Spark not honouring double data from previous promo

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bonkiebonks

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#317639 1-Nov-2024 13:55

Just wanted to share an experience with Spark where I've signed up and ported my number to Spark when they were running the Double Data promo. This was the most recent promo before the new plans rolled out.

Tried reaching out to them several times on Messenger, and got cut off on almost all occasions as soon as I stated the reason for my contact. And on the occasion that I did manage to get an answer, I was told it would be escalated to Operations and will be applied to my account, and two days have passed, and it still hasn't reflected on my account.

What irks me the most is the poor customer service where they decided non response is the best way forward. Not even sure what sort of staff they are hiring ?

Anyone else had similar experience?

*the new plans don't interest me due to the varied usage pattern of the lines i've got on my account, and the Team Up discount works out to be better value.

tripper1000

1617 posts

Uber Geek

#3304119 1-Nov-2024 14:51

I don't have experience with Spark but have similar experience on Vodafone. Took multiple calls to get it sorted (in excess of 6 calls). The way forward in the end was to get them to convince me that there was a problem by asking leading questions.

e.g.

Q1) What plan/contract/deal am I on?

Q2) OK. How much data do I get with that?

Q3) Great. How much data have I used this month?

Q4) Ok, so how much data do I have left?

= confusion and lots of umm's and ahh's on the other end.

When the numbers didn't correlate for them, they told me that there was an issue and they sorted it out. But when I tried to tell them that there was a problem, they were defensive, evasive or flat out lied to get me to go away. In my case my account had been miss provisioned during a plan change.

Once I discovered the way forward I had to repeat the call twice more, once each for minutes, text and data. They said they would but they simply couldn't fix it all at once.

Also, with these companies you can get better service by calling their non-free phone number - the +649xxx number intended for off-net/roaming customers to call NZ from overseas.

Goosey

2829 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3304166 1-Nov-2024 17:28

Are you referring to this?

Facebook post from May

You can do a lot more with DOUBLE DATA. Join us on an eligible Spark Prepaid pack before 31 August 2024 and get double the data.

Double data is included on all $40 Prepaid Data Lovers Packs and $50 Prepaid Value Packs purchased until 31 August 2024. Double data applies to standard data allocation only. Extra data does not roll over. Spark T&Cs apply.

https://www.facebook.com/spark4nz/videos/double-your-data/789974089763087/

bonkiebonks

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3304188 1-Nov-2024 20:21

No. It was a double data promo for Pay Monthly. I can't find any reference to it anymore. Before it expired (ie prior to the new plans being launched), all attempts to contact Spark via Messenger failed. And when I finally got hold of them (after the new plans launched), the agent said she couldn't find any information on the promo (which had only expired the day prior at the time of contact) - which I find puzzling.

Couldn't find a cache copy of the Spark website either. Very disappointing and appears to be a very dishonest move by Spark (or at least their customer service agent).

Goosey:
Are you referring to this?

Facebook post from May

You can do a lot more with DOUBLE DATA. Join us on an eligible Spark Prepaid pack before 31 August 2024 and get double the data.

Double data is included on all $40 Prepaid Data Lovers Packs and $50 Prepaid Value Packs purchased until 31 August 2024. Double data applies to standard data allocation only. Extra data does not roll over. Spark T&Cs apply.

https://www.facebook.com/spark4nz/videos/double-your-data/789974089763087/

SomeoneSomewhere

1802 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3304189 1-Nov-2024 20:24

Internet Archive?

michaelmurfy

meow
13240 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#3304234 1-Nov-2024 23:55

bonkiebonks: No. It was a double data promo for Pay Monthly. I can't find any reference to it anymore. Before it expired (ie prior to the new plans being launched), all attempts to contact Spark via Messenger failed. And when I finally got hold of them (after the new plans launched), the agent said she couldn't find any information on the promo (which had only expired the day prior at the time of contact) - which I find puzzling.

Couldn't find a cache copy of the Spark website either. Very disappointing and appears to be a very dishonest move by Spark (or at least their customer service agent).

So I recall this because I purchased an iPhone around the time.

Pretty sure the "Pay Monthly double data offer" was a promo around the new iPhone 16 launch and was only for new customers. Was just for the old $60 (making this 30gb) and $72 (making this 40gb) plans. These promos are normally applied automatically if you're eligible.

From what I can find this promo was between the 13th of September to the 24th of October. The pages are on archive.org but just missing all formatting due to broken page scripts plus also doesn't help that archive.org was under attack around that time too.

I also had a promo that didn't get applied to me around this time so think they had a few issues so messaged them via MySpark and they got a specialist team to sort it for me however in my case this was a credit so I won't know if this got applied until my next bill. The specialist did take quite a few days to reply to me.

It is however worth working out their new plans as it is a huge amount of data compared to their old plans. If you can, just contact them via MySpark or call them as I find them much more responsive there. There is a chance that due to this being an expired deal the customer service rep simply didn't know so don't think it was intentional dishonesty as you're making it out to be but more just being human. From experience of being a customer service rep myself in the past they don't know everything and as always kindness goes a very long way with them.

Geekzone is also not an official form of support. You'll have to go back to Spark and ask them via a different contact method and I'm sure they'll get you sorted as they did with me. But hopefully this helps.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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nzbnw

2374 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Spark NZ

#3304250 2-Nov-2024 08:13

Hi bokiebonks

If you PM me the details happy to take a look on Monday for you.

nzbnw

Wakrak

1713 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3304252 2-Nov-2024 09:03

Quote from article on NZ Herald

Customers can choose from a variety of interest-free payment terms ranging from 12-36 months, with those who purchase a $60 or $72 Pay Monthly Mobile plan also receiving double data, up to 20GB a month, for a 12-month period.

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bonkiebonks

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3304353 2-Nov-2024 14:56

michaelmurfy:

bonkiebonks: No. It was a double data promo for Pay Monthly. I can't find any reference to it anymore. Before it expired (ie prior to the new plans being launched), all attempts to contact Spark via Messenger failed. And when I finally got hold of them (after the new plans launched), the agent said she couldn't find any information on the promo (which had only expired the day prior at the time of contact) - which I find puzzling.

Couldn't find a cache copy of the Spark website either. Very disappointing and appears to be a very dishonest move by Spark (or at least their customer service agent).

So I recall this because I purchased an iPhone around the time.

Pretty sure the "Pay Monthly double data offer" was a promo around the new iPhone 16 launch and was only for new customers. Was just for the old $60 (making this 30gb) and $72 (making this 40gb) plans. These promos are normally applied automatically if you're eligible.

From what I can find this promo was between the 13th of September to the 24th of October. The pages are on archive.org but just missing all formatting due to broken page scripts plus also doesn't help that archive.org was under attack around that time too.

I also had a promo that didn't get applied to me around this time so think they had a few issues so messaged them via MySpark and they got a specialist team to sort it for me however in my case this was a credit so I won't know if this got applied until my next bill. The specialist did take quite a few days to reply to me.

It is however worth working out their new plans as it is a huge amount of data compared to their old plans. If you can, just contact them via MySpark or call them as I find them much more responsive there. There is a chance that due to this being an expired deal the customer service rep simply didn't know so don't think it was intentional dishonesty as you're making it out to be but more just being human. From experience of being a customer service rep myself in the past they don't know everything and as always kindness goes a very long way with them.

Geekzone is also not an official form of support. You'll have to go back to Spark and ask them via a different contact method and I'm sure they'll get you sorted as they did with me. But hopefully this helps.

I was calm in all my correspondence with them. As I said, what irks me is the lack of response. Even if they declined me the promo, with an explanation, I'd have been okay. Have used both Messenger / call. On the call, I was told it's done but nothing was changed on Spark app.

New plans don't work for me due to the varied usage pattern across all three lines I have with them, and three lines nets me 30% off under the old Team Up pricing.

bonkiebonks

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3304354 2-Nov-2024 14:57

nzbnw:

Hi bokiebonks

If you PM me the details happy to take a look on Monday for you.

nzbnw

Done. Thank you.

bonkiebonks

389 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3304416 2-Nov-2024 18:47

nzbnw has kindly applied this for me. Looks like it was meant to have been applied automatically but wasn't. Thanks again.