Excellent Customer Service

[Guest RussellH]

It's quite normal to share experiences of poor customer service, but more rare when it comes to good customer service. They say people tell everyone they know when service has been poor, but less so when good.

I've been with Orange for a number of years now, since the days when they only had one Motorola and one Nokia phone, and the number began 0973 or 0976. Over this time, I've dealt with various different departments at Orange on a number of occasions. The most recent, this week after damaging my new pride and joy (it's an M2000, but I posted it here as more people read the smartphone forum and this topic's not device specific).

I have to say that the service I receive from Orange has been consistantly excellent. I have had issues in the past, but these have always been resolved quickly and efficiently. This week though, the service I have received has been in my opinion way over and above what one would expect. The people in the damaged phone department have been exceptionally helpful, and gone out of their way to help me. I have spoken to a couple of other sections within OCS this week as well, and on each occasion, the service I have received has been excellent - so much so that I wanted to shout about it here!

Such levels of service I find to be rare in this country these days, and so thank you Orange. Your customer service staff are a real credit to you.

If I may point out just one negative point, it is the automated phone answering system. I have no problem having to press a couple of buttons to get to speak to the right person. However, the OCS system now gives so many options and so many sub sections you need to negotiate before you can speak to anyone, I get lost trying to figure out which way to go. By the time I finally press the last of these buttons, I'm in a bad mood. I feel the need to point this out, as it surely it isn't fair on your staff that customers are made to feel negative before they've even spoken to anyone. I know from personal experience that I have been a bit rude to your staff unintentionally, purely because the automated system's sent my blood pressure into overdrive.

Despite this one fairly minor point, I have to say that I would certainly recommend Orange to anyone. Thank you (and no, I don't work for Orange)!!!

[Guest mcwarre]

I agree.

Also a rarity is that the OCS staff are actually based in England (unlike several other large firms). Makes things soo much easier.

[Guest Pondrew]

So were you able to get a replacement from them? Reason I ask is that a few of us have wanted the M2000 for a while but are constantly told it's out of stock with no definate word on when it'll be back...

[Guest Confucious]

Nice to hear some possitive feedback for a change. A problem with forums like this is people only post when they have a problem (after all iyt is what the forums are for) and people can forget that the majority of people don't have problems and DO get good service.

A smartphone forum is a bit different from a normal phone forum where the ONLY reason people visit is to complain, at least with a Smartphone forum people can visit just to find out whot other amaising things their phones can do.

Stoo nice to hear praise when it's due tho' and no, i don't work for Orange (or anyone else for that matter - Gizza job!)

[Guest RussellH]

Haven't been able to get a replacement M2000 yet as it is indeed out of stock. I put my SIM in my old N**** for the moment. They weren't able to say exactly when stocks would be in, but the Upgrades people reckon any day now. The different people I've spoken to have been genuinely very helpful. Because they couldn't give me a date for a replacement, they've sent me a loan phone by courier. It's not an M2000, but this will have cost them money to send it to me, in addition to the cost of sending the new M2000 when its in stock. I know this will have been covered by all the insurance premiums people pay for Orange Care, but they didn't have to do this, particularly as I still have my old N****.

I also queried something with another section of OCS. They got one of their training supervisors to call me back, which she promtly did. She was very sympatyhetic to my situation, was extremely helpful, efficient and knowledgable. I started the conversation feeling disgruntled with their awful automated phone system, and came away feeling so delighted with their service and attitude that I wanted to tell everybody here.

[Guest hobo]

I'd have to say that as a long time Orange customer, they are one of the companies who have decent customer services.

I've only had one incident where Orange annoyed me where they sent me a replacment phone on the understanding that I sent the broken one back or I get charged. I did send it back the same day but due to a backlog at their end, they didn't process it before the computer kicked in and charged me £150! Despite speaking to various people, no-one seemed to be able to remove the charge so my account was basically in credit for months but my cashflow suffered!

I guess that was more a problem with their systems than the staff. I also have to agree that their automated phone system needs a serious overhaul as it is so confusing and complex!

Oh and the last thing is that it takes far too long to wait for an advisor.

[Guest AngelOfRage]

yeah id agree i've always had no problems with Customer services when dealing with them about my personal account, but as i have to deal with them on work related basis aswell i do know that there are some not so good stories...

overall i would recommend Orange Customer

[Guest Pigo]

Orange got awarded with "best helpdesk" here in the netherlands. I'm a long term user aswell. since Dutchtone switched to Orange I've been with them never had a problem with them either. I'm always treated friendly and in the Orange shops aswell.

so from me the same amount of praise :D

Pigo

[Guest travisb]

Looks like they may be going down the outsourcing route as well :D

The Inquirer

[Guest mcwarre]

Looks like they may be going down the outsourcing route as well  :D

The Inquirer

Oh dear, oh dear....... :x :x

[Guest slider]

Don't worry people, it's all hear say, it's true that some of the smaller non-significant may possibly be getting outsourced, but that's way off in the future, if at all....

As for the technical services and major support teams, there staying right here in good old blighty for the forseeble future...

[Guest amo]

Im not 100% sure on this but I beleive it may be departments such as just talk registrations departments who may be outsourced if done so. This being although very significant depatment in terms of operations to Orange - to the general consumer it should have very little effect.

As its not really a 'customer service's' type department, and all that is done is data regarding customers is collated theres little to go wrong and next to no technical knowledge needed to help customers should they need it.

Just to add - last time I checked our system, the M2000 was in stock for replacements via Orange Care.