TIO Case with TPG - Not Satisfied with Refund Offer

Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 16:39
Last edited 23/11/2021 - 16:56 by 2 other users

Back in 2018, I called in for cancellation because TPG was (profanity) but the problem was that the person never walked me through the cancellation step and never sent a cancellation template to my email. Lo and behold, few years later I check my senile parents bank account and they were still charging money without even sending invoices every month to indicate that they were still charging us for the services.

So I called them up to make a complaint and was met with a very rude person at the account department who put all the blame on me for this problem and started lying through his teeth about recordings and reciting timestamps then I asked him to send them to me for review. Then has the audacity to say "sure" just to put me on hold for another 20 minutes (40 minutes passed at this point) and then the line automatically disconnected and didn't even call back. I tried calling back but they must've put me on a "do not escalate" notice so other outsourced representatives put me on infinite hold then disconnect.

It was so distressing to the point where I had to call the TIO to solve this. However I am not satisfied with the amount as the total paid was $2200 and they only offered $1000 refund.

If anyone ever had this problem did they offer partial refund, were you able to push for full refund?

Internet TIO TPG

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Comments

  • Morien on 23/11/2021 - 16:44
    +1

    https://www.tio.com.au/complaints/what-expect

    Have you gone through the whole process?

    TIO adjudicator’s is final afaik

    • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 16:49

      Oh that's very helpful. Do I need to inform TIO about their response and how I don't agree with it or TPG will tell them after I respond to them.

      • Morien on 23/11/2021 - 16:53
        +1

        You must respond to your provider
        It’s important that you respond to your provider by answering their calls or replying to their emails. Remember, most complaints are resolved at this point in the process. If you do not respond to their communication, the process slows down for everyone.

        Tell us if you’re not happy with the provider’s response
        If you’re not happy with their response, we’ll ask you why and decide whether it’s reasonable for us to keep handling your complaint.

        What happens next?
        We may decide to stop handling your complaint. If this happens we’ll tell you why and you can ask us to review the decision.

        • Morien on 23/11/2021 - 16:55

          Just so you know, and things may have changed in the past decade since I worked at an isp. The ISP is only legally responsible to refund something like 6 months.

          • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 16:58

            @Morien: So it may backfire if I respond that I am not happy with the solution? They 1000$ is 16 months worth of refund.

            • weezlebub on 23/11/2021 - 17:15

              @Inyokuchi: yes, may backfire …

              if you knew that you should have received forms to cancel, kind of you as well …

              the $$ is more about preventing TIO escalation (every tier of escalation costs them money) …

              so you can reject the offer and request to escalate, but you may not win because the fault is kind of yours …

              • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 17:19

                @weezlebub: I did not know that there were cancellation forms until I called them to make a complaint. To which I look back to filter out if there were cancellation templates sent but none.

            • brendanm on 23/11/2021 - 17:18
              +2

              @Inyokuchi: In my experience, the tio will make the provider do whatever you like.

            • Morien on 23/11/2021 - 17:35

              @Inyokuchi: Asking a staff member of a company under the Vodafone umbrella (which includes Voda, TPG, iiNet, AAPT, Internode, Lebara, and so forth), they think if you pushed you'd get the whole amount. BUT, one company won't necessarily operate the same as another, despite being under the same umbrella.

              So…. up to you!

              TIO will get to review the call recordings when it gets to that stage, though. So if you think you are definitely in the right and were misled about the cancellation process, then they will be able to hear it then.

              • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 20:00

                @Morien: Thing is, I don't think they have recording otherwise they wouldn't of offered the partial refund in the first place. And the call with the guy where I asked for recording but he hung up to evade liability of his words.

                • Morien on 24/11/2021 - 01:10
                  +1

                  @Inyokuchi: Nah, even without a recording they still might try to offer you something. As mentioned above, every TIO escalation costs the company money. Financially, most times it is better just to help the customer out. Something many people don't realise as well is that sometimes a CSR actually wants to help you.

                  If you've already gone TIO then you have been assigned a case manager. This is the person you must talk to. They have taken the time to look at your account and don't have the daggers of NPS or Average Handling Time hanging above their head. More often than not, they actually want to get to a fair resolution, and are giving you as much as they can at their current level of authorisation.

                  If you feel it isn't enough though, keep pushing. Just be aware that yes, looking at the other comments you've made, they have been paying for port rental this whole time (assume that is $29.95 a month max, since that's what end users used to be charged for it).

                  Edit: Oh, but please be aware. TIO isn't simply a way to get companies to give you the world. It's up to you to escalate, and if you do, yes, it will charge them, but no, that isn't a guarantee that you will get what you want. TIO might tell you to pound sand for being unreasonable, and the company might reach a point where they are unwilling to come to the table (without being forced to) because you are just being unreasonable about it. Back when I was there, if a customer was just being an (profanity) and trying to bully us into putting his kids through school because his line dropped out, then the general consensus was "let them take it to level 4 and get nothing."

  • deme on 23/11/2021 - 17:42

    Mobile or Internet?

  • cloudy on 23/11/2021 - 18:24

    Wowers, that’s a long time ago! I don’t know what to say…

  • RockyRaccoon on 23/11/2021 - 20:04

    If you cancelled, was the service still being used, or was it dormant. If the latter they will have data records that the TIO can access which will show nil or very close to nil data being used. As such they really aren’t losing anything by refunding you the full amount.

    If the service was being used, even unintentionally by your parents then your argument for full refund isn’t as strong.

    • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 20:06

      We switched to a different ISP that uses different technology. So dormant.
      Here is their response:

      Thank you for your patience during this period. I have assessed your refund claim and approved to provide $1,000 refund for this case.

      I have found out that this account is originally under John Doe back in 2008 before John Doe was added in the account. You have set-up the card for automatic debit with the authorization to take-out payment as long as the account remains active.

      On the 05/10/2018 the Account Specialist have advised you about the cancellation process but we did not received the cancellation email, hence; the account remained active. We've been paying the copper line rental to make the ADSL2+ service available in your address from October 2018 until October 2021. There is an actual cost to the main copper line provider that we cannot take back, and we have also lost the opportunity to offer your ADSL2+ slot to other potential customers in your area.

      Please reply to this email, so we could process this $1,000 refund to the bank account that you have provided.

      If at any point that you have questions or additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me directly on 0291410039 or via return email.

      • RockyRaccoon on 23/11/2021 - 20:42

        I have found that the TIO in my case was quite fair and probably sides more with the consumer, but personally I do see their point (to a degree).

        That said how can anyone advise you on the best strategy. All I can say is that there maybe a gamble here, and the TIO might see TPGs response as being fairish. Then again they may just go for giving you the whole lot back.

        My own strategy based on that unknown, is to go back to TPG and say, you understand there has been some cost to them, but there was a responsibility on them to follow up why you had not sent in the form after you requested the cancellation. Forms and emails do go astray, and a simple check sometime in the future by the representative would have shown no use on the account.

        Being me I would say I would accept some charge to the account, but that $1000 is putting the major impact of this error on my elderly parents (Pensioners if that is true) so I would be willing to compromise, but not when the cost is in effect $1200. I would accept and withdraw my complaint if the offer was inbetween the full amount and your proposal. Namely a refund of at least $1600

        My strategy is based on showing the TIO that I am being fair and reasonable. If TPG wants to save escalation which adds to their cost they may at least come back with a higher offer.

        Maybe this might work, others might have alternative strategies. BTW you may want higher/lower figures that I would be willing to accept. Good luck

        FYI from ZDNET

        Complaints-handling within the TIO ranges from level one to level four. When a customer first complains, the telco is charged $31 for a level one complaint; however, the cost sharply increases to $260 for level two, $475 for level three and $2250 for level four. The aim of the fee is to recuperate the TIO's costs for investigating complaints and to incentivise the telco to resolve complaints to the TIO at one of the lower levels.

        • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 22:50

          Ok thanks for the advice.

  • Cheapskate Paul on 23/11/2021 - 20:17
    +1

    If your parents used zero data for years I would think that you would get a full refund if you push it. Did your parents move to another internet provider? If so that would normally auto cancel the previous provider.

    • Inyokuchi on 23/11/2021 - 20:24

      Nah, it uses different technology that does not overtake the copper line. It uses Antenna to tower instead of copper. That's why it was never auto cancelled. And I don't know anyone in their right minds would sign up to TPG.

      • Cheapskate Paul on 23/11/2021 - 20:36
        +3

        If it was me I would tell them that their offer is inadequate and go back to the TIO. Now that they have offered $1000 they would be unlikely to reduce the offer or withdraw it. Don't reject the offer, just tell them that it is inadequate, and report that to the TIO.

  • cloudy on 24/11/2021 - 12:27

    Honestly you should ask yourself what you are willing to accept or forgo.

    Three years before bringing this up places plenty of argument you are at some fault as much as them for not sending you the email. They have also shown they are at lost from the costs of keeping your line active, a real cost they can show to TIO, so I do not think the TIO will wholely blame TPG and seek to remediate you in full. If that is a argument you agree with, you should ask, well how much of the 2200 is fairly yours, and taking into account the cost and trouble instigating a TIO what figure would you want TPG to offer you and be happy to accept?

    Is it 1300 or 1600 or 2000? Sure as hell if you want anywhere near 2k I’d say TPG would take their chances at TIO and fight.

    In short, I would personally try to negotiate as hard as I can, but save the trouble of lengthy TIO considering TPG is already offering up compensation.

  • w37hsyea on 03/01/2022 - 22:21

    I have never heard of an ISP withdrawing offers.
    You either accept or reject.

    If you reject or accept, you put that in writing to ISP and provide the info to the TIO under your case number.

    If its a rejection, you also need to advise both parties with genuine reasons why you intend to escalate and what resolution your seeking.

  • nek on 19/01/2022 - 21:57

    Hi Did you resolve the complaint with TPG? If so can you please share the outcome to assist others?

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