A reader called Dara contacted us about eir. He was concerned by monthly bills of € 115 for a bundle covering TV, broadband, and a mobile and landline particularly when he saw an offer for broadband and TV for € 40. That meant he was paying €75 a month for a mobile and a landline he never uses. So he called eir in search of a better deal but was left hanging for so long that when he did get through he cancelled the service. He thought more about it and called the company again and sought a better deal. He was told there was a termination notice on his account but after several over and backs he was told the termination notice had been lifted and he was offered a better deal - €65 per month. All was well. Then his account was disconnected.
He sent us a transcript of the web chat his wife had with eir. This is just some of it. We’ve removed the name of all eir employees.
eir: Hello Caroline, thanks for contacting eir web chat fixed service. How can I help you?
Caroline: I was talking to your loyalty team a few times in the last two weeks. [THEY]said they put a hold on the cancellation [BUT]the TV service is cut off and so is the phone.
eir: Please allow me a moment.
eir: Just to confirm, are you looking to cancel your eir services or do you wish to continue with the eir services?
Caroline: Just please look at what I have typed. Should I be talking with a member of the Loyalty team?
eir: Do you wish to get the eir TV and landline Service?
Caroline: Please listen. We are customers of eir for years. We got a cancellation number a few weeks ago. Last week we called to cancel the cancellation and get a new quote. We spoke [to a named eir employee] yesterday and were told our cancellation was lifted and we were given a new quote for service and [TOLD]that someone would call today. Phone and TV have now been cut off.
Eir: I am from fixed service web chat team and due to the limited access over the chat, call back could not be arranged. As you said that call back was arranged from the Loyalty Team side then I request you to please contact to our Loyalty Team as they can help you with the same.
Caroline: THE PHONE HAS BEEN CUT OFF.
eir: As you also said that you got the cancellation number also then I request you to please contact on the above given number as cancellation can be done from the Loyalty Team side.
Caroline: The phone is cut off , I can't phone them and they can't phone me. Please restore services immediately.
eir: To protect your data privacy, can you please confirm the name on the account, billing address and date of birth?
[details provided]
eir: Just to ensure that we have your correct contact details, could you please provide me
your email address and the contact number?
[details provided]
eir: As I can see the TV and landline has been cancelled and is in terminated state and that is why your Eir TV and landline is not working.
Caroline: I have told you this and explained why. This was not meant to happen. Check the computer and flags on the account. Tell me what you are going to do.
eir: As I can see there is a note also for the call back ... So, I request you to please contact our loyalty team on 1901 as call back cannot be arranged from my side as I have the limited expertise over the chat.
eir: If you wish to have the conversation with the our supervisor the I request you to please contact on the above given number as the supervisors are only available on the call.
eir: If you wish to get the New Eir TV and landline service then I can help you with the same.
Caroline: DO YOU UNDERSTAND? FOUR TIMES I HAVE TOLD YOU THE PHONE HAS BEEN CUT OFF BY EIR. HOW DO I PHONE? IT MUST BE DONE BY WEB CHAT. I AM KEEPING A RECORD OF THIS RIDICULOUS COMMUNICATION
eir: As you said above that you were being instructed by our loyalty team to get the call back. So, I request you to please contact on the above given number. You can contact to our Loyalty Team by your Landline Number
Caroline: I HAVE NO HANDSET - THIRD TIME TELLING YOU THIS. PLEASE RESTORE SERVICES SO I CAN DO THIS.
eir: I understand you Caroline and I am sorry for the trouble you had to face. As the eir mobile service and eir TV service has been terminated then it cannot be restored and if you wish to use these service then you have to order the new eir mobile and eir TV Service,
Caroline: PLEASE I DO NOT NEED SYMPATHY NOW, I NEED A SOLUTION. IF YOU CANNOT HELP ME PLEASE GET ME ON TO SOMEONE WHO CAN. I DO NOT HAVE VOICE FACILITIES.
Eir: As you said above that you were being instructed for the call back from the Loyalty Team then I request you to please contact our Loyalty Team on the above given number.
Caroline: FOR THE FOURTH TIME, HOW? YOU HAVE CUT OFF THE PHONE.
Eir: I understand you Caroline that your eir mobile has been cut off and it has been cut off as it is terminated.
Caroline: PLEASE ADVISE YOUR SUPERIOR THAT I AM NOW CONTACTING CONOR POPE...
eir: I can understand your frustration and I'm sorry for the inconvenience. If you wish to use the eir mobile service then you have to order the new eir mobile and if you wish to do the same then I can help you with the same.
Caroline: LAST COMMUNICATION. ARE YOU GOING TO PUT ME ON TO A SUPERVISOR. YOUR LOYALTY TEAM TOLD ME YESTERDAY THAT THE TERMINATION WAS LIFTED.
Eir: Our supervisor is only available on the call and if you wish to contact to our supervisor then please contact on the above given number.
[Transcript ends]
We got in touch we Eir to find out what was going on. The company said its “care team have contacted this customer to apologise and resolve the problem. The account, which was ceased in error, has now been restored and the customer has been offered a goodwill gesture to compensate for the fault.”
