O2 Mobile

[Tony1044]

Realise this isn't broadband but I thought I'd post for amusement.

I've had countless BlackBerry handsets over the last 6 or so years and have always been impressed with them: they were all through a company I worked for or bought myself but on the company tarrif so when I left last year and bought my own, I was quite shocked at the premium rate they are sold at (tariff etc) but accepted that due to the type of device and customer that was the way things are.

Went with O2 business and had great customer service until recently (more in a sec) but terrible reliability on the handsets. Not going to hold O2 responsible in any way for that, but the latest ranges seemed to be poor.

Anways, I had to have yet another one replaced due to the ball stopping working and had it delivered to my then place of work. Only O2 sent it without a name on it, so the girls on reception rejected it...I had to phone to find out what had happened and sort it out with the receptionist to call me if it was delivered again with just an address (it was).

I've left that contract now but I have two other users on my tariff and when one of their handsets (non BlackBerry) failed, I ordered a replacement and...it never arrived.

Odd...further investigation turned out that O2 had changed my business address to the address of my last contract...who went mad when they initially thought I'd tried to bill my phones through their company (soon realised I hadn't, but...).

So then they (O2) had another go. And despite my specifically telling them that it was a pink variant for a lady, and specifically asking for the same, O2 managed to send a silver one...

So I lodged a complaint through the business portal because I've had other problems over the last 6 months or so (telling me that it would be better to bring a mobile across to my business account and then upgrade the handset as I'd get a better choice when the opposite was true; billing me for services I'd had taken off; giving me totally contradictory information and never quite being right on several occasions)

I got a reply explaining that they were looking into everything and I would hear from them soon.

This morning, I got a text explaining they'd be in touch.

This afternoon, they rang one of the other handsets and explained that they had no way of contacting me...

Ever feel like you've just dropped down the rabbit hole??? lol

[Undecided adrian]

That is a worrying state of affairs given how O2 is meant to pride themselves on customer service.

I think another letter to head office is in order.

[Tony1044]

Oh I got another text message apologising and telling me they'd escalate it and call me back.

And...they called the other number again.

Left hand, meet right hand.

[stu_uk]

I bet its laughing or you would cry time :-o

[Tony1044]

It is...and now, to compound things, my shiny new (ish - circa 9 weeks old) BlackBerry is failing with yet another rollerball issue...

Which I don't blame O2 for, but come _on_ RIM...what the h*ll are you doing to the quality of your handsets?!?

And while I think about it - I know I popped a posting on my blog about how to get the new BES Express to work, but again..wth? Why can't you just switch all of the hosted BIS services over to it? Can't be beyond the realms of possibility...?

Sorry...I'm ranting now - been getting hell from co-workers with iPhones.

Lol.

[Tony1044]

O2 business services have agreed to swap out my existing handset for a Storm 2 (touch screen - no ball to fail) which I think is jolly good of them as it's a rather serious upgrade from the one I currently have.

They have been very apologetic about all the other stuff that's gone wrong and promised that they'll keep an eye on how they handle further requests for my account to ensure it doesn't happen again.

Can't say fairer than that, I think. Props go to them for their customer focus and for admitting they got things wrong.

[Undecided adrian]

Sounds like a result, pity they had to drop the ball though a few time to get there.

[Tony1044]

I know what you mean but to be fair to them it's really not normal.

I mean I appreciate in the scheme of things, my c£100 a month + VAT for three handsets on a business tariff isn't a huge sum of of money to spend with them (from a business point of view) but they've never given me the impression that I'm anything other than a valued customer.

I'm hoping that the Storm is more reliable than the Bold. Of course, as I said before that's not the fault of O2.

Funny thing - although I'm an IT consultant, I love the simplicity of a BlackBerry compared to other handsets and I'd hate to have to move off of the platform.

[Tony1044]

I give up!

On Research in Motion, that is, not O2.

My shiny new BlackBerry Storm 2 has given up the ghost after - what? - a few weeks of use.

Been in touch with O2 and they're going to replace it with an iPhone.

I had a 1st generation one (well - I got the wife one for Christmas) and at the time, couldn't get along with its limitations; a major one being no push email/Exchange synch.

But - how much do O2 rock?! First off they have replaced every PoS handset I've had from RIM and now they're willing to swap it for a different type of handset requiring a completely different tariff.

Yet more evidence of why I love O2.

[Tony1044]

And to top it off, because they only send out factory refurb devices that come with nothing other than a handset and battery, they've said that if I buy a charger/leads from either O2 online or an O2 shop and email a scan of the receipt that they'll refund the cost.

I'm in O2 heaven right now. lol.

Seriously though - yep O2 seemed to go through a few weeks of having a company wide brain-fart, but since then they've gone from strength to strength. Thank you, O2.