making something up to suit the conversation.

It was my mates, he gave it to me.
In that case, you will never be able to have it activated. Not at all. It's not yours, it's not his (unless he has gone through the hugely complex process, which I can assure you he would know about) and it's not something that can be passed about like that. By ringing Virgin Media and letting them know that a box has been passed on will likely attract some attention - did you give them the serial numbers whilst trying to get it activated? Your mate may well be getting some post too!

As an aside, even the boxes that HAVE been sold, through the complex process, will never be allowed back on the network, as the T's and C's clearly state that NOTHING can be connected to the network that is not owned by Virgin Media. Part of the sale process is effectively killing the box.

Call centre agents have been known to say stupid things to get a sale. Hardly going to make the headlines on the evening news, though!