What Is Wrong with Telstra Customer Service These Days?

Lsimonjo on 19/10/2020 - 14:24

Long stories short, my NBN bill amount increased by $30 per month after 12 months with Telstra.
I know the reason, because 12 months ago my dealer told me that my free speedboost (the add-on that gives me 100/40 speed) ends after 12 months.
What I don't understand is that, Telstra won't give me an option to remove this add-on, and all options I can see online is to switch to another fixed term plan.
I don't want to extend my contract term at all, so simply I need to call them right?
But to my surprise, I don't know if it's due to COVID or not, the phone number on their website just won't transfer me to any human, it hangs me up saying that I can only go to self service, as they are focusing on other customer's critical requests.
OK my case is not critical, so I am supposed to keep paying for an unwanted service? At least give me a call back!

Yes I've tried their online chat, waited over half an hour till I can chat with a real human, then I explained my need, he/she asked me to wait for 45 minutes. I expressed my concern that the chat might get disconnected after that long, he/she assured me that the chat will continue as long as I have this window opened, even if my computer goes to sleep.
I did not dare to let my computer to go to sleep, and I waited 45 minutes. Then when I asked what's going on, a new staff replied and asked me what's my issue.
I have to repeat myself, then he/she asked me to wait for another 20 minutes.
15 minutes later I asked what's going on, guess what, a new guy replied and asked me what's my issue.
I simply can't continue. TIO complaint I went.

12 months ago when I signed up with Telstra, I am very satisfied with their customer service responsiveness.
There was once after a huge storm, when service was disrupted all over the state, Telstra answered my call in 2 minutes and sent a temporary replacement device the next business day, when all my neighbours waited over a week to get service restored. I was proud to be with Telstra back then.

Now minus the good, responsive customer service, what has Telstra left? The price is not competitive, the speed is no different than the others, I simply can't apprehend what's going on here.

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Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 19/10/2020 - 14:26

    So what exactly are you after?

  • Cheeper on 19/10/2020 - 14:30
    +2

    What Is Wrong with Telstra Customer Service These Days?
    …
    When has it been right? Try other resellers if you want customer service.

  • SBOB on 19/10/2020 - 14:33
    +4

    The price is not competitive, the speed is no different than the others, I simply can't apprehend what's going on here.

    So why are you still with them?

    It's NBN….assuming it's not HFC,find a new ISP,sign up, have your account transferred in about the same amount of time you sat waiting for customer service responses and forget about it

    Zero point complaining about customer service when the solution is that simple

  • AustriaBargain on 19/10/2020 - 14:37

    Why would you want to give up the speed boost anyway if it's your only option to get those speeds on home internet. Can you negotiate them down or get them to extend the free trial offer?

  • Associated87percent @ Telstra on 19/10/2020 - 14:55
    +3

    Covid.. but I don’t think this should be an excuse considering it’s been around for 7 months now

    • AssociatedJolakot @ Telstra on 19/10/2020 - 15:45
      +1

      Covid absolutely wrecked our call centers in Manilla, but that's been resolved for a while.

      Live chat should be pretty fast, rarely need to wait during the day, but can back up during peak times.

      • aragornelessar on 19/10/2020 - 16:18
        +1

        Please keep humans. Live chat is still a step up from that automated robot that 'talks' to you. What's his name? Cody? Shane? Something like that…

        When I was dealing with Telstra not cancelling my service, it was a merry go round trying to get to a human because Cody would just tell me to go to a website (which wasn't loading properly on mobile anyway). Took a whole week and a half to sort it out.

        • Skinnerr on 28/10/2020 - 15:46

          Lol 'Shane' 😂

  • screensaver on 19/10/2020 - 15:07
    +1

    try facebook and messenger and go to a store. This is not the only company like this, Good Guys was hopeless too and I am sure there are others Working from home seems to be a paid holiday

  • Ruprect on 19/10/2020 - 15:34
    +1

    Sadly, I think customer service had been abandoned this year. One avenue is to try a Telstra shop as they can often be helpful. If you can't find a way to change plans you may be left with only two options. Stay on the current plan or churn away to someone else.

    There are a heap of broadband, voip and mobile providers out there who are providing excellent customer service and covid has not changed that.

  • [Deactivated] on 19/10/2020 - 17:38
    +2

    I tried to contact Telstra for over a week earlier this month to no avail - 13 number kept being disconnected due to technical difficulties & Codi via the app was utterly useless.

    My husband got through by calling the 13 business # by mistake & spoke with a customer representative from Adelaide who advised that the best way to speak with a human was to say 'complaint' as the reason for your call at the voice prompt.

    hth

  • BobD on 20/10/2020 - 08:04
    +2

    It's hard to see why anyone buys Telstra services. They have long been over-priced and under-serviced and specialising in non Australian call centres with people who speak English as a second language. There are many other choices.

  • eyeballz2770 on 20/10/2020 - 09:57
    +1

    My trick is to connect directly to Landline Faults via the main number and ask the CSR to transfer me to a human who can help me. Good luck!

  • ozpat on 20/10/2020 - 11:54
    +1

    Telstra Customer Service is a Kafkaesque nightmare.

  • johninmelb on 20/10/2020 - 13:59
    +1

    We were asking this question 30 years ago. What's changed?

    • BobD on 21/10/2020 - 08:13
      +1

      not much change except a new generation of sheeple who think biggest might be best or that's the way their parents did it so it must be OK.

  • rowenaduncan on 21/10/2020 - 15:29
    +1

    I was with Telstra for 12 years. Just switched to Woolies (still Telstra, I know). I had an unwanted and unknown daily charge "subscribed" to my account that I couldn't get stopped. I spoke to 18 different people on the "chat", one person instore, and eventually ended up going to the communications ombudsman. If you can, maybe cut your losses and just move away from Telstra altogether?

  • seanbaussie on 26/10/2020 - 07:19
    +1

    I had someone from Telstra call me, I think I know what it's about as there's been a problem going on, but I missed the call.
    Even that's not enough to get a real person to help. Their voicemail said they might ring back.
    That's it…

  • ozpat on 27/10/2020 - 16:08
    +2

    Telstra has "customer service"?

  • [Deactivated] on 12/11/2020 - 11:24

    Is Telstra call centre ded or something, seems the entire networks acting up.

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