This telco text exchange has to be some sort of record...

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by wylie, 30th Sep, 2020.

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  1. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I hooked up with a new provider for the NBN. I'm trying now to cancel my "big provider" internet and phone.

    I called about 9.30am and was told the lines were too busy helping people with more urgent issues, and sent a link to a chat, and then the line was disconnected. So I opened that chat at 9.39am this morning.

    I've had answers, looooooong waits between hearing anything. I've asked a few times "still there?" and I'm told they are looking into this and then I wait another hour.

    I've been out and back home, still waiting...

    So here I am at 3.07pm and I've just asked if this can be escalated, that I've been on this text message exchange for 5.5 hours and still no further along except "we're working on it".

    I'm just going about my normal day, but how do people manage if they are meant to be working or doing something and can't check or see when a return message comes in.
     
    wylie, 30th Sep, 2020
    #1
  2. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    I am amazed by your patience

    I would have thrown the mouse, thrown few swear words, escalated the complaint and prepared an ombudsman complaint depending on how many times id contacted them previouslt
     
    TMNT, 30th Sep, 2020
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  3. BunnyXiao

    BunnyXiao Well-Known Member

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    China and Vietnam things get fixed instantly. Australia....like you described. They have rules and processes I guess
     
    BunnyXiao, 30th Sep, 2020
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  4. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I was busy watching the train wreck presidential debate, so just checked my phone as I saw something come in. I did ask for this to be escalated after 5.5 hours and it's just this minute been resolved.

    I've had a very nice "thank you for your patience" and it is not the person's fault at the end of the text exchange. I would never have held onto a phone that long. That would have gone out the window long ago. I'm sure she's dealing with a dozen things at the same time, jumping from one to another.

    But how do people get on who can't have their phone beside them. Calling was not possible, unless I could somehow get past the screening machine, which cut me off after telling me to use texting link.

    Sometimes you just have to pave patience. Maybe chew your leg off while you wait?
     
    wylie, 30th Sep, 2020
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  5. Lizzie

    Lizzie Well-Known Member

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    I've found the best way to get a response is lodge a complaint comment on their FB page.

    Couple of things I've found out - they're trying to force everyone to use the phone app ... which is useless ... and their call centres are based in countries that have been hit badly by Covid so basically no staff. I gather they're moving to bring their call centres back to Australia - but still trying to force everyone onto app or online chat
     
    Lizzie, 30th Sep, 2020
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  6. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    i usually try a few times and if I get absolutely no where or I have to explain the situation from the start every single time or get absolutely stupid answers, I go straight to the ombudsman,

    years ago I had a newish phone that was supposed to last 2-3 days, mine was lasting 6-7 hrs, after going through a few setting changes a few times on the phone without much improvement, their final reply was "why dont you turn your phone off while you are not using it, that will improve battery time"
    Off to the ombudsman I went and i got a satisfactory result

    but that being said, outsourcing to overseas over the past few years has made it worse for me
     
    Last edited: 30th Sep, 2020
    TMNT, 30th Sep, 2020
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  7. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Actually, I was calm with the app, just responding as a reply came in. I was just thinking I might somehow make it into the Guiness book of records or something.

    I wasn't calm watching the presidential debate. :D:p
     
    wylie, 30th Sep, 2020
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  8. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    could it be that if you do not have an active session on the chat window, it gets suspended? I would have thought you would have to be chatting "real time" for a conversation - not submitting a query, and waiting hours for a response (thats not chat, thats more like email!)
     
    inertia, 30th Sep, 2020
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  9. Scott No Mates

    Scott No Mates Well-Known Member

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    Nah, torture.
     
    Scott No Mates, 30th Sep, 2020
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  10. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    It was a link sent to my mobile, and then it moved to a texting set up. So it wasn't an online chat, and I just checked my phone when I saw another text come in.

    The top of the chat screen had the logo, so I was not given a number to text to ... the link took me to a text window.
     
    wylie, 30th Sep, 2020
    #10
  11. BunnyXiao

    BunnyXiao Well-Known Member

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    sorry for your pain. Nothing for it but vent here.
     
    BunnyXiao, 30th Sep, 2020
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  12. Joynz

    Joynz Well-Known Member

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    It always takes longer to solve any internet tech or Apple issues by online chat, so I try to phone wherever possible.
     
    Joynz, 30th Sep, 2020
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  13. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I quite like the online chat. But this was not an online chat. I couldn't get anyone on the phone. It wasn't so bad because, unlike an online chat, I just did my usual thing, watched telly, had morning tea, then lunch and afternoon nibble and still in that chat. At least I wasn't holding a phone to my head or forced to sit at my computer and heard a "ping" each time she came back to me.

    Actually, what I do like about online chats is having a transcript to go back to.

    It wasn't really frustrating, more humorous really, wondering just how long I could be in this texting bubble.

    But I do wonder about people trying to work in a job and having to deal with Telcos, utilities etc when this sort of thing happens.
     
    wylie, 30th Sep, 2020
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  14. hammer

    hammer Well-Known Member

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    My nephew works in customer support for a big Telco. Basically when covid hit, they layed everyone off in appalling fashion.

    When they came begging and pleading for their staff to come back the majority of them politely told their old boss to download an app and take a number....
     
    hammer, 1st Oct, 2020
    #14
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