Pure Planet reviews: add your feedback 17 November 2017 at 1:44PM edited 15 November 2018 at 1:56PM in Energy 504 replies 92.4K views

PurePlanet

nick99_2 said:

I started a switch to Pure Planet a few days ago based on a MSE review and recommendation. Pure Planet’s philosophy is great and communication initially seemed reasonable.

However it was when I needed to ask a question of 'support' that my unease grew to the point where I decided today to cancel the switch and stay with Bulb.

The issue was their decidedly old-school approach to data security and the potential for ID theft:

I received a phone call yesterday frm someone claiming to be from Pure Planet. They said I had to provide some personal information before they could continue. They had a slightly hard-to-understand foreign accent.

I said that I was not prepared to simply give the information until I had some way of being more sure they were genuinely from Pure Planet. They said they could not send a pre-call email or text message and that if I was not 'comfortable' with the call then they would have to hang up.

I used the app to raise a support issue. I had to endure a few futile Q&As with their 'Wattbot'. Hint: if you want the thing to refer you to a human being, just type 'human being' two or three times - it eventually gives up!

Eventually an assistant came on and texted that it was not possible to send a pre-call confirmation but thanking me for the feedback which would be forwarded to their team for consideration.

Really, this sort of system is not rocket science - several of my other app-based companies simply send me an email before the call (so I know what to expect)- a simple inspection of the email headers assures me it is propably genuine.

I do think that in these days of increasing sophistication by scammers that having a pre-call authentication system should be a basic requirement.

No way would I recommend this to an elderly relative - partly because the 'bot' system for support tickets is like being asked to weak a frustrating straightjacket.

I will remain with Bulb where I can usually get to speak to a real human being within a couple of minutes of calling. If there has to be an extra cost for the priviledge of talking to a human being, then so be it!

In fairness to MSE it was pointed out that switchers had raised the support issue before… so I suspected it might be a deal-breaker..

Hey Nick99_2
Thanks for this really thorough feedback. We don't make many calls, but we do occasionally if it looks like a new joiner could have a bit of trouble with their switch. Of course like banks and other companies we'll need to run through some security questions to make sure we're talking to the right person!
We'll also offer a call service to vulnerable Members. 
Our virtual assistant WattBot currently answers more than three quarters of questions posted into chat. If it's something account-specific and he/she can't, it'll get passed on to our Member services team.
But, again, thanks for the detailed feedback. It does get read and used by the PP team! 
Marc @ Pure Planet

MWT

PurePlanet said:

Of course like banks and other companies we'll need to run through some security questions to make sure we're talking to the right person!

The point though is that banks and other companies have addressed the fundamental insecurity of this approach by using methods like sending a txt to a pre-registered phone to validate identity. Simply calling people and expecting them to give your operative personal information without any alternative or a method of validating that it is a legitimate call just isn't secure enough these days...

Gerry1

So if the scammer sends you a text before phoning you, it proves they are genuine??

MWT

Gerry1 said:

So if the scammer sends you a text before phoning you, it proves they are genuine??

Instead of asking me to give personal information to prove they are talking to the right person, my bank generates a numeric code that they send to my pre-registered phone number, that way there is no need for me to give any other information as 'proof'.

As a general rule I will not give personal information to anyone who calls me under any circumstances, if they need to verify they are talking to the right person that verification has to come from their end, not mine.

I will also not call them back on a number they give me on the phone, any call-back I make has to be to a number I already have, or have independently verified.

Cityaces

I wouldn't trust them - I started the switch but hit a snag and with no phone number and more importantly no proper human contact the snag has snowballed. Trying desperately to cancel. Having to wait to verify with current company as weekend!

Gerry1

MWT said:

Gerry1 said:

So if the scammer sends you a text before phoning you, it proves they are genuine??

Instead of asking me to give personal information to prove they are talking to the right person, my bank generates a numeric code that they send to my pre-registered phone number

Your savings could be wiped out if that's a mobile number, which is why GCHQ have warned against SIM Swap Fraud.

JHoney

richardc1983 said:

Pure planet I am very concerned that I've opened a support message in your app days ago and no response. My supplier raised an objection to a negative balance which has bee  cleared now but I cannot get a response from you. This is worrying and your app keeps sending me a log on link which opens the app but then just shows the login page again. 

Please help
 

Unfortunately this is par for the course with Pure Planet, if you need urgent customer service you're sunk, it just doesn't exist.  I hope you got this sorted in the end.

PurePlanet

Hi @richardc1983 @JHoney

Our service is 100% digital - we don't have call centres. If you have any questions,  you can tap 'Get help and support' in our app or from your account at https://purepla.net. You can also drop into the Community to get answers from other Members at https://community.purepla.net

We try to be as accessible as possible, and we appreciate that this format won't suit every one.

If you sent a message to our Member services team, although it's not a live chat service, they will get back to you. 
Marc @PurePlanet

LiamDuddy

On 23rd July, I tried to transfer my gas & electricity supply to your 100% Green 12m Fixed Jul20 v1. The day after I received an email to say you did not have enough details and to begin a new quote, which I tried. You then told me you could not find a gas supply at my address! I contacted you that day by email to [email protected] (24th July) asking to get in touch and gave my mobile number. I have heard nothing back.

I am elderly and have mobility issues, so I would like to cancel this transfer now as this whole process has left me anxious about my supply.

Please get in touch with me.

PurePlanet

LiamDuddy said:

I would like to cancel this transfer now as this whole process has left me anxious about my supply.

Hi @LiamDuddy
Sorry to hear you're anxious, we def don't want that. I don't have your exact details but I've checked with our Member services team and it does look as though it has been cancelled for you.
Also - did you verify your account and receive a welcome pack? If not, then don't worry, there's nothing to cancel.
Marc @ Pure Planet