You just lost a customer.

TJ Mackie

I called Eircom on 18th December to arrange a home move - that is, moving my broadband service from my old aparment to a new apartment I was moving in to. On that call I was quoted 5 - 10 days for this to be activated. Which was ideal, as I needed to be able to work from home on New Years Eve.

10 days passed and still no broadband activated, so I called customer service and was told my activation date was the 2nd January (yesterday). Fair enough, Christmas is a busy time and a couple of days extra isn’t too long to have to wait, so that was fine.

Yesterday, I still had no broadband activated. I spoke to WebChat support yesterday morning who advised me to call Technical Support. So I called them, and was told that it was complete and my broadband should be active. Went home from work for lunch and still no broadband. I called back yesterday evening and was told that “some of my details just needed to be updated” and that broadband should be active that night. The technician said, and I quote, “you have my word it will be active at some time tonight, by the morning definitely”. Had a feeling I was just being fobbed off but decided to wait and see.

Lo and behold, still no broadband this morning. Just got off the phone with technical support who are sending out a technician some time in the next 3 working days.

Please advise your technician that unless he calls out at some stage before 5pm today, he is wasting his time. I have already instructed my bank to cancel the direct deposit I have in place with Eircom. At 5pm today when I get home from work, if my internet is working or if a technician has been out to sort it, I will re-instruct the direct deposit. If not, I will be on the phone to UPC immediately.

Either way, I will not be contacting Eircom again. If at 5pm I have signed up for UPC, any future reminders from Eircom that I am “under contract” will be replied to with a short description of what I think they should do with said contract. I have seen how other customers have been fobbed off for weeks/months (see Headshot’s thread, jambofc's issues, and many others in this forum). I will not allow that to happen me. I’m aware that there is only so much you guys (customer-facing) can do, but it is what it is. As I said – 5pm is the deadline.

My account number is 80038702 for your reference.

Regards,

TJ Mackie

Proof that I have cancelled my direct debit and that it's not just an idle threat to get you to do something.

TJ Mackie

So I received a voicemail on my phone at 10:40am from a technician who was at my apartment saying he would need access. I have Unknown Numbers routed straight to voicemail. He said to ring 1901 to re-arrange.

(i) I was not given any notice that a technician would be calling at that time despite telling technical support I was at work, and not at home, when I called earlier this morning. I work just 5 minutes down the road so I could have been there to let him in to the apartment. He did not leave a number to call him on, nor send a text.

(ii) I called 1901 at 10:41am and got through to a representative at 10:44am. I was told the job was cleared by the technician and I would have to reschedule for next week as he was no longer in the area (4 minutes after he was at my apartment!). I pointed out that next week was no good, and reiterated that it was either today, or never. I was then told i should wait and see if he tries to get back to me (from his voice mail and the fact that he marked the job as cleared, I doubt it). I said that the only option is for Eircom to get back in touch with him, and get him to call me again now that I know to expect a call from an Unknown Number so I have them unblocked.

My original stance remains the same, so I suggest Eircom get back in touch with your technician and get him out here today if they want to receive any future payments from me.

bumper234

^^^^^ This is how you deal with incompetence and constant fobbing off from these companies! Well played OP keep us updated please. 

gawker

This is like a live car chase scene in customer service terms.

TJ Mackie

gawker wrote: »

This is like a live car chase scene in customer service terms.

I've read through a few other threads this morning. I'm nowhere near naive enough to think that I'll get this sorted today. I actually knew I was being lied to on the phone yesterday evening. I also knew when I was told on WebChat to wait until 10pm last night and if it wasn't working, to ring technical support. I asked what time do technical support close....

10pm.

I already know how this is going to end. It's with me being a newly registered UPC customer @ 5:05pm this evening.

melekalikimaka

cant see the op getting out of this charge free.

bumper234

TJ Mackie wrote: »

gawker wrote: »

This is like a live car chase scene in customer service terms.

I've read through a few other threads this morning. I'm nowhere near naive enough to think that I'll get this sorted today. I actually knew I was being lied to on the phone yesterday evening. I also knew when I was told on WebChat to wait until 10pm last night and if it wasn't working, to ring technical support. I asked what time do technical support close....

10pm.

I already know how this is going to end. It's with me being a newly registered UPC customer @ 5:05pm this evening.

Yup and then Eircom will spend weeks threatening you with debt collectors claiming you are under contract. Amazing how these companies who are supposed to provide a service are allowed to break contracts at will. 

TJ Mackie

melekalikimaka wrote:

cant see the op getting out of this charge free.

bumper234 wrote:

Yup and then Eircom will spend weeks threatening you with debt collectors claiming you are under contract. Amazing how these companies who are supposed to provide a service are allowed to break contracts at will.

Oh I'm fully expecting a termination fee. And I'm not naive enough to think it's as simple as me saying "but you didn't provide the service you said you would"....



But I have absolutely no issues whatsoever in dragging such a process on for as many months as I can. I'll get a kick out of it if I can make it over a year. And I'm fully prepared to take the personal credit rating hit by not paying a cent for a service I'm not receiving.


Clock is ticking Eircom. 4 hours and 55 minutes remaining.

bumper234

TJ Mackie wrote: »

Originally posted by melekalikimaka

cant see the op getting out of this charge free.

Originally posted by bumper234
Yup and then Eircom will spend weeks threatening you with debt collectors claiming you are under contract. Amazing how these companies who are supposed to provide a service are allowed to break contracts at will.

Oh I'm fully expecting a termination fee. And I'm not naive enough to think it's as simple as me saying "but you didn't provide the service you said you would"....



But I have absolutely no issues whatsoever in dragging such a process on for as many months as I can. I'll get a kick out of it if I can make it over a year. And I'm fully prepared to take the personal credit rating hit by not paying a cent for a service I'm not receiving.


Clock is ticking Eircom. 4 hours and 55 minutes remaining.

Fully agree with you, they have not provided a service so why should you pay. They also have a contract and by not providing the service then surely the have broken the contract deeming it null and void. I wonder if they will be willing to pay YOU a termination fee for breaking the contract?

chrismon

bumper234 wrote: »

TJ Mackie wrote: »

gawker wrote: »

This is like a live car chase scene in customer service terms.

I've read through a few other threads this morning. I'm nowhere near naive enough to think that I'll get this sorted today. I actually knew I was being lied to on the phone yesterday evening. I also knew when I was told on WebChat to wait until 10pm last night and if it wasn't working, to ring technical support. I asked what time do technical support close....

10pm.

I already know how this is going to end. It's with me being a newly registered UPC customer @ 5:05pm this evening.

Yup and then Eircom will spend weeks threatening you with debt collectors claiming you are under contract. Amazing how these companies who are supposed to provide a service are allowed to break contracts at will. 

They will get the debt collectors on the job quick enough!

bren2002

I'd be fairly sure the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act will shorten the involvement of a debt agency.

V.W.L 11

bren2002 wrote: »

I'd be fairly sure the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act will shorten the involvement of a debt agency.

Section 2 of the act???section 3 would all but certainly guarantee prision,section 4 will beyond doubt!

bren2002

V.W.L 11 wrote: »

Section 2 of the act???section 3 would all but certainly guarantee prision,section 4 will beyond doubt!

The opposite! Protection from the agency.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/personal_finance/debt/debt_collection.html

V.W.L 11

bren2002 wrote: »

The opposite! Protection from the agency.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/money_and_tax/personal_finance/debt/debt_collection.html

Section 2 of the non fatal offences against the person act is assault

melekalikimaka

and I love how hes moving to UPC... the problem free provider :-)

TJ Mackie

I know UPC have their issues, but we've been told by the previous tenants that they had UPC in their apartment and had no issues at all so at least we know it works. God knows what Eircom aren't telling us.

melekalikimaka wrote: »

and I love how hes moving to UPC... the problem free provider :-)

Lennyzip

TJ Mackie wrote: »

I know UPC have their issues, but we've been told by the previous tenants that they had UPC in their apartment and had no issues at all so at least we know it works. God knows what Eircom aren't telling us.

Isn't there issues with switching eircom to other providers ? I wonder would they put a hold on it when trying to release the line . Will be interested to see how this pans out !

TJ Mackie

Technical Support confirmed to me they would not be able to have a technician out before 5pm.

I was then forwarded to Customer Loyalty who cancelled my account and confirmed I would no have termination fees due to them not being able to activate my broadband on time.

Who would have though the most straight-forward, hassle-free part would have been cancelling my contract!

Off I go to decide between UPC and Sky

fullstop

chrismon wrote: »

They will get the debt collectors on the job quick enough!

Don't pay them. I cancelled a service with UPC a few years ago, gave them over a months notice and they kept saying I had to send a letter to some PO box number. I told them that I was informing them over the phone that I was cancelling the service. Had debt collectors on to me a few times, the last of which I told them of my interaction with UPC and that I would be paying them nothing. They never called again, stand your ground OP.

eircom: Tony

TJ Mackie wrote: »

Originally posted by melekalikimaka

cant see the op getting out of this charge free.

Originally posted by bumper234
Yup and then Eircom will spend weeks threatening you with debt collectors claiming you are under contract. Amazing how these companies who are supposed to provide a service are allowed to break contracts at will.

Oh I'm fully expecting a termination fee. And I'm not naive enough to think it's as simple as me saying "but you didn't provide the service you said you would"....



But I have absolutely no issues whatsoever in dragging such a process on for as many months as I can. I'll get a kick out of it if I can make it over a year. And I'm fully prepared to take the personal credit rating hit by not paying a cent for a service I'm not receiving.


Clock is ticking Eircom. 4 hours and 55 minutes remaining.

Hi TJ Mackie

I understand from the time frame supplied by yourself that this reply is unlikely to resolve your issue and our apologies that you did not receive service on the date advised. We would never advise putting yourself in the position you describe above and if you do want me to chase this for you I will push for fast resolution here.
I have spoken with technician re site visit and his report on call out does correspond with your own. Unfortunately, his call was directed to voice-mail and you did not receive this in time, however due to the number of cases assigned to each tech at the moment (* due to weather) he was not able to return within the time frame you specified and entry to building was necessary to resolve the issue.

Prior warning of visit would certainly have avoided this but it seems that this was not possible.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Regards
Tony