They Call it Customer Service, it's Really Customer Disservice

Update: This post is some years old now, numbers may have changed.

I wanted to list some Virgin Media telephone numbers here so that I could refer to them at a later date. It seems difficult to actually talk to an intelligent human when dealing with most large organisations. Pay peanuts and get monkeys comes to mind. This directory will probably build up as I try different ways to resolve issues.

• Virgin Media from a Virgin Phone (home or mobile): 150
• Virgin Media Installations: 0845 454 1111
• Virgin Media QuickStart Team: 0800 953 9500
• Virgin Media Sales: 0845 045 1310
• Virgin Media Sales (goes to overseas call centre): 0845 840 7777

You may be interested in my experience that lead to this post.

Customer Disservice

Remember when you could pick up a phone and talk directly with a helpful person to resolve a problem or ask a question. Or you could walk into a shop and the staff would be courteous and provide service that made you feel that your custom was valued. That seems extremely rare these days. I'm switching my TV and broadband from Sky to Virgin Media. To try and reduce my monthly bill, get better reception and faster broadband. Virgin have sent me plenty of offers over the years and their current offer is attractive, so I'm giving it ago. Ordering online wasn't working, I wanted the Line Rental Saver option but there was no option to add it. So I visited a Virgin Media shop, ordered everything, from a shop assistant who gave the impression that he didn't really enjoy his work. Despite telling him I wanted the Line Saver Rental he processed the order without it. Then had to make phone call to try an add it, which he could not do because the order had not yet appeared on their system. He wrote down my payment card details and then said he would do it later. On no he won't. I got the piece of paper he wrote my card number down on (including the security number) and said I would phone up and do it.

The first phone call resulted in spending several minutes in navigating stupid menu options before being connected with an overseas call centre. Bounced to another operator who appeared new to the position and my payment card was not accepted (I can use it fine in the UK). Gave up.

Tried one of the other numbers. Stupid menu options again, then informed of a 30 minute wait time. Gave up.

Looks like I'll be popping in to their shop again next time I'm in town.

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