Failed Billing improvements

[#1]

Hi all,
We've rolled out some changes to our failed billing process today. The main aim of this is to make it simpler and quicker for customers to pay, streamline the process to help with our workloads and more importantly to make the process smoother for our customers.
Here's a summary of the new process, as always your feedback will be more than welcome:
Customers will be send an SMS and an e-mail on days 1, 5 and 10.
On days 1 to 13 customer's browsing will be redirected to a page asking them to make payment. At this stage they will have the option to 'pay later'
Anyone logging on to the portal at this stage will be redirected to a TPAR (take payment and reactivate page). New features to this process mean that the customer can chose to add a card for a one-off payment or resubmit payment via direct debit (providing that one is already active). As before customers can add a card for the purpose of future payments, this excludes Delta, Switch, Solo and Maestro Cards.
If a customer gets as far as day 14 the redirects become permanent and calls made by any customers with our phone products will be routed to credit control. Customers will no longer be able to TPAR at this stage but we will be able to internally.
Finally on day 28 a letter is sent with regards to debt recovery and closing the account.
Adam

[#2]

Hi Adam,
It's a shame this change doesn't seem to have worked as intended, not for me anyway.  My card expired.  I gave new details when emailed and payment was taken a while back.  Today I gave new details again when I was redirected to your site only to be told there was no invoice to pay. 
I reported this at 08:07 this morning.  Problem ID: 63559 , impacting a few users I understand.
At 23:20 hrs, still having all my port 80 traffic redirected to yourselves.
Whilst on, I would also like to point out that at your call stats are surely incorrect.  I called at around 19:00hrs whilst looking at this page: http://www.plus.net/supportpages.html?a=212&helpheader=rhmcallstats.
At the time it was fluctuating between 0 waiting time and a few seconds when I reloaded.  I was on hold for 12 minutes 47 seconds before speaking with anyone.  I'm sure that page makes for a great sales story and of all the support centres I call you answer quicker than most; but pease don't try and make it seem like transparent reporting - which is what it seems to be from my experience.
I have generally had no problems with PN over the years so am providing this feedback in the hope it helps.  Fingers crossed I'll be back online tomorrow.

[#3]

The problem was fixed yesterday evening, but you might need to reboot your router to allow the changes to take effect.
The call stats are accurate but are delayed by a few minutes. They also can't predict spikes in calls when wait times will naturally be longer. I've kept an eye on it, in comparison to the live call queues for around 10 minutes and it does seem to match up as expected. I'm just sorry that it didn't give you an accurate expectation of when your call would be answered.

[#4]

So If payment fails we can still get online to make payment If this goes to plan? This will be a very welcomed change

[#5]

Quote from: Ben

The problem was fixed yesterday evening, but you might need to reboot your router to allow the changes to take effect. The call stats are accurate but are delayed by a few minutes. They also can't predict spikes in calls when wait times will naturally be longer. I've kept an eye on it, in comparison to the live call queues for around 10 minutes and it does seem to match up as expected. I'm just sorry that it didn't give you an accurate expectation of when your call would be answered.

Well, it hasn't unfortunately been rectified for me.  Yes, I've reset the router, several times.  Still getting the message. 
Also....having pressed "4"...."current call waiting times are in excess of 10 minutes".  Your status page reports 0 calls waiting, longest call waiting 0 seconds.  With a timestamp of 2 minutes before my call.  Call answered after 8 minutes.  I really wouldn't mind if it took 8 minutes - that's actually not bad these days; but to say 0 seconds with 0 people waiting is clearly an error.
I've just spoken to an agent.  He suggests problem ID 63559 hasn't actually been closed at all. 

[#6]

OK, I've found the issue. Your account was missed during the cleanup so whilst the problem has now been resolved, the effects of the problem weren't corrected for you. Bear with me, this should be resolved soon.

[#7]

Adam or Ben.
Please can I ask you to clarify things for me?
I pay by credit card and each month Plusnet notify me of the amount they have taken from my credit card.
Will this continue exactly as it is now or will I have to change how I pay? For example, from the announcement, I'm not certain if I will have to re-register my credit card each month.
Just a bit confused by the announcement!
Many thanks
Keith

[#8]

@tohide
All sorted now, please reboot your router and you should be sorted.
@deekay
This won't change how you make payment at all, just what happens if you fail payment

[#9]

@Ben
Thanks for the clarification.
Keith

[#10]

Quote from: Ben

@tohide All sorted now, please reboot your router and you should be sorted.

Nope. Same thing. 2 and a half days offline.

[#11]

Right, we've now manually changed over Ellacoya so you shouldn't have any further problems. Please reboot (hopefully for the last time!) and you should find that everything's OK.

[#12]

Quote from: Ben

Right, we've now manually changed over Ellacoya so you shouldn't have any further problems. Please reboot (hopefully for the last time!) and you should find that everything's OK.

Thank you Ben, now working. Closed.