Want mind bogglingly BAD customer service - try Orange!

malc_b

The could be a vent but I like to think of it as a warning.

Went to ee help where it says to get a PAC to transfer number from Orange, PAYG dial 450 on mobile or 0800 376 2285. So I do this and get told no I need to phone a mobile (no thanks, I like the 0800 better on my landline). I point out that this is the number given on the web site. Told this is for contract phones only (wonder if I get a different story with a contract phone?). I point out that this IS the number given on the web site and read out what it says, brrr, Orange hang up. So I try again, get the same answer say the same thing and read what the web site says, brrr, Orange hang up.

This is customer service now? Don't listen to what I have to say just hang up. Orange I wouldn't touch you with 100ft barge pole. I can't find the clean words to describe how bad your customer service is, and this isn't just one rouge person in the call centre. 2 different people did exactly the same.

Orange, The Home for masochists (who else likes customer service that hangs up on you).

Techhead_2

Being practical about this; given there seems to be a mistake on their website ; did you ask them what the correct number is? Have you tried calling 450 from your mobile?

Scrounger

Techhead wrote: »

Have you tried calling 450 from your mobile?

But that will cost him 25p (if he speaks to an advisor) :eek:; the 0800 number is free.

Scrounger

hawki

Agree, I ahve been trying to unlock an Orange phone since July! 8 phone calls & they just hang up!

ZhugeEX

EE's customer service as a whole has gone down hill recently. This is reflected in Ofcom's complaints report that they do every quarter.

From what i've heard on the inside there are plans to try and turn the situation around and we should see new processes that lead to quicker response times from EE customer service.

Pete6

I too have had appalling service recently from Orange/EE customer service - made four or five calls to 450 with no satisfactory result. Yes it's 25p a throw - small beer maybe, but when you have to make multiple calls it all adds up...:(

I think the main problem is their call centre is based overseas (India?) and not all their advisers are fluent in English.

I won't be using that service again.

I did try E-mailing the customer service address, but the E-mail was bounced. I then tried E-mailing the chief exec. ([EMAIL="Olaf.Swantee&#64;ee.co.uk"]Olaf.Swantee@ee.co.uk[/EMAIL] <[EMAIL="Olaf.Swantee&#64;ee.co.uk"]Olaf.Swantee@ee.co.uk[/EMAIL]>). I got the read receipt but the E-mail was, not surprisingly, unanswered. Still, it can do no harm to keep bombarding this individual with E-mails...

However, I do have a tip: this is what sorted me out. I had ordered an upgrade phone from Orange's mail-order site; when it came it didn't work. The reason is because Orange bar all mail-ordered phones before shipping: bar the IMEI number, that is. They don't tell you this! Why they do that, I don't know: do they expect the phones to be stolen wholesale by the Royal Mail?

Anyway, the number you need to call from a landline, to get the phone unbarred, is 0800 0790103. It took me a while to discover this, even though the number was in the small print on the invoice all the time. Eventually one of the 450 guys let it out! Notice that this is a free call if you make it from a landline. All you need to know is your IMEI number which you can read off the phone (usually under the battery). You need to have your SIM handy.

This appears to route to a desk in the UK, and in my case I got through to a guy who knew what it was all about! He told me, he'd had to deal with a dozen calls already that day, all dealing with exactly the same problem. I told him exactly what I thought of the 450 service. He couldn't comment, of course, his terms of employment wouldn't have let him - but I could sense the body language coming from this bloke, even over the phone.

Says it all, really.

Hope this helps.

custardy

Pete6 wrote: »

I too have had appalling service recently from Orange/EE customer service - made four or five calls to 450 with no satisfactory result. Yes it's 25p a throw - small beer maybe, but when you have to make multiple calls it all adds up...:(

I think the main problem is their call centre is based overseas (India?) and not all their advisers are fluent in English.

I won't be using that service again.

I did try E-mailing the customer service address, but the E-mail was bounced. I then tried E-mailing the chief exec. ([EMAIL="Olaf.Swantee&#64;ee.co.uk"]Olaf.Swantee@ee.co.uk[/EMAIL] <[EMAIL="Olaf.Swantee&#64;ee.co.uk"]Olaf.Swantee@ee.co.uk[/EMAIL]>). I got the read receipt but the E-mail was, not surprisingly, unanswered. Still, it can do no harm to keep bombarding this individual with E-mails...

However, I do have a tip: this is what sorted me out. I had ordered an upgrade phone from Orange's mail-order site; when it came it didn't work. The reason is because Orange bar all mail-ordered phones before shipping: bar the IMEI number, that is. They don't tell you this! Why they do that, I don't know: do they expect the phones to be stolen wholesale by the Royal Mail?

Anyway, the number you need to call from a landline, to get the phone unbarred, is 0800 0790103. It took me a while to discover this, even though the number was in the small print on the invoice all the time. Eventually one of the 450 guys let it out! Notice that this is a free call if you make it from a landline. All you need to know is your IMEI number which you can read off the phone (usually under the battery). You need to have your SIM handy.

This appears to route to a desk in the UK, and in my case I got through to a guy who knew what it was all about! He told me, he'd had to deal with a dozen calls already that day, all dealing with exactly the same problem. I told him exactly what I thought of the 450 service. He couldn't comment, of course, his terms of employment wouldn't have let him - but I could sense the body language coming from this bloke, even over the phone.

Says it all, really.

Hope this helps.

small print? well having had many phones over the years direct from Orange
I have never had trouble following the instructions on how to activate the SIM on receipt
At no point does it state to call 450

malc_b

Update: Went into the Orange store (chippenham). Helpful up to a point (i.e. as far as Orange allows). I would have liked to get a PAC and move the remaining credit to another phone. Shop girl said I could have a PAC, I'd have to ring 450 which I could do from the shop (I'd have to speak to 450 they couldn't), BUT, I'd then lose all the credit.

What kicked this off was the SIM went down on the phone (or maybe Orange turned it off, who knows). At first thought it was the phone had died so was planning to take over an old 3 phone and go for 3's 123 package. Orange shop fixed my up with as new SIM with my old number so at least I can use up the credit on that, saving 25p to call 450 for PAC last of all I guess unless the number given above for unbarring 0800 0790103 will work.

Seems like if you want service from Orange then their shops are the place to go (not India!).

custardy

or read the instructions?

tyllwyd

Pete6 wrote: »

...
.... Anyway, the number you need to call from a landline, to get the phone unbarred, is 0800 0790103. It took me a while to discover this, even though the number was in the small print on the invoice all the time. Eventually one of the 450 guys let it out! Notice that this is a free call if you make it from a landline. All you need to know is your IMEI number which you can read off the phone (usually under the battery). You need to have your SIM handy.

This appears to route to a desk in the UK, and in my case I got through to a guy who knew what it was all about! He told me, he'd had to deal with a dozen calls already that day, all dealing with exactly the same problem. I

I had exactly the same problem - I registered the SIM as instructed but there was no mention of the phone itself being blocked and it didn't automatically unblock so it wouldn't connect to the network. Phoned Orange customer services in India who had no idea what the problem was. I found out by phoning the number given to return the phone, the British bloke on the other end knew instantly what the problem was and unblocked it during our conversation.