The back-story: My IPhone6 battery only lasts 6hrs, after approx. 14 months – as part of Telstra’s ‘New Phone Feeling’, I can pay a one-off $149 and receive a new IPhone7 for the same monthly cost. I did this – however, the new 7-handset that Telstra sent me (within 3 days), was faulty and refused to recognise any SIM cards. They told me they’d send me a new handset – which should take 3-5 days. I have heard nothing after 13 days, so I contacted Telstra again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
I cannot believe that they now refuse, point blank, to replace the shit box they sent me, until I return the busted one……<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Transcript of 24×7 Chat<\/p>\n
A transcript of this secure Chat is retained and may be monitored for coaching purposes. You can view our Privacy Statement at telstra.com.<\/p>\n
Please select ‘End chat’ if you do not wish to proceed.<\/p>\n
MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n You’re connected with MARK ANTHONY<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Hi! You’ve reached Mobile Assurance Support<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Great – I’d simply like to know where my new phone is?<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n No worries, Let me help you in tracking the status of your phone<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I had a lengthy online chat on the 7.12.2016 and was promised it would be delivered within 3-5 working days<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Can I please have the following information to pull up your account?<\/p>\n 1. Phone Number\/ Account Number<\/p>\n 2. Full Name<\/p>\n 3. Date of Birth<\/p>\n 4. Email Address (we will also send you a link to get back to us for future enquiries)<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n 0403 XXX 391<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Stephen Mark Coskerie<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n 24.4.67<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n aussiecossiedarwin@hotmail.com<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks Stephen, let me verify your account<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Do you also have a reference number?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n INT 1-999340454XXX<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Checking now<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Please bear with me as we would need to review the transaction<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is an excerpt from my previous conversation on 7.12.16:<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n Alright, They will process the return order and you will be able to received the new phone within 3-5 business days and the return satchel for the old phone will be arrive within 5-7 business days, for the maximum days for the completion will be 10-15 business days. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n Would there be anything else that I can make you feel resolved? : )<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/p>\n These are two separate issues. Firstly – I have ordered a phone in good faith, last Thursday. It has now been one week – and I have not received a functioning phone. Waiting for me to return this useless, broken slab before sending out a new, functioning phone, is really unacceptable.<\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n Nope, the new phone will be delivered to you first, Stephen.<\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n Nothing to worry.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/p>\n You sure about that?<\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n YES! Because the return satchel for the old phone will be delivered to you after you received the new phone.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Your colleague promised my new handset would be delivered within 3-5 working days. It has now been 13 days all up.<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n No worries Stephen we will track this for you and make sure that you receive your handset, Please stay online as we will get our specialist to assist you<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n So – what has been the problem so far – and why have I heard nothing from Telstra<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes please stay online as we will provide you the details<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Are you experiencing difficulties in determining the cause of this delay?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Personally, I cannot fathom why it would take 2 weeks to arrive at my house – given the order was confirmed on 7.12.16 and you had all my correct address details<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY<\/strong><\/p>\n Alright connecting you now<\/p>\n MARK ANTHONY has disconnected.<\/p>\n We are currently transferring your chat to another consultant who will be able to assist you with your enquiry. Please stay online while the new consultant joins.<\/p>\n Junie has joined.<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n Hi Stephen! I am more than glad to assist you with your order enquiry<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n Give me 3 minutes to check this for you<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Okay. Answering the above questions would be a very helpful start. Thanks<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Incidentally – why have I been wasting my time chatting to Mark Anthony, when he is not capable of lending assistance, or answering simple questions?<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks for the wait. Based on my investigation the order was processed on 01\/12\/2016 and we cannot determine if the delivery team was successfully send the phone to you. In this case, you need to contact our specialized team at this number: 1800800019.<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n Please provide this order number: 1-994194326XXX<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n NO NO NO!!!!!<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n We can only assist you for any billing related concern. That’s the right team that can further help you to trace the order<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I will give you the conversation I had on the 7.12.16<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I have already waited 20 days – this is entirely unacceptable!<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m sure the record will reflect it<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n You sent me out a handset on 1.12.2016 – it was faulty and you need to send me a new one. Which was ordered on 7.12.2016<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Regina Mary<\/p>\n All perfect here, Stephen. I have successfully created a request, here’s the reference number for your 100% assurance ( INT 1-999340454XXX)<\/p>\n Junie<\/strong><\/p>\n I see. Let me connect you now to our specialized team<\/p>\n Junie has disconnected.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I was told that YOU ARE THE SPECIALISED TEAM!<\/p>\n We are currently transferring your chat to another consultant who will be able to assist you with your enquiry. Please stay online while the new consultant joins.<\/p>\n Nyka has joined.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Please connect me with the supervisor – who is able to assist me!<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n Sorry that you are experiencing this inconvenience. Please give me a minute to read your previous chat in that way you don’t have to repeat yourself.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Are you a supervisor?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I need to speak with a supervisor. You are the 5th person so far – the other 4 are apparently unable to help me in the slightest<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n I am not. Just reading the chat to make sure we have a full understanding of the situation.<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n Okay just give me a minute.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n It’s really not that difficult to understand – you confirmed you ordered me a new handset on 7.12.2016, and promised it would be here in 3-5 working days. I have heard nothing since. I want to know where my phone is and an explanation as to why it has not arrived as promised?<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n To confirm this is for 0403\u00a0XXX 391. Correct?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n YES. ONCE AGAIN – THAT IS THE CORRECT NUMBER.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Is there something inherently tricky about this combination of digits?<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n Stay online.<\/p>\n Nyka<\/strong><\/p>\n I’ll be connecting you with my Supervisor now, please stay online.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Lord have mercy!<\/p>\n Nyka has disconnected.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN has joined.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Hi, this is Jim, one of the supervisors.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Please stay online while I read through the conversation.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Excellent. Are you able to answer simple questions Jim?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes but I need to check first on the account so I can provide accurate answers.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am still reading the conversation and checking your account Stephen.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks for waiting. I pulled the account up using the number you provided to the first consultant you chatted with here today.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I want to be honest with you and I know this is not what you want to hear but from what I can see on the records, no order was processed to send you a new phone.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Why not?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am still checking the interaction notes so I can get more details.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Was that reference number made up by the operator?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Have your colleagues been lying to me?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n You’re referring to the interaction you had on the 7th, correct?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Is there no record of that conversation on Telstra’s files?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n There is a record on the 7th. It states that she’s requesting from the agent who initially processed the order to process a request to have the faulty handset returned so that we can process a new one.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n And when was that likely to be done?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Surely Telstra standard practice does not include making written promises and never fulfilling or reviewing such promises\/requests?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n We’ll be the one to process the return order for you so you can return the faulty handset back to us.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Just to confirm Stephen, you don’t have any other account with Telstra. I just want to make sure that I am not missing anything.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Fiona Hayes sure had no problem remembering to request my praise for the supposed help I’d received on that occasion. She sent me an email 3 days later.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I have a home phone, internet and mobile<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n And these are all under one billing account number, correct?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I cannot understand how this can be so complicated? Do you have any explanation?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Yes – all together<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am really sorry about this Stephen but from what I can see, the disconnect happened when the consultant you chatted with on the 7th relayed the information to the person who initiated the initial order.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n You sent me out a faulty handset on 1.12.2016 – which took 3 days to get to my doorstep. I called on 7.12.2016 – you were to send me a new one – which again should have taken 3 days. I am flabbergasted that Telstra has no record of this. (Not to mention the hours I have had to spend online, both waiting to chat and indeed chatting to half the staff in whatever offshore haven Telstra lives in these days)<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Ok. So now – can you please have a new handset delivered to my door within three working days?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I understand and I am really sorry. I cannot really guarantee that. I know you have received a lot of information from us and I don’t want to overcommit again.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n What needs to happen is for you to post the faulty device back to us using this address.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Reply Paid 6047<\/p>\n Chullora<\/p>\n NSW 1405<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Once we have confirmed the receipt of the faulty device, that’s the only time we can process a request to send the new device.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n What do you see as the problem? Is it with the postal system and the heavy burden on Australia Post during the Christmas period – or is it more likely further Telstra incompetence that could cause a delay?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n We recommend customers register the inventory to return to us as a registered parcel so it can be tracked by Australia Post.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n No. We are beyond that. I need you to send a new handset out immediately. Could you please put me through to somebody with the authority to do this? I will be overseas during January and I do not intend on waiting 2 months for problems and stress cause by Telstra’s ineptitude.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am more than happy to discuss it with the CEO, Social media or the media in general<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Again, I am really about this. Let me check if my manager is available.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n You guys cause the problem – it is your responsibility to fix it.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I acknowledge that Stephen.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Then – how hard is it, in the whole Telstra scheme of things to send one man one functioning telephone?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n My manager is still engaged on a call right now. Will it be okay if we arrange a callback instead?<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n No thanks – I do not want a call back. I have a great fear I will hear nothing further and this conversation too will have been erased and I’ll be back to square one.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Okay. Just a second while I reach out for help.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I will also call our resolution support for this one. Please stay online.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I simply cannot understand how posting a phone can really be this difficult?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I understand and it really looks very simple but we are following processes regarding this. But as I have mentioned, I will call our resolution support so I can ask their recommendations.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am currently waiting on the queue. Please stay online.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I get that, but clearly the process is flawed. So to avoid an infinite repeat of a the same faulty process – should we not solve this problem ASAP and then review the previous issues?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I really want this issue fixed ASAP for you but I need their intervention on this so I can give you the best solution.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Places I’ve worked tend to resolve the issue as soon as possible and then have a problem investigation and review – to determine the initial cause and work out a strategy to proceed, so as not to have a repeat of the same issue.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I will take note of that Stephen and my goal is to really resolve your issue.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m quite surprised that I have to go through at least five levels of expertise before I reach someone with enough authority to post a phone.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n How is that manager coming along?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am talking with the resolution support right now.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am still checking if my manager is available now<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I’ve been chatting on here for at least 2hrs of aggravation again today – are we actually any closer to getting a new phone in the post?<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am really sorry Stephen. I am doing my best to get you the resolution.<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN<\/strong><\/p>\n Stephen, I have my manager now and I will connect you to him. Please stay online<\/p>\n JIM BRYAN has disconnected.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Is he authorised to send out a new handset?<\/p>\n Joven has joined.<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n Hi Stephen, this is Joven, please allow me few minutes to read through your previous chat session with Jim.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Sure<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n Thanks, please stay online.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n To summarise my last 3hrs or aggravated chat – Could you please send me out a new handset ASAP, to replace the faulty unit you sent previously? That one arrived in 3 working days – so I see no reason why that cannot be repeated (with a functioning handset).?<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n I appreciate your patience, Stephen. Apologies for the mix up.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Are you still reading the previous messages?<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n Thank you so much for waiting, Stephen.<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n I acknowledge that you were advised by one of our agents that a new handset will be delivered to you in 3-5 business days, and I sincerely apologise. As a manager, it is my job to correct things and information that is being advised to our customers.<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n I know that sending you a handset when you originally placed an order only took within 3-5 business days. However, we have a different process when it comes to return.<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n For return process, we will need to send you first a return satchel that you will be getting within 3-5 business days. Once received, you will send us back the handset which will be delivered to our warehouse within another 3-5 business days. Once we have received it on our warehouse, that would be the time that we can process a new order for you.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n I am not interested in return – or your policy. This problem was caused by you, it needs to be fixed by you<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n We will need to make sure that we receive first the old handset before sending you a new one.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n My deepest apologies, but we will have to follow the process.<\/p>\n STEPHEN<\/strong><\/p>\n You sent out a faulty unit – why is it now my problem?<\/p>\n Joven<\/strong><\/p>\n