Customer service (or lack of), complaints proedures (if they can be called that) . .

Drumpot

Hi,



Up until now I have had a reasonable relationship with Eircom. I got charged €15 penalty for late Direct debit payment. I phoned them up to complain and they stated that it’s on their terms and conditions. Yes, that old chestnut, read the small print.

I phoned up Eircom to highlight several issues I have with this charge and how they have handled my dissatisfaction:

·I was told on the phone today that they would not discuss my issues directly, they would only refer them onto a complaints team who would respond by letter

·They stated that they would only deal with one complaint at a time and I could not discuss several issues at the same time (ie I have to phone in different days with different complaints, after they respond to one issue).

oEircom record their calls so I am sure they can confirm this conversation

My complaints:



·Hidden charges that are not clearly outlined. They might be in the terms and conditions of their contract (a contract very difficult to find on their website) but on my regular communicated bill it clearly states: “Non payment of the total amount due may result in withdrawl of service on or after payment due date” . It has no mention of penalties.

·It also does not state that if a direct debit is missed that Eircom will wait a few weeks, charge you a fine and take the next direct debit with this penalty. Even a note mentioning penalty would be suffice.

·The first notification I received that my Direct debit was missed was several weeks after. The letter was dated 7^th November, I received it on 13^th November. Apparantly Eircom are not obliged to tell me that a direct debit was missed (so I can pay them before getting charged the penalty). This is a very cynical practise and I would expect more from them.

·Their complaints procedures are quite simply awful. I was on the phone twice to two different customer “care” people who would not deal directly with my issues. As stated above one of them actually said that I could only raise one issue at a time. I raised this with Comreg who stated that this should not be the case.



People might say that you should read the small print, which is fair enough, but its clear that the practises and procedures used to “highlight” these charges are questionable at best. It is misleading and while Eircom can consistently refer me to their contract, they are doing a disservice to any potential reputation they want to maintain as a customer orientated company with clearly, identifiable charges that are regularly communicated with their clients.

If my direct debit misses in the future I will know that this penalty will be the outcome and that's fair enough but In this matter I expect either a full refund of the €15 or some sort of credit as a gesture of goodwill for the misleading information of one of their operators who stated that I could only make one complaint at a time. If one of the Eircom representitives wants my account details I will pm them and they can listen to my conversation with their customer “care” person (conversation today) and hear them fobbing me off.

drunkmonkey

Is it not your bank that gave you the penalty? There's a charge by the bank for bouncing a direct debit.

Sully

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Is it not your bank that gave you the penalty? There's a charge by the bank for bouncing a direct debit.

o2, IIRC, have a penalty for missing direct debit as does my bank (AIB).

Drumpot

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Is it not your bank that gave you the penalty? There's a charge by the bank for bouncing a direct debit.

I got charged a penalty by the bank aswell . .

As I stated, many big companies have charges hidden in their terms and conditions like in this case, but leaving that aside the manner in which my complaint has been dealt with thus far has been awful and just left a bitter taste . .

Drumpot

Just to add to the comments about their customer service.

When I asked how I cancel my direct debit, they told me on the phone that I had to write into; "Eircom Direct Debit section, Exchange building, Upper Mount street, Letterkenny, Co Donegal"

I just researched on their own website where you can actually cancel the direct debit online.

I want to also notify people that despite the fact on much of their literature, many of their prices are inclusive of VAT, but in the case of this penalty the €15 does not include 23% VAT that is added to this charge (just for people reading this for future reference).

After foolishly spending over an hour trying to find information about this penalty charge on their website I found their online chat. I have asked them to direct me to the section of their website where this penalty is outlined . Check out their reply . .

EIRCOMS OWN CUSTOMER SERVICES PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO FIND THEIR OWN TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACTS ON THEIR WEBSITE . . I have been onto this online chat for nearly 10 mins already!

Drumpot

This is interesting . .

So eircom collect a penalty that they pay to the bank . . But they cannot direct me (at the moment) to a section of their own website that clarifies all this . . .

Edit: Wouldn't let me upload the conversation so I will keep copies of it and try to put it up later.

RangeR

Under the Direct Debit Scheme rules, if the charge is in dispute you can instruct your bank to refund this amount to your account immediately. However, this doesn't clear you of a potential debt. It just puts the money back into your account until the dispute is resolved.

eircom are not allowed to quote Ex VAT amounts to non business accounts. Pursue this point vigorously..

If eircom cannot find the clause in their contract, then it doesn't exist. note : Check your contract, that you signed. This can't be changed after the fact.

Drumpot

Ok,

So I had a very interesting conversation with eircoms online chat team
In short:

• I asked them to forward me onto the T&Cs online that clarified this penalty.
• The customer services person spent about 10 mins looking for it and then stated it wasn't online. She actually said she was "unable to locate this information on her files".
• Then she said "it would be a bank charge because the direct debit was setup with them"  . To which I asked why eircom was taking penalties from customers that they would subsequently pay to a bank ? I also stated that most DDs are charged directly by banks, why is eircoms policy different and where is this stated on their T&Cs"
• She asked me who informed me that this information would be on T&Cs and I told her the 1901 team. She stated I would need to speak to them on that matter.
• I asked about the penalty and why it was exclusive of VAT, to which she supplied a link http://support.eircom.net/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/&/?St=70&E=0000000000006287293&K=224&Sxi=4 . This does not clarify anywhere that this is VAT exclusive
• I asked her where this information is on the T&Cs to which she stated "It may not be on the T&C but its on the above link".
  

[*]

This might be one for Comreg. Irrespective of whether or not its anywhere on their T&Cs online or offline, I have been misled and misguided by eircoms customer services people. I have scanned copies of this conversation and I am sure Eircom has the recorded conversations I had with their team which will verify the manner in which they have dealt with my case.

RangeR

That link is irrelevant. If it's not in your contract nor in your T's and C's [that you agreed to in your contract] then it doesn't exist. Push them for an answer as to where it's mentioned in either of the two documents.

Drumpot

RangeR wrote: »

That link is irrelevant. If it's not in your contract nor in your T's and C's [that you agreed to in your contract] then it doesn't exist. Push them for an answer as to where it's mentioned in either of the two documents.

Thanks for that . .

I have referred it onto Comreg and will let them get these answers because I don't want to waste anymore of my time chasing up information that eircom does not apparently want their clients to know about or understand . .

eircom: Mark

Drumpot wrote: »

Ok,

So I had a very interesting conversation with eircoms online chat team
In short:

• I asked them to forward me onto the T&Cs online that clarified this penalty.
• The customer services person spent about 10 mins looking for it and then stated it wasn't online. She actually said she was "unable to locate this information on her files".
• Then she said "it would be a bank charge because the direct debit was setup with them"  . To which I asked why eircom was taking penalties from customers that they would subsequently pay to a bank ? I also stated that most DDs are charged directly by banks, why is eircoms policy different and where is this stated on their T&Cs"
• She asked me who informed me that this information would be on T&Cs and I told her the 1901 team. She stated I would need to speak to them on that matter.
• I asked about the penalty and why it was exclusive of VAT, to which she supplied a link http://support.eircom.net/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE/&/?St=70&E=0000000000006287293&K=224&Sxi=4 . This does not clarify anywhere that this is VAT exclusive
• I asked her where this information is on the T&Cs to which she stated "It may not be on the T&C but its on the above link".
  
  
  

[*]

This might be one for Comreg. Irrespective of whether or not its anywhere on their T&Cs online or offline, I have been misled and misguided by eircoms customer services people. I have scanned copies of this conversation and I am sure Eircom has the recorded conversations I had with their team which will verify the manner in which they have dealt with my case.

[*]
Hi Drumpot

Can you send me a PM with the eircom account number in question please and I can look into this for you.  The eircom terms and conditions are available - http://bit.ly/1a7Ur8m

Thanks, Mark

Drumpot

eircom: Mark wrote: »

[*]
Hi Drumpot

Can you send me a PM with the eircom account number in question please and I can look into this for you.  The eircom terms and conditions are available - http://bit.ly/1a7Ur8m

Thanks, Mark

[*]
Details PMd .  I look forward to your reply . .

eircom: Mark

Drumpot wrote: »

eircom: Mark wrote: »

[*]
Hi Drumpot

Can you send me a PM with the eircom account number in question please and I can look into this for you.  The eircom terms and conditions are available - http://bit.ly/1a7Ur8m

Thanks, Mark

[*]
Details PMd .  I look forward to your reply . .

[*]
Hi Drumpot

I looked into your case in detail and spoke to managers in customer care. Let me know if you have any follow up queries to my PM let me know.

Mark

Drumpot

eircom: Mark wrote: »

Drumpot wrote: »

eircom: Mark wrote: »

[*]
Hi Drumpot

Can you send me a PM with the eircom account number in question please and I can look into this for you. The eircom terms and conditions are available - http://bit.ly/1a7Ur8m

Thanks, Mark

[*]
Details PMd . I look forward to your reply . .

[*]
Hi Drumpot

I looked into your case in detail and spoke to managers in customer care. Let me know if you have any follow up queries to my PM let me know.

Mark

[*]
Hi Mark,

I passed the following query onto Comreg to investigate but would appreciate an explanation if you can. You stated that you understand that this €15 (Plus Vat) charge is one that eircom is charged and passes onto banks. I was also charged a €10 unpaid Direct debit from the bank.

Why am I being double charged for one missed direct debit?

Why is this arrangement that eircom have with the banks completely different from the one every other service provider has (ie - regular DDs) in that if I miss a DD I am charged by my bank, not the service provider. .

To be honest I hope people are googling this charge and come across this thread because it seems like its an extremely sneaky charge that most people would not understand or dispute unless they are incensed enough to look deeper.

Eircom have thus far not been able to clarify to me exactly what this charge is (is it a bank charge passed onto customers, or just an eircom penalty?). if its an eircom penalty , they are simply penalising people for setting up direct debits and encouraging people to pay monthly as they can, as opposed to by regular DD. if its a bank charge then some people might consider it to be a bank scam whereby you are getting double charged for the same missed direct debit.

This charge is not on your terms and conditions. When I spoke to Comreg, they stated that they would expect that it is clearly highlighted on my terms and conditions which nobody from eircom has been able to clarify to date. As such you have charged me a penalty I never agreed to and are in breach of the specific contract I agreed to.

I have asked comreg to get a proper explanation from Eircom regarding this. Eircom could of dealt with this much easier, but now its more important to me that comreg investigate this thoroughly then anything else . ..

RangeR

Drumpot wrote: »

eircom: Mark wrote: »

Drumpot wrote: »

eircom: Mark wrote: »

[*]
Hi Drumpot

Can you send me a PM with the eircom account number in question please and I can look into this for you.  The eircom terms and conditions are available - http://bit.ly/1a7Ur8m

Thanks, Mark

[*]
Details PMd .  I look forward to your reply . .

[*]
Hi Drumpot

I looked into your case in detail and spoke to managers in customer care. Let me know if you have any follow up queries to my PM let me know.

Mark

[*]
Hi Mark,

I passed the following query onto Comreg to investigate but would appreciate an explanation if you can. You stated that you understand that this €15 (Plus Vat) charge is one that eircom is charged and passes onto banks. I was also charged a €10 unpaid Direct debit from the bank.

Why am I being double charged for one missed direct debit?

Why is this arrangement that eircom have with the banks completely different from the one every other service provider has (ie - regular DDs) in that if I miss a DD I am charged by my bank, not the service provider. .

To be honest I hope people are googling this charge and come across this thread because it seems like its an extremely sneaky charge that most people would not understand or dispute unless they are incensed enough to look deeper.

Eircom have thus far not been able to clarify to me exactly what this charge is (is it a bank charge passed onto customers, or just an eircom penalty?). if its an eircom penalty , they are simply penalising people for setting up direct debits and encouraging people to pay monthly as they can, as opposed to by regular DD. if its a bank charge then some people might consider it to be a bank scam whereby you are getting double charged for the same missed direct debit.

This charge is not on your terms and conditions. When I spoke to Comreg, they stated that they would expect that it is clearly highlighted on my terms and conditions which nobody from eircom has been able to clarify to date. As such you have charged me a penalty I never agreed to and are in breach of the specific contract I agreed to.

I have asked comreg to get a proper explanation from Eircom regarding this. Eircom could of dealt with this much easier, but now its more important to me that comreg investigate this thoroughly then anything else . ..

[*]
Who charges eircom €15 + Vat? Their bank? Your bank? Why?

It's not a bank charge. eircom are not a bank nor financial institution. It's most definitely a penalty.

Sully

As already stated, plenty of companies have a direct debit charge in addition to thr bank charging customers.

No idea if eircom get charged for returned payments by the bank but as a business owner if a customer gives me a cheque and it bounces, the bank issue me a fixed charge and I pass that onto the client.

Mince Pie

Interested in this as I have had the same conversation with Eircom and clear as mud springs to mind. Can't understand why I'm paying Eircom for a missed direct debit when my bank charges the same. 
...follows with interest..

Drumpot

I will keep you posted on how my complaint with Comreg goes ..

Eircom have wasted an awful lot of my time by not clearly outlining where this charge is on their T&Cs. Comreg stated from the start that if its not in their T&Cs that then eircom might have a problem.

Whatever transpires, if eircoms own staff struggle to find clear reference to this charge, then how can comreg expect the average punter to know exactly where to find information on it ? And I particularly find it sneaky that its not clarified, in any documentation/website that this penalty is €15 PLUS VAT.

Mince Pie

Oh I hear ya, I'm calling them on a monthly basis, its about the third time I have had no internet or phone. Went on Friday so a weekend of no wifi, luckily my sister could loan me a dongle. 

Oh and the bill that I got for 59e then 98e was taken, luckily it was in my account. Its one travesty after another. I could write an essay at this stage. Unfortunately there was no line in my apartment when I moved in so had to get that put in.

RangeR

NCA might want to know, too.