BG Zero Fix October 22

Inigo_Montoya

Mbday said:

Like other Neon Reef customers on here I attempted to switch to BG’s Zero Fixed October 22 tariff.  I used the online chat facility.  The advisor stated that this tariff was available “in my location” and, as suggested, I took screen shots of the conversation which left me believing I would be able to switch to the tariff once my application as a new customer had been accepted.  I had to join up on a much more expensive Fixed Rate.

The next day (18 November) I emailed, as a precaution, the MD of British Gas (easy to Google his details) outlining my experience, and asking for a member of his team to contact me to confirm that my understanding from the Chat Advisor was correct.

A Customer Manager, from the Executive Office, phoned me the following afternoon. He said that the Zero Fixed Tariff was no longer available.  I pointed out that this had not been my understanding, had screen shots of my online conversation and that further, I was aware that others had been given similar misleading information and they also had evidence of the same.  He seemed quite concerned and asked me to send him the screenshots.  I said I was reluctant to do this if it was going to be a waste of time and I also didn’t want to get the advisor into trouble, as I felt the scale of the problem suggested that this was a wider training issue in BG, rather than one “rogue” Chat Advisor.  I also mentioned the O ( Ombudsman) word. Whilst I can’t recall his exact response, I was left with the distinct impression that something would be done regarding putting me on a more favourable tariff (though not necessarily the Zero Fixed). He also confirmed that no one internally would get into trouble.

We exchanged further emails and I duly sent him the requested information.  

He contacted me again this afternoon.  He thanked me for my help and said it had been used to ensure that staff had been appropriately briefed to ensure the same mistake was not made again (he said the issue seemed to have been with one particular team).  He then apologised for the misinformation, but said he was unable to give me the  Zero Fixed Tariff as it was only available to customers whose supplier had gone out of business and who had then been transferred to BG.  When I pointed out that I was indeed one of those customers (Neon Reef) he hummed and harred a bit about whether I might be put on that tariff when the BG transfer had come through (but I would have to wait and see), before finally saying it was only available to ex customers of Robin Energy (whoever they are)!

I grumbled on a bit about how he too had misled me, that their website tariff information was woefully inadequate (he agreed) and that I had provided him with some really useful information which the company was able to act on, saving them further problems down the line  The most he said he was able to do was offer me £50 to compensate me for my time and trouble.  I told him I thought this inadequate and not what he had led me to expect.  I also stated I would be putting all this on the MSE website forum and that no doubt others might complain and/or take it to the Ombudsman.  He said they were prepared for that.

I confirmed that my calls with him were recorded and so this might be used as evidence should I go to the Ombudsman.  He again seemed unconcerned by this, even though we both know that he strongly hinted at some sort of beneficial tariff in our first conversation.  Indeed he ended by saying he would send me an email confirming I was entitled to take my complaint to Ofgem.

So that is where we are at.  

Seriously, why did you think emailing the MD was going to help ? - personally I couldn't think of a worse thing to do for both yourself &, more importantly, everybody else trying to get onto the tariff

The people who have been able to get onto the tariff were only able to do so exactly because the customer service reps were not properly trained as the tariff, by all accounts, should not be available to switch too

By raising the issue with senior management you have just potentially just sabotaged everybody already attempting to get onto the tariff & defnately now made it impossible for anybody else to try

The only way it had any chance of working was by it staying under the radar which is clearly is not anymore 

ivanleo

Inigo_Montoya said:

By raising the issue with senior management you have just potentially just sabotaged everybody already attempting to get onto the tariff & defnately now made it impossible for anybody else to try

The only way it had any chance of working was by it staying under the radar which is clearly is not anymore 

Totally agree.

MWT

At least it all makes sense now, Ebico had their zero standing charge tariff provided by Robin Hood Energy, so when they failed and they were all transferred to BG, they created a zero fixed tariff for those customers. 

This one was never going to survive the light of day, and the compensation offered above is probably more than the Ombudsman would give for a customer service failure. 

EssexHebridean

Errr….there is some further nonsense emerging from that conversation. We were former RobinHood Energy customers transferred over, our initial honouring of the original contract (via Ebico) ended in October but we were told there was no longer a zero S/C tariff for us to move to, and were offered either variable, or a expensive fix. 

GingerTim

Thanks for coming back and updating us - this sort of thing always seemed the likely outcome. I just hope no-one gets stuck on an expensive tariff, having read about this supposed glitch on here, and switched with a fanciful promise to be put backdated onto the Zero one.

MWT

EssexHebridean said:

Errr….there is some further nonsense emerging from that conversation. We were former RobinHood Energy customers transferred over, our initial honouring of the original contract (via Ebico) ended in October but we were told there was no longer a zero S/C tariff for us to move to, and were offered either variable, or a expensive fix. 

That's probably true though as that tariff had been retired by then and was no longer on offer as it was designed to run for 12 months from September 2020 from the looks of things.

DiseasedBunny

On the plus side, at least it will put this stupidity to bed…

grandadgolfer

Mdbay

"The next day (18 November) I emailed, as a precaution, the MD of British Gas (easy to Google his details) outlining my experience, and asking for a member of his team to contact me to confirm that my understanding from the Chat Advisor was correct"

The worst thing you could have done

LaHostessAvecLaMostess

grandadgolfer said:

Mdbay

"The next day (18 November) I emailed, as a precaution, the MD of British Gas (easy to Google his details) outlining my experience, and asking for a member of his team to contact me to confirm that my understanding from the Chat Advisor was correct"

The worst thing you could have done

Not really, it stops anyone else getting stranded on an expensive tariff because of what they've read on here.

I nearly took the plunge but it was obviously an error and I didn't fancy being stuck on a year+ fix at the top of the market.

MWT

LaHostessAvecLaMostess said:

grandadgolfer said:

Mdbay

"The next day (18 November) I emailed, as a precaution, the MD of British Gas (easy to Google his details) outlining my experience, and asking for a member of his team to contact me to confirm that my understanding from the Chat Advisor was correct"

The worst thing you could have done

Not really, it stops anyone else getting stranded on an expensive tariff because of what they've read on here.

I nearly took the plunge but it was obviously an error and I didn't fancy being stuck on a year+ fix at the top of the market.

This is after all a money saving site and while we should absolutely share knowledge that helps people save, the savings do need to be legitimate and not based on accessing 'mistakes' which as we have seen here, can vanish between deciding to switch and actually completing the process.

Some were asking why 'Martin' was ignoring this tariff and telling people to stay put for now...  well, this is why...