The following actually took place during a call (well, actually a total 2 calls and 3 T-Mobile 'reps'.)

I called them up on an unrelated matter, but thought well, while i'm on the phone i'll tackle them about the latest round of price increases (roaming) and see what they have to say about them.

Me - I've had a text message to tell me that some charges are going up. Am I able to cancel my contract on the strength of this.

T-Mobile Manila. I haven't heard anything about any price changes, I will go and find out for you. Please hold.

I listen to some music for 5 mins......

T-Mobile Manila. Thankyou for holding, I have been advised that the text you received was a spam one. T-Mobile are aware of these spam messages and we are taking steps to stop them.

Me. Are you sure? It's all over the news and I'm quite sure it's something that's in the pipeline

T-Mobile Manila. Yes, i'm sure. It's definitely a hoax and you should ignore the text and delete it.

Me. Well, if you're sure then. Would you mind just confirming it again.

T-Mobile Manila. I can conform that the text you had regarding price increases was a hoax, and that you should ignore it.

Me. OK, that's all then. Bye etc etc.


Anyway, I thought to myself, this isn't right, i'll phone again and select the 'i want to leave' option as you always get the UK then.

So I did - and got through to a girl in Wales.

Me. I've just come off the phone to CS Manila, and i've been told that the text I had regarding the increase in prices for roaming was - a hoax. Have been told to ignore it.

T-Mobile Wales. I've not heard of any price increases, but I will check for you.

5 mins of music................

T-Mobile Wales. I have been advised that, yes, the text you had was a hoax and that you should ignore and delete it.

Me. Well, this is all over the news, forums, everywhere. Are you sure it's just a hoax?

T-Mobile Wales. Yes, my supervisor has just confirmed it. It's fine to ignore and delete the message you had.

Me. The one that said that roaming charges were going up from the 26th October.

T-Mobile Wales - Yes, ignore and delete it, it's a hoax.

Me. Right OK then. I do need you to have a look at something else on my account.

T-Mobile Wales. I'll have to pass you to CS for that as they have more access than me. It'll be to someone in the UK though (she must have anticipated my next statement!)

Me. OK Thankyou.

2 mins of music.

T-Mobile Scotland. How can I help.

Me. Well, can you just do X, Y & Z on my account please.

T-Mobile. Sure ....< short delay>.... That's all done, anything else.

Me. Well, no but can I just ask you something. I had a text regarding roaming charges going up on the 26th Oct.

T-Mobile Scotland. Yes, that's right.

Me. You know about this then.

T-Mobile Scotland. Yes, the charges are going up to reflect the higher termination charges that T-Mobile are being charged for roaming outside of the EU.

Me. So it's not all a hoax then.

T-Mobile Scotland. No, definitely not. Those changes are going ahead on the 26th October.


I then told him what both the CS rep in Manila and the girl in the retentions team in Wales had told me. Both had also made notes on my account of what they had advised.
He went a bit quiet and then said he'd ask a manager to call me, and that the people who had given me duff info would be 'spoken to' and 'retrained as necessary'.

i asked him to make another note on my account saying that I had enquired about cancelling due to contract changes - you only get a certain amount of time (30 days I think) from the day you get the text message to make it known that you want to cancel (even if you don't do it right away), or they deem it that you agree to the changes.

So - anyone on T-Mobile wan't to have a go and see if Manila say the same thing? I really thought I was hearing things!

I'm surprise about what the Merthyr girl told you but sadly stories like yours from Manilla are becoming all too commonplace and makes our job a lot harder and there's nothing we can do. Problem is the louder we speak out about the problems that are caused by the Philipinos, the more it gets implied that we're being 'racist'.

I feel genuine sorrow for the T-Mobile staff who, on the whole, give good customer service. I've been with them for years and I never once had cause to moan about anything.
All of a sudden, a callcentre opens abroad and (I assume) UK staff, or at least some, have been made redundant. The ones that remain can't really have their heart in it, knowing that they could face the chop without much of a warning, especially now that this Orange merger is going ahead. And all at a time where we NEED jobs here.

Bad times.

The difference between us and the people in Manilla is whereas we serve the customer, they serve the company. They have no idea that they are there to help the customer. We tend to go the extra mile, we'll deviate from normal procedure to do what we can for the customer because we usually know what it's like to be the customer.

But the Manilla people won't do that - they think they're doing the right thing by rigidly sticking to the script, sticking to procedure and if that inconveniences the customer then they don't care.

So when Tmobile makes a mistake or a customer is in need of discretion for something they simply won't get it. This makes the customer frustrated and leaves the call with a bitter taste in their mouth.

I can't comment on the Phillipines. But I worked in Orange's off shore based in New Delhi for 6 months, and I can see where you are coming from with them unwilling to deviate from script etc to help the customer, but that isn't their fault.

To help combat any language barrier issue, they are told they must 100% align to the scripts in dealing with issues, and plus their knowledge of how the company works in general is a lot lower than your average employee due to various reasons. In examples when I have seen an off shore CSR try to go the extra mile and help the customer, they often don't know the procedure and do something incorrect, which leaves the customer with a poor experience as well.

I'm glad that Orange is now helping the economy by bringing all PAYM CS back the UK, which will also benefit customers somewhat and if the proposed merger goes ahead I believe the Manilla operation would cease completely.

I've heard this too and apparently those in Manilla aren't happy about it but I think it can't happen soon enough. The only downside is I can't see them keeping all of us on so whereas they'll likely boot the Manilla staff, some of us will go too. But that's a story for a different thread.

Using only UK staff for customer services will be a massive selling point for the new merged company.

Speaking as a t-mobile store manager i can only agree with some of the sentiments here. In the 6 years ive been with the company ive very rarely ever had a problem with either UK based CS and/or registrations when it was in the UK. Since we have had the manilla centre for some CS calls and registrations me and all my staff dread having to ring them. If its something very simple to get done then its fine and dandy, the second they need to show a little common sense to help us and the customer out its like pulling your toenails out with pliers.

Im not sure its their fault exactly, they wont have lived and breathed the company for long enough to understand that a little common sense to help someone out is whats required and of course i can only guess at how much of a difference the language barrier makes for them but still, bring all CS and the registrations back to a uk call centre and it would make store staff and the customers we have standing in front of us a lot happier.

You've hit the nail right on the head there, couldn't have said it better.

I really do believe that outsource will completely stop when the merger happens, but as you say it's worrying for us in-house!

T-Mobile is the best customer service I have had from a mobile firm, right back to their One2One days in fact

You've either been very lucky, haven't called in the last year or so, or have needed only very simple things done.

That's true, left them in July last year, they were still good then