Orange misleading / Poor customer service

djtomturner

Hi all,

My first posting, just looking for peoples opinions regarding an issue i have had with Orange today, i will post their responses as i get them.

Here is my complaint to them!

Dear sir / Madam,

I feel it necessary to write an email of complaint regarding several issues I have experienced today with Orange.

My mobile number: ************
My name: ************

I have been a pay as you go customer with orange for quite some time now and have never really had the need to contact yourselves regarding anything, the service on the phone itself has served me very well so far.

Previously I registered interest in receiving information regarding the iphone which was forthcoming on Orange.

You have attempted to call me several times but due to work commitments I have so far not been able to speak with you.

Today I have received an email regarding the iphone (which I have attached for your records).

The email states clearly as follows:

---

Reserve your iphone today

Hello

We’ve been trying to call you but haven’t been able to get hold of you.

We were ringing to say that the news you’ve been waiting for has arrived. That’s right, now you can reserve your iPhone with Orange. All you have to do is simply visit your local Orange shop to find out more about our tariff options.

Better still, you’ll be enjoying the iPhone on the UK’s biggest 3G network, covering more people than any other. It really is a winning combination.

you’re entitled to an upgrade

What’s more, you’re now eligible for an upgrade, so don’t hang around – get your hands on one of the best phones on the market.

the benefits you’ll enjoy

Of course, there are all those other lovely perks that come with being an Orange customer – like:

Orange Wednesdays – 2 for 1 cinema tickets every Wednesday

Phone Fund – top up by £10 and get £1 towards a new phone

Bright Top Ups – a 1 in 3 chance of winning a prize every time you top up

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks

Orange

---

Fantastic news, im "entitled to an upgrade" and can "get my hands on one of the best phones on the market".

I made a call to your contact centre where today I have experienced what I can only describe as simply shocking customer service.

Being a team manager within an international companies retail customer services sector I would like to think that I have high level first hand experience to know how I was dealt with today was unacceptable.

I was literally laughed at on the phone, your agent advised I had been sent a generic email after registering my interest.
Whilst I agreed I had registered interest I did advise that it was in fact you (Orange) who had contacted me advising I was entitled to the upgrade and to not hang around.
Your agent then advised she would be able to look at a monthly contract for me and would need to run a credit check?
I advised I wasn't looking to join such a scheme as pay as you go has suited me fine for some time now and I wished to remain this way. I then went on to question why I had received such an invitation when in reality I was getting nothing. Your agent replied "I don't know".

I was made to feel awkward for calling the company who had actually prompted my call in the first place.

Your agent even had the nerve to say "have you just called to argue with someone" which I reminded her was not an appropriate way to be talking to customers.
Your agent then went on to ask "so are you interested in an iphone" and "so you think we are just going to give you a free iphone" to which I replied again that you (Orange) were the ones who had contacted me.

The phone line was lost a short time after this and it wasn't disconnected from my side.

I have since called back twice and requested callbacks from managers regarding the above.
The first agent advised "someone will call you within 20mins". This didn't happen so I called back again and was told "I will call you in 2mins" and guess what? This also didn't happen.

So I would like to know what Orange are going to do in this situation?

Your email to me clearly advises I am entitled to an upgrade and prompts me to not hang around.

It does not advise I am to be credit checked and placed on any sort of monthly contract.

It does not say I am to pay for anything at all.

It does not have any small print stating any exclusions etc.

I feel you have totally misled me, have tried to make me look stupid upon questioning what was your communication to me and have pretty much shown that the time I have spent with your company really does amount to no sort of loyalty, respect or wish to retain my custom for years to come.

You cannot offer me the iphone like this and then advise differently, its totally unacceptable.

This is the first time I have had to call you in quite some time and if today's experience is anything to go off then I may have to consider other companies options.

I await your response.

OneADay

The text is intended for monthly customers - there is no way you can get the iphone on pay and go.

Saying that - its pretty dumb thing to do to send text messages like that to pay and go customers - basically they trying to advertise a product.

You can't do much about it other than leave for another network - it won't hurt them much but at least you have satisfaction of not having to deal with them on phone and knowing you are not helping to build their profits.

You can probably ask to be removed from being sent further product information.

lufcgirl

Did you honestly, honestly think they were just going to give you an iPhone for free on Pay As You Go?

Not meaning to sound patronising at all, but as a manager of a international companies retail customer service you must surely be aware of the prices and hype surrounding the iPhone. Sure the e-mail was misleading but still, a little bit of common sense does need to prevail here. They did try to keep you by offering to upgrade you to a contract iPhone (which requires a credit check, something most people know) or on PAYG, but it doesn't entitle you to get the phone for free. The advisors attitude here was shocking and you would do right to complain about it.

You won't get a free iPhone though.

LeeSouthEast

I think you're fairly naive if you believe Orange were just planning to give you an iPhone for free on a PAYG contract.

Nowhere in the email they sent to you did they say you'd get one for free. Your upgrade path (in their eyes) is likely a monthly contract, which is an upgrade to an existing PAYG customer.

Despite this, I don't see how they can justify treating you as they have done.

drbesty

Of course you can get it on PAYG, it's £440 for the 16gb. The email is a generic email sent to everyone who pre-registered their interest

djtomturner

No, im not under any illusions that i will get an iphone but my point is that they have emailed me with what is a very misleading document.

This type of mail out is very wrong and is only going to be causing more issues like mine today?

And to state i can have an upgrade when in reality it clearly isnt is wrong isnt it?

To upgrade is to gain, if i was offered to upgrade on a flight would i then be happy to be asked for £400 for it? nope!

Also, whilst i know the hype etc surrounding this phone it should in turn mean any communications that go out are clear and have the relevant terms and conditions attached?

I think Orange have messed up here!

eranou

djtomturner wrote: »

No, im not under any illusions that i will get an iphone but my point is that they have emailed me with what is a very misleading document.

This type of mail out is very wrong and is only going to be causing more issues like mine today?

And to state i can have an upgrade when in reality it clearly isnt is wrong isnt it?

To upgrade is to gain, if i was offered to upgrade on a flight would i then be happy to be asked for £400 for it? nope!

Also, whilst i know the hype etc surrounding this phone it should in turn mean any communications that go out are clear and have the relevant terms and conditions attached?

I think Orange have messed up here!

yes but the word upgrade dose not always have to mean free

I have upgraded the graphics on my pc but I still had to pay for a new card

Guys_Dad

djtomturner wrote: »

No, im not under any illusions that i will get an iphone but my point is that they have emailed me with what is a very misleading document.

This type of mail out is very wrong and is only going to be causing more issues like mine today?

And to state i can have an upgrade when in reality it clearly isnt is wrong isnt it?

To upgrade is to gain, if i was offered to upgrade on a flight would i then be happy to be asked for £400 for it? nope!

Also, whilst i know the hype etc surrounding this phone it should in turn mean any communications that go out are clear and have the relevant terms and conditions attached?

I think Orange have messed up here!

They made a mistake with their mailing list, obviously. Many companies do that. When their rep said that they had made a mistake, that should have been the end of it. You knew as a PAYG customer upgrades don't apply. It was worth a try though, but they didn't bite.

That is hardly bad customer service. I also have to say that judging from your letter, you wouldn't have just said "Fair enough, but take me off the mailing list so I don't get my hopes dashed again" and customer service people have enough genuine problems to sort out (How long do we have to wait hanging on the line at times waiting for one to become free?) without having to spend a long time on something they have answered?

I don't blame them for being short with you. Sorry.

Littlemiss27

They might not have made a mistake....

Orange offer upgrades to both pay monthly and pre pay customers.

Pre pay customers can use their phone fund balance (which can be upto £200) against the cost of the iphone on pay as you go.

Here's the link regarding iphones for existing monthly/pre pay/business customers http://shop.orange.co.uk/iphone/already.html

And here's the link about Phone Fund http://shop.orange.co.uk/mobile-phones/upgrades/pay-as-you-go

robt_2

djtomturner wrote: »

No, im not under any illusions that i will get an iphone but my point is that they have emailed me with what is a very misleading document.

This type of mail out is very wrong and is only going to be causing more issues like mine today?

And to state i can have an upgrade when in reality it clearly isnt is wrong isnt it?

To upgrade is to gain, if i was offered to upgrade on a flight would i then be happy to be asked for £400 for it? nope!

Also, whilst i know the hype etc surrounding this phone it should in turn mean any communications that go out are clear and have the relevant terms and conditions attached?

I think Orange have messed up here!

You ARE entitled to an upgrade, that doesn't mean it is free.

To use your analogy, you could arrive at the check-in desk and ask for an upgrade. It doesn't mean it will be free.

What exactly is misleading? Could you let us know specifically?