Why should PAYG Orange customers pay to call customer services?

almahadeus

I just got off the phone with a woman from Orange customer services and felt I had to rant....

I had an Orange mobile contract phone for years and then switched to Orange pay as you go. Since moving I have noticed that the customer service for PAYG customers is absolutely rubbish (or non existent). One example: my credit ran out yesterday and I wanted to top up my account using my debit card. Simple you might think? Wrong. Following the introduction of the new chip and pin cards I was sent a new debit card and so these details did not match the ones on Orange's system and so I couldn't do the top-up on their free automated system. So I tried to contact Orange by choosing the 'help' option- except I couldn't get through because it would cost 25p to call that service- the best bit is that after it tells you that you need money to get that service, it says:

'Call us on 450 and tell us which card you want to use to top up...' Meanwhile I was shouting I CAN'T!!!!!!!! I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY!!!!!!!! So I needed to change my account details but I couldn't without having credit on my phone.

I resigned to calling their 07973... number from another phone and spent money to change my details and so top up- is this the way to treat customers? When I asked this to the customer services woman she said that only contract phone users get a freephone customer services number as they pay service charges every month (as I did for years- but loyalty means nothing in business). The fact that PAYG customers pay huge amounts for phone calls (much more than contract customers) meant nothing to her- her response was:

'Orange has to get their profit from somewhere' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I couldn't believe she said that! And she said it several times as if I should feel sorry for Orange! She also said that I chose PAYG (implying that I should like it or lump it) - is it just me or does it seem like customers who switch from pay monthly to PAYG are being penalised?

Steve_xx

I wholeheartedly agree with you.

PAYG customers are very lucrative to mobile operators due to the generally absurdly high call charges which they impose on them.

derrick

Freephone numbers for Orange PAYG
0800 801080 switchboard office hours,ask for customer services
0800 0791050
0800 0790051 for lost & stolen phones


Have just used 0800 0791050 and spoke for 10 mins,so it works

barjam_2

i totally agree with you about them charging to ring them but orange c s used to charge you by the minute where as now its a one off 25p i used to spend approx £3-£4 when i had to ring them cos they used to start charging as soon as the automated machine kicked in where as now you dont get charged the 25p until you speak to someone so thats a hell of a lot cheaper than what it used to be

DonnyDave

Orange being allowed to use their 07973 mobile numbers to call them is another example of poor regulation. They cost 13.6p/min to call in the daytime from a BT (Together) landline. This is worse than 0871, and they operate the numbers!!!! So the more they keep you on the line, the more revenue it generates for them!!

john-306

Had to call Orange CS recently and didn't really enjoy being told it will cost 25p to get put through but realised it could have cost more with their old system so accepted it, got put through only to be told "Customer services is now closed, call back blah blah blah" they still took the 25p off my credit even when they knew I wasn't able to get through so beware.....
Absolutely useless *******

andrew_b6k

I used to be on orange PAYG a few years ago, and their number (either 450 or 453) would put you through to customer services for free if you just didn't press anything for a while.

derrick

Has nobody read my thread (3 above) there are freephone numbers and they work,so forget the 25p charges and use them

Turnip

Freephone numbers aren't free from mobiles though... Could find the nearest payphone but I agree with andrew_b6k, my trick was to go to the credit card top up menus then just enter garbage numbers. After I think 3 failed entries you get put onto CS free. Unfortunately doesn't work from abroad tho

almahadeus

andrew_b6k wrote:

I used to be on orange PAYG a few years ago, and their number (either 450 or 453) would put you through to customer services for free if you just didn't press anything for a while.

I used to do that too, unfortunately it doesn't work anymore (I mentioned that to the customer services and they said that it did work before- but not anymore).

almahadeus

derrick wrote:

Has nobody read my thread (3 above) there are freephone numbers and they work,so forget the 25p charges and use them

Thanks Derrick, will try the 0800 from now on (do they work from mobiles?)- the problem is that it is unacceptable that they don't publicise these numbers and the fact that they hide this from customers and don't provide proper freephone access from the mobile is what gets my goat...