yARN: TPG - A step-by-step guide on how to alienate a customer
- 15 July, 2011 17:01
- Comments 12
I miss the Internet.
It has been exactly 35 days since I last had an Internet connection at home. I’ve had a lot of time to reflect in these 35 days (thanks to the lack of distraction from YouTube) and I have made one very important decision.
I will never sign up with TPG again.
My troubles with the telco began when I moved out to the Sydney CBD with my cousin. The apartment was great and all we had to do was fix up our home phone and Internet service.
The allure of the TPG home and Internet bundle with an unlimited data allowance seduced my cousin and she rejected my proposal of signing up with another telco.
Some friends had warned me against TPG so I tried to relay their cautionary tales to her but to no avail. Grudgingly, I gave in. She called TPG. I calmed myself and thought “How bad could it possibly be?”
The answer is very, very bad.
In fairness, the Internet service supplied by TPG is fine. Speed is usually consistent and I rarely had any dropouts or need to call technical support - once I got the service. For $59.95, it was a good price.
But getting the service actually connected is a whole different ball game… with lots of profanities involved.
During my first TPG connection experience, as expected, there were several hiccups involved. After numerous phone calls to the telco’s call centre, we were finally informed the service was switched on – more than four weeks after the order was placed.
Sadly, that was not the case and I spent another week playing telephone ping pong with TPG after it wanted to charge an additional $59 to fix a supposed broken line from within the building. They eventually waived the fee after we complained.
The process was unpleasant to say the least but I took comfort in the thought that this was the worse telco experience I would ever have and it couldn’t possibly be any worst next time.
Once again, I was proven wrong.
Six months after the first epic TPG connection adventure, the saga begins again.
If I had encountered Darth Vader in my first TPG experience, I am now officially up against the Emperor.
After being convinced to relocate our Internet and phone service (It would be faster to get it up and running that disconnecting and reconnecting, the TPG call centre representative had said), we placed our request in on June 9 when we had settled the lease agreement for a new apartment.
We were told the process should take no more than 14-20 days.
Please note, this new place was about a three minute walk from our old apartment so we didn’t predict there would be any problems.
Two weeks later, we noticed TPG had yet to deduct the $79 relocation fee from one of our bank accounts and called up repeatedly to enquire about our connection status.
“We are still processing the order,” was the stock answer from TPG representatives.
On June 27, the money was finally taken out but we were then informed the waiting period of 14-20 days commenced on that day and not on the day the request was initially placed.
Frustration and cursing ensued but yet we waited patiently. There wasn’t much we could do besides wait anyway.
Alas, we were notified that the services would be connected on July 14.
Does anybody want to take a guess on what happened that day?
If you answered “déjà vu”, you are correct.
The service was connected, TPG said. But our phone lines had no dial tone. After another stream of calls to the telco, the company responded with an answer which we had heard before; something along the lines of “Something is wrong with the line to your apartment”. And it will take another 2-3 working days before we can fix up the connection… and it would cost $59 to rectify the issue.
I hit the roof. Patience was never one of my virtues and I had used up every ounce of it waiting for TPG to do its job.
I called up the telco and let it rip. I don’t think I have ever used so many cuss words in the space of 10 minutes. But every time I heard the reply “we have already escalated the issue” my anger escalated.
Finally, after a lengthy session of losing my cool, the TPG representative said he would put in an urgent request for a technician to be dispatched.
In this day and age, the Internet is not a luxury item, it is a necessity. I work, play and keep in touch with almost everybody I know online.
I didn’t want to go ape-crazy at TPG but it shouldn’t have reached that point. Judging from my colleague’s own Internet relocation incident and the complaint statistics from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), I’m not the only that has had a dreadful experience with their telco providers.
Yes, we are getting the National Broadband Network (NBN) and its fantastic that it promises to level the playing-field for telcos and bring better value to consumers. But is there any chance it will bring better customer service as well?
While some telcos are worse than others, the telecommunications industry collectively has long been regarded as one of the biggest offenders when it comes to poor customer care.
And every year, the TIO continues to tell of how customer complaints against telcos continue to rise.
All telcos have talked about is how they are working to improve customer services but I hope I will live to see the day when the entire telecommunications industry can put their money where their mouths are and actually get their act together.
Nominations for the 2012 ARN IT Industry Awards open on Tuesday, June 12.
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Comments
Stuart Shields
I am having a simular experience with iinet at the moment. However mine is not to do with relocation but with an ADSL2 upgrade. Since putting in the application over 2 weeks ago and told countless times by staff that the port at the exchange is ADSL2 ready it took over 10 phone calls in a short mount of time to find out it wasn't the case.
I also ordered a BoB modem, like you I was told that the Belkin Bob modems are crap and should wait for the BoB 2 (apparently built by iinet). Less then 3 days after receiving my BoB modem, and countless times telling the iinet call staff that the modem was dodgy they finally replaced it. So I am waiting on my replacement BoB modem from iinet, expected today but not holding my breath.
Also to add insult to injury at the same time I had signed up for FetchTV. When I got my ADSL2 connection finally connected, I was told it would automatically switch over, however this wasn't the case... So I made another phone call and found out that it wasn't the case and had to wait for the system to do it. But since I am waiting on my replacement modem my FetchTV 2 service doesn't work. So I am using FetchTV 1.
But guess what that isn't the end of it... Last friday iinet attempted a port rebuild on the exchange... without notifying me.. So I get home and notice I don't have an internet connection, not even an ADSL sync.. I ring up and it takes them another hour to do the port rebuild after the failed attempt earlier in the day.
Like you I never had a problem with my ISP until I attempted to add an extra service or services in this case.. I think customer support sucks in Australia.
Adz
I am currently with TPG & being my only ever only ISP I have never had any problems with them...in fact even signed up my Aunty no problems. You want crap service, try dealing with TELSTRA!!! Biggest bunch of hacks ever. Had an issue with them that spanned over 10mths & only got resolved once solicitors got involved.
Tom Brown
Such a common story!
This is so often the case of Telco systems mired in problems from a cobbled together and failing network. And I think they believe their own excuses as to why the system fails.
I would mention it took me 3 attempts, 2 phone contracts then a written contract all over 6 months before Optus could get my business ADSL2 service provisioned then after a similar time frame we never got the VOIP service provisioned, I went GoTalk much better.
With the new well structured infrastructure of the NBN I trust we will see these issues resolved, offcourse unless an incoming government makes good on their promise to stuff it up. I am glad governments don't always keep their promises.
There will however be the failures of the automated systems and staff limitations at the ISP/Telco midpoint.
paul.oconnell2512
Unacceptable on so many levels....with the amount of software tools + number of companies that advise on customer service available today these issues this should not happen - can't wait to see the TPG response...
moo
That is what happens when you go with a cut price operator.
Should of Chose internode for internet.
for VOIP. anyone (mynetphone are pretty good).
if no voip then optus or telstra for phone.
Gurkirat Singh
I have used Telstra Cable Broadband for over 10 years without a problem on any front.
Matthew Jones
@1 (Stuart),
That experience certainly isn't what we want from anyone signing up for new product with iiNet - alienating an existing customer when they choose to spend more money with us just isn't good business sense.
Whilst I'm not able to assist personally at this point in time due to escalation of your case (it will now flow solely through a single point of contact), I can assure you that your case will be audited in full and any process improvements or training requirements for staff addressed.
I've been using a BoB1 and Fetch TV since release and have had no major issues. I'm sorry your experience hasn't been the same - it sounds like you've given front line staff a couple of opportunities to "get it right" prior to escalating, and it's disappointing that we weren't able to deliver.
In the event that any other iiNet customers are having issues with their service and reading this, I'd encourage you to make use of our robust internal escalation process, which we publish here:
https://iihelp.iinet.net.au/Complaints_escalation_process
There are very few issues that we can't solve internally, and each escalated complaint gives us a chance to find out why things went wrong and try to prevent that from happening to anyone else in future - so we're always appreciative of a chance to fix mistakes.
Kind Regards,
Matt Jones
Social Media Manager
iiNet Limited
Aman
TPG - is not worth joining in for anything (As long as you stay away from call center). Their call center people are trained in a way not to listen and respond.
Outsourced call center agents, don't listen, what you wanna say. They just read out the book to you.
I spoke to TPG's team to get the new internet connection and never called back again, let alone any service from them.
Just Pain....
my 2c worth of experience...
Phil
Having over 20 years experience in the IT industry, at all levels (retail, corporate, wholesale etc etc), and actively involved in setting up end user (home and office) ADSL connections from various providers, I came into the situation where my personal home ADSL setup needed to be arranged (new premises).
I have been an Internode fan and partner for a long time, but the value of the TPG unlimited was too good to pass - so I signed up over the phone and the experience was pleasant to say the least.
After 12 days, I was told it was active - but after testing I found that there was no dial tone or adsl sync. I called TPG support and the support guy was not reading from a script (I can tell very easily when they are), he started with the basics but after explaining my knowledge and testing so far, he had the decency to not waste my time (and this is where script call centre people wont deviate!) and book a technician (telstra subby) to investigate within 48hrs.
I received a txt message confirming the date and time for the fix, and a phone call when the job was started and finished, and in 40hrs the mis jumpering at the exchange was fixed and internet was on. (This is not a TPG mistake at the end of the day)
TPG followed up the day after with a quick phone call checking everything was ok..
In my opinion, although limited in experience with TPG specifically, I thought they were really good in the whole process. Reminded me of the kind of service you get from Internode! Maybe i was lucky? Maybe they are improving? What I do know is they plan to become a bigger provider and are still looking at aquisitions etc to boost their corporate exposure.. but for one person (me!) they have handled my connection and subsequent service fault really well..
steve
As an ex tpg customer I can understand the pain of their crap services. Spend the extra on a decent isp. Avoid tpg at all costs
sal
Hi,
What a mistake I have mad thats the question I am asking again again to myself. I with TPG and then moved house. TPG did same to me what other people have exercised here. It is about two months and since then I have three cancelations. The point is when TPG fails to show for whatever reason they should have an emergency procedure to look after affected customers. TPG simply dosen't have any. If TPG fails to do installation it somehow become the problem of the customer. The customer has to wait for next 15 days. So for instance if there is bad weather, technician is not available or anything unforeseen happen, TPG will simply rescheduling installation with a cycle oF 15 to 20 days. TPG doesn't take in account that it was actually their fault when a TPG technician fails to show up.
Rona
Just had a gentleman help me with my computer, his name was Richard and he had it fixed in no time. Thank yoyu. Rona
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