Problem with Orange-advice appreciated

Irvin2

Here is a sorry tale, partially a result of my naivety; advice would be gratefully received!

I visited an Orange store in Derby on Saturday as my phone had a fault.

I was advised that an 'Upgrade' was available to me, and I could renew my contract in the store. I was recommended a 'Dolphin 25' contract for £25 per month. The store assistant said he checked the details of my past usage on the system, and advised me that 300 minutes per month would cover my phone usage. I signed the contract and took the new phone (HTC Wildfire S).

Over the weekend, I checked through my paperwork for the past 12 months and found that my usage, contrary to the information provided by your store assistant, is often in excess of 300 minutes per month.

Today, I phoned the Upgrade section of the Customer Services Department to find out if I could have more minutes on my contract: I was told by a very forthright member of the team, that I had been given a terrible deal by the store as no benefit had been provided to me in respect of my 'loyalty', having been a contract customer for many years. He advised me to return the phone to the store, cancel the contract and phone back to renew over the phone, for a deal which include HTC Wilfdfire S, 600 minutes (and other benefits) for £20 per month .

As advised, I visited the store this afternoon. I was shocked by the store assistant's response to my polite description of my reason for returning the phone: He shook his head and said 'NO ... ..they are just trying to take our contract'.

I made it clear that I would take the matter further, so he then asked me to wait 'a second'. I waited in the store for a further 50 minutes. The manager eventually appeared from the back office to say she was trying to find a way to resolve the problem. I explained that I could not afford to wait any longer as I had a work appointment to attend. The manager promised to phone me within the hour to update me. I have not received any call or voicemail from her.

I phoned Customer Services to lodge a complaint, which I was assured would be actioned with a request for remedy, but told that the dept did not have the power to change a decision made by the store management. There is obviously competition between Orange Stores and its phone based services.

Advice would be greatly appreciated!

Transformer

Thing is its the old chesnut. The store have you signed up and will argue it was up to you to check the contract. You will say you felt you understood you were getting a good deal and they were acting in your best interest another words you trusted them that it was the best deal on offer.

Thing is even the ceo office of orange uk have formed the opinion that you cannot trust what verbally told in store by an orange rep, this I source from another thread where call was recorded between customer and rep, who I add enjoyed belittling that customer to have been so silly to have trusted a rep in an orange store!!!!!!!! Yep an orange rep in and orange uniform promising to make a deal for you and offering you an upgrade that you probably did not go into get, as you said you only went in due to fault on the phone has not acted in your interest and the ceo office of orange uk will just want you to go away.

All you can do is state how you have found they would have offered 20.00 per month and due to long standing with them would at least hope they can honour it as you don't find it professional the fighting between store and over phone sales. You will need to make sure you record any calls to them for record as it will be your word against theres if you do not, but more so better to communicate by email to: executive.office@orange.co.uk.

Keep that paper trail. Worth a polite try to ask for what they have said should have been readily offered at least. Depends if they want to keep your custom. Thing is always if can renew over the phone as you are protected by distance sales as you will now know you have no such entitlement when take a phone from the store direct, they could just insist no and you would be bound by the contract, but bet you will think hard before renewing with them again if they let you down !! I would with such dirty tactics in stores that go on in my opinion of course.

Good luck.

Buzby

There's a lot wrong in this - your call to Upgrades whilst it gave you information that made you unhappy with your purchase, they know full well you have no right of return/cancellation on UPGRADES. Why didn't they know this? As for you having signed up to less minutes than you actually use, they were acting correctly - 80% of most users never get near their inclusive call value, so it makes sense to be cautious unless you are always above, and this is average over 12 months usage.

At the end of the day, they are only going to advise you based on their options - they are not independent, so there could be a better deal available on a different network you didn't know about. You will probably have to chalk this up to experience (trust no-one!) unless they change your tariff as a goodwill gesture. You certainly have no grounds for cancellation, and bearing in mind you've already agreed to them wrecking your credit file if you default, the downsides outweigh the possible advantage.

Even if they made an incorrect recommendation, your agreement and signature seals the deal in a very real sense.

Irvin2

There has been a reasonable resolution to my grievance: The resposne to my complaint was an extra 200 minutes per month, with no extra charge.