[TelstraClear] TCL - 12+ Month's of Double Billing

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karlw66

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#113974 3-Feb-2013 15:57

I'm not one to complain.......but.......

Is it just me, or do other Telstraclear users think it a bit much to receive monthly calls from the company stating 'your account is overdue - please pay immediately.....'

When, in fact, our account is not overdue, rather TCL are demanding $ for an account that has never been functional.....

While one can see the benefit from TCL's point of view - ghost accounts = 2 x revenue stream per customer....!

However, and from a (& ahem) 'consumer's' point of view - it becomes a tad tiresome after 12 consecutive month's receiving the same call.....explaining (again & again that 'no, that account is not in service - my genuine # is as follows)......hold for 5-10 minutes while this is confirmed.....hold further still while 'we transfer you to the appropriate CSR'.......waste yet more time explaining the situation - again.......receive an apology, an assurance that the matter will be dealt with, a reference/ticket #, credit any overpaid monies back to the operational account.....'the account has been cancelled'......etc etc, blah blah.....

Tiresome thinking about it, let alone writing it down.

So, imagine how pleased we were when finally, finally......the 'non account' calls stopped 2-3 months ago......

Well, actually.....they didn't.

Received an automated call recently at work stating 'account overdue, please pay immediately or your services will be discontinued'.......

Figured I must have forgotten to pay, so entered credit card details and paid.

Received January bill, checked & - naturally - no history of the credit card payment.....& btw, overdue amount? Around $15.00....

Called TCL - and of course, no surprises.......the 'ghost account' still exists. That's where my $113.00 'overdue' $'s were routed.

I've about had it with this level of 'service'.

& the final kicker?

I have a TCL mobile with such limited reception that the call centre guys have had to phone the landline - & we live in Christchurch!

The sales rep who signed me up for aforementioned 'free handset' on a 2 year contract didn't mention that I'd actually be charged $9/month for it......or perhaps she did......I simply didn't notice due to the speed of her delivery.....that one's on me if such is the case.....I'd consider asking them to check the sales call but I've spent rather more time listening to TCL elevator music over the past year or so to be bothered following it up.

I figured the company would throw us at least some form of recompense considering the above but no, apparently a move from Sky to Freeview will cost us $150 (not mentioned on the website, btw). To be fair here, on this count I didn't apprise the calltaker of all the hassles we've had. That may have made a difference - frankly just too damn exasperated.

Thanks Telstraclear.
Been with you guy's for the last 7 years more or less.

Awesome.

timmmay

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#755330 4-Feb-2013 08:23

Sounds like you need to close both accounts and file a small claims case to get the money back. That should get their attention.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
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Geekzone

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#755343 4-Feb-2013 08:43

There is a process for that. Call them again and lodge a formal complaint. Get the complaint number and if nothing gets done then submit to the TDR

Check the TDR site for full instructions.

TelstraClear

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#755399 4-Feb-2013 10:01

Hi Karl. Sorry to hear that you've had some problems. If you can PM me with the account numbers and a contact name and number I'll ask the team to look into this for you and get it sorted.

Cheers, Gary

karlw66

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#755735 4-Feb-2013 19:00

Thanks guys,

Yes Gary, I will PM you with all requisite account #'s etc etc. Hoping we can get this sorted.
Cautiously optimistic at any rate.
Other than accounting errors, and crappy cellular reception, I've no problem with TCL or our cable services.
Would simply prefer.....well, I guess is pretty clear what I'd prefer.

So thanks Geekzone.
Apologies (to a point......) for the rant.

More than happy to post the outcome - positive or otherwise.

Cheers

graemew

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#756757 6-Feb-2013 22:42

As I complain elsewhere TC do not care about customers - only milking them & making their lives easier & more cost effective.

Eg we get voice messages on our phone - before you did *86 to get messages- now they screw you by giving you a 11 digit phone number to call - who wants that - we don't - THEY DO- you can't even jog through the messages - you have to listen to every one - if long message can only relisten or delete at end of message- they did not create it for your happiness - just so they they can charge you a monthly fee - for smallest cost to them possible.

TBOX went into an endless updating cycle tonight - so needed to switch off - it did it's endless system check .

So lost being able to record Wild Africa - promise my wee boy already asleep I'd record it - With TBOX already replaced lost all his favourites already .

High paying long term customers are being milked - they get $250 plus a month from me - when I speak to them - they just want to trick you with a free tbox( who would pay for a flakey box ?) for 24 months - so they can milk you with now very expensive cable data.

120 gb with TC - you get 1 terabyte nearly with snap - 1/2 that price unlimited with slingshot ( old price - won't change nothing for me till tbox contract up - they just want to bleed us ).

for lack of service they will never re-imburse you - then only at their calc - ie no phone for a week so you get 7/30 *$40 - only AFTER asking for it - this shows real hatred to do this - as it shows for loss of phone , internet , tv, tbox recordings - have no human cost to the end user - in their opinion - they have no intention of taking responsibility .

I lost tv coverage right in the middle of the Olympics for 72 hours - they showed no hurry to fix it - lost the Tbox with recorded shows - had to buy an aerial so I could watch prime for poor Olympic coverage - they offer me $5 =$50 sky sports cost * 3days/30 days in the month - "We are happy Mr ..... that we can give you a $5 credit in your next invoice "

I hang up - I refrain from telling TC what I really thought of it's $5 - I pay $250 plus every month for the last 6 years - what do think your $5 means to me

As ranted in other thread - I'm starting to hate TC - there salesman do not care about us - it's just what's the minimum we can give someone so we can milk them for another 2 years

want to cancel - let's make them jump through more hoops .

Thankfully I cancel them at a second place after minimum time - so hope that cabling & installing cost them heaps

Go Fiber & sky folks when you can. - Not cable it's a cage

Rant over :) happy NZ day

ps I see TC reps here helping folks - cheers - I know TC has good folks working for it - well I'm talking about the companies personality ( treating customers as profit centres )- incumbent telcos are becoming dinosaurs fast in the modern world if they do look after their customers .

Competition in the future will shake these companies up - people will start dropping phone services , TV services - & rely on internet based services - maybe not in 3 years - but it's coming - why do you think they are buying into the backbone - they know if they don't they may be bypassed altogether

TelstraClear

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#756888 7-Feb-2013 12:30

Hi Graeme. Sorry to hear that you're having a problem with your T-Box. If you PM me with your account number I can ask one of the team to look into this for you.

Cheers, Gary

karlw66

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#758640 9-Feb-2013 11:34

Thanks all,

Pleased to report that Telstraclear have come through and the situation appears to have been resolved.

Can't say fairer than that - period.

Process as follows:
- Sent Gary a PM as requested - see thread - (forwarded all relevant detail, dates, ref #'s etc)
- Was assigned a dedicated represenative, Luke, who touched base within 24 hours.
- Provided Luke with confirmation of all past & present accounts, address changes etc
- Following a little forensic work received a response within 72 hours - providing a full & complete breakdown of everything related to our situation.
- I.e a detailed explanation of how the problem developed, plan of action for it's resolution, an apology, plus a reasonable credit for inconvenience caused.

In sum then, and despite my initial 'rage' attack, TCL have come through with expeditious, professional customer service.

Problem aired, problem solved.

Thanks to Geekzone for providing a forum of this nature.
Thanks also to Gary & Luke at TCL - as noted in an earlier thread we've no problem with our services - was the accounting issue that blew my equanimity.

Regards,

Karl W

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Free professional, reference and technical white papers (affiliate link).

timmmay

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#758938 10-Feb-2013 12:59

It's a shame it takes a public shaming for TC to fix problems of this nature, but once things are public they usually do fix them quite quickly.

Toledo

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#760150 12-Feb-2013 15:06

karlw66:
Process as follows:
- Sent Gary a PM as requested - see thread - (forwarded all relevant detail, dates, ref #'s etc)
- Was assigned a dedicated represenative, Luke, who touched base within 24 hours.
- Provided Luke with confirmation of all past & present accounts, address changes etc
- Following a little forensic work received a response within 72 hours - providing a full & complete breakdown of everything related to our situation.
- I.e a detailed explanation of how the problem developed, plan of action for it's resolution, an apology, plus a reasonable credit for inconvenience caused.

They should have done all this at the beginning, It shouldnt take a public outing like this to get it sorted. The lack of customer service is exactly the reason why I have just cancelled out of my contract with them and signed up with a new provider. New provider is even paying the ETC's.

My opinions are purely my own and are not at all those of my employer 2degrees.

MaxLV

656 posts

Ultimate Geek

#762911 15-Feb-2013 11:17

Quote:
The sales rep who signed me up for aforementioned 'free handset' on a 2 year contract didn't mention that I'd actually be charged $9/month for it......or perhaps she did......I simply didn't notice due to the speed of her delivery.....that one's on me if such is the case.....I'd consider asking them to check the sales call but I've spent rather more time listening to TCL elevator music over the past year or so to be bothered following it up.
End Quote.

I signed up for the same 'deal' Didn't really need the handset,

When I got my bill it had the same thing, $19.00 per month including $9.00 a month for 24 months for the handset. I called Telstra Sales and was told the $9.00 was to pay for the handset, and I should not have been told it was free. after 24 months the contract, if renewed, the monthly mobile bill will be $10.00 a month.

Also seemed to remember being told that I get 2,500 txts free per month, yet my bill shows me being charged for txting my bank account balances (usually $0.50 -$0.70 a month, not not chasing up with Telstra)

johnr

19282 posts

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#762915 15-Feb-2013 11:22

MaxLV: Quote:Also seemed to remember being told that I get 2,500 txts free per month, yet my bill shows me being charged for txting my bank account balances (usually $0.50 -$0.70 a month, not not chasing up with Telstra)

2500 SMS person to person not to premium short codes such as Banking!

The bank is charging you for using the Short code and then the cost is passed onto you the customer