Telstra incorrectly charged me for internet traffic over my allocation!

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dejannk

12 posts

Geek

#114052 6-Feb-2013 11:44

Got $12 extra charge for internet traffic in my January bill from TelstraClear.
Checked the internet usage meter on their website which showed 39.52GB (I am on a 40GB per month package). Called them and they admitted the error and refunded me. I wonder how many people don't check and get charged?

Double check your bills!

Dejan

freitasm

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#756501 6-Feb-2013 11:57

So, in your case you checked, confirmed its was a mistake, got it refunded. End of story then?

Dairyxox

1594 posts

Uber Geek

#756519 6-Feb-2013 12:41

Anecdotal evidence suggests TelstraClear billing system often has more problems than most. See one person in another thread got charged wrongly every month for 12 months. Im not trying to bag them, and don't use telstraclear but if i did i'd be checking my bill carefully every month.

Nice to hear you got it sorted easily enough though.

fellaintga

195 posts

Master Geek

#756525 6-Feb-2013 12:58

freitasm: So, in your case you checked, confirmed its was a mistake, got it refunded. End of story then?

I think its a fair point other people who don't check will just pay the bill when they don't owe it.

freitasm

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#756527 6-Feb-2013 12:59

Sure is. I am not sure it justifies the angry face icon for the thread, seeing the problem was fixed, hence my reply. Perhaps a different icon would convey the message.

mattwnz

20141 posts

Uber Geek

#756534 6-Feb-2013 13:16

Maybe it is a warming that everyone should always check their bills, especially with this ISP. Strange that you often hear complaints about people being overcharged, but not undercharged.

graemew

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#756763 7-Feb-2013 00:28

I went into a Woolworths supermarket some years mid afternoon - brought a kilo of cashew nuts prominantly on display for $12 special - was charged $20 - the Cust services runs offs & checks - oh yes you are right here's $8 - the woman was not concerned - seemed she had no intention to action anything - when I asked her she gave me some vague - oh I look into it- I do not believe I was the first person that day to buy them - nor the last - My family was waiting so I had no confidence they updated their computers - "terribly hard you see- oh done else where " .- I can affort $20 - but for somelse maybe that was a special treat for themselves & family

Did TC tell you why this happened & what they will do ?.

Note- many folks do not know how to check their usage meters- TC know this -

Thankfully banks & Telcos are now being punished by govt for this type of thing.

a bit Glib - problem fixed - I doubt it - it's a system error - that can only penaltlise the customer - ie no credit for underuse.

Elsewhere another customer on here continually charged for 12 months - despite promises - no attempt to honour them .- Why report this up the line ?- if most customers miss it - too hard - especially when it's too hard to do things already promised

bagheera

539 posts

Ultimate Geek

#756843 7-Feb-2013 10:30

graemew: I went into a Woolworths supermarket some years mid afternoon - brought a kilo of cashew nuts prominantly on display for $12 special - was charged $20 - the Cust services runs offs & checks - oh yes you are right here's $8 - the woman was not concerned - seemed she had no intention to action anything - when I asked her she gave me some vague - oh I look into it- I do not believe I was the first person that day to buy them - nor the last - My family was waiting so I had no confidence they updated their computers - "terribly hard you see- oh done else where " .- I can affort $20 - but for somelse maybe that was a special treat for themselves & family

to change the price in the system, it need to be done in the back room on the master "server" for the store, and need someone with the right rights to do - ie check out operator does not have this right. (at least this was the case 6 years ago) as to if they need to change the price or not - depend if it was advertised special (ie tv ad or junk mail etc) or just a in store manager special - if in store special then they not breaking the law, and do not have to change it other then good will, total different story if advertised special, but how the system for special got loaded it not surprising some get missed (or was the case 6 years ago, and looking at the tills most stores still using that system)

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Jaxar

383 posts

Ultimate Geek

#756860 7-Feb-2013 11:05

graemew: I went into a Woolworths supermarket some years mid afternoon - brought a kilo of cashew nuts prominantly on display for $12 special - was charged $20 - the Cust services runs offs & checks - oh yes you are right here's $8 - the woman was not concerned - seemed she had no intention to action anything - when I asked her she gave me some vague - oh I look into it- I do not believe I was the first person that day to buy them - nor the last - My family was waiting so I had no confidence they updated their computers - "terribly hard you see- oh done else where " .- I can affort $20 - but for somelse maybe that was a special treat for themselves & family

Did TC tell you why this happened & what they will do ?.

Note- many folks do not know how to check their usage meters- TC know this -

Thankfully banks & Telcos are now being punished by govt for this type of thing.

a bit Glib - problem fixed - I doubt it - it's a system error - that can only penaltlise the customer - ie no credit for underuse.

Elsewhere another customer on here continually charged for 12 months - despite promises - no attempt to honour them .- Why report this up the line ?- if most customers miss it - too hard - especially when it's too hard to do things already promised

There are a lot of assumptions in here that I cannot agree with but I would like to highlight one.

Having been a CSR taking these types of calls I would strenuously object to the assumption that it would not be reported up the line as you put it. It is a heck of a lot harder to have to deal customers who are upset with a mistake being made than it is to lodge the fact that a problem has occurred and hopefully create a situation where I as a CSR no longer have to take the calls from upset customers about the problem because it was reported and fixed. It takes me about 5 minutes at my current ISP to have this properly reported. Even one call dealing with an issue like this would take longer than that.

Remember people act differently on the phone than in a face to face situation. People are far more likely to express their displeasure in an aggressive, expressive manner on the phone than they would in your described similar situation above.

I’m not saying every agent will behave in a way I outlined above. I would however suggest that if you think about my explanation you will see that it doesn’t rely on a CSR being dedicated to doing their job right but instead relies on purely self centred personal motivation or basic common sense.

Please note: I have a professional bias towards Vodafone.