O2 Complaints

It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a contract
phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling little faults
over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point of
arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it is
under repair. The phone is eight months old!
She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the email
address I should use.

TIA

---

› See More: O2 Complaints

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> Twenty eight days to repair

This is an upper estimate, it will almost certainly come back sooner
than that.

> no phones available for her to use whilst it is under repair.

O2 are not obliged to provide one.

> The phone is eight months old!

And? Phones go wrong occasionally.

> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
> phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.

If it's that important then get a cheap PAYG as a backup for the
duration of this repair, and then return it on the 14th day. If the
phone is not back by then, purchase another one and return after 14
days. Repeat as necessary!

She would have been offered insurance at the point of sale, which
undoubtedly would have offered some extra benefits which would have
helped her in this scenario. Did she take it? Probably not.
--
Regards
Jon

Jon wrote:
> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>> Twenty eight days to repair
>
> This is an upper estimate, it will almost certainly come back sooner
> than that.
>
>> no phones available for her to use whilst it is under repair.
>
> O2 are not obliged to provide one.
>
>> The phone is eight months old!
>
> And? Phones go wrong occasionally.
>
>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
>> phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
>
> If it's that important then get a cheap PAYG as a backup for the
> duration of this repair, and then return it on the 14th day. If the
> phone is not back by then, purchase another one and return after 14
> days. Repeat as necessary!

Where can you buy a PAYG phone with a 'use for 14 days and then return'
policy?

D

In article <[email protected]>, BIGEYE
<[email protected]> writes
>It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a contract
>phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling little faults
>over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
>She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point of
>arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
>Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it is
>under repair. The phone is eight months old!
>She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
>phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
>My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
>resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
>I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
>find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the email
>address I should use.
>
>TIA
>
>

I know its not much help but.. over time I've had dealings with most all
providers and their all about as bad except oddly enough 3 who have been
rather good!..

If its that important, continuation of service that is, your best bet is
to have a spare PAYG or another mobby around that you can put the SIM
card into while they are sodding around with her's......
--
Tony Sayer

In article <[email protected]>,
"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> writes:
> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a contract
> phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling little faults
> over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point of
> arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.

This, I'd have to say, is approximately the level of service I'm getting as
a _prospective_ customer of O2 from my local shop. The staff I've encountered
via the website, however, seem much more competent and useful. I'd quite like
to move to O2 for coverage reasons, but the shop staff are arrogant, thick,
and unhelpful, I'm finding. So I think I'll do the whole deal via the website
and tell them why afterwards.

> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it is
> under repair. The phone is eight months old!

Insured, etc? Not a single spare around to move the SIM to? I haven't even
tried all that hard, and I seem to have a fair collection of unlocked spares
available.
--
SAm.

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 08:44:18 +0100, David Hearn
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Jon wrote:
>> [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>>> Twenty eight days to repair
>>
>> This is an upper estimate, it will almost certainly come back sooner
>> than that.
>>
>>> no phones available for her to use whilst it is under repair.
>>
>> O2 are not obliged to provide one.
>>
>>> The phone is eight months old!
>>
>> And? Phones go wrong occasionally.
>>
>>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
>>> phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
>>
>> If it's that important then get a cheap PAYG as a backup for the
>> duration of this repair, and then return it on the 14th day. If the
>> phone is not back by then, purchase another one and return after 14
>> days. Repeat as necessary!
>
>Where can you buy a PAYG phone with a 'use for 14 days and then return'
>policy?
>
>D
Exactly. Most people have a spare phone. If it is not unlocked then
get down to the market and get it done. I managed to get mine wet. I
had to wait a few days for it to dry out. Good that I had a couple of
unlocked phones.
I'm selling an unopened Motorola c139 on Ebay atm. It is cheap and
handy as a spare. It is only sensible to have a back up phone though I
do see there will be disappoiintment when a phone goes faulty -
particularly a new one.

Remove 'no_spam_' from email address.

"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it
> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
> security.
> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the email
> address I should use.
>
> TIA

I'm trying to think of any other product which, if it fails during its
warranty period, you are offered a replacement to be going on with while the
unit is repaired. Nope, can't think of one.
Maybe a car if purchased brand new from a reputable main dealer - they may
offer a loan vehicle while yours is off the road, but you usually have to
pay towards the insurance/excess.

Anything else ?
A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
would your loss of data be covered.

You are right about the attitude of the staff, if they are in a retail or
service environment they should deal with complaints well, take an interest
and be sympathetic. But then there are idiots to be found in lots of shops,
especially where the staff have no vested interest in dealing well with
complaints - after all it is not their business, and they make money on
selling contracts, not dealing with broken phones.
But I think you ask too much to be offered a replacement phone for a month.

I use a little local independent phone shop who do keep spare second hand
phones under the counter and if you build up a good relationship with them
they would lend you one if they had one spare.
The small independents can usually get the same deals as the national
chains, can get the same handsets, and give a much more personal service -
they have to or they don't survive against the big boys. The people who work
in those shops do tend to care more as they are concerned to retain you as a
customer for the future.
That's why I put my company contract (48 handsets to date) through a small
shop in town. If I need bits the chap will even bring them out to the office
for me, same or next day, to save me having to collect them.

It's time we realised that the big multinationals like Tesco, O2 Shops,
Currys etc are not always the cheapest just because they say they are, and
the added value you get in terms of attentive personal service and the staff
'going the extra mile' when dealing with the smaller independent shops, far
outweighs any minor difference in initial price there might be.

Just my opinion.

X-No-Archive: yes
"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it
> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
> security.
> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the email
> address I should use.
>
> TIA
>

I agree with the others that you can't necessarily expect a loan phone but
if you want to feedback about your experiences with the staff it's
[email protected]. If you do email it'll first be filtered by the
PA('s) who are very nice so be calm and polite please

In article <[email protected]>, Lofty
<[email protected]> writes
>
>
>"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
>> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
>> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has died.
>> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
>> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
>> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it
>> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
>> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
>> security.
>> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
>> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
>> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
>> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the email
>> address I should use.
>>
>> TIA
>
>I'm trying to think of any other product which, if it fails during its
>warranty period, you are offered a replacement to be going on with while the
>unit is repaired. Nope, can't think of one.
>Maybe a car if purchased brand new from a reputable main dealer - they may
>offer a loan vehicle while yours is off the road, but you usually have to
>pay towards the insurance/excess.
>
>Anything else ?
>A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
>you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
>would your loss of data be covered.

Ah! yes, but they don't get an ongoing revenue stream from you do
they?....

--
Tony Sayer

[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> Jon wrote:
> > [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
> >> Twenty eight days to repair
> >
> > This is an upper estimate, it will almost certainly come back sooner
> > than that.
> >
> >> no phones available for her to use whilst it is under repair.
> >
> > O2 are not obliged to provide one.
> >
> >> The phone is eight months old!
> >
> > And? Phones go wrong occasionally.
> >
> >> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
> >> phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
> >
> > If it's that important then get a cheap PAYG as a backup for the
> > duration of this repair, and then return it on the 14th day. If the
> > phone is not back by then, purchase another one and return after 14
> > days. Repeat as necessary!
>
> Where can you buy a PAYG phone with a 'use for 14 days and then return'
> policy?

Anywhere?

Most phones come with a 14-day return policy.
--
Regards
Jon

On Tue, 17 Apr 2007 21:31:29 +0100, Jon <[email protected]>
mused:

>[email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>> Jon wrote:
>> > [email protected] declared for all the world to hear...
>> >> Twenty eight days to repair
>> >
>> > This is an upper estimate, it will almost certainly come back sooner
>> > than that.
>> >
>> >> no phones available for her to use whilst it is under repair.
>> >
>> > O2 are not obliged to provide one.
>> >
>> >> The phone is eight months old!
>> >
>> > And? Phones go wrong occasionally.
>> >
>> >> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of the
>> >> phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and security.
>> >
>> > If it's that important then get a cheap PAYG as a backup for the
>> > duration of this repair, and then return it on the 14th day. If the
>> > phone is not back by then, purchase another one and return after 14
>> > days. Repeat as necessary!
>>
>> Where can you buy a PAYG phone with a 'use for 14 days and then return'
>> policy?
>
>Anywhere?
>
>Most phones come with a 14-day return policy.

Not quite. Orange will do a 14 day money back return policy if you
order over the phone under the distance selling act, but buy it from
the shop and that's it, it's yours.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

"Lofty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> "BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
>> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
>> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has
>> died.
>> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
>> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
>> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst it
>> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
>> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
>> security.
>> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
>> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
>> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I can't
>> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the
>> email address I should use.
>>
>> TIA
>
> I'm trying to think of any other product which, if it fails during its
> warranty period, you are offered a replacement to be going on with while
> the unit is repaired. Nope, can't think of one.
> Maybe a car if purchased brand new from a reputable main dealer - they may
> offer a loan vehicle while yours is off the road, but you usually have to
> pay towards the insurance/excess.
>
> Anything else ?
> A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
> you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
> would your loss of data be covered.
>

Yes but your examples above are not to provide services but products, big
difference.

If your phone line goes faulty then BT offer free divert to mobile and can
give some costs towards making calls

Stephen

"tony sayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Lofty
> <[email protected]> writes
>>
>>
>>"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>news:[email protected]...
>>> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
>>> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
>>> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has
>>> died.
>>> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
>>> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
>>> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst
>>> it
>>> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
>>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
>>> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
>>> security.
>>> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
>>> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
>>> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I
>>> can't
>>> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the
>>> email
>>> address I should use.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>>I'm trying to think of any other product which, if it fails during its
>>warranty period, you are offered a replacement to be going on with while
>>the
>>unit is repaired. Nope, can't think of one.
>>Maybe a car if purchased brand new from a reputable main dealer - they may
>>offer a loan vehicle while yours is off the road, but you usually have to
>>pay towards the insurance/excess.
>>
>>Anything else ?
>>A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
>>you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
>>would your loss of data be covered.
>
> Ah! yes, but they don't get an ongoing revenue stream from you do
> they?....
>
> --
> Tony Sayer


As I understand it, neither does the O2 shop/shop assistant.

They make their commission on the initial contract/sale. From thereon, the
monthly bills get paid to O2 central, not to the shop you walk into to buy
your phone. Their part is played, their commission earned, and they are onto
the next customer.

OK, if the staff were thinking correctly, they would want to help a customer
with a problem, so that customer comes back in 12-18 months time to renew
their contract at the same shop and make them some more commission.
But the staff probably do not think that far ahead. They think about the
commission they could be earning on the customer standing by the display
unit who has come in to take out a new contract, and spending time with a
customer who has a broken phone is stopping them getting to the customer who
is going to make them money.

Who knows, the same staff probably wont still be working in that shop in
12-18 month's time, so why should they care if the customer with a broken
phone comes back to renew or not.

I think you are confusing O2 as a company, with the O2 stores. It's O2 the
company who gets the ongoing revenue stream not the shops or shop staff.

>> Anything else ?
>> A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
>> you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
>> would your loss of data be covered.
>>
>
> Yes but your examples above are not to provide services but products, big
> difference.

But that's all the O2 shop does - it provides a one off product for a one
off commission. After that, the shop earns nothing from a customer's monthly
payments. The contract is in place, the customer is tied to it and the
commission cannot be reclaimed from the shop/staff.
So to that extent the shop provides a product, then O2 take over and
run/manage the contract.

> If your phone line goes faulty then BT offer free divert to mobile and can
> give some costs towards making calls

Of course they do because they are providing the service. If you went into a
BT shop (do they still exist in the High Street ? They used to but I haven't
seen one for ages) they would not do any of that for you. I bet they would
refer you to the telephone fault reporting people - the customer service
people. They are the ones who have taken over the contract and are providing
the service. It is in THEIR interests to keep you as a customer.

The individual shops (or more accurately the low paid - boosted by
commission) shop staff have no vested interest in keeping customers. They
just want the commission in their pay packet at the end of the month. A
customer with a faulty phone is not going to make them a penny for the time
they spend sorting the problem out.

I'm not saying that is how it should be, just how I have found things are.
That's why I talked about the independent retailer who generally has a much
more vested interest in keeping happy customers.

I wonder what would have happened if the OP had phoned O2 customer telephone
support and kicked up a (polite) stink. He may have had more joy.

Mind you, O2 are structured very strangely, their online stores and High
Street stores seem to be run as seperate entities, and if you buy a contract
in a shop, you have to speak to someone different to if you had bought the
contract online.

> Stephen
>

In article <[email protected]>, Lofty
<[email protected]> writes
>"tony sayer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> In article <[email protected]>, Lofty
>> <[email protected]> writes
>>>
>>>
>>>"BIGEYE" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>>news:[email protected]...
>>>> It seems that customer services goes out in the box when you get a
>>>> contract phone from O2. My daughters phone has been developing niggling
>>>> little faults over the last couple of weeks, until now the phone has
>>>> died.
>>>> She took it back to the O2 shop today, The staff were rude, to the point
>>>> of arrogant and quite honestly they couldn't give a ****.
>>>> Twenty eight days to repair, no phones available for her to use whilst
>>>> it
>>>> is under repair. The phone is eight months old!
>>>> She can't go twenty eight days without a phone, and requires the use of
>>>> the phone when travelling to and from work, for peace of mind and
>>>> security.
>>>> My son had problems with O2 before, and they only way I got a quick
>>>> resolution to the problem was to email the MD of O2 directly.
>>>> I feel that my daughter need to go down this road again, however, I
>>>> can't
>>>> find the email address for the MD of O2. Can anyone advise as to the
>>>> email
>>>> address I should use.
>>>>
>>>> TIA
>>>
>>>I'm trying to think of any other product which, if it fails during its
>>>warranty period, you are offered a replacement to be going on with while
>>>the
>>>unit is repaired. Nope, can't think of one.
>>>Maybe a car if purchased brand new from a reputable main dealer - they may
>>>offer a loan vehicle while yours is off the road, but you usually have to
>>>pay towards the insurance/excess.
>>>
>>>Anything else ?
>>>A PC ? No, they are usually return to base warranties after 8 months, and
>>>you certainly wouldn't get a replacement while it was being repaired. Nor
>>>would your loss of data be covered.
>>
>> Ah! yes, but they don't get an ongoing revenue stream from you do
>> they?....
>>
>> --
>> Tony Sayer
>
>
>As I understand it, neither does the O2 shop/shop assistant.
>
>They make their commission on the initial contract/sale. From thereon, the
>monthly bills get paid to O2 central, not to the shop you walk into to buy
>your phone. Their part is played, their commission earned, and they are onto
>the next customer.
>
>OK, if the staff were thinking correctly, they would want to help a customer
>with a problem, so that customer comes back in 12-18 months time to renew
>their contract at the same shop and make them some more commission.

Good management will see that that attitude prevails!..

>But the staff probably do not think that far ahead. They think about the
>commission they could be earning on the customer standing by the display
>unit who has come in to take out a new contract, and spending time with a
>customer who has a broken phone is stopping them getting to the customer who
>is going to make them money.
>
>Who knows, the same staff probably wont still be working in that shop in
>12-18 month's time, so why should they care if the customer with a broken
>phone comes back to renew or not.
>
>I think you are confusing O2 as a company, with the O2 stores. It's O2 the
>company who gets the ongoing revenue stream not the shops or shop staff.
>
>
>
Aren't they the same company then and if so who are O2 shops?.

And cannot O2 see that they are their public image?..

..
--
Tony Sayer