Next Directory - Abusive call to my father

brody77

Hi all,

Think this is the rght section?!

Anyways, I recently had to cancel my next DD as they refused to change it to a convenient date (apparently it depends on when you open your account - whatever.)
So I was assured that my DD due a few days later would pick up, then afterwards I could pay manually on my pay day.
Except the DD DIDN'T pick up, so my a/c has fallen behind!
(thanks Next!)

So the other day (I just found out) my father received a very abusive call from an Asian gentleman from Next who proceeded to call him a liar, demand his DOB and other information as he would not accept he wasn't talking to me.

My problems with this?
1. I haven't lived at my parents since July 2008 & updated all my contact details as soon as I moved - doesn't that make the call a breach of data protection?
2. The attitude of the caller - absolutely no need for that behaviour.
3. If the call took place after 26th March - I had already taken care of the problem.

So I plan on calling & demanding to speak to a manager on Monday morning.
Hopefully they have a log of the call, as I'm livid.
My dad isn't keeping well at the moment either due to heart issues, so I'll be making that very clear also. As the last thing he needs is the stress of some <insert expletive of choice here> giving him verbal abuse.

I can't even get logged into my account now to email them - if they even have an email address.

Not sure what rights - if any - I have over this call, but I'm not about to sit back & let them away with it.

Thanks for reading.

so2006

Just ring up and explain what happened, and say they have no right even calling your father, or even discussing your account with him.

Make sure you don't give up, i dont know about any rights (I am not very good with them lol) But someone should come and help you a bit more!

Pound

brody77 wrote: »

Anyways, I recently had to cancel my next DD as they refused to change it to a convenient date (apparently it depends on when you open your account - whatever.)
So I was assured that my DD due a few days later would pick up, then afterwards I could pay manually on my pay day.
Except the DD DIDN'T pick up, so my a/c has fallen behind!
(thanks Next!)

You cancelled the DD, so of course your account has fallen behind.

So the other day (I just found out) my father received a very abusive call from an Asian gentleman from Next who proceeded to call him a liar, demand his DOB and other information as he would not accept he wasn't talking to me.

Well, he was talking to your father so why would he accept he was talking to you? Did he directly call him a liar or did the Next employee infer that he didn't think he was talking to you because your father couldn't answer certain security questions?

1. I haven't lived at my parents since July 2008 & updated all my contact details as soon as I moved - doesn't that make the call a breach of data protection?

Did they give out any of your personal information? Merely picking up a phone and dialling a number isn't a breach of the DPA.

2. The attitude of the caller - absolutely no need for that behaviour.

See above.

3. If the call took place after 26th March - I had already taken care of the problem.

OK, so when did the call take place?

dmg24

brody77 wrote: »

So the other day (I just found out) my father received a very abusive call from an Asian gentleman from Next who proceeded to call him a liar, demand his DOB and other information as he would not accept he wasn't talking to me.

I am interested in how you know that the caller was Asian ... and what relevance this has?

chuckley

brody77 wrote: »

I recently had to cancel my next DD as they refused to change it to a convenient date (apparently it depends on when you open your account - whatever.)

there is ur answer.

brody77

Thanks for the replies, even if they aren't taking my side. Opinions vary, and all that....

Data Protection - I changed all of my details - address, email, phone number - in July 2008 to my new address. My mobile number is also on there should it be needed. For them to call my parents number and even acknowledge I have a next account is a breach of the data protection act as far as I am aware.

Calling my dad a liar - well, would you be more inclined to believe your parents or take the word of a call centre over them? The guy said my Dad was lying and he was me and kept asking him over and over to answer security questions - maybe the guy just enjoys his job too much.

How do I know the caller was Asian - I was told so by my mum when she rang.
What bearing does this have on the call? If you've ever dealt with an Asian call centre you'll probably know they can often be very "in your face".

when did the call take place - Waiting to hear back from my dad as he was out when she called.

"Of course you're in arrears, you cancelled your direct debit".
Ok, just to clarify - Next wouldn't/couldn't change the dadte for my DD, so I called and spoke to someone to cancel it so I could pay manually on pay day every month.
I was told fine, the DD due in a few days would pick up, then after that just pay manually.
Except it didn't pick up that one - unfortunately I didn't realise until the weekend before payday, and by then it was too late to make a difference.
So my a/c is exactly 10 DAYS behind. That's all.

Just to be clear - I'm not angry about that, I'm angry about them calling my father and giving him a hard time, especially given his health at present.
It's completely unacceptable and I think I'm quite within my rights to complain about it.

One thing I would say, though - my dad should just have hung up on the guy.

kinglewis121

"I am interested in how you know that the caller was Asian ... and what relevance this has? "

nobody bother calling him racist he's not and i totally agree asians in call centres can be awfully in your face and disrespectful

brody77

Yeah, I should have mentioned that also - my comment was not made as any kind of racist remark, it's just a sad truth that when you get a call from an Asian centre they can be very abrupt and rude.
(language barrier/poor training? who knows.)

DrScotsman

Pound wrote: »

brody77 wrote: »

So the other day (I just found out) my father received a very abusive call from an Asian gentleman from Next who proceeded to call him a liar, demand his DOB and other information as he would not accept he wasn't talking to me.

Well, he was talking to your father so why would he accept he was talking to you?

I want you to read the sentence you replied to veeeery carefully.

OP, it's a breach of data protection for another reason; why did they keep your old phone number on the system for so long? There is no reason to, so that breaches data protection.

And to all of you saying it's because he cancelled the direct debit, he was ASSURED that the next payment would still go through. Why are you blaming him for trusting what the call centre bloke said? You should be able to trust a call centre for something like this.

missile

I feel for the OP, particularly upsetting when your father has to answer such a call and then you have to explain to him ......
Unfortunately, I would suggest you are wasting your time complaining to Next.

upsadaisy

Call up and ring a peal over their heads, that what I would do. Then demand some next gift cards or vouchers for the inconvience they have caused!