Virgin Media Sales Calls Warning

AnotherVMLetDown

Hi All,

I wanted to share my experience of VM not delivering deals agreed to by phone. I have seen one other post on this subject, so hopefully this can help you avoid hassle.

As an existing customer, I was called by VM outbound sales, who offered me a new package. After limited discussion (I asked if could get a faster broadband package, which was confirmed), I agreed. The following day I was emailed terms which were not the same as those discussed on the phone - namely, the broadband package was not the one I had agreed to and the monthly fee after the initial 18 months was substantially more than what had been disclosed to me on the call.

Raising this issue with their whatsapp support team, I was asked for “screenshot proof” of the deal I had agreed to. This is impossible for a call, and the rigmarole of obtaining their recordings is impracticable.

During this whatsapp discussion, I was offered the package I had agreed to for a higher initial monthly fee. When I turned this down, and asked to revert to my previous contract, my account was switched to the spurned offer without my consent, and I was transferred to a new hapless agent who informed me that they would not transfer me (again) to the right department and ended the discussion.

I then rang cancellations, (where I learned the unauthorised switch had been made) and ultimately was offered the original package I had agreed to, for a similar initial monthly fee and a larger vastly inflated fee after 18 months - and a confirmation that I could not be put back to my previous deal.

Whilst I ultimately accepted the new package and am happy with its initial monthly fee, I am now forced into going through the same arduous process in 18 months to avoid a tariff which is above my monthly budget. I valued my previous far-from-market-leading-contract being both within my budget and relieving me if the need to engage with the upgrade process to maintain the affordability. I now feel press-ganged into this cycle of upgrading by the initial deception of the outbound sales team (which I can’t prove), amazed that the second agent upgraded my contract further (which I could prove, having screenshots and now an email confirming the contract change) and grimly anticipating the inevitable instability in my home services that will come from future negotiations.

TLDR; 1. Get your own proof of what outbound sales are offering you, you may need it. 2. Be prepared to spend a couple of evenings if you switch - even if the switch is an offer by the provider.