The Big T

I’ve been happy with Telstra for a few years now.  Moved from Optus because of the coverage,  and have never looked back…until recently.

In a recent outbound sales call, a better than ever offer to bring my Foxtel to Telstra was made.  Upgrades on two set-top boxes, minimal transfer fee. Bells, whistles etc etc etc.

Now, because it was an outbound sales call, there was a cooling off period.  That’s OK.  I understand and accept the reason for this.

Fast-forward a month, and I’ve not heard a peep from the big T about my new Foxtel boxes and the HD channels I am so looking forward to.  So, let’s give them a call and see when I’m getting my upgrade.

After speaking with the contact centre (twice), I’m put through to an Australian centre.  I explain that I havn’t heard about when I’m getting the upgrade / new boxes, and it’s been a month – what’s happening?

Yes, thank-you Ashley, your Foxtel has been transferred to Telstra, and that order is now completed.  –Telstra Representative.

And what about the upgrade of the Set-top boxes? –Me.

What upgrade? –Telstra Rep.

OK.  So I explain what was offered, that the offer was repeated and confirmed. And what was included etc etc.

There is no way that could be offered to you.  It’s not available at that price. –Telstra Rep.

I then thought, well, simple enough, lets get out the recording of our original call and verify what was offered and lets sort this out.  Well….NO.  Recorded calls cannot be accessed unless a complaint is lodged.  Really?  If that’s what has to happen, then lets lodge a complaint.

Are you sure you would like to lodge a complaint about this now?  –Telstra Rep

Is there any other way to resolve this without lodging a complaint? –Me

No, it seems there is not.  So, with a complaint lodged, I now wait.  Apparently 5 to 7 business days.  So I know with Christmas bang in the middle of this, I may not see anything happen until the new year.

What I find funny out of all of this, is that the call was recorded and it details what was offered.  Must I lodge a complaint to verify what was offered?  I’m not complaining yet.  I just wanted to find out what was going on.

I often think of ‘complainers’ as those hard to deal with customers, that just whinge at everything and are never happy.  I’m not one of those people.  I don’t want to be one of those people.  (I dislike dealing with those ‘whingers’ when I’m at work). But I am a little bemused that to get any further with this issue I need to lodge a complaint.

At the end of a nearly two hour telephone conversation, I’m no better off that I was before, and I now have to wait for my Telstra case manager to get in contact with me (which may take 5-7 working days – and, oh, because of Christmas, will probably take close to 3 weeks.)

We will see…..