Optus, why is dealing with you so awful?

When I told a friend of mine about my latest nightmarish experience of dealing with Optus his immediate response was that

“there should be a formal enquiry about the rubbish that people have to put up with in dealing with organisations such as the Telcos!”

This friend of mine is a journalist who works with senior executives in the Communications industry, and as a “communicator” myself I couldn’t agree with him more and I have decided to bother to write this blog for two reasons.

Firstly, this is the second (two out of two) awful interaction I’ve had with Optus in the last six months, and secondly, I know Optus will monitor social media and I am curious as to whether you are really listening. I know the calls are monitored (but there doesn’t seem to be any reaction to the what is recorded). Secondly I’ve done two Optus surveys saying how awful it all was, neither of which have elicited any response!

So, experience number two this morning:

• I signed up online for a new broadband internet connection, linking a new account to my present business account;
• A rep called me this morning, went through the details, and then said he’d get back to me. All seemed to be going well;
• I then got an email saying that they couldn’t contact me, and thus I had to contact them;
• I called, and got on to someone who told me that the fellow who’d been dealing with the call had gone out. Not long afterwards he came back, and we then seemed to progress, then we got cut off;
• Another rep called me back, but then didn’t have the correct details of where I wanted the installation. Poor chap, I vented to him and he then kindly said he’d give me a 25% discount and email me a confirmation;
• I got the email confirmation, with my contact number being one that I left six years ago, meaning that I now need to call them again to update those details, yet again;
• I am hoping that when they choose to deliver the modem that I am actually there and that the line works!

Experience number one happened a few months ago:

• I got a call from a so-called “Optus Rep” asking about renewing my mobile broadband account. The call was whilst I was at the supermarket, then another whilst I was trying to prepare dinner, then another when I was out. I suggested that as this call was about re-negotiating a formal telecommunications contract that it should happen at a pre-determined time, to be arranged. We arranged a time;
• I spoke with the rep, albeit at a bad time in a cafe, as the call had come late. We “seemed” to get through what was required to set up a new contract, and I asked for an email confirmation, and also found the conversation hugely frustrating as the rep’s English was very hard to understand, and the cafe was noisy. All seemed to be ready to proceed;
• I then got a call from another rep wanting to renew my account, who was unaware that the previous call had happened. She said she’d chase up and called me back, and we confirmed everything. She said she’d send me an email confirmation. As a part of this I asked for a new modem;
• the modem arrived, but was a 3G not a 4G one. I sent the 3G one back and got another 3G one back, plus a 4G one;
• I have never received an email confirming the account;
• I then found out that the Optus reps weren’t from “Optus” at all but from an Optus Shop and separate agency.

I probably wouldn’t have decided to bother writing about this but having now had my second time-consuming, frustrating, and unprofessional dealing with Optus I am over it! I have numerous personal and business accounts with Optus which I have had for many years and, for a communications company their management of information and communications is appalling!

Mr Optus if you are listening please please please review your systems, utilise your data to support your reps, and monitor your customer calls. Your people are your greatest asset and you don’t have a business without your customers.

We may be little pawns in the greater game for you but we are the reason you exist!!!