Tomato Energy (Electric Only Supplier) - Too Good To Be True ?

tlcgrantham

@Newbie_John. I agree with your point about “continuous innovation in their monthly billings”. Some customers who left a while ago might not fully appreciate how much they are improving from a customer point of view if not the regulators.

Newbie_John

Exactly that, here's an example of the app they released recently:

masonic

Newbie_John said:

masonic said:

Newbie_John said:

Shedman said:

I see on Facebook quite a few people (including me) reporting that they can't log in to MyWatts (get a Failed Logging In error message).  Another bill they haven't paid perchance......?

Probably a new version release. Fingers crossed some new features are added as it was very very basic.

There's quite a lot of data so they could show some fancy things like Octopus Compare etc.

Most likely this is unplanned and something has broken. A provider wouldn't voluntarily take their platform offline without warning, and would provide some sort of guidance for the maintenance window if it was a planned upgrade.

Big provider, smaller providers do last minute changes on the production code, with unplanned releases any time.

If you were customer you would notice continuous innovation in their monthly billings.

Anyway, either of us can be right.

None of that continuous improvement previously required the online portal to be taken down for two days without warning.

I've worked for smaller firms where I'd have been sacked if I did that. But I'd probably also be sacked as CFO if multiple winding up orders landed.

Is the app still working then?

HillStreetBlues

tlcgrantham said:

@Newbie_John. I agree with your point about “continuous innovation in their monthly billings”. Some customers who left a while ago might not fully appreciate how much they are improving from a customer point of view if not the regulators.

As a customer I see little improvement. I thought I had all issues sorted when they rebilled me covering period to the end of April. Payment wasn't taken ended up phoning up to get it paid. Still no bill for May although they have all meter readings.
 

born_again

masonic said:

Chrysalis said:

TE already replied and escalated it with billing.

Interesting, I haven't had a peep out of them so far. Maybe they don't bother with their complaints inbox.

8 weeks & then energy ombudsman. Another nail in the coffin for failing to acknowledge a complaint & responding. 

Newbie_John

masonic said:

Newbie_John said:

masonic said:

Newbie_John said:

Shedman said:

I see on Facebook quite a few people (including me) reporting that they can't log in to MyWatts (get a Failed Logging In error message).  Another bill they haven't paid perchance......?

Probably a new version release. Fingers crossed some new features are added as it was very very basic.

There's quite a lot of data so they could show some fancy things like Octopus Compare etc.

Most likely this is unplanned and something has broken. A provider wouldn't voluntarily take their platform offline without warning, and would provide some sort of guidance for the maintenance window if it was a planned upgrade.

Big provider, smaller providers do last minute changes on the production code, with unplanned releases any time.

If you were customer you would notice continuous innovation in their monthly billings.

Anyway, either of us can be right.

None of that continuous improvement previously required the online portal to be taken down for two days without warning.

I've worked for smaller firms where I'd have been sacked if I did that. But I'd probably also be sacked as CFO if multiple winding up orders landed.

Is the app still working then?

I've worked for larger and we've done even worse things, leaving like that and going for a weekend.

If you really want to know what happened just messaged them, rather than crystal ball guessing.. 

TE is one of the smallest providers, and you really expect them to work like the big firms?
I'm pleasantly surprised that in certain areas they outsmartated Octopus:
- billing
- app
- prices

Somebody

If I try the app it returns “email or password is incorrect”.

Whereas the website says 
We'll be back soon!  Thank you for your patience.

HillStreetBlues

Have decided to take my leave of TE, wasn't planning to but had a look at others (haven't done it since joining TE) and Outfox is slightly cheaper unit rate, but more SC and £50 exit fee, as I only had two months remaining on the fix I save a bit over the next 12 months.

masonic

Newbie_John said:

masonic said:

Newbie_John said:

masonic said:

Newbie_John said:

Shedman said:

I see on Facebook quite a few people (including me) reporting that they can't log in to MyWatts (get a Failed Logging In error message).  Another bill they haven't paid perchance......?

Probably a new version release. Fingers crossed some new features are added as it was very very basic.

There's quite a lot of data so they could show some fancy things like Octopus Compare etc.

Most likely this is unplanned and something has broken. A provider wouldn't voluntarily take their platform offline without warning, and would provide some sort of guidance for the maintenance window if it was a planned upgrade.

Big provider, smaller providers do last minute changes on the production code, with unplanned releases any time.

If you were customer you would notice continuous innovation in their monthly billings.

Anyway, either of us can be right.

None of that continuous improvement previously required the online portal to be taken down for two days without warning.

I've worked for smaller firms where I'd have been sacked if I did that. But I'd probably also be sacked as CFO if multiple winding up orders landed.

Is the app still working then?

I've worked for larger and we've done even worse things, leaving like that and going for a weekend.

If you really want to know what happened just messaged them, rather than crystal ball guessing.. 

TE is one of the smallest providers, and you really expect them to work like the big firms?
I'm pleasantly surprised that in certain areas they outsmartated Octopus:
- billing
- app
- prices

I expect every organisation I have dealings with, from sole trader up to multinational to meet a minimum standard with respect to competence and care. I expect them to comply with the terms and conditions they wrote and agreed with me. I expect them to comply with the law. Sadly TE has failed spectacularly on all counts in my case.

I wouldn't exactly say I'm in the Octopus Energy fan club, but billing and the app are better in my view. The API and Home Mini are the icing on the cake. Oddly, pricing has even been better on Agile of late, though don't expect that to continue.

Newbie_John

They're under a lot of pressure so some actions may be more drastic. They may have failed in your case, but haven't in many others. 

Anyway, they've put message up now they're closed for maintancne and website should be up and running on Tuesday.