VAT Increase & Price Changes - January 2011
Quote from: okrzynska
Quote from: Bob
Quote from: okrzynska Bob, Thank you for not calling us back today as requested via Ross K on Friday. It was really nice not to hear from you. For a communications company you've got a lot of learning to do haven't you. It's good to know you care for your customers.
I must admit to having absolutely no idea what you're referring toNobody has asked me to call you back, and even if they had I'm not particularly sure I could have added anything further to what you've already been advised.
You'd best ask Ross then. Clearly you're not communicating internally very well and for a communications company you should be experts.
Chris *did* speak to Ross about this earlier in the week and from what I can gather he didn't offer you any assurances that I would be calling you back? I obviously wasn't party to the conversation though so I'm not going to get into an argument about it.
Quote I note that you don't deny the emails structure to be misleading.
You'll have also noted in which case, that I didn't say the email structure *was* misleading ?
I agree with what some of you are saying to a certain degree, however I can also see why our Marketing department elected to write the email as they did. Personally, the subject line of the email would make me read the content in it's entirety. Judging from some of the posts here though, there are a few that didn't. I'll make sure the feedback is passed on to the folks that wrote the email.
What the hell were marketing doing writing an email informing existing customers about changes to their accounts? 
Well somebody needs to have a think about whether they are the right people to be doing emails of that nature. The primary responsibility and final authorisation on these emails should be with legal/accounts.
Quote from: jelv What the hell were marketing doing writing an email informing existing customers about changes to their accounts?
Very good question and now that Bob has told us who is responsible for this email I can see why it came out half garbled like it did.
Bob, you can't communicate to customers through adverts and marketing campaigns. Thats not the way it works. People switch off when looking at adverts which are rammed in their face. I am glad that you've at least said you will relay this feedback but frankly Bob it's not good enough because it should never of happened in the first place.
Jelv has already posted a good structure for an email further up and frankly, when you're going to be increasing someones payments he is correct - that is ideally the way it should be - Clear, concise and to the point. Not drowning in marketing junk which switches most folk from human to zombie in 4 seconds.
See todays's Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/feb/05/plusnet-phone-calls
Quote Plusnet fails test with minus marks
Free calls removed from broadband and home phone package
Last July I signed up for Plusnet's broadband and home phone package, partly because it offered me free calls starting at 6pm and 300 free international minutes (I have friends in Brisbane). I was checking my recent calls on Plusnet's website on 8 January and found I had been charged for three calls made after 6pm. When I queried this I was informed I had been emailed on 3 January to say both these benefits were being withdrawn on 4 January. I did not receive this email.
I am appalled to think how big a bill I might have run up (think Brisbane floods!). I am also astounded this company has relied on one email to inform me of the changes and that it can simply change the detail of an existing contract without any renegotiation.
Is this legal? I have demanded a refund of the calls, but customer services refuse to budge and the tone is verging on rude. VF, Bedfordshire
We've been getting a few letters about Plusnet in recent weeks, and none have been particularly positive. The company has been advertising its services heavily in recent months – making much of its no-nonsense Yorkshire approach to providing services.
A quick search on Plusnet's website's forum, and our own attempts to contact it, suggest the company may be rather chaotically run, and there is a feeling that its once-excellent customer service has suffered as it has grown. What many people don't know is that Plusnet is owned by BT.
Your letter raised a couple of questions – not least whether a phone company can continue to tie you into a contract if it makes a significant change to its offer, as it has done in your case. Customers of other telecoms companies have also asked the same question in recent weeks, as price hikes have hit.
The regulator Ofcom says phone companies have to give customers 30 days' notice when they make a significant change to the customer's detriment – something you and other Plusnet customers say didn't happen. The company must also allow you to leave without financial penalty if you decide you don't agree to the higher prices.
However, some Plusnet customers who have tried to switch to a rival as a result of these price hikes have been told they must pay £40 for the free router, and the £25 set-up fee which the company waived for those signing up for 12 months.
Ofcom says consumers who don't get a fair deal in such instances should call it on 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040.
When we got in touch with Plusnet, the company said it had contacted all home phone customers to inform them of price changes taking effect when VAT increased to 20% on 4 January. It said customers were given 30 days' notice of the price change and 10 days in which to cancel without penalty. As a gesture of goodwill, Plusnet said it will give you 300 minutes of international calls for three months.
Yikes 
