OzBargain View on How to Handle Terrible Optus Customer Service

lordra on 25/10/2016 - 15:17
Last edited 25/10/2016 - 21:52

I ported from Voda to Optus on the 23rd of July. The port partially failed & I was stuck in limbo. As a result, I could not receive calls or texts from anyone NOT ON Optus. So Telstra & Voda people could not text or call me. I could make outgoing calls but not the other way around. So I never knew when people were trying to get in touch with me.

I've spent HOURS on the phone, in store and online on chat, since then, but to no avail.

Everyone started complaining that they couldn't reach me & that's when red flags were raised.
I had to get myself another phone and another number as my private & professional life were both affected adversely by this.

Sent in Complaint 1 on 14th of September 2016. Heard nothing back.
Sent in Complaint 2 on 5th of October 2016. Kelly got in touch on the 20th of October 2016.

This issue has not been resolved & is ongoing.

She said all they would do is to refund my monthly phone costs & not charge a disconnection fee for it. Refused anything else I asked of her, including my postage costs!

I am ABSOLUTELY FLABBERGASTED at this outcome. I feel I was strung along with no resolutions for weeks. Their interest in customer retention is a big ZERO. I’ve documented some of the calls that I’ve made to them. I want justice. What is justice? Compensation for my time & perhaps a discount on services or just for them to stop messing people around. What can I do now?

Poll Options expired

  • 1
    There are other players in the market who care about customer retention
  • 4
    Yes, I would you recommend Optus after this
  • 6
    No one cares about us consumers
  • 9
    Stay away from Optus
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Comments

  • spackbace on 25/10/2016 - 15:26
    +4

    What is justice? Compensation for my time

    Hahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Oh shit thanks I needed a laugh today, it's been kind of boring!

    Can I bill the doctor next time I'm waiting for them? Get a discount on my KFC order for the long queue in drive-through?

    Might want to think about your arguments next time you rant so people take you more seriously.

    • Clear on 25/10/2016 - 15:30
      +4

      It's sad that a majority of OzB have that mentality.

      Also did you upset James D?

      • spackbace on 25/10/2016 - 15:32

        No, but it would appear he needs to stop by his local Bunnings… ;)

      • kwijybo on 25/10/2016 - 16:17
        +2

        "This site should be banned in Australia as its against the Australian values especially freedom of speech."

        That is too perfect.

        • ItsMeAgro on 25/10/2016 - 18:36
          +1

          Seriously though, it's a bit of a travesty that butthurt would-be scammers having a cry because their non-bargains didn't hit the front page have skewed OzBargain's rating on productreviews.com.au.

          You're not allowed to rate it as a product, you greedy dishonest grubs, you're not the customers. You're the chaff we come here to avoid…

      • alz on 25/10/2016 - 16:18

        Stop bullying people will you.

      • theHMASfriendship on 26/10/2016 - 09:13

        Where's the bargain, James D

    • dlf73 on 25/10/2016 - 15:35
      +5

      Well, as luck would have it, when I worked in IT, I did some work for a firm to address an issue they had with internet. Turns out Optus FUBAR'd their DNS, and the client got me to bill them 'for my time' and they got Optus to pay them. True story, but will admit for full disclosure it was over 5 years ago…..

      • Clear on 25/10/2016 - 15:50

        Even though it's over 5 years ago I'm still surprised they paid.

        Technically they pay my invoices too as I'm a contractor to an ISP. :p

        • dlf73 on 25/10/2016 - 15:53

          To be honest, I was too. I did not want to bill the client, due to them being a 'good client', but they insisted. I made a deal they pay me when Optus pay them. The client threatened them with TIO in a big way and it was paid pretty damn quick.

      • SirFlibbled on 28/10/2016 - 14:58

        Of course they did. They stuffed something us and the business suffered a loss as a result (the cost in paying you to fix it).

    • lordra on 25/10/2016 - 16:10

      :) Glad its amusing! Makes me smile a bit too! :)

    • alz on 25/10/2016 - 16:18

      Lol

  • Richardc on 25/10/2016 - 15:33
    +2

    TIO

    • spackbace on 25/10/2016 - 15:35

      Not really, as the problem has been fixed, now it's a matter of compensation (at least that's what I'm reading)

      • lordra on 25/10/2016 - 15:58

        Naahh mate, nothing. In England, they actually care about CS & CR!!
        & In Texas as well! In India too, believe it or not! They really value your custom!

        • spackbace on 25/10/2016 - 16:01
          -1

          Naahh mate, nothing.

          What was that replying to? You didn't answer anything.

          Has the problem been sorted now? Or are you waiting for it to be sorted, because the compensation offered wasn't enough?

        • lordra on 25/10/2016 - 16:14

          @Spackbace: No, its still on-going. I'm sorry, have updated the main text now!

      • Domingo on 25/10/2016 - 16:51

        From the post:

        This issue has not been resolved & is ongoing.

        and your reply:

        Not really, as the problem has been fixed, now it's a matter of compensation (at least that's what I'm reading)

        ??????

    • Domingo on 25/10/2016 - 17:06
      +2

      Agree with this. The TIO will help you put pressure on Optus if you have tried to resolve the issue with them and not received a satisfactory outcome. However, you might find that the fault lies with Voda - their Port Out may not have completed correctly, leaving the routing tables with an entry directing your number into the Voda network. Optus' internal routing tables will be updated, so Optus numbers will work.

      In any case, it should be up to Optus to deal with Voda in sorting that out for you (if it is indeed the case), so pretty poor of them and definitely worthy of asking the TIO to intervene. The Port Out industry code requires it to be completed within 15 minutes of the request from the gaining carrier, with pretty hefty fines for non compliance. Get the TIO involved and watch your issue magic get resolved very quickly.

      • lordra on 25/10/2016 - 21:59

        Informed them that I've had enough and wanted out. Optus offered Zero compensation except for the monthly payment.
        She said that I would have to go to Vodafone and port out and port back in again. With a new order. Which I've already done twice. Gave my voice recordings and all of it.

        Cshe said that she was there to fix the problem, not to compensate me for my time.
        Will I still have a case with the TIO?

        They flat out refused to discuss even a credit if I took out a broadband connection with them!

        Thoughts?

        • Domingo on 26/10/2016 - 09:56

          If it has impacted your professional life, that included when you raise the issue with the TIO.

          It sounds like the person from a tech support team, not a customer service team. Next time you call ask to talk directly to complaints, bringing up that the issue is unresolved and you want compensation, not just getting it solved.

        • lordra on 26/10/2016 - 10:31

          @Domingo: Done this. Thank you.

        • lordra on 26/10/2016 - 10:39

          @Domingo: Went to Kelly Dickeson, Mobile Customer Executive | Tier 3 Mobile

  • ItsMeAgro on 25/10/2016 - 15:43
    +2

    Telcos are all awful for customer service.

    Telstra are the least awful in my experience, they have a decent call centre in the Phillipines that will actually fix things and solve stuff-ups - usually.

    • Clear on 25/10/2016 - 15:53

      It's even better when you get hold of their business staff in Australia. They really go out of their way to help.

  • garetz on 25/10/2016 - 16:45

    Keep the service, and complain to the Ombudsmen, every day its not fixed they pay a charge, which gives them impetus to fix your complaint as soon as possible. Most telecommunication companies including optus has special customer relations teams that solely deal with ombudsmen complaints.

    • lordra on 31/10/2016 - 16:04

      Which Ombusdman is this? I have already raised a complaint with the TIO.

  • apple2016 on 25/10/2016 - 16:58
    +2

    All Telcos customer service is crap except for telstra in my experience.
    I had the same issue with optus.
    I went to a store where they replaced the sim and it resolved the issue.

    • lordra on 25/10/2016 - 21:55

      Wish I had met you 3 months ago.

    • dasher86 on 25/10/2016 - 23:11
      +1

      Telstra is the worst I've dealt with.

  • [Deactivated] on 26/10/2016 - 10:15

    Spintel was the worst I've dealt with

  • lordra on 26/10/2016 - 11:14

    Now I can add to that list. Optus is the worst, haha, but I have nothing to compare them to, so they can sit at the top for now.

  • payton on 27/10/2016 - 23:03

    I could not receive calls or texts from anyone NOT ON Optus. So Telstra & Voda people could not text or call me. I could make outgoing calls but not the other way around.

    Could have bought a cheap SIM and give out that number temporarily so people can call you, you call back on the other phone.
    PITA I know, but better than acquaintances being annoyed at not being able to contact you.

    • lordra on 28/10/2016 - 11:36

      Exactly what I did. For two months!!

  • lordra on 31/10/2016 - 16:05

    So I have a response from the TIO now:

    The TIO needs more information from you to help us decide if we can continue handling your complaint.
    The information we need is:
    * Were you charged by Optus for the time during the period where you were unable to use your phone?
    Please note; the TIO does not handle compensation for time, stress and inconvenience, and will be unable to assist with this aspect of your complaint.

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