A frugal life is an easy life!

In my "Frugal wars" (section coming soon to this website!) I am taking on the might of the o2 mobile phone company.
I came to the end of an 18 month contract recently and without notice they removed my negotiated discount and charged me an extra £7 per month and this month an extra £9, on top of what I normally pay.

Where they get these varying amounts from is anyone's guess, as I haven't come close to using up all my allotted minutes. Anyways, I went to their website to see what nokia phones they have available to people upgrading, as 3 months ago, when the wife upgraded, they had just five. (out of a range of nokias in excess of 80 currently available)

Two were handsets last seen in 1997, standard features of less quality than the phone I currently have that is almost two years old. One half decent one but again less features than my current handset, the fourth handset was ok, same features as my current one, but is the size of a 1970's tv remote control. The final handset they had was a bit smaller than mine and similar features with a large memory built in, cool I thought, that's an improvement on what I have now, unfortunately the website quoted a price of up to £195!

As I always do, I rang the "cancellations department" and asked straight away for  my PAC code (to transfer my number to another network - it frightens the company into thinking you are leaving them and they offer discounts to keep you straight away) I had the honour of speaking to Dave.

After telling me how I am only a light user and refusing to answer my question of why I should have to pay £360 per year if I hardly use anytime up or send many texts, he informed me that I could always stay with o2 on a £10 per month plan until they get more mobile handsets in stock. I declined and asked for my PAC code to transfer to another company.
Dave, was not a happy chappy, when I refused to reveal which rival network I was going to go to, as I told him politely, "that is none of your business!"
Dave, then tried the old "it will cost you just as much with another company - we are very competitive you know" routine, which I dismissed out of hand as a new customer I would be getting a top grade handset and low cost contract.

After brushing off his pointless questions and defying his all his changing reasons of why I should stay with o2, I repeatedly asked for my PAC code. In the end Dave conceded, informing me that my PAC code would be sent out via text message in the next two hours.
"Don't you read it out to me over the phone David?" I asked, "No we always send them out via text message!" he pointed out - an absolute lie, I have worked for o2 in the past and know exactly that the code is generated by another computer and you can easily read it back to your customer.

"So what happens when, after two hours, I still do not have my PAC code David?"
"You will have it, text messages do not take that long!"

Almost 3 hours have passed since that call and guess what? Thats right! No PAC code has been sent via text message... if only the national lottery was as easy to predict!
I will be ringing back no doubt and asking the advisor "what was the last action carried out on my account please?" What are the odds on there being no mention of Dave and any PAC code request?
This is the problem we all have with call centres, not just you o2, but ALL call centres.

Dave has to meet his targets for a bonus or a prize, etc. By convincing as many customers as he can to stay with o2, so when I come on the phone and he cannot persuade me to take out a new contract, he simply ends the call as normal, tells the customer that a PAC code will be sent out via text message, ends the call and then closes the account notes without generating a PAC code, sending one out or adding that he failed to keep my custom.
His figures are not then affected by my call and he keeps his bonus or record exempt!

All well and good for Dave, but what about the customer?

• I wait for almost three hours for a PAC code coming through that hasn't even been generated
• I have wasted my time waiting on the phone in a queue for 20 minutes and however long my follow up call will take
• Not keeping accurate account notes on my records is a CRIMINAL offence, under the Data Protection Act!

It makes Dave look like the complete tosser he is - why work in customer service if you couldn't give a stuff about customers?
O2 now, in my eyes, treat customers with contempt, we are just a number who they can milk money off.
Everyone loses out...