FIVE DAYS to fix internet and landline?

[xebedie]

Internet and landline suddenly stopped working today. TPG offered to fix it - in FIVE DAYS TIME! 

Is this reasonable? In an age where basic home functions (like security systems, television, home automation, commuication) rely on internet / landline to function, I'm not sure TPG grasp the impact lack of phone / internet service has on peoples day to day lives and indeed their safety. 

Very little effort seems to have been made on TPG's part here and after two leangthy phone calls I remain without landline and internet. 

What recourse is there for a situation like this? Anyone else been able to persuade TPG to restore internet / landline faster than FIVE DAYS?

[Anonymous]

We're sorry to know that your service has been interrupted and we apologise for the inconvenience this is causing you, @xebedie.

We'd like to better understand what happened and check what can be done to turn this experience around.

Please PM us your TPG customer ID, username and address so we can pull up the account.

To send a PM, please refer to this link: How do I private message (PM) in the community - TPG Community

[xebedie]

Hi Riezl,

Thank you for your reply to my post. I have PM'd you as requested with my details. 

It has now been more than 24 hours without phone or internet access. Having called TPG today again I am no closer to an ETA for the restoration of these essential services sooner than 5 days, nor have I been given any further information about what - if anything - has been done about the matter.

This is an infuriating situation which is compromising security as well as my ability to earn money.

Please restore phone and internet access to me immediately. 

[xebedie]

@Anonymous do you have any updates please?

Did you recieve my PM?

[xebedie]

@Anonymous another day without phone and internet, no reply from you or anyone at TPG. This really is a horrible way to treat your customers.

[Anonymous]

Hi @xebedie.

We understand how much your service means to you. Based on the latest escalated fault handled by our Engineering Team. We have identified that the issue is with the network controlled by the Telstra. This unfortunately means only Telstra technicians have the authority to fix this fault.

This has been raised to them for urgent investigation and Telstra have told us they have booked a technician to check your TPG service anytime between now and 27/Mar/2019. Your attendance is NOT required.

We don’t have any further updates differing from what has already been communicated to you. Your experience is important to us and we will be keeping a close eye on your case and updates will be provided by one of our Engineers via SMS or Phone call when is available.

[xebedie]

Hi @Anonymous 

Thanks for your above post, in which you took the time to copy / paste the exact same text I already recieved from TPG 3 days ago when the phone and internet stoppeded working. 

Other service providers - your compeditors - take action to help customers when essential servies of phone an Internet stop working. Some of these would include - 

1. Providing a replacement device which enables the customer to use the phone and internet

2. Waive the monthly fee you are charging for access to a phone and internet service that doesnt work

3. Waive the early contract termination fee - which in my case would allow me to sign up with a service provider that actually cares about providing service.

Are you prepared to do any of these things for me?

Because the fine print of your Terms and Conditions requires all TPG customers to waive their rights to the legally mandated Customer Service Gaurentee you are not LEGALLY obliged to do any of the above. But if your concern was provding a good service to your customers and treating them with respect and empathy, then you would do them.

I'm not sure if you're a bot or a real person, but if you are a real person, surely you can see that the service and solutins you are offering - in a situation where customers have no access to the phone or internet for FIVE DAYS - is absolutely inadequite. 

There is much more that you can do in this situation than simply blame Telstra.

[Anonymous]

Hi @xebedie

While we will endeavour to make the Service available to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the Service is not fault free and we cannot guarantee uninterrupted service, or the speed, performance or quality of the service.

We understand the inconvenience this has caused, we do not provide interim service while we endeavor to restore a service fault. The billing adjustment will be discussed once the technical issue has been fixed. This will be subject for approval and investigation.

We will pass this on to the assigned Complaints Resolution Case Manager handling your case for additional reference. We apologise for any inconvenience.

[xebedie]

@Anonymous ,

Thanks for passing this on to the Complaints Resolution Manager - but unfortunately they were no help at all. In fact they made the matter worse. 

The Complaints Manager promised that the landline and internet service would be re-activated today. Indeed, a Telstra technican showed up at my residence bright and early. But the technician said he was not intending to fix my landline, he had not been told about that. He had been told to fix a fault at the building next door.  This seemed to make no sense.

Then a text message arrived from TPG, saying that the repair date was now pushed back another 2 days, meaning the service would be inactive for a FULL SEVEN DAYS since reporting it to TPG. 

I called your Complaints Manager who insisted that the service WOULD actually be installed today, that the text message was sent in error,  and that he would call me back within an hour to reconfirm this. I prepared for re-connection to occur, but the promised call from your Complaints Manager never came. 

I called his office, only to be told he was no longer in charge of my case - but the person who was could not be reached. I was promised another call back. But that call never came either.

I called yet again - I got through to an incredibly rude TPG worker - UserID: 12557 - who told me that if I wanted to the service restored I should call the ACCC or write to Parliament! 

At the end of the FIFTH DAY without essential services of landline and internet, and having had one of the worse customer service experiences in recent memory, I am left wondering how it is TPG remains in business. The ideology of every staff member I spoke seems to reflect that they simply do not care about the customer experience. Generally speaking they have been dismissive, rude, and robitic.

I hope others considering TPG will not make my mistake - that they will read the fine print and realise that saving a few bucks on a slightly cheaper landline and internet service can result in huge costs down the track when essential services provided by TPG stop working. When there is no way to persuade TPG to do the right thing and look after its customer or take actual steps to fix anything.

[Ahra_G]

We can clearly understand your predicament here, I am a customer myself and would want the same thing for you, @xebedie. 

As part of our external complaints process, your assigned Complaints Resolution Case Manager will continue to reach your contact information to discuss the concerns raised and work towards resolution.

Your compliance officer sent you an e-mail regarding your complaint today. 

If you have any other query regarding your complaint, please do not hesitate to contact your assigned officer directly via return mail.

We're still hopeful that we'll be able to turn your experience around despite the setback. 

We truly apologise for the inconvenience this is causing you. 

Regards,

Ahra_G