Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all! We have been experiencing an issue on site where threads have been missing the latest postings. The platform host Vanilla are working on this issue. A workaround that has been used by some is to navigate back from 1 to 10+ pages to re-sync the thread and this will then show the latest posts. Thanks, Mike.
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

RTÉ Today Show - Free Consumer Help

2»

Comments

  • #52
    fionny
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,367 ✭✭✭fionny


    Fair enough :) Thought it might help, I just normally look for the "calling from outside Ireland?" number


  • #53
    soc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 488 ✭✭soc


    mayhem# wrote: »
    Three support keep referring to the IMEI number of the handset received back from the store but as I did not write down the IMEI number of the handset returned (I didn't think I had to) this has little value.
    They have however confirmed that the IMEI of the Vodafone handset in question was *never* used with the sim or number which we have. I have asked them to find out what number or account it has been used with (so that we can determine the real owner of this handset) but they have said that they cannot do this

    Any chance you still have original box for the phone? If so the IMEI number is usually printed on it.


  • #54
    turbot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,106 ✭✭✭turbot


    ISSUE 1: Plastic Bag Pricing

    The first issue that RTE Today should investigate is bag pricing in supermarkets within Ireland:

    Specifically - re-usable plastic bags that within the UK Tescos (for example) are sold for 10p.

    In Ireland - they are sold for 70c - and the lower tier bags are poor quality and unsuitable for carring any kind of weight or food with an edge. The reason retailers sell these at 70c is to increase their revenue because they can avoid paying taxes if they price them above 70c.

    I'd love to hear the public response if everyone knew this!


  • #55
    turbot
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,106 ✭✭✭turbot


    ISSUE 2: Assymetric Companies (such as THREE) optimised for extracting revenue vs delivering on services

    For example, Three mobile have network management software that can see at any given time the signal quality of a customer's connection and their network performance. Often, due to overselling subscriptions relative to capacity this will lead to diminished service at which point, Three have designed their organisation so the onus is on the customer to pursue Three to fix them. Often, the factors that control quality of service (such as network capacity) are completely out of the customers control and Three will then employ a behavioural technique of suggesting the customers who contact them take multiple time consuming, inconvenient actions such as sending a phone off for repair or changing a sim, probably in the thinking that, many customers lack the clarity to follow through and lack the technical knowhow to understand the issues with their phone are network related and not handset related.

    In parallel, Three have optimised their whole billing process to pursue payment incredibly aggressively, auto-dialing customers several times a day and connecting them with insistent and often rude staff if bills are more than a few days late.

    Thus, Three have the organisational psychological know-how to HERD their customers, by getting away with poor service delivery and make resolution difficult and often impossible, and using the same psychology the other way around to extract as much revenue as possible.

    Need proof of this? Spend a few hours reading the Three forum on Boards!


  • #56
    wandererz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,714 ✭✭✭wandererz


    Here's a detailed example of a problem that could be chased up:

    http://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057362629

    Thanks


  • #57
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    I think telecoms in general is something that could be looked at. Customer service seems to be non-existent from reading some of the threads. Billing seems to be a bit of a bugbear too.

    My own personal gripe is the shocking service provided by Vodafone with regard to my BB. In fairness to them, it's not totally their fault. We're on the e-fibre network from Eircom and Voda are a re-seller of the same. It's supposed to be up to 70MB. Although we live less than 2km from the SV/EX, we're lucky to see 20. Repeated complaints about the speed to Voda have had no effect, so I've given up there.

    Perhaps this is something that could be looked at as well?


  • #58
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    turbot wrote: »
    ISSUE 1: Plastic Bag Pricing

    The first issue that RTE Today should investigate is bag pricing in supermarkets within Ireland:

    Specifically - re-usable plastic bags that within the UK Tescos (for example) are sold for 10p.

    In Ireland - they are sold for 70c - and the lower tier bags are poor quality and unsuitable for carring any kind of weight or food with an edge. The reason retailers sell these at 70c is to increase their revenue because they can avoid paying taxes if they price them above 70c.

    I'd love to hear the public response if everyone knew this!

    Plastic Bag Tax rates are different for a start as its over 4 times higher here than the UK.


  • #59
    Pa the Blah
    Registered Users Posts: 69 ✭✭Pa the Blah


    Sometime ago I had an apartment that had gas supplied by Bord Gáis, When I was moving from the apartment to a new home I was in credit it was a small sum I think around 40€ I asked if they could deposit the monies owed into my account, they responded by saying they don't offer refunds and I could claim the money back off my next Bord Gáis bill from my new home, I told them that my new home did not have gas fitted. to this date I have not received the money owed.

    I can't help but wonder how many more people have had this has happen to them.

    Double standards, if you owe money you'll get hounded till you pay or possible prosecution.


  • #60
    pleasant Co.
    Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 7,411 Mod ✭✭✭✭pleasant Co.


    I think this was one of the more interesting scams posted here in the last year: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=90198852


  • Advertisement
  • #61
    Pete123456
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 965 ✭✭✭Pete123456


    I got an iPhone 5 feb 2013 on contract with my carrier. Shortly after I started using it the top button started to fail and eventually it failed completely. Luckily at that time it was still in warranty, so I waited until it was almost a year and then following the advice of my carrier apple repaired/replaced it. Recently the replacement phone out of the blue just shut off and I couldn't even put it in recovery mode. Eventually I got it into recovery and it started back up as if it had never died. Since this event (late October) the battery life is really poor and a 5 minute phone call can reduce the battery by 20% or more. Sometimes it seems fine but I couldn't rely on it because it sometimes goes dead at 20 or 30 percent. Also, the charging port only charges sometimes. You might say this is damaged, but how would it have damaged itself? It worked fine before the phone died and it wasn't dropped or anything! I got in touch with my carrier because as far as I'm concerned the original contract was with them, therefore they should stand over the replacement for a reasonable time but feb to oct is not reasonable for a phone to deteriorate this much. After a few phonecalls and assurances that a supervisor would get back to me... Nothing... What should I do now? Do I have much right to be complaining?

    I contacted my carriers customer care again today and after a long drawn out conversation the agent was adamant that because the original phone was beyond the 12 month warranty offered by both the carrier and apple, the carrier would not replace, even though this is actually a replacement phone, but could send it for repair at a cost to me. I thought warranty expiration wouldn't really matter in this case but she assured me there was nothing that could be done and that there wasn't much point in being transferred to a supervisor as they would just be repeating what she said.


  • #62
    scanlanavia
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭scanlanavia


    Gas & Electricity. Will Bord Gais pass on same reduction on gas as their owner, Celestica have begrudgingly done in UK, as a result of Government nudge


  • #63
    Mimikyu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,945 ✭✭✭✭Mimikyu


    This post has been deleted.


  • #64
    scanlanavia
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭scanlanavia


    Gas & Electricity. Centrica Ireland Ltd, begrudingly reduced Gas by 3.5% and Electricity by a token 2.5%, In the former case this means that they tuck away under the counter a saving of 1.5% compared to the UK reduction. Sounds familiar eh ??? Irish Style self regulation given that the Energy Regulator is ineffective in this regard and a waste of Tax Payers money,. Shut that Quango too.


  • #65
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    scanlanavia wrote: »
    Gas & Electricity. Centrica Ireland Ltd, begrudingly reduced Gas by 3.5% and Electricity by a token 2.5%, In the former case this means that they tuck away under the counter a saving of 1.5% compared to the UK reduction. Sounds familiar eh ??? Irish Style self regulation given that the Energy Regulator is ineffective in this regard and a waste of Tax Payers money,. Shut that Quango too.

    Distribution costs, payroll etc are different in Ireland. You are not comparing like with like in the two markets. The base price of oil or gas is only one factor in the final retail price.


  • #66
    scanlanavia
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭scanlanavia


    Virginia Many Superman wrote: »
    Distribution costs, payroll etc are different in Ireland. You are not comparing like with like in the two markets. The base price of oil or gas is only one factor in the final retail price.

    Virginia Many Superman: and which Lobby Group do you represent ?
    Distribution costs and payroll is the worn our excuse of over expensive recent Semi state bodies.... (How about mentioning PPARS again in the HSE)
    So our Centrica Ltd is more inefficient than the Centrica Ireland version.
    Sort that out Centrica/Bord Gais or whatever you call yourselves..
    I don't have time for an lesson in economics today. Wasn't our EU membership supposed to sort all that out,, harmonisation of taxes, same price for everything around europe. Its the same Gas we burn as our neighbours, so pass on the savings on a pro-rata basis and quite screwing customers with lame excuses. .... "distrubution costs, payroll" indeed...


  • Advertisement
  • #67
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    scanlanavia wrote: »
    Srameen: and which Lobby Group do you represent ?
    Distribution costs and payroll is the worn our excuse of over expensive recent Semi state bodies.... (How about mentioning PPARS again in the HSE)
    So our Centrica Ltd is more inefficient than the Centrica Ireland versi on.
    Sort that out Centrica/Bord Gais or whatever you call yourselves..
    I don't have time for an lesson in economics today. Wasn't our EU membership supposed to sort all that out,, harmonisation of taxes, same price for everything around europe. Its the same Gas we burn as our neighbours, so pass on the savings on a pro-rata basis and quite screwing customers with lame excuses. .... "distrubution costs, payroll" indeed...
    I wish I could get work on a lobby group! :rolleyes:
    That tired rebuttal when someone doesn't like an answer.

    I haven't time to teach economics either.

    If you take all gas and electricity distribution and transmission costs back to the component costs for Ireland versus Great Britain you'll see that the reductions are actually proportionate. Again, wholesale crude prices are only a part of the make up of retail costs. Efficiency has nothing to do with it.Tax harmonisation has nothing to do with it. Petrol, Gas, Electricity, chocolate, milk, clothing, motor cars, cookers, iphones etc are not the same price here as any other country. Sorry, it's not what you wanted to hear but let's at least be fair and honest before we slate any company.


  • #68
    scanlanavia
    Registered Users Posts: 112 ✭✭scanlanavia


    Fair enough. I'm of the opinion that all the energy providers are equally at fault asca cartel due to hopeless regulation.

    I suggest we remove nonsense "taxes" like carbon tax, PSO also which are merely ending up in the states slush fund and unlikely to be used for correct purpose.
    they metely add to costs of hard pressed consumers and business. a reduction in VAT on energy likewise would be of more benefit at this time.


  • #69
    dudara
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    @scanlavia - there was already an on-thread warning to another poster to lay off the political vibes. You've already received a moderator warning about this today.

    Continue in this vein and I will go straight to a ban.

    dudara


  • #70
    tomhain
    Registered Users Posts: 36 ✭tomhain


    My consumer issue is with Vodafone. They advetise their broadband as Unlimited, but you can see in T&C that they have fair usage policy of 350GB (vodafone at home broadband). However until November 2014 they were telling (reps here on boards.ie and vodafone forum) that there is no charge for going over the limit and they will only contact customer if they go significantly over the 350GB limit, which is fine. But recently I checked the forum and suddently they decided to charge 10 euro for every 100GB over the limit without informing customers about it. I find it very interesting how this can even be advertised as unlimited, there should be a regulation to stop this, mostly now when this limit isn't enough when you stream TV, play online games on 2-3 computers in household. Maybe 10 years ago it was ok, it was difficult to go over the limit, but today it is not. Also the fact that they do not inform customers about changes in practice of dealing with over the limit usage is .. seems like not against the law .. but it should be.


  • #71
    _Jumper_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 150 ✭✭_Jumper_


    tomhain wrote: »
    My consumer issue is with Vodafone. They advetise their broadband as Unlimited, but you can see in T&C that they have fair usage policy of 350GB (vodafone at home broadband). However until November 2014 they were telling (reps here on boards.ie and vodafone forum) that there is no charge for going over the limit and they will only contact customer if they go significantly over the 350GB limit, which is fine. But recently I checked the forum and suddently they decided to charge 10 euro for every 100GB over the limit without informing customers about it. I find it very interesting how this can even be advertised as unlimited, there should be a regulation to stop this, mostly now when this limit isn't enough when you stream TV, play online games on 2-3 computers in household. Maybe 10 years ago it was ok, it was difficult to go over the limit, but today it is not. Also the fact that they do not inform customers about changes in practice of dealing with over the limit usage is .. seems like not against the law .. but it should be.

    A decade is about how long this is going on...nothing to stop it despite it coming numerous times, they'll carry on. Be thankful for 450GB.



    Looking at the stickys out in the main forum they've picked the easy boring/old reliables to focus on. Parcel delivery....pffffffft.

    Accomodation..pffffffft.

    And not a damn will come out of it.

    Spending money to talk about the same stuff ye talked about last year.


  • Advertisement
  • #72
    dm1979
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭dm1979


    hi all, I think i'm going to need help, we bought a bed from argos on the 20/1/15. it was reduced and we thought it was a bargin, we had had a bit of a rough time over christmas and thought feck it we deserve a bit of a treat and went into our overdraft to pay for it. on the way home we got the call to give us our delivery date (for yesterday) and remarked how quick that was and thanked the girl on the phone for there speedy customer service. fast forward to this week, getting excited i rang argos costomer care on tuesday to confirm the delivery date and was told it would be here on friday. so friday came, i dismantled our old bed draged it to the back garden in anticipation of our new bed arriving, by 6 in the evening no bed, rang argos and was told dont panic its an all day delivery it will arrive. 7.30 came and no bed, so i rang again and john on the phone said he tried to call the delivery team but had no luck, he would try today to find out were my bed is. so here i am today waiting for johns call. what do i do if i'm told the bed is gone out of stock, cant really afford to put more money towards getting a different one (this bed was only priced @105) and in the mean time my old bed is in pieces out the back..... what do i do?


  • #73
    dm1979
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭dm1979


    a quick update, johns call from argos never came, so i rang them twice on saturday, frist time i was told i would recieve a call back, which never came so i rang again in the afternoon and was told the bed is on a different delivery route and would recieve a call within the next couple of days to arrange delivery. today monday morning after a weekend of sleeping on a mattress on the floor i rang again to find out my delivery date, and was told its on a different delivery route and would have to wait for the delivery crew to get it on the right route, and would recieve a call in the next couple of days to arrange delivery, i am starting to get the feeling i am being fobbed off and they dont know were the bed is.


  • #74
    dm1979
    Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭dm1979


    hi all, another quick update for anyone following (dont think there is anyone following!!) we received a phone call from DHL today informing us they had our bed and would deliver it tomorrow morning! Who knew argos used DHL for delivery, still no phone call from argos, re: delivery or apology, so very bad customer service on their behalf but at least were getting a bed, no more mattress on the floor!!!


  • #75
    Patty O Furniture
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,133 ✭✭✭Patty O Furniture


    fionny wrote: »
    Dodge the 1890 numbers... they almost never work out in your favour... this site finds the standard number associated for popular providers:

    http://www.saynoto1890.com/

    Do you have something similar for text messages, as it's supposed to be free on mobile bundle i have, but when you get shortcodes like 53102 etc, it costs more :mad:

    Thanks.


  • #76
    Kenjataimu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,429 ✭✭✭Kenjataimu


    They should take a look at this thread Free Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor

    Boardsies data taken and no razors in return.

    392 thanks on the OP post and a lot more of us who either never thanked it or removed their thanks afterwards.

    Only a handful got a razor, after sending emails complaining months later.


  • #77
    fryup
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,067 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Sam Mac wrote: »
    Fantastic opportunity for all those recently stung by IWantThisDeal to come forward and share their stories!

    why what happened there??


  • #78
    Grab All Association
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,921 ✭✭✭Grab All Association


    fryup wrote: »
    why what happened there??

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057174148&page=6


  • #79
    starray
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭starray


    We bought a SONOROUS TV Stand PL.3400 PL 3405, Piano Black, in D.I.D Electrical Wexford on the 07.08.2011. The TV stand has 5 Years Warranty.

    Sunday the 26.10.2014 the bottom shelf Exploded/Shattered sending glass all over the room.

    I reported the matter to the Manager <SNIP> at D.I.D Wexford on Monday 27.10.2014.
    The Manager phoned on the 30.10.2014. He was unable to sort the problem asked me to phone or email customers service.

    The Manager of Customers Service did not reply to our last email.


  • #80
    Boards.ie: Sean
    Closed Accounts Posts: 212 ✭✭Boards.ie: Sean


    Just to let you know that the last episode of this series of The Consumer Show is airing next week so we are wrapping up this thread - thanks to everyone who posted and if the show is re-commissioned again next year we hope to have a similar thread where Boardsies can let the The Consumer Show know of any issues they'd like investigated.


This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement