Misadvising clients without the appropriate renumeration

[JCC93]

Lets discuss a real life scenario: You wait over 45 minutes on the phone because your broadband suddenly ceased to work, despite this no matter how stressed you are, you are polite, friendly and understanding. You get told to fix a problem by "just buying a new power supply from an electrical store" and still have to also wait for the appropriate one from EE to arrive on the post. As per the advice given as you're desperate to have internet, you go to the electrical store and buy said power supply. The power supply is in perfect working order, but your hub still doesn't work, all of a sudden you're confused as per the advice from the agent you thought you fixed the problem. Not the case. You call up and get told you were misadvised and also now need a router. You express your disappointment and dissatisfaction. You wasted your fuel, your time, you could not work as you were out of internet and now out of pocket. You get told "cannot compensate because you went to shop and bought one, maybe get a gesture of goodwill". As a customer of over 11 years with multiple lines and broadband, that hurts, makes you feel short changed and just left with a sour taste. Don't worry though, the manager will "give you a call" Monday morning to discuss. 

To add Insult to injury, you also at one point even sold EE products and services for a period of over 2 years. 

[JimM11]

@JCC93 Is everything now back up in a working condition for you!

[JCC93]

@JimM11 it isn't. I just have to wait for the new power supply and new hub that I was advised would arrive by Tuesday. I was told to use my hotspot, but the strain it puts on my mobile device is heavy as hotspotting leads to overheating, can be unreliable and cause severe battery drain. So overall this is going to be a continuous detriment to me until next week. If this damages my device will EE consider that? I think not likely. 

[JimM11]

@JCC93 It's always a guess as to wither the PSU or the EE Hub has failed, PSU's have been an issue on the EE Smart Hub 6 Plus version failing but did have a tendency to show it in a particular way. No light on the hub is a bit off a guess.

Getting a replacement sent out does take time, and does not help if that becomes a slow EE process. Tethering a mobile for one device use is just not great best of times, would without a doubt if possible keep it on a power charger if you are doing so.... Depending on your connection type that you have, backup hub as a get out off jail maybe worth a look at in the future, plenty cheap ones going about. 

If you need linked below.

Automatic compensation for broadband or landline issues | Broadband Help | EE

[Northerner]

Hi @JCC93 

To sum up, after 11 years you have one issue and that's it you want compensation and cannot wait a few days for a new router.

As @JimM11 says maybe consider buying your own router something I would always say. 

You can complain here: https://ee.co.uk/help/contact-ee/complaint

Thanks 

[JCC93]

@Northerner I appreciate the condescending tone. I have had other issues in the past which I chose to just forgive and move forward with, but this one has affected my work, my family and myself financially. Of course you wouldn't understand that as you made a basic assumption. So it's not just about "oh look a customer(who surely you'd want to look after) is throwing their toys out the pram just because they're impatient". Ignorance is bliss I guess.

Hmm I see what you're saying but then again I do pay for a service which includes a working and functioning router. Am I being advised to spend more of my own money just because the product (Hub and power supply) is faulty?

[Leanne_T · Accepted solution]

Hi there @JCC93 

Thanks for coming to the community. 

I'm sorry you have had this experience and the problem was not resolved with a new power supply. If you would like to discuss the advice you have been given and the charge for the power supply, please get back in touch with our broadband guides. If this is not resolved and you remain unhappy with the support from our guides, you can request to open a complaint to be looked into further. 

Leanne.

[Chris_B]

@JCC93   Issue happen and EE can’t replace a router the moment it might become faulty.  It has to be posted to you and that unfortunately means wanting for it to be delivered.    Yes it’s an inconvenience but that’s all it is.   At least you don’t have to pay for a replacement router.  

[JimM11]

@JCC93 It's real difficult, in this modern day when Internet Broadband becomes so important then EE does offer a few but also somewhat flawed get out off jail cards like the Backup as they call it now, but if the Hub dies then the backup is as good as a chocolate fireguard with the chocolate teapot sitting next to the fire..... The site that sell's second hand BT/EE products anything from the BT Smarthub 2 onwards will connect and work, it's all about your physical connection if copper/full fibre....