topic Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :( in Plusnet Feedback

Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:16:01 GMT

I never thought it will come to this after 9 years with +Net
How much are you paying for your 60 Gigs? Right... So I am paying £31.49 for 8MBit line. Oh, I have nothing else to do than check the website to see that I can pay less. Plus just can't be bothered (unlike, let's say my mobile provider) to drop me an email saying: "Look, you can get more from us for less..." Or... why they should ever think about doing that and stopping the overcharge. To add insult to an injury I am now being charged £1 a day because I have reached the 40GB limit few days before the billing cycle. Simply because kids like to watch iPlayer. Just few words from my "ticket dialog" with customer support:
Me: I am a PlusNET customer for 9 years! I was using it just as a broadband service and didn't pay any attention to the rest. Until today, when I was told that I am about to reach the usage limit. Then I checked your site... I am paying you £31.99 a month! For 40 GB??? And you are charging others £11.99 for 60 GB??? For how long this is going on? And you can talk about me reaching limits? This is just unbelievable. So just couple of hours of iPlayer a day for £31.99. Great, you are more expensive than 3g Internet. Good way of treating one of your longest-standing customers.
I think is about time for me to move on.
Please pass this message to your line manager.
PN: [color=green]You have been a customer for a very long time and we really appreciate your continued use of our service. When you joined we had a whole range of different packages available such as the one that you are on now but have managed to release new packages such as the ones that you have seen at a cheaper price. We will not transfer customers over to new packages without their consent which is why you have not been switched the extra package. However, these have always been available on our website for you to upgrade too at any time.[/color]
Me: I simply feel bitter because for long time you were charging me 3 times more for an inferior package. I don't even know for how long. I have a mobile phone on contract for many years and each time they have new and better plan, they get in touch with me immediately and tell that I can be better off. Even if their plan requires 18 month contract, I get it on a monthly basis because I am with them for 10 years. They never said "check the website..." to me, but simply put some thoughts in customer relationship. Meanwhile I simply feel that PlusNET was just happy to charge me 3 times the others and never send me an email, saying "Look, you pay too much, change to this one..." Tell me if I am wrong...
I still have to decide what to do next but at the moment I am thinking more in line of getting MAC code...
PN: [color=green]Thank you for your query. I would suggest speaking to our customer options team on 0845 432 0200 explaining the situation and why you're considering the request for a MAC key, they can probably offer you a special deal given the situation and your dissatisfaction.[/color]
ME: Very nice! After all that you are now charging me an extra £1 for "overuse"??? And it is after charging me over £31 for 40 Gig while others pay 11.99 for 60??? And after all the above correspondence? I am going for (removed by me, I don't want to advertise others here). At least my kids will be able to use iPlayer and IPTV as much as they want for half the price and double the speed.
Please issue my MAC key ASAP! Please pass the whole email conversation to one of your senior managers.

PN: [color=green]Thank you for your query. To generate your MAC key you need to speak to our customer options team.
....
.....
I cannot pass this to my manager as this is simply not the way we deal with escalations and we have already given you the same information they would.[/color]
ME: I see... So my message can not be passed to the manager. To get out of this service I need to phone during office hours less weekends (when I am usually not at home) and PlusNET keeps adding a £1 to my bill every day and I can't stop it? Well done, PlusNET. Few years ago I referred 4 business customers to you, they all left by now... Any idea, why?
Right, "unreachable manager", if you read this, please note, yes you can say many words about "... being published on the website", "... you could have moved to a deal anytime", etc., etc. But don't you think that the above is plain wrong? I have no other ways of reaching you, I guess, but maybe this will somehow help. OK, keep charging me a daily quid for CBBC if it makes PlusNET happy. Delete this post if you want, it wouldn't change anything. 10 years ago you were the best. Now...
Fellow forum members: Sorry for long read...

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

dvorak — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:27:52 GMT

Completely understand your frustration, but like a lot of other things such as insurance, utilities etc it's always the customer that has to do the shopping around.
Also PN would have emailed you about new products, unless you opted out to receive those emails, with every product refresh which tends to be yearly.
There is nothing to stop you switching to one of the other packages should you feel it suits you

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:41:07 GMT

Thanks for your post. TBH my insurance company gave me 20% discount last year when the renewal was due without me asking for it And I can talk to a manager any time with them...
dick:quote

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

pierre_pierre — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:02:03 GMT

and the policy of PN is that they should never change your product automatically (I say should, as a sleepy rep on night changed my phone one without asking me), as you might be on one that suits you better
i.e. I on a legacy phone product as the suits my usage better than any of the newer ones

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

ChrisL — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:06:20 GMT

If we opt to have email notifications turned off, we are specifically warned that we may miss out on product news, offers, etc. I too can understand your frustration, but it's like other utilities such as gas and electric -- you have to keep an eye on your supply to make sure you're getting the best deal.
You don't have to keep paying for extra usage -- you can opt to have your speed restricted until your next billing date -- though admittedly this will restrict what you can do.
I hope you get something sorted with Customer Options, because you'll probably do better staying with Plusnet than chancing your arm with another provider, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't shop around....
Chris

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:19:33 GMT

I see your point, people.
But, please, understand. After I raised the ticket, PlusNET could have immediately gain back my trust by giving simple answer like: "... We have much better and cheaper packages for you, lets discuss the options... until then we will freeze any charges as you have already paid for more than 40GB" It is a bit late for it now, but do you see my point.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:41:18 GMT

As we speak:
Account Username: ********
You've now reached the extra usage limit you set for your broadband service. Your broadband service will be restricted until the end of your billing month.
Your extra usage price limit is currently set to £3.01.

Great! I am paying £34.50 for 43GB! Congrats PN! The most expensive BB in the UK!

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

christmas — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:57:58 GMT

Hello w0wn0w,
I fully understand your anger.
We have also been with PlusNet for around 9 years and discovered we were paying almost double what others being charged and on top of that they were going charge us an additonal £1.50 for paying by card.
Like you we have no idea how many years we were paying over the odds, and not surprisingly that made us more angry than the £1.50 charge introduced.
That's 'good honest' broadband I suppose.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:03:04 GMT

Quote from: christmas

Like you we have no idea how many years we were paying over the odds, and not surprisingly that made us more angry than the £1.50 charge introduced.

Tell me about it! And I am paying by a debit card. Hey, we have a club here, something like "Old Overcharged Forgotten Users"

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

spraxyt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:23:37 GMT

Are the charged hours on your existing product 4PM to midnight? These are 8AM to midnight on current products which for some people takes away a significant slice of "free" usage and means a significant part of any additional allowance is (effectively) lost.
Though needing to contact the Customer Options Team between 09:00 and 17:30 Mon-Fri might be inconvenient I think doing so might be beneficial.
David

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:43:11 GMT

8am to midnight, I guess.
Talking to options... Hmmm.... What for? They will most probably try to tie me up for a "nice cheap 18 (12,30,etc.) months" contract... Don't you think?

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

spraxyt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:20:44 GMT

No I don't think that at all. Clearly I have no idea what the COT might or might not offer but from comments posted by others in the forums making the effort to call can be quite worthwhile.
What product are you presently on? I thought charged hours on the 9 year old products were mostly 4PM to midnight.
David

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w0wn0w — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:45:41 GMT

I think it is called Broadband Your Way Option 4 that I was offered to me in 2008 when all the initial "unlimited" (remember them?) options stopped once an for all. I don't remember what the initial 512 package in 2003 was called.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

pierre_pierre — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:27:16 GMT

its not a case of remember them, a lot of PN customers are still on unlimited - just ask the customer options team they will confirm that

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

christmas — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:07:32 GMT

Quote from: w0wn0w
8am to midnight, I guess.
Talking to options... Hmmm.... What for?

Reading contributions from others and PlusNet staff....I think 'Options' is a code only the enlightened know, which opens a pandora's box of hidden plans for customers.
There's an air of nudge nudge, wink wink, about the whole thing which I find farcical.
It seems as if humble Customer Services are not trusted or empowered to read off a computer screen certain alternative plans available for existing customers...a magic code word is required.
I wonder if the executives of PlusNet have the following policy....

Quote
If customers don't ask we won't tell, if we don't inform they can't ask.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

dvorak — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 09:16:36 GMT

Christmas - once again you are being highly unfair and looking for conspiracy where there isn't one. If people opt out of marketing emails and do pro-actively look at the website there is little PN can do about it.
Very much like mobile and fixed line telephone providers the CS team can offer what's available to everyone new customers and old, whereas there is a specialist team that can try and work something else out for that customer.
I too have had broadband for nine years with PN and through the marketing emails was kept a breast of the latest products and switched accordingly.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

x47c — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:24:24 GMT

In the UK and international corporate business to business world there are no such things as unfair competition acts or consumer protection leglislation.
Working in such an environment:
We charged as high a price for our products and services as the market would bear.
If our customers were too stupid to shop around or keep an eye on prices year by year they got charged a higher price.
We often had situations where the same product was being supplied to different customers at different prices.
Even the terms and conditions might vary depending on how saavy was the customer.
Of course it worked the other way round in respect of our suppliers who did the same to us!
Start learning the way the rest of the world works, folks.
Those who think profit making organisations are really going to send you messages to tell you that by changing to another package/product/service/supply they are going to get LESS money from you are living on a different planet.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

artmo — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 10:56:16 GMT

@x47c you are very right in your comments. It's the way most business is conducted. A main raison d'être is to maximise profits.
However, having spoken to PN some months ago and asking them to review my package I got a pleasant surprise with a decent reduction in my monthly payment.
The OP stated that his mobile phone company contacts him when new plans are available. Which supplier are you with? I'm on contract with O2 and they certainly don't contact me about reducing my payments.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

w23 — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 13:54:04 GMT

I'd just like to compare this with the way, for example, Sky operate.
Sky, like PlusNet often review their product packages, they don't advise customers if they're 'paying too much' for their current package (they certainly never informed me) but the BIG difference that I encountered was when trying to change product on their website - it is quick and easy to sign up for any additions to your package but impossible to unsubscribe from parts of your existing package (PlusNet by comparison allow easy product changes online in any direction amongst the range of current products). In order to reduce your package (costs) in any way with Sky you have to call their 'retentions' team (basically the same as PlusNet's 'options'), they will then offer you extras free for a limited period (which then become chargeable and increase your bill) and you have to be quite persistent to actually get a reduction on your package (though, in fairness, I did eventually get the reduction I wanted with a bonus half price for 6 months). Customer Options are often able to offer 'exceptions' to the current packages / pricing, usually in return for a 12 month commitment or similar in order to persuade you to stay.
I previously had a far worse experience with NTL/Virgin who kept telling me that it was impossible to move me to a current (at the time) product with better pricing, they lost my business for telephone, internet and TV - not for failing to inform me about better value packages but for delierately lying to me in order to keep ripping me off.

Re: Customer loyalty means NOTHING to PlusNet :(

spraxyt — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 15:23:00 GMT

Quote from: w0wn0w
I think it is called Broadband Your Way Option 4 that I was offered to me in 2008 when all the initial "unlimited" (remember them?) options stopped once an for all.

OK, the BBYW packages were on sale between 10th April 2007 and 17th February 2009 and the basic price of BBYW4 is £29.99 - see Broadband Your Way product archive page. To get £31.49 are you paying by credit card which entails a £1.50 fee? If so that would also apply with any other product.
As you said charged hours on that product are from 8AM to midnight so no different from the current products. However traffic management in the 6PM to 10PM period on non-interactive protocols such as P2P is less restrictive on the older product (384kbps on BBYW4 vs 100kbps on Extra). Depending on how you use the connection that might or might not be significant for you. These BBYW4 figures are on the product archive page linked above, values for Extra can be seen by clicking the product strip on this page.
Are you on a Market 2 or Market 3 exchange? The price for Extra with a 60GB monthly allowance remains at £11.49 on those exchanges but increases to £17.99 after 3 months on a Market 1 exchange.
David