SHAME ON YOU Slingshot adds 15% surcharge to Red Cross TXT donation

Forums › 2degrees (including Slingshot, Orcon, Flip, Stuff Fibre, MyRepublic, 2talk and Vocus) › SHAME ON YOU Slingshot adds 15% surcharge to Red Cross TXT donation

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#452911 28-Mar-2011 20:03

cokemaster:
ahmad:
Call centre MANAGER confirms that this is the correct charge and includes a "surcharge" or GST.

A surcharge or GST? They don't know which?

See that's the thing - first it was a "surcharge", then it was "GST", then when I pointed out it was zero-rated it kinda became a surcharge again.

I don't fully blame the Slingshot CSRs - I truly believe that Slingshot doesn't understand the bills that Vodafone NZ sends them and so they just plead innocence. "um, well Vodafone NZ billed us $3 so you have to pay us that (plus GST).

It was me that suggested that this was a "GST" charge. What else would make a $3 charge $3.45.

Shock

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#452912 28-Mar-2011 20:06

This is disgraceful. For this to be a mistake someone has gone into this assuming GST needs to be charged. 2 seconds on the IRD website and you find donations are exempt.

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ahmad

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#452916 28-Mar-2011 20:15

Once again it takes a top level Slingshot staff member to use some brains and realise something is not quite right.

This is the same (and only) Team Leader that could follow my simple logic last year when I proved beyond doubt that Slingshot was billing customers for 0800 calls (yes that's right, and I don't even know if they ever resolved that issue - I just stopped calling 0800 from that mobile).

There are a few top level staff members at Slingshot that in my experience are bloody amazing. Sadly the rest of the company seems to let them down miserably.

The Team Leader I just talked cannot offer an answer on the issue tonight (that's understandable given the time of day and the levels of management he will need to go through to find an answer), but will (as a gesture of goodwill) refund me the extra 15% charges.

As far as I'm concerned though this issue won't be resolved until they have fixed things up. I reiterate that my logical deduction here is that the Slingshot system can't differentiate between charges that are zero-rated and those that aren't when they are forwarded the usage logs by Vodafone.

ahmad

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#452917 28-Mar-2011 20:18

Shock: This is disgraceful. For this to be a mistake someone has gone into this assuming GST needs to be charged. 2 seconds on the IRD website and you find donations are exempt.

In Slingshot's "defence" the more I think about it the more I think it's due to Slingshot's billing system not recognising the difference between something GST-liable and something GST-exempt.

It's not like "2427" self-identifies as being a charity SMS - it could well have been for some horoscopes as far as the billing system is concerned.

johnr

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#452921 28-Mar-2011 20:33

I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John

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#452930 28-Mar-2011 20:54

johnr: I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John

I agree, it sounds like a simple billing error over GST, as $3.45 would be the gst inclusive price on a gst exclusive $3 amount. But it does sound like there is a problem with the OP getting to communicate with the correct person in slingshot.

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ahmad

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#452931 28-Mar-2011 21:05

mattwnz:
johnr: I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John
I agree, it sounds like a simple billing error over GST, as $3.45 would be the gst inclusive price on a gst exclusive $3 amount. But it does sound like there is a problem with the OP getting to communicate with the correct person in slingshot.

Believe me John I wouldn't have been so worked up had the original team leader on the call centre actually acknowledged that there was a valid issue to investigate.

He was 100% adamant that this charge was correct and would not entertain any of the facts presented to him.

Tonight's team leader acknowledged that there was a case to at least further investigate. Top marks but sadly he is once again let down by other members of the team.

Foo

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#452945 28-Mar-2011 21:40

Why do I never read anything about amazing service and Slingshot in the same sentence?

I have to agree with ahmad, that there are a few really good CSRs at Slingshot - of the 8 or 9 different people I spoke to last year when I had some issues getting connected, there were 2 or 3 who bent over backward to help, whereas it was a hard slog with the rest.

scottr

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#452961 28-Mar-2011 21:58

johnr: I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John

Seriously, what this guy says. Put down the pitchforks, we'll check it out tomorrow.

johnr

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#452963 28-Mar-2011 22:04

scottr:
johnr: I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John

Seriously, what this guy says. Put down the pitchforks, we'll check it out tomorrow.

Thanks for posting Scott

Everyone that has a weapon take 10 steps backwards!

John

ahmad

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#452964 28-Mar-2011 22:06

scottr:
johnr: I am sure this is all a misunderstanding and Slingshot will put it right

Everyone take 3 deep breaths

John

Seriously, what this guy says. Put down the pitchforks, we'll check it out tomorrow.

Thank you scott but it really shouldn't have got to the point of escalating the anger of a customer when this could have been diffused very easily by acknowledging that there may be an accounting issue that needed to be investigated (without necessarily admitting any liability).

Not the level of customer service I'd have expected from a team leader to be honest. Evening team leader on the flip side was highly professional. He's a top bloke.

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michaelmurfy

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#452997 29-Mar-2011 00:21

johnr:

Thanks for posting Scott

Everyone that has a weapon take 10 steps backwards!

John

My Tazer still works from 15ft, so might need to take 20 just to play it safe. I will be in the back folks.. Lurking around, eating my pie.

Hopefully this get's sorted.

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haakuturi

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#453036 29-Mar-2011 09:15

Ahmad can you please PM me with your account details?

I'll get this looked into.

ahmad

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#453042 29-Mar-2011 09:29

haakuturi: Ahmad can you please PM me with your account details?

I'll get this looked into.

Thanks, I have PM'd scottr my number but will do the same to you now.

Thanks for actually standing up and taking ownership of the problem because nothing infuriates me more than senior staff members fobbing off a very valid issue (as happened when I originally queried it).

Ragnor

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#453128 29-Mar-2011 13:22

Foo: Why do I never read anything about amazing service and Slingshot in the same sentence?

Quality counts, cheapest option is rarely the best value when you take into account quality!

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