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Existing Customers Ripped off On Service Plans


Guest kurtfhouse

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Guest kurtfhouse

I unfortunately upgraded on Orange just before the new tarrifs came in and am on ?30 for 200 x-net mins. I noticed that you can get 200 x-net mins, 50 evening and weekend minutes, 75 texts and a magic number for....?30. Great I thought I will switch to that.

I rung Orange and guess what, I can't switch to those tarrifs, I can only have a core plan, which in comparison are a rip off :)

Why? Now I am really annoyed knowing I am getting a crap deal compared to most other customers, apparently I can have one of those tarrifs when I upgrade or start a new contract! Thats the funniest thing I've heard in ages, like I will ever upgrade again or start a new Orange contract again :D

No I am changing down to the cheapest 'core' rip off plan and going over to T-mobile Flext 25 which could get me roughly 300 mins and and 200 texts for guess what ?5 less a month than the the Orange plan.

I can't believe Orange I have been with them 4 years and when I first joined I was gutted I hadn't come over sooner, but now I can't wait to move on.................

Rant over :P

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Guest dr who

Whoever came up with Oranges marketing strategy of providing ridiculously named expensive contracts for 18 months, unusably expensive data and rude, poorly trained staff with a CS setup that means you can't actually get any problem with a handset solved AND seems to have instigated a rule that although they say they will phone back they NEVER ACTUALLY DO should really be shot.

If thats how France Telecomm wish to do business I can't wait to see them flushed down the tubes. Viva le T-Mobile revolution!

And by no means is that MY rant over!

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Guest jbrare
Whoever came up with Oranges marketing strategy of providing ridiculously named expensive contracts for 18 months, unusably expensive data and rude, poorly trained staff with a CS setup that means you can't actually get any problem with a handset solved AND seems to have instigated a rule that although they say they will phone back they NEVER ACTUALLY DO should really be shot.

If thats how France Telecomm wish to do business I can't wait to see them flushed down the tubes. Viva le T-Mobile revolution!

And by no means is that MY rant over!

Rant on my friend!!

Viva la T-Mobile revolution....I havn't looked back!

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Guest sporkguy
Rant on my friend!!

Viva la T-Mobile revolution....I havn't looked back!

Indeed!

They're a much better employer than Orange also :)

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Guest sporkguy

*loving* it :]

the systems in place are so much more efficient than the way Orange do things. Saved time = more customers served = happier customers with less waiting time.

Also - a lot less paperwork too.

Got my uniform today, I got 3 sexy bright pink tshirts (may wear one of the MoDaCo meet this weekend lol - and 3 sleek black shirts - very stylish company :)

Overall, cracking employer.

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  • 1 month later...
Guest pinky123

Fair comment. Yes i agree the new core plans are pants in my opinion. You get less for the same money :)

But look at it this way. You walk into your local ford garage and buy a focus LX.

A month later ford decide to include a better set of alloys on the same car. Do you think ford would give you the newer alloys just because they are included on the newer car. I very much doubt it. Its the same with all things you buy. you buy the product at the time and if a better one comes along later tough luck. you are stuck with it.

Life sucks :D

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Guest pinky123

I do not like getting called rude and poorly trained sir.I do hope you never ring up with that attatude or you will never get anyone to help you. As if a customer calls up and is rude most csr's will endevor not too be nice as you as if you can not be,who cares. I take it personaly the fact you imply that all csr's never call customers back as i will always do what i promise, as i would expect the same if i had to call through. It seems that you make up the very small group of customers that will ring up just to shout at csr's. We are only human and if you had to work on the phones on a night and had to take the abuse from the general public accusing us of having sex with our mothers and doing nasty things to animals (i am making it sound nice but you know what i mean) we do not like taking it and no amount of money makes it worth taking

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Guest chucky.egg

None of us phone OCS just to shout at the CSRs, we phone looking for an answer, and the reason we end up shouting (I've done it myself more than once) is that we're not getting what we want.

Now, sometimes what we want is not realistic, but just as often what we want is something very simple but we've been forced to phone round all of O in the hope of finding somebody who can/will do it.

I don't know you Pinky123, and I'm sure that if you say you're one of the "good" CSRs then you actually are, but in my experience you are in the minority there.

I don't doubt that you're job is (in parts) quite hard, and whilst I don't think being shouted at is something you should have to put up with I do think that it's Orange's policies and practices which generate this anger.

Rather than taking pot shots at "your" customers in return for their comments, why not make your own life easier and play a part in addressing those parts of Orange which don't give a stuff about the customer.

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Guest pinky123
Can we keep discussion friendly please Pinky, we don't appreciate people coming onto our forum and hurling abuse.

Cheers.

Fair do's. I take the comment. If i can, can another user (Dr Who) not make comments that are aimed at csr's (me) who take their job seriously and want to help the customer. I agree with all the posts regarding how bad the new core plans are. And YES i agree that the legnth of time customers are having to wait to get through is frankly awfull.

But i belive that we are trying to get things sorted i.e magic numbers,the "unlimited" bundles (3000 mins or texts-read the small print guys) and the 2000 x-net minutes retentions are offering. Give us a chance before slagging us off. I have tried to get through to cs on the phone before to get things on my phone sorted. Is like pulling teeth but as i have to be on the recieving end i do not lose my rag.

Be nice and the favour is returned. Its nice to be thanked at the end of a call. It gives you a nice feeling.

Live long and prosper.

And p.s sporkguy. hope the vending machines are better stocked.

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its been over 2 solid years giving "orange" a chance.

To be honest, I think Pinky123 should have an IP ban simply because everytime there is an orange topic he/she doesnt like, turns out to some flame war with him/her and ending up in insulting other members (such as sporky in this case)

probably one of many reasons why sporky left because of the attitude of a fellow ex colleague....

Once again we learned that some people just dont like to take criticism and improve on it in a professional manner rather than these insults coming from an orange employee

I do wonder what the supervisor and managing director of orange would say about their employeee....

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I take it personaly the fact you imply that all csr's never call customers back as i will always do what i promise, as i would expect the same if i had to call through.

Why would you take it personally?

In my last 18 months with Orange I had reason to call OCS many times about a variety of issues. I would say on at least 20 occasions I was promised a call back. On all 20 occassions I was not called back. Therefore, I think it is safe to say, that you must be the only OCS who does perform this common courtesy and perhaps you should inform your colleagues that by not doing this they give people the right hump.

Orange OCS has completely gone down the toilet. Glad to have moved operator now.

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Guest sporkguy
Fair do's. I take the comment. If i can, can another user (Dr Who) not make comments that are aimed at csr's (me) who take their job seriously and want to help the customer. >

Live long and prosper.

And p.s sporkguy. hope the vending machines are better stocked.

Thanks - afterall, we're a friendly user community, sharing our experiences and advice - there's no need for anyone to get angry.

You're not the company, You're just doing your job and being paid your wage!

To quote that rather annoying man off that Car Insurance ad,

"Calm down dear, it's only a forum!"

P.S. There's no Apostrophe in CSRs

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Guest FlangeArtist

Was with Orange over 8 years. No matter what, or how much I spent, never managed to get onto a decent package. Always got, as the advert goes 'New Customers Only', 'It doesnt work like that', 'Wrong kind of leaves on the tracks', etc. And I upgraded my phone every single year too (after the contract ended)!

This was the ONLY time I had contact with Orange too! Even my bank calls me every 6 months or so to make sure that I am happy with the service and to make sure that my account is meeting my needs (and I've been with them for 18 years!).

Got so sick and tired of this, that when the lovely new Vario 2 came out on T-Mobile, along with the W'n'W I jumped ship! Saving some ?10 per month even after W'n'W charges, have comparitively 3 time more minutes and texts too! Plus I have already had Customer Support call me to make sure that I am happy.

So to me, Orange can go take a long walk of a very short pier!!!

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  • 3 months later...
Guest darrengf

I have been with Orange now for over 6 years, For the last 5 of them i was happy with the service and quality.

However i have changed my whole mind regarding Orange Customer care.

I have been spoke to Rudely, arrogantly and damm right un helpful.

I'am always polite, helpful and a cheerful chap, I work in a call center my self on Customer Care and Technical Support so beleive you me i know how customers speak to you, But i am nothing but Courtesy, Helpful, Stay Calm and Best of all have a smile so the customer can see that when im speaking to them.

Customers have different views of customer care, my view is " How would i like to be treated when i ring for help "

the only time i have had to put the phone down in 16 years is 3 times and that was when the customer swore at me (This i dont agreen with)

However The Attitude at Orange is we don't care (this is because they have been recruiting new customer care people and they havnt been trianed correctly.

Regarding Treating Exsting customer as the same is completely wrong.

Orange Term and Conditions even say you can migrate to a new 18 month contract but you dont get a phone unless you take a 24 month contract (Work that one out)

Orange are paid on commision, so when they get a new customer they get a Incentive, when they keep a customer they get nothing.

Its all to with the figures, When networks produce them (And all the networks are the same not just Orange)

They can only show how many customers have signed up an not how many customers they keep.

So for instance

Jan 2007

Orange singned up 3500 people

T-Mobile Signed up 3000 People

Vodafone Signed up 5000 People

02 signed up 4575 people

However

Orange Kept 10000 people

T-Mobile Kept 3000 People

Vodafone Kept 6000 People

02 kept 5050 people

Even though Orange kept 10000 and took on 3500 people They only get a bonus on 3500 people and not the other 10000.

Also when the stastics are pulled, it would show that Vodafone are now the number network for customer signing up 5000 people.

Its wrong, but this is how it been for years and I dont think its about to change either.

To me it should change but i wouldnt hold your breath.

I do hope this all makes sense.

:)

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Guest Evilkern
I have been with Orange now for over 6 years, For the last 5 of them i was happy with the service and quality.

However i have changed my whole mind regarding Orange Customer care.

I have been spoke to Rudely, arrogantly and damm right un helpful.

I'am always polite, helpful and a cheerful chap, I work in a call center my self on Customer Care and Technical Support so beleive you me i know how customers speak to you, But i am nothing but Courtesy, Helpful, Stay Calm and Best of all have a smile so the customer can see that when im speaking to them.

Customers have different views of customer care, my view is " How would i like to be treated when i ring for help "

the only time i have had to put the phone down in 16 years is 3 times and that was when the customer swore at me (This i dont agreen with)

However The Attitude at Orange is we don't care (this is because they have been recruiting new customer care people and they havnt been trianed correctly.

Regarding Treating Exsting customer as the same is completely wrong.

Orange Term and Conditions even say you can migrate to a new 18 month contract but you dont get a phone unless you take a 24 month contract (Work that one out)

Orange are paid on commision, so when they get a new customer they get a Incentive, when they keep a customer they get nothing.

Its all to with the figures, When networks produce them (And all the networks are the same not just Orange)

They can only show how many customers have signed up an not how many customers they keep.

So for instance

Jan 2007

Orange singned up 3500 people

T-Mobile Signed up 3000 People

Vodafone Signed up 5000 People

02 signed up 4575 people

However

Orange Kept 10000 people

T-Mobile Kept 3000 People

Vodafone Kept 6000 People

02 kept 5050 people

Even though Orange kept 10000 and took on 3500 people They only get a bonus on 3500 people and not the other 10000.

Also when the stastics are pulled, it would show that Vodafone are now the number network for customer signing up 5000 people.

Its wrong, but this is how it been for years and I dont think its about to change either.

To me it should change but i wouldnt hold your breath.

I do hope this all makes sense.

:)

I agree, loads of networks are the same - they'll offer their new customers a better deal than a customer who's wanting to upgrade and stay with them, which is daft really. When my t mobile contract ended i wanted to upgrade to the MDA Vario+Co Pilot, so having looked in the store at it and saw it was free on my current contract i thought ah that should be ok, rang up t mobile and asked them and they informed me that for me to stay with them, to be a loyal customer, it would cost me £160 or something silly like that, so i asked why they wouldn't give it me at the same price as they're giving it to joe blogs off the street and they wouldn't answer, just saying, so shall i set you up for the upgrade? Fair enough they still had the best deal so i cancelled and started again, but still it seems silly that they don't rethink their policies!

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Guest darrengf

I completely agree.

its about time they looked after old customers like new customers.

Then see how many the network get.

Its doesnt take 2 mins to say, you get the same deal no matter what. Watch customers stays and flock to them

It doesnt take a brain specialist to work it out, But when you sit in th ivory tower they cant see the everyday folk on the ground only kerching kerching pound signs in front of there eyes.

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Guest KFB20060

Orange, and exisitng customers let me tell you my tale of woe. I have been a customer of Orange for over 10 years both as business customer and a private individual. I estimate that I have spent over £25,000 in bills, upgrades and everything else that you have to pay for, for the use of celluar network. Now here comes the push.

24 months ago I took a business contract out (long before they renamed them after stupid animals) mine was a 500 minutes cross network, and they threw in another 500 mins at night along with some stupid amount of texts, and for me a high amount of data access. Great I thought (then) they gave me a smart new SPV 500 phone with a load of toys, at the time one of the smallest windows based phones and I thought I was made, I even got a car kit fitted the works. I had insurance all bases covered or so I thought.......

Roll the story on around 10 months, suddenly my SPV starts to loose all of its settings if the battery runs down, then on the screen a couple of pixels blow (that I can put up with), the re setting of the date and settings however is starting to become a pain. I rang Orange customer service (first mistake) as was told that it would be quicker to get the phone sent to HTC direct and they would fix it. 3 weeks later HTC told me that the a firmware upgrade sent by Orange had rendered the phone in this position and that Orange should fix it. Guess what Orange then forgot the cobversation about HTC, and told me that I had now made the repair chargable, after much shouting down the phone and once getting cut off from customer services. We came to the following compromise.

My phone would not be fixed and I would have to endure this until the contract finished on the 12th Jan 2007. Fantastic :)

Then the phone developed another nasty fault it resent any texts at random oh yeah and then it would switch and reboot also. After a record 2 hour phone call to I think every employee at Orange they agreeded a simple soloution. They would not charge me for the texts at all regardless of the amount, however they would not change my phone. I then engaged, a solicitor and a more favourable compromise was reached with no court required. I would be given a N50 nokia phone for the rest of the contract free albeit with a new number and guess what I could keep the SPV500 fantastic, now I had a number no one knew and a phone that was a much use as a chocolate frog, I was still paying £55.00 up to this point.

In the last 6 months of my contract I rang Orange at least once a week to ask them of anything more practical could be done. Nothing, not a dam thing.

Now the icing on the cake, when I called on Friday 12th to change my handset, I reckoned that with the contract that I was on and the amount of money I had spent, with contract costs and phone costs, that I would pick up the SPV3100 for a low cost, or even free. Guess what, ORange calculate the cost of the upgrade on the last 3 months of useage, as I was using the "free phone" I had not spent a penny with them so they advised me the upgrade cost was £250.00 plus some additional costs.

Exsisting customer, 25,000GBP spent, 10 years of loyalty, through bad and good, and I get shafted by them. Loyalty counts for jack, custom counts for nothing at all.

Bottom line, I cancelled all my contracts personal and business with them, I then went online, purchase the HTC unbranded handset along with 3 others for the people that work for me from Expansys, I received them this morning, I then fitted them with 3 SIMS through Vodafone on contract only with all the services I need. Okay the HTC Hermes cost me a little more, but Expansys gave me the other three Nokia N73 free as a goodwill and I didnt pay postage.

Advice stuff the companies and do it yourself.

THAT IS BEING RIPPED OFF!!!

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  • 1 month later...
Guest jamesbest77

Hi All,

This is my Rant!!! ;)

I've been waiting ages for the P3600/Trinity/SPV M700 to be released on Orange, and when it finally was `they' didnt want to sell it to me because I wasn't a new customer! So I waited another 3 weeks....

When it was finally released, I was told I would have to pay £129.99 for it (they supposedly gave me a £70 discount even though its free for new customers), and be put on a £35 per month contract for 18 months! So I started looking elsewhere...

After doing the math, Expansys' deal was the best value: Vodafone Anytime 200+250 £30 per month for 12 months, and £125 for the phone. I asked Orange to just match it - and not even beat the deal, and they wouldnt/couldnt. I wanted to stay with Orange because i've been with them for over 10 years, ?possibly 14? (and at one point I was a `loyalty customer' for spending so much on my bill) and illogically thought this fact would hold some weight.

I'm with Vodafone now, and not tied in to an 18 month contract. (I like new toys :D ). It seems nowadays, you're better changing networks. Loyalty holds no value with Orange at least - I dont know about other networks.

James.

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