Recommend me a UFB provider for VF refugee..

Forums › One NZ (including Farmside) › Recommend me a UFB provider for VF refugee..

kenkeniff

628 posts

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#183778 29-Oct-2015 20:45

Changed banks last month so setup new direct debits for VF Mobile and VF UFB (two different processes), as far as I know all is good.

Internet stopped working yesterday; apparently they didn't get my direct debit form so billing is now overdue (I have copy of email I sent to them with scanned direct debit form following instruction on their website).

After 45min on the phone to an outsourced CSR I'm told that process has changed and I now need to post the direct debit form then wait for processing and re-activation (apparently that's way my form wasn't processed as online instructions are wrong?!?) - obviously not a solution.

I suggested I could bring my balance up to date immediately via Credit Card and sort direct debit later and was told fastest way was over the phone and account would be working in a couple of hours, which I did.

Internet still not working after 24 hours so called VF back this evening; apparently my account was terminated by VF due to non-payment (even though yesterday's CC payment went through and fully cleared the balance).

This is supposedly all my fault as calls were made to my old number (as opposed to my VF mobile which is linked to my UFB account) warning me about non-payment and I should have read my bills every month (which is why I setup direct debit so I don't have to).

Only option I was given was to go through sign up process again as a new customer; apparently $300 monthly VF mobile and UFB spend means bugger all to them.

Needless to say I won't be resigning with Vodafone for UFB; will be moving mobiles too.

TL;DR
Vodafone are useless, terminated my UFB account due to not processing my direct debit form. Now looking for new UFB provider.

What's the recommendation for unlimited naked UFB, no term and fast install?

(I'm half expecting massive headaches re-signing with a new provider with Chorus tickets being left open by VF so can't process new orders and BS like that - basically everything I had to go through for a week getting VF UFB setup - so an ISP that can efficiently untangle whatever provisioning mess VF leave behind will be great!)

johnr

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#1416469 29-Oct-2015 20:59

Hi kenkeniff

Can you please DM me your Vodafone account details so I can get this picked up first thing Friday morning, It's not good enough and I will escalate this example up the food chain in the business

Thanks

@VodafoneDylan

ajw

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#1416491 29-Oct-2015 21:26

I recently started paying bills via internet banking, so convenient should have done it years ago.

Behodar

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#1416495 29-Oct-2015 21:34

Where do you live? Bigpipe is often recommended but has a limited coverage area. I'm with Mynxnet and am pretty happy with it.

NonprayingMantis

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#1416498 29-Oct-2015 21:36

If you are in Auckland, Wellington and I think Dunedin then Sounds like Bigpipe would be good for you.
unlimited, naked, no contract. And you already have a modem

Otherwise, maybe myrepublic offer no contracts, but more expensive.

The install time shouldn't be a problem with any isp really. You already have the ONT so it's just a matter of placing the order. 2-3 days probably.

kenkeniff

628 posts

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#1416509 29-Oct-2015 21:55

NonprayingMantis: If you are in Auckland, Wellington and I think Dunedin then Sounds like Bigpipe would be good for you.
unlimited, naked, no contract. And you already have a modem

Otherwise, maybe myrepublic offer no contracts, but more expensive.

Thanks looking at BigPipe and seems like the way to go.

johnr: Hi kenkeniff

Can you please DM me your Vodafone account details so I can get this picked up first thing Friday morning, It's not good enough and I will escalate this example up the food chain in the business

Thanks

@VodafoneDylan

Cheers John, I've sent the details for your reference.

My primary concern is getting UFB restored ASAP as our household depends on it.

Any advice you could provide around this would be much appreciated.

DarkShadow

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#1416522 29-Oct-2015 22:14

NonprayingMantis: If you are in Auckland, Wellington and I think Dunedin then Sounds like Bigpipe would be good for you.

The install time shouldn't be a problem with any isp really. You already have the ONT so it's just a matter of placing the order. 2-3 days probably.

Yes Dunedin was officially launched today. :)

Connect date will be 2 business days if things go well. If there are open orders on the line as alluded to by OP though, then you can't place any orders, on any of the 4 ports on the ONT, until the open order is closed. That will take a while.

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

quickymart

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#1416546 29-Oct-2015 23:21

kenkeniff: After 45min on the phone to an outsourced CSR I'm told that process has changed and I now need to post the direct debit form then wait for processing and re-activation (apparently that's way my form wasn't processed as online instructions are wrong?!?) - obviously not a solution.

This leads me to wonder...I loathe to ask this, but why do Vodafone persist in outsourcing their customer service calls to an (obviously incompetent) outsourcing company? Customers get passed from team to team with 0 ownership being taken and the query has to be explained all over again; callbacks that never happen; "oh yes, we'll get that incorrect charge removed for you" - yet next month it's on the bill again, necessitating another call to get it resolved...
Surely it would be better to move those calls in-house again? I know when I worked there (TCL) the in-house customer service wasn't going to win any awards, but at least the people who answered the phone took ownership and knew what they were doing.
Sorry for the slight OT, but really...you just have to read some of the posts on their FB page to see there are some pretty unhappy customers out there with the level of "service" they are getting.
I should add while there are people like John on here who do a great job of helping out, when the customer calls they should get sorted on the first call. That way John (and the other VF staff) can get on with the job of doing their day job, instead of fixing CS muck-ups.

khull

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#1416568 30-Oct-2015 05:37

Their billing system is the most horrible and archaic system ever having known personally the people involved in rationalising it.

But give them a call as they sorted by problems by crediting my account. It went similarly like your scenario where I got a positive confirmation txt message that the bank switch was done successfully on my account with $0 but it was not taken off in the next billing cycle.

I found the hyperbole in your subject mildly amusing given the situation in Europe

Salami

237 posts

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#1416602 30-Oct-2015 08:23

quickymart:
kenkeniff: After 45min on the phone to an outsourced CSR I'm told that process has changed and I now need to post the direct debit form then wait for processing and re-activation (apparently that's way my form wasn't processed as online instructions are wrong?!?) - obviously not a solution.

This leads me to wonder...I loathe to ask this, but why do Vodafone persist in outsourcing their customer service calls to an (obviously incompetent) outsourcing company? Customers get passed from team to team with 0 ownership being taken and the query has to be explained all over again; callbacks that never happen; "oh yes, we'll get that incorrect charge removed for you" - yet next month it's on the bill again, necessitating another call to get it resolved...
Surely it would be better to move those calls in-house again? I know when I worked there (TCL) the in-house customer service wasn't going to win any awards, but at least the people who answered the phone took ownership and knew what they were doing.
Sorry for the slight OT, but really...you just have to read some of the posts on their FB page to see there are some pretty unhappy customers out there with the level of "service" they are getting.
I should add while there are people like John on here who do a great job of helping out, when the customer calls they should get sorted on the first call. That way John (and the other VF staff) can get on with the job of doing their day job, instead of fixing CS muck-ups.

They outsource because its cheaper.. quite a simple answer really for them to outsource than to hire someone locally

kenkeniff

628 posts

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#1417240 30-Oct-2015 17:55

Just completed sign up for @BigPipeNZ

Hopefully will be online soon.

quickymart

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#1417246 30-Oct-2015 18:12

Salami: They outsource because its cheaper.. quite a simple answer really for them to outsource than to hire someone locally

I understand that part. But in the long run it will cost them a lot more (think of wait times on the phone, p'd off customers leaving, credits not being applied resulting in more needing to be given, charges not being removed when a customer is told they will be...the list goes on). I view it as yes - it is cheaper in the short run. But in the long run, it will cost them a lot more.