Virgin media and customer care

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Susie2017

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An elderly relative has tried on multiple occasions over the past 2 months to reduce the cost of his tv and broadband package. He contacted Virgin media his suppliers and they initially said they could do a better deal for him in order to keep his business. Part of the deal was to supply a new HD box for his tv. This would have been a good deal for him as he previously had no HD channels and his vision isn't great.

Subsequently they tried to take away his old box and leave him with nothing for three days so he decided to cancel the upgrade. Many calls and online chats later they have actually increased his direct debit for the last two months. The reason for this is that they have added on a phone package which he neither required, asked for or received. He remains with the old non hd box.

He has tried on countless occasions to get through to them via online chat, phone and e mail to no avail. He simply now wants things to remain unchanged. But can get no sense from any of the contact points. He is thinking now of cancelling the dd as he has totally lost faith in their customer service. But that will leave him with no tv or broadband in his apartment.

He is elderly and the whole situation has upset him greatly. I know a customer service has been affected by covid but trying to resolve this with virgin has been impossible.

Anyone suggest a better way to get through to customer care? He has actually been on hold for over an hour on several occasions. Any alternatives to broadband and tv for an apt in co. Kildare ? He doesn't need a phone as he has a mobile. Dont think sky is an option as a dish may not be permissible?
 
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WhatsApp is the only reliable way to contact them. Ask for a reference number.

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Thank you Paid. Would he be waiting in replies from WhatsApp for ages ? Do you think they will sort this. He is at the end of his tether.
 
I sympathise looking to transfer my fathers Virgin account to my name either with or without new customer deal , called today , automated software saying avg wait 30 minutes , ok , holding, 45 minutes, will try online chat but know something like this will need my father say yes I’m account holder authorise my son etc etc.... online chat after waiting saying Hello a few times no can’t do that call 1908 , meanwhile after about 1hr5 holding hung up , tried WhatsApp after various 1,2, yes no maybes, will transfer you to sales, 2 hours later I get a reply on WhatsApp call 1908 select option x y z ...we are now closed.... will try Monday maybe it’s quieter but will email Virgin Media CEO think it’s Tony Hanway .... did this often in UK the response often indicates how seriously companies take customer service ... google something like Irish CEO email addresses if you can’t find reply here and I will find it again
 
It's really frustrating. He is so tired of it now I think he would sooner leave them. He has wasted hours on hold. I have tried sky but they would need to put up a dish and management dont like them. But he cant go on with Virgin on this basis. Anyone know who is in charge of customer service in Ireland ? I feel like calling liveline.
 
You could try contacting ComReg to see if they can give any advice. They will probably log the complaint and give you a reference number.

Others have mentioned on AAM recently that the only way to get any service is to use their complaint form on their website which is not totally satisfactory at 10 days to resolve matters. I'm actually waiting for them to get back to me about a complaint that an elderly relative has also. Very bad customer service at the moment. They used to be a lot better.
 
I've contacted them numerous times on WhatsApp and always got someone. Their customer support is abysmal at the best of times.

It's common practice to sell a phone package to customers that don't need it. Everyone uses mobiles these days.

I'm with sky and I find their customer support to be much much better.

Comreg are toothless.
 
@Susie I would write to the CEO Tony Hanway on the link below. I have done numerous times in UK. They will usually pass the matter onto their assistant (not a customer service junior) to get resolved as most CEO's do not like being personally emailed about lousy service.

Virgin Media Ireland
[broken link removed]​
Mr Tony HanwayCEO
EmailTony.Hanway@virginmedia.ie
 
Thank you for that. I will e mail him today. I note that using the other route of issuing a complaint your e mail will disappear without you getting a copy. My father is up the walls over this. He has medical issues and with being in lockdown he needs his tv and broadband. Appalling that customer service has deteriorated so badly in these times. He is a loyal customer for over 10 years.
 
Id say all that in your email. I’ll probably email him too as I want to take over my fathers account and being told twice that average wait is 30 minutes when clearly isn’t and holding for over an hour, and then WhatsApp coming back after 2 hours saying to call 1908
 
My father doesn't even know how to use whatsapp and I'm not an avid fan myself. It's called 'customer care' but in fact seems to be an elaborate system of customer avoidance. I might also cc it to a local TD. Dreadful way to treat elderly loyal customers who are already stressed out.
 
Susie2017 said:
Thank you for that. I will e mail him today. I note that using the other route of issuing a complaint your e mail will disappear without you getting a copy. My father is up the walls over this. He has medical issues and with being in lockdown he needs his tv and broadband. Appalling that customer service has deteriorated so badly in these times. He is a loyal customer for over 10 years.
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I always do screen shots and make up a Word file for this type of stuff as you never know when you might need a record of the complaint.
 
One thing you need to sort out first is if your relative is still in contract with Virgin Media. The penalties for leaving mid-contract can be very expensive. A friend moved having been promised by another company that they would sort it but it went to debt collection agency and they were forced after a long and heated argument to pay €400.00.

Having reread your original post by agreeing to take a discount and new deal this would mean that he definitely has signed a new contract probably for another year so tread carefully before you do try to move. I know he has been treated disgracefully but so was my friend and despite their attempts to sort it out they still had to pay the fine as it was going legal.
 
Well he will be paying no fine. He is a 79 year old pensioner and doesn't need a credit rating. He didnt ask for a phone package as he has a mobile phone. He never agreed to a higher payment as his package was already 80 euro or more a month. For a person living alone that is enough. He has tried on multiple occasions to contact them by phone and chat. He is not the one in the wrong and has a ten year plus track record of payments.
 
Susie2017 said:
Well he will be paying no fine. He is a 79 year old pensioner and doesn't need a credit rating. He didnt ask for a phone package as he has a mobile phone. He never agreed to a higher payment as his package was already 80 euro or more a month. For a person living alone that is enough. He has tried on multiple occasions to contact them by phone and chat. He is not the one in the wrong and has a ten year plus track record of payments.
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I agree with you completely but just felt it best to forewarn you about what happened to my friend who is also in their 70s. They were caught in the middle of the two companies and despite months of negotiations they were forced to pay the money because the debt collection agency were chasing them all the time.

Best of luck with your endeavours. If it were me dealing with this matter I would lodge a complaint with ComReg, get a reference number for the complaint from them and then write to the CEO as listed above and give the relevant ref number. If you can get it sorted going that route it would probably be the easiest option rather than changing company.
 
Thank you Sue Ellen. I have sent the e mail to Tony Hanway. I have also been looking for an e mail for Bernadette O Brien who is a customer complaints manager but I can’t find it. Funny in an age of tech how some are unreachable. I have sent the complaint to virgin with his account no. Will also do ComReg. Wonder if he will reply ? based on experiences thus far I’m not optimistic.
 
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Took me about 6 days to get them on whatsapp earlier in the year. Luckily by then the issue had fixed itself.

I don't know whats the point of Comreg. They seem to do nothing.
 
Just an update to say thank you for all of the advice on here. We were contacted yesterday and again today by a customer service manager who is sorting the matter out. HD box will be delivered Saturday. No fee for November and a 9 month package agreed. Hopefully all will go according to plan. Is it possible to reactivate a direct debit or do you have to go to the bank ? I’m very glad it’s sorted and it seems the email and complaint was the best route to follow. Thanks again to everyone on AAM.
 
Susie2017 said:
Just an update to say thank you for all of the advice on here. We were contacted yesterday and again today by a customer service manager who is sorting the matter out. HD box will be delivered Saturday. No fee for November and a 9 month package agreed. Hopefully all will go according to plan. Is it possible to reactivate a direct debit or do you have to go to the bank ? I’m very glad it’s sorted and it seems the email and complaint was the best route to follow. Thanks again to everyone on AAM.
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Delighted to hear that you got it sorted. Not nice to have elderly people upset in this manner so fair dues to Virgin Media for sorting it quickly.
 
Susie2017 said:
Is it possible to reactivate a direct debit or do you have to go to the bank ?
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This will be done by VM. You agreed to it (verbally) on the phone I'd say without realising it by accepting the deal. Did you get an answer off the CEO by means of a person acting for them ? Just curious.
 
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