Sales pitch no deals poor customer services

[gdamazon]

Everytime I have an upgrade I like to speak to someone, often they give you the best deals and can give you some information about the different phones. This time I had to raise a complaint. The call lasted 90mins, the person spent the time giving me a sales pitch - broadband, tv, sports, apps etc. I kept saying I am fine I already have these elsewhere and so on. In fact when it came to the phone he was a few pounds more expensive than the offer online and I had to tell him the offer on line. So I raised a complaint that (1) it was sales pitch heavy and really the regulators don't like that (2) i called for a deal and quite honestly I didn't get anything. I could have done it online. 

I called EE and raised the complaint and was told (a) it would be dealt with internally (b) I would need to cancel my deal for them to see if there is a better deal. Then they closed the complaint. I called again and said the complaint can't be closed - I am not happy with the fact that it was sales pitch heavy for 90mins and I shouldn't have to cancel the contract for someone to look and see if a better deal could have been offered. Most companies can do this without causing further inconvenience to the customer. I was then put on hold for 7mins - and told that I have to cancel the contract by returning the phone or they can do a send and return. 

This repeated failure demonstrates a systemic issue in EE’s complaint handling. Closing complaints prematurely is inconsistent with Ofcom’s General Condition C-4 (Complaints Handling) and breaches the FCA’s DISP rules (DISP 1.4.1R and DISP 1.6.2R), which require firms to handle complaints promptly, fairly, and provide escalation options within 8 weeks.
Because EE’s handset contracts involve regulated consumer credit agreements, the FCA’s Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) also applies. In particular:
• CONC 2.2.2R requires communications to be clear, fair, and not misleading.
• CONC 3.3.1R prohibits aggressive or oppressive sales practices.
• CONC 4.2.5R requires adequate explanations of credit agreements so customers can make informed decisions.
EE’s conduct failed to meet these standards.
In summary:
• The calls were sales-pitch heavy and not customer-focused.
• The upgrade deal was worse than online. A "deal" was not provided during the call.
• Complaints were closed without resolution — twice.
• EE’s approach raises questions under both Ofcom and FCA regulations.

I share the above information so that others have this information, as from what I can see this is a recurring patter. Unfortuantely, I am now going to have to call for a third time later today or this week to try to raise my complaint for a third time. Which is unacceptable.

[Peter_W · Accepted solution]

Good afternoon @gdamazon.

Welcome to the EE Community. 

When you call up, our Guides will sometimes aim to highlight other products and services we have available that could be of benefit to you.

I'm sorry if you feel this wasn't handled in an appropriate way though, and we're always committed to sharing any feedback with our team so they can aim to get things right every time. 

What you've been advised here around cancelling the offer is correct - offers are personalised, and our system will only display offers that you're eligible for. If a deal has been accepted, it would no longer display alternatives.

I appreciate your concern around how the complaints have been handled too - if we feel an issue has been resolved on the call, we will close the complaint at the time. If you remain unhappy you can request this be reopened at any time within 28 days.

You can absolutely request escalation if you remain unhappy with how this has been handled, too. You can find full details on our complaints process in our complaints code of practice here:

EE Complaints Code of Practice - March 2024

Peter

[gdamazon]

I received notifications from EE that my mobile discount was cancelled and my double data allowance on another line was removed because I was “no longer eligible.” In reality, nothing changed except that I upgraded. I remain a BT Broadband customer and did not unlink my account, yet EE removed my 10% BT discount and double data, and failed to explain the impact of moving to an Essentials plan.
At the point of sale, EE did not make clear that these discounts were conditional or that upgrading would strip them away. This lack of transparency meant I could not make an informed decision about the true cost of my upgrade. When I spoke to a manager, I was told the multi‑line discount worked out cheaper and that the 10% BT discount only applied to my main line, despite me having four lines (three of them SIM‑only).
Customers should be warned: EE hides the impact of upgrades on bundled benefits. The Essentials plan was presented as cheaper, but in reality the upgrade stripped away existing discounts, leaving me worse off overall

[Peter_W]

@gdamazon It is correct that we're not able to double-stack plan discounts. 

If you've had a discount for being a BT customer, but now have selected plans with a separate multi-line discount, we can't combine these. 

If you're still unhappy with the current setup of your account, I'd recommend raising this directly with our complaints team via their dedicated webform. 

They'll be able to make sure we've done all we can at our end here, and if needs be advise on any next steps, too.

Peter

[chrisjp1]

"When you call up, our Guides will sometimes aim to highlight other products and services we have available that could be of benefit to you."

I'm afraid all EE's (and indeed BT's) telephone agents treat ALL calls, whether they are reporting faults, making complaints or seeking information, as an opportunity to upsell, and benefit from commission payments if they are successful. It's not a very ethical way to do business, but it seems to be the norm, these days.