MSE News: Co-op faces customer backlash following bungled system upgrade

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  • Yorkshire_Pud
    Yorkshire_Pud Posts: 1,857
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Forumite
    In another vain attempt to pay my final bill with these clowns I believed the Co op homepage that says it now takes about 12 minutes to speak to a customer services operator.

    30 minutes on hold and I was diverted to the Sales Overflow team who can't help sorry. Accepted offer of a call back. Still waiting a day later.

    Website says may take up to 7 days to reply to email enq. I waited a month for first reply and am still waiting for a reply to my email of 6 May, so 14 days and no reply.

    Co op are liars!

    If they dealt with enquiries and sorted them out at the time all these time wasting calls wouldn't be necessary.

    But I guess them trying to sort something out is difficult when their IT upgrade ha ha has given them the equivalent of rooting about in a compost heap and seeing what comes out.

    I logged in to my account to pay but it said I couldn't and to phone them ( which I have done to no avail several times).

    Useless, useless, useless. I left Co op energy three months ago.
  • johnbhoy10
    johnbhoy10 Posts: 452 Forumite
    edited 20 May 2015 at 4:30PM
    Tried to get through first thing this morning but notice they've wheeled out the high volume calls tape out earlier now!! Gave up after 10 minutes which is longer than i would usually give.

    So where am i-

    I applied late Feb and got an email from them a couple of days later with a PDF welcome pack saying that my supply would start end of March (which it did) and they would contact me before then (which they didn't). In fact, they haven't contacted me again full stop! All forms of communication between us have being started by myself with regards to initial meter readings, direct debit etc. They've done absolutely nothing for me. Promised me call backs, promised me my direct debit would have come off by now.......nothing doing and no call back.

    I do have an online account which i can sign into and give meter readings but again it does nothing. No bills, balance or anything useful like that. Just an account strewn with loads of zeros and errors everywhere.

    Pretty sure i'm going to sack them later tonight and go with EDF Feb 2017 deal. Only an extra £15 or so more on my usage and hopefully a loss less grief. I'm also going to fire them off a complaint if only to postscript it with a warning that i'll be watching my move away from them with interest. I'm glad i keep meter readings!

    ps-i have electricity only with them
  • GordonC
    GordonC Posts: 1 Newbie
    They took 2.5 months of payments in a single payment in April and have completely ignored my messages since to try and resolve the situation. 3 weeks later they took exactly the same amount. My account was already in credit, I had no warning of a change in payment. The only way I've found to get a response is to post on their Facebook page. Just Disgraceful customer service and to be honest, shouldn't really be in business at all if they cannot respond to their customers questions and messages within a month.

    So much for a Direct Debit guarantee about FULL and IMMEDIATE repayment if they or the bank make an error. 5 weeks later and I'm still waiting for them to return nearly £500 to me!!

    I will be taking my complaint to the ombudsman in 2 weeks time when the 8 weeks are up
  • GordonC wrote: »
    They took 2.5 months of payments in a single payment in April and have completely ignored my messages since to try and resolve the situation. 3 weeks later they took exactly the same amount. My account was already in credit, I had no warning of a change in payment. The only way I've found to get a response is to post on their Facebook page. Just Disgraceful customer service and to be honest, shouldn't really be in business at all if they cannot respond to their customers questions and messages within a month.

    So much for a Direct Debit guarantee about FULL and IMMEDIATE repayment if they or the bank make an error. 5 weeks later and I'm still waiting for them to return nearly £500 to me!!

    I will be taking my complaint to the ombudsman in 2 weeks time when the 8 weeks are up
    The way to get a repayment under the Direct Debit guarantee is through your bank - you don't have to give any reason, and the refund is immediate or overnight. The bank will then reclaim the money from Co-op Energy. On one occasion, a bank call centre operative had to check with a supervisor before making the refund, but it caused no more than a couple of minutes delay.

    Usually, the company concerned will very soon start chasing you for the money which they think you should have paid them, which may or may not be a less stressful experience than the one you already have...

    In the case of Co-op Energy, it is widely recognised that that have a massive problem with their super, new, improved website - I am really glad I don't work in their call centre on close to a minimum wage!

    Ten days ago, my daughter phoned her bank and reclaimed her May direct debit payment. So far, there has been no response at all from Co-op Energy, and her online account still shows a credit of £394 in her favour even though I have emailed them on her behalf to point out the error.

    I would advise you to phone your bank and reclaim the incorrect payments, and email Co-op Energy to tell them what you have done (and why). Then just deal with it month by month until Co-op Energy sort themselves out.
    mad mocs - the pavement worrier
  • shepp
    shepp Posts: 1
    Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    Newbie
    Left co-op energy 5/3/15.
    Unable to contact by phone( long wait ,telling me how important I am as customer) gave up.

    Sent emails regarding my outstanding credit over £200.00 asking to advise and put this money back into my bank acct.
    Still waiting as of today ,23/05/2015

    shepp.
  • johnbhoy10
    johnbhoy10 Posts: 452 Forumite
    Joined 23/3/15
    Left-countdown from last night!:D

    I set up a direct debit when i applied and then again over phone recently when i realised they hadn't taken anything. They still haven't. Due to the fact a lot of people seem to be owed cash after leaving them are there any implications if i can cancel my d/debit just now and wait for them to contact me when it is finalised and i'll square it then. I just don't trust them getting the amount and final figures right even though i'll have them ready in advance ready for battle.

    Also, my switch was showing as 'still in progress' at CEC but they changed that for me so i could switch again using them. Wonder if i'll see my £15 (i'm electricity only with them)???


    ps-EDF February 2017 looks like value for electricity. On my usage it's only a couple of quid dearer for an extra winter and has no canc fees.
  • johnbhoy10 wrote: »
    Joined 23/3/15
    Left-countdown from last night!:D

    I set up a direct debit when i applied and then again over phone recently when i realised they hadn't taken anything. They still haven't. Due to the fact a lot of people seem to be owed cash after leaving them are there any implications if i can cancel my d/debit just now and wait for them to contact me when it is finalised and i'll square it then. I just don't trust them getting the amount and final figures right even though i'll have them ready in advance ready for battle.

    Also, my switch was showing as 'still in progress' at CEC but they changed that for me so i could switch again using them. Wonder if i'll see my £15 (i'm electricity only with them)???


    ps-EDF February 2017 looks like value for electricity. On my usage it's only a couple of quid dearer for an extra winter and has no canc fees.
    I think Co-op Energy are currently stuck in a situation where they have no clue at all about their customers' individual situations, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they go out of business at some point in the near future. Above all, I think Co-op Energy's customers should try to ensure that they are not owed money. Cancel all payments, and reclaim as many as you can under the Direct Debit guarantee.
    mad mocs - the pavement worrier
  • johnbhoy10
    johnbhoy10 Posts: 452 Forumite
    edited 23 May 2015 at 4:25PM
    I think Co-op Energy are currently stuck in a situation where they have no clue at all about their customers' individual situations, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if they go out of business at some point in the near future. Above all, I think Co-op Energy's customers should try to ensure that they are not owed money. Cancel all payments, and reclaim as many as you can under the Direct Debit guarantee.

    Yeah that pretty much mirrors my thinking other than i hadn't considered them going under. I'm not the most patient these days and i'll only hang on the phone for 5 or 10 minutes. I just can't be bothered having to contact them to correct their errors all the time. I think i may pre-empt and cancel my d/debit while i'm still ahead and square up later when they get round to wanting some cash of me. We're not talking a lot of money as it's less than 2 months electricity only on medium to low usage.
  • I've tried to switch to them. I've had no contact, no payments have been made, no DD set up and no response to online queries. Going to fire off a complaint to them and stay where I am. Sincerely hope they don't try and charge me a leaving fee.....
  • zappster
    zappster Posts: 44 Forumite
    I've tried to switch to them. I've had no contact, no payments have been made, no DD set up and no response to online queries. Going to fire off a complaint to them and stay where I am. Sincerely hope they don't try and charge me a leaving fee.....

    Please, for the sake of your own sanity, get the heck out of that transfer and shop around for a different company,

    Co-op Energy are the worst utility on the planet by warp factor 10.
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