A Faulty Joke!

racersedge

Eir,

My broadband went down on 12/10/2017. The fault is still not fixed. After contacting your chat team and tech 'helpline', I'm still no closer to finding out when my line is getting fixed. Below is a timeline of what I have had to go through and the hoops you are forcing me to go through (while paying for a service you don't seem keen to fix). You espouse that it should take two to three working days to get things resolved. As of today, I am on working day ELEVEN without broadband.

Honestly, I don't hold out much hope that you can do much. But it might make feel a little bit better to get this off my chest and might give people an idea of how the system actually works.

12/10/2017: Broadband stopped working on this evening. Fault was logged via the online chat team. There was nothing done about it in the preceding days, which was what we expected due to the storm that closed the country down on Monday 16th.

18/10/2017: Engineer came to the door and spoke to my wife. He plugged his meter box to check the line. He said there was a ‘big spike’ that indicated that the fault was outside on the line. He felt that this was caused by a third-party contractor disconnecting our line. He proceeded to go out and check the pole and ‘pair us up’. He never returned to talk to my wife. I then contacted the online chat team to clarify where he had gone. We were told to wait and it would be fixed as soon as possible.

19/10/2017: I received a missed call at 15:42 from the engineer. I called and left at message for him when I got out of work just past 16:00. He returned my call at 16:30. In this call he proceeded to tell me what he had told my wife. He stated that there was ‘no record’ of our line out this way and that he believed one of SLN contractors had disconnected us from the cabinet and that there were no free slots left in it. He told me he would have to go and back trace our line from the town cabinet and he would get back in touch when this was done.

20/10/2017: I called your Tech ‘Helpline’ at 13:30 on this day and was talking to one – Paul I believe his name was. I was annoyed considering what your engineer had told me and wanted clarification as to how this could have been caused. Your tech proceeded to tell me that the engineer was wrong in his assessment and it had been passed on to another engineer that would be able to fix it. I asked when this would be done and the tech line person told me it would likely be the following Monday or Tuesday.

24/10/2017: With no sign of anything been done, I contacted your online chat team. I got a very vague and general response of waiting one or two days and it should be fixed. I was highly unimpressed in the manner I was handled and felt that it wasn’t dealt with in a professional manner.

25/10/2017:  Annoyed with the response I was given, I decided to recall your tech ‘helpline’. Speaking with a member of the team at 12:07 I went through everything in detail that I have listed above and voiced my displeasure at the lack of contact regarding the fault. I was personally assured by this person, CJ, I believe he identified himself as, that my fault was now placed on a priority list and that it would be fixed by the close of business on Friday.

27/10/2017: It came to Friday evening that I was ‘promised’ it would be fixed and had no response. Due to my working hours, I had to get my wife, Caroline, to call on my behalf at 16:53. He assured her that someone would be one to two working days. My wife told him that we had been ‘promised’ someone out by the end of the working day and nobody had shown. He informed her that he would go off and try to find out what was going on.

I then received a missed call at 16:59. I received a voicemail from one of your team informing me that he was following this up by checking up on it and he would call me back. He never did. I have this voicemail saved on my phone as proof.

28/10/2017: I decided that given your tech ‘helpline’ and chat agents seemed incapable of helping, I decided to visit the Eir Store in Newbridge regarding it and to talk to someone face to face. Your male agent at the shop (I visited it just after 10am) told me there was not much that he could do but offered to put me through, yet again, to your tech ‘helpline’. I accepted, because I didn’t want to be charged again for calling the tech ‘helpline’. Talking with this agent on the phone there appeared to be no notice that we were on a priority fix list, which had been promised to me on the call on the 25/10/2017. He stated it had only gone on that list as of the 27/10/2017. I was again, apologised to after he consulted with the engineering department and that I might get someone out today, if not on Tuesday after the bank holiday.

31/10/2017: Still no sign of any change so I decided, once more, to contact the Eir online chat team. Your agent, for the first time, put me through to the chat with the technical department. I had a long chat with ‘Anthony’ on this matter who, to his credit, told me he made contact with the engineering department. By the end of this conversation he re-confirmed that the fault had been prioritised on the 27/10/2017. Engineers had twice on it on the 18/10 and 19/10 and had since been assigned to a different crew. He could not however, despite me asking, give me an estimation as to where I was on the list apart from been on a priority list.

This however does not explain as to why nothing has been done in the past seven working days. Or why Eir have not had the good grace to get in contact with me in the meantime regarding this issue. Every single time either myself or my wife have had to go to you to extract information about the case. We are now almost three weeks without broadband services, something that you no doubt will charge me for despite your seeming unwillingness to attempt to fix the fault.

01/11/2017: I spoke to two agents on this day. The first via webchat at around 13:00. I have to highlight this person as particularly unhelpful. He attempted to tell me that the fault was only logged on the 27/10 and he got particularly defensive as I attempted to get a firm answer. This agents name was Rifai and I would like to voice my displeasure at how he handled the call. Very unhelpful.
Late on at 16:40 I made a call to your helpline. Again. I went through everything again with them and he went to talk to the engineering department. I was again given a vague answer of it been reassigned to another crew. This despite been on a priority list and promised that it would be fixed well before this. At the end of this call he said he ‘forcasted’ the fix for tomorrow (02/11/2017). So I am awaiting on this currently to see whether it happens or whether I am been misled again by Eir.


I am as you can imagine, immensely frustrated and sick and tired of been relayed ‘apologises for you inconveniences (which I assume must be a copy and paste command). It is not good enough. A formal complaint has been lodged (to which, if it is responded to, will get this copy of events thus far) and I have every intention of then forwarding it on to the Communications Regulator (for whatever that may be worth) in the hopes that maybe then the fault might be fixed or your company will have the good decency to contact me with a specific plan as to how you intend to fix this fault and restore the services I am paying for.

eir: Adam

racersedge wrote: »

Eir,

My broadband went down on 12/10/2017. The fault is still not fixed. After contacting your chat team and tech 'helpline', I'm still no closer to finding out when my line is getting fixed. Below is a timeline of what I have had to go through and the hoops you are forcing me to go through (while paying for a service you don't seem keen to fix). You espouse that it should take two to three working days to get things resolved. As of today, I am on working day ELEVEN without broadband.

Honestly, I don't hold out much hope that you can do much. But it might make feel a little bit better to get this off my chest and might give people an idea of how the system actually works.

12/10/2017: Broadband stopped working on this evening. Fault was logged via the online chat team. There was nothing done about it in the preceding days, which was what we expected due to the storm that closed the country down on Monday 16th.

18/10/2017: Engineer came to the door and spoke to my wife. He plugged his meter box to check the line. He said there was a ‘big spike’ that indicated that the fault was outside on the line. He felt that this was caused by a third-party contractor disconnecting our line. He proceeded to go out and check the pole and ‘pair us up’. He never returned to talk to my wife. I then contacted the online chat team to clarify where he had gone. We were told to wait and it would be fixed as soon as possible.

19/10/2017: I received a missed call at 15:42 from the engineer. I called and left at message for him when I got out of work just past 16:00. He returned my call at 16:30. In this call he proceeded to tell me what he had told my wife. He stated that there was ‘no record’ of our line out this way and that he believed one of SLN contractors had disconnected us from the cabinet and that there were no free slots left in it. He told me he would have to go and back trace our line from the town cabinet and he would get back in touch when this was done.

20/10/2017: I called your Tech ‘Helpline’ at 13:30 on this day and was talking to one – Paul I believe his name was. I was annoyed considering what your engineer had told me and wanted clarification as to how this could have been caused. Your tech proceeded to tell me that the engineer was wrong in his assessment and it had been passed on to another engineer that would be able to fix it. I asked when this would be done and the tech line person told me it would likely be the following Monday or Tuesday.

24/10/2017: With no sign of anything been done, I contacted your online chat team. I got a very vague and general response of waiting one or two days and it should be fixed. I was highly unimpressed in the manner I was handled and felt that it wasn’t dealt with in a professional manner.

25/10/2017:  Annoyed with the response I was given, I decided to recall your tech ‘helpline’. Speaking with a member of the team at 12:07 I went through everything in detail that I have listed above and voiced my displeasure at the lack of contact regarding the fault. I was personally assured by this person, CJ, I believe he identified himself as, that my fault was now placed on a priority list and that it would be fixed by the close of business on Friday.

27/10/2017: It came to Friday evening that I was ‘promised’ it would be fixed and had no response. Due to my working hours, I had to get my wife, Caroline, to call on my behalf at 16:53. He assured her that someone would be one to two working days. My wife told him that we had been ‘promised’ someone out by the end of the working day and nobody had shown. He informed her that he would go off and try to find out what was going on.

I then received a missed call at 16:59. I received a voicemail from one of your team informing me that he was following this up by checking up on it and he would call me back. He never did. I have this voicemail saved on my phone as proof.

28/10/2017: I decided that given your tech ‘helpline’ and chat agents seemed incapable of helping, I decided to visit the Eir Store in Newbridge regarding it and to talk to someone face to face. Your male agent at the shop (I visited it just after 10am) told me there was not much that he could do but offered to put me through, yet again, to your tech ‘helpline’. I accepted, because I didn’t want to be charged again for calling the tech ‘helpline’. Talking with this agent on the phone there appeared to be no notice that we were on a priority fix list, which had been promised to me on the call on the 25/10/2017. He stated it had only gone on that list as of the 27/10/2017. I was again, apologised to after he consulted with the engineering department and that I might get someone out today, if not on Tuesday after the bank holiday.

31/10/2017: Still no sign of any change so I decided, once more, to contact the Eir online chat team. Your agent, for the first time, put me through to the chat with the technical department. I had a long chat with ‘Anthony’ on this matter who, to his credit, told me he made contact with the engineering department. By the end of this conversation he re-confirmed that the fault had been prioritised on the 27/10/2017. Engineers had twice on it on the 18/10 and 19/10 and had since been assigned to a different crew. He could not however, despite me asking, give me an estimation as to where I was on the list apart from been on a priority list.

This however does not explain as to why nothing has been done in the past seven working days. Or why Eir have not had the good grace to get in contact with me in the meantime regarding this issue. Every single time either myself or my wife have had to go to you to extract information about the case. We are now almost three weeks without broadband services, something that you no doubt will charge me for despite your seeming unwillingness to attempt to fix the fault.

I am as you can imagine, immensely frustrated and sick and tired of been relayed ‘apologises for you inconveniences (which I assume must be a copy and paste command). It is not good enough. A formal complaint has been lodged (to which, if it is responded to, will get this copy of events thus far) and I have every intention of then forwarding it on to the Communications Regulator (for whatever that may be worth) in the hopes that maybe then the fault might be fixed or your company will have the good decency to contact me with a specific plan as to how you intend to fix this fault and restore the services I am paying for.

Hi racersedge,

Thanks for getting in touch and letting us know about the issues you've been experiencing with your broadband for such a long period of time. I appreciate that this has been ongoing for a long time and I do ap[ologise for this.

If you send me your account number and full name in a PM I'll take a look into this for you.

- Adam

racersedge

eir: Adam wrote: »

Hi racersedge,

Thanks for getting in touch and letting us know about the issues you've been experiencing with your broadband for such a long period of time. I appreciate that this has been ongoing for a long time and I do ap[ologise for this.

If you send me your account number and full name in a PM I'll take a look into this for you.

- Adam

Pm sent

Grab All Association

According to your service guarantee the OP is entitled to x2 months free line rental.

Fault Repair Claim
1. Under the terms of the Customer Service Guarantee, when a telephone exchange line fault
occurs, the company is committed to rectifying it within two Working Days of notification of
the fault to the company by the customer. (A Working Day means 8.30 a.m. to 5.00p.m.
Monday to Friday excluding public holidays). If the company does not meet this deadline,
the customer may claim a credit as specified in Customer Service Guarantee above. The
credit will be deducted from the customer’s next telephone bill.
2. Exclusions:
The credit does not apply where either the cause of the fault or the delay in its repair is due
to circumstances outside the reasonable control of the company. This includes but is not
limited to circumstances such as:
(a) extreme weather conditions e.g. storm, lightning, flooding, serious damage to
telecommunications equipment caused by the customer or a third party.
(b) where the customer is unavailable to have their fault repaired within two working
days.
(c) where the company representative cannot gain access to the customer’s
premises.
(d) when the customer agrees to an appointment date in excess of two working days.
(e) where it is necessary to withdraw the services in order to maintain or upgrade a
facility and the company has given reasonable notice and made reasonable
arrangements to provide services in emergencies during the duration of the
withdrawal.
(f) where the customer does not have a direct retail contractual relationship with the
company for the particular service.

lucernarian

That's a bad enough experience.

racersedge

Thanks for that tip, mate. I appreciate that and will be sure to make use of it.

I have edited the original post to just include my contact with Eir from yesterday. I'm apparently forecasted to get it fixed today. Supposedly. I have heard this one before. 

01/11/2017: I spoke to two agents on this day. The first via webchat at around 13:00. I have to highlight this person as particularly unhelpful. He attempted to tell me that the fault was only logged on the 27/10 and he got particularly defensive as I attempted to get a firm answer. This agents name was Rifai and I would like to voice my displeasure at how he handled the call. Very unhelpful.


Late on at 16:40 I made a call to your helpline. Again. I went through everything again with them and he went to talk to the engineering department. I was again given a vague answer of it been reassigned to another crew. This despite been on a priority list and promised that it would be fixed well before this. At the end of this call he said he ‘forcasted’ the fix for tomorrow (02/11/2017). So I am awaiting on this currently to see whether it happens or whether I am been misled again by Eir.

racersedge

Still waiting, eir: Adam. 

Cork981

Had a similar issue to this before except our phone line went dead and broadband remained worked, support kept insisting that our phone number never existed.

Went on for over 3 months with countless calls to support.

Eventually they recommended we should cancel our account and sign up again to fix this issue but would need to wait a whole month before they could cancel our account and place a new order.

We left and went to Vodafone who had our old number back up and running and broadband provisioned within a week.

nairb356

racersedge  - I know this will sound a bit "Pythonesque" but you are "lucky" you managed to get someone to come out to your house!
My FTTH cable got broken about 300m down the road on 9th october ( 4 weeks today) and to date inspite of numerous calls etc..
Still not fixed.. we are at our wits end here, we are on our 3rd logged incident, the earlier ones having closed as "resolved"
IM so sick of typing and calling that I cant put myself through typing it all again here!!!
............Funny thing the BB itself was flawless.........

racersedge

Problem/Fault solved.

Amazing coincidence as a pair of technicians arrived today after I received confirmation from the Communications Regulator that they were opening dialogue with Eir regarding a lodged complaint! I do have to pass on my thanks to the team that fixed the line. My wife said they were working on it throughout the day and kept her up to date. They even went as far as to make sure she could connect to the wifi before they headed out. Amazing wonderful service from the 'on the ground' team - something that the customer services could really learn from. Unfortunately, like many before me I have to highlight the appalling customer service that Eir provides. Lads you really need to get organised as it just misinformation after misinformation. Even today I received a PM fro the Eir team here talking about needing and requesting a survey to fix the line. Yet the line is now fixed. The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing.

nairb356, you hit it on the head. When the system works, it is flawless. Its when things go up the creek you are in trouble. I'll be following up on your advice Grab All Association  to see about their Customer Service Guarantee. I'll be sure to update on whether they choose to honour it given that it falls under the terms of it easily enough.