O2 Reading and Virgin Media

[jdk01]

Hi, I have been asked my O2 to give feedback on my experiences of trying to buy the virgin media broadband service. Regretfully, the O2 link provided in the SMS did not work - something about insecure connection - and so,  I am commenting here.

Please note that I did purchase an O2 mobile contract a few days ago and wish to say that the O2 in-store service and product purchased were both very good and met my expectations. Thank you to O2 Reading for this.

Naturally,  I then re-visited the store for a Virgin Media broadband service and was subsequently disappointed. Specifically, I asked for full fibre broadband. (I later discovered this is called Virgin Media GIG2.) This means a complete fibre solution with no older technology eg. coaxial cables.  When I left the O2 Reading branch, I understood that I had been sold this full fibre solution. The monthly price also reflected this. However, when I received the contract by email, it stated that I had been sold a GIG1 / Hybrid fibre coaxial system. This was not the technical solution I wanted.

I was also advised that by buying a combined O2/VirginMedia solution, I would have the advantage of the face-to-face relationship with the local branch.

So I returned to the O2 Reading branch to cancel my broadband contract and here is a summary of my findings.

1. The personnel at the Reading O2 branch:

a. struggled to understand the differences between the various Virgin Media fibre offerings

b. suggested that if I contractually committed to an inferior service, then my preferred service would be appear at a later date, but they were unable to put this in writing

b. could not cancel the contract and had to pass a phone to me for me to make the call to Virgin. This made me question the commercial and service level relationship between the two organisations.

2. The Virgin Media telephone team:

a. had to pass me between two departments to cancel the contract

b. took 20+ minutes to cancel the contract - leaving me 'hanging' 3 times for around 8-10 minutes.

c. resisted cancelling the contract, misunderstanding that they could provide a commercial solution (discounts) to a technical problem

Also, the technical quality of the in branch phone call was not good, making it difficult to hear the Virgin Media team. I was also asked to state outloud VirginMedia security information within the public area of the O2 branch.

Recommendations:

1. O2 Branch Staff to be technically trained on Virgin Media broadband. To have a specialist available at all times.

2. O2 Branches be allowed to improve their quality and breadth of their VirginMedia customer care

3. Virgin Media to positively help customers to cancel contracts rather than resisting to help or giving the impression that they are resisting to help.

4. O2/Virgin Media to improve telephone call quality and offering a private room for such calls.

Thankfully, the contract is now cancelled. I am disappointed to have been mis-sold the wrong broadband due to a lack of understanding by the sales staff.

I will stay with O2 for their mobile service.

[Enlli]

@Dave-O2 Maybe one for feedback

[jdk01]

Agreed. But I believe that customer experience is important to relay.  Thank you.

[pgn]

I have noticed the VM side of VMO2 tend to automatically sell you the tarriff above the one you ordered, all because of Volt Megaguide - it's as if they are aware of your O2 status and sell you service assuming you wish to leverage the joint VM and O2 offer to "double your data".

Still no excuse for being sold a solution with coax presentation on the premise that "you are a Volt customer, you'll get the next speed available, which happens to be full fibre".

The local engineers for VM are usually very accommodating, giving you the hardware to be able to avail of the best VM can offer in your area, so perhaps this unwritten part of any broadband agreement needs to be better understood. 

Interesting feedback, @jdk01 - thank you.

[jdk01]

Thank you ….

[madasaf1sh]

@jdk01 

Just to be clear XGS-PON which provides the Gig2 service, is only available where Nextfibre has rolled out there network, which Virgin then use, otherwise you will get DOCSIS3.1 to achieve Gig1 speeds. 

Also there is no such things as Full Fibre,  It is either FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet) or FTTP (Fibre To The Premises), Full fibre is a marketing term...

I wouldn't expect the shop staff to know the distance nor most of the agents on the phone, as they will just go on what the postcode checker says... 

OFCOM has told everyone to use Standard, Superfast or Ultrafast for the differing tiers. 

Virgin Media like EE, Vodafone etc all make it hard to cancel contracts unless they have to... and the stores aren't the right place to call customer services as they aren't set-up for this, and never have been...  
And never heard of been on Volt and having an face to face relationship for customer service.. 

I agree though that some more training should be given, but at the end of the day they are sales people on the living wage, so wouldn't expect the world.. 

I suggest going into an EE or Vodafone store, and you would get the same service with regards to Sales...

[jdk01]

Hi. I went Vodafone and EE and the knowledge level was higher… they knew the difference between the various deployments of fibre … I do understand that I am talking to sales people, but do hope for/expect that they understand what they are selling and can differentiate between service offerings. EE and Vodafone did. Thank you. 

[Enlli]

I suspect O2 shops have seen little in the way of training. Sometimes their knowledge regarding O2 is limited in some aspects. We see it on here.

The big cheeses say they are spending £1 million a day on training. If they are not much is happening for their money