AOL - complaints department contacts?

ally_bally_3

Hi all

I am having a right old ding dong with AOL at the moment. I cancelled my service with them yet they still took payment from my account a month later. So not only did they take £14.99 in error it was from a bank account I barely use and I incurred a £35 charge. I contacted AOL who agreed to refund the £14.99 and admitted their mistake but told me refunds were only by cheque and take up to 30 days. To deal with the charge I was told to fax customer relations which I did over a week ago. To cut a long story short I have since made 4 phone calls to check if my fax has been received and to check the status of my refund as I am currently £49.99 out of pocket.

I have never dealt with a more infuriating company. Was told today it could take up to 30 days to even acknowledge my fax and when I asked how I could be certain it was received I was told not to worry although there was no record of it on member services system. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told no-one was available for 30 mins and to call back (this is after already being on hold for 5 mins). I insisted someone call me back but was told this was not possible as they couldn't make outgoing calls.

I have repeatedly asked to speak to someone who can deal with my problem but nothing is being done and I have just been told a complaint has been put on my file.

Sorry for the long post but has anyone else had success in dealing with AOL or have any customer service e-mail addresses or direct lines as I am going spare dealing with them!

Many thanks

x

*MF*

Hi ... hope this might help, just not sure how much, OK?


Extract below from the AOL "Complaints" Web page - problem as always - is that "Actions speak louder than words" I guess - but those are the words, ok.

Spoken to your bank at all - about the Direct Debit guarantee system that is meant to operate - just a thought.

Sorry for the kind of mixed up fonts etc - caused by the extract below, ooops.

Hope you get it resolved.

Step-by-step escalation process


Our step-by-step escalation process is designed to allow issues to be resolved as soon as possible, and to ensure that ownership and responsibility is taken by frontline agents as close to the source as possible. If your problem is resolved before it becomes a formal complaint, you can rest assured that valuable feedback is still derived from your experience and is vital to the development of AOL Broadband. So you can make a difference even without making a formal complaint!
To ensure that your complaint is resolved, please follow this process. It is useful to keep a record of what representative you spoke to, when you spoke to them and what your perspective of the conversation was.


Step 1: Member Services
Call Member Services to enable an appropriate agent to resolve your issue.
You can contact AOL Broadband Member Services between 8am and 12 midnight on 0844 499 5555* (from outside the UK , dial +44 117 329 9100).



Step 2: Supervisor
If the agent is unable to resolve your query to your satisfaction, ask to speak to a supervisor and allow them the opportunity to resolve your issue before you submit a formal complaint.

If you remain dissatisfied, then submit a formal complaint.

Step 3: Formal complaint
Submit a formal complaint by post.
Our Complaints Management Team, on behalf of the Vice President of Member Services, will receive your complaint. We aim to answer formal complaints within five working days of receipt.

Step 4: External resolution
Should this not resolve the matter to your satisfaction, you may refer it to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators who run the Communications and Internet Services Adjudication Scheme (CISAS), of which we are members. You can find out more about this scheme at http://www.arbitrators.org/CISAS.

You may refer matters to CISAS if either (i) you have received a 'deadlock' letter from our Member Services department confirming that no resolution can be reached; or (ii) we have not reached an agreed settlement within three months of receiving your complaint. However, please note that CISAS will not adjudicate in a matter where our internal complaints procedure has not first been exhausted.
If you are still not happy, you can seek to refer the matter for independent adjudication. Your statutory rights are not affected and you can seek legal advice at your discretion.

ally_bally_3

Thanks so mych for your help on this one. The number provided is the general number I have been calling and when I ask to speak to a supervisor I am told there is not one available. Is really getting to me.

Bank are unable to do anything as the money was not withdrawn re Direct Debit but by a reoccuring card payment which the customer cannot cancel! So even though I spoke to my bank before the payment came out - they had to honour it and give the money to AOL.

I know its such a little problem in the grand scheme of things but its the principle of it - its my money and they took it in error yet I am having to fight tooth and nail to get it back!