I've only just started an Orange contract but I'm seriously starting to wonder what I've let myself in for.

I've needed to call their CS 8 times this week to sort out certain matters. 6 times I've got through to India, the other 2 were the UK. The Indians have NEVER adhered to the DPA. The first thing they ask for is my mobile number which I give them, to which they have always said "Ok Mr **** *****(ie my full name) what can I do for you".

They don't ask for my address, date of birth, password, nothing. It happened 3 times today and on the third occasion I recorded the call to make sure I wasnt imagining things. Sure enough, the agent didn't ask for anything after my number and addressed me by my full name.
When I told him he'd broken the DPA and asked what would stop him from giving out all my personal details to anyone who called up and gave my number he asked "Why would I do that?".

I told him AGAIN what he'd just done to which he asked "What's the problem?". I told him he'd just broken the law and he simply hung up.

Well I sent the copy of the recording along with a complaint to the executive office this afternoon to let them know what their Indian CS is like. Do Indians really not see the relevance of the DPA?

In my experience I have found Orange CS in general to be terrible and rude. The few times I was through to their Indian call centres I never had any issues. Its been a while but I don't recalling having any issues like you have had.

On 3 now and they always ask the relevant security questions in their Indian call centres.

If you want to speak to a UK call centre then choose the billing option. They are most helpful there.

TBH Myself when i have had to call Orange CS, the Indian call centres are almost useless, they have problems understaind you and vice versa, quite often when you are telling them a problem, they don't really understand what you mean. This is certainly not being racist, but IMO they just have such poor training and social skills on the phone.

Whereas when you do get through to somebody in the UK, they are extremely helpful, understanding and very friendly! Perhaps if Orange just did something to improve the Indian centres or even move them all to the UK, it would be a huge improvement.

I had to call them again tonight about something and got through to a guy in the UK - I asked him if it's true they're moving all CS to the UK and he said Orange made a big fuss about it but reckons it's being quietly swept under the carpet.

This is more a question about the DPA - its a complete and utter mess, and isn't even slightly policed correctly, and more to the point is unnecessarily complicated.

I've never had any issues with Orange customer services, either UK or offshore based, they've always followed the identity checks that I would have expected.

I've never had an issue with any UK callcentre regarding the DPA. I have a password set up on my Orange account which I'm told is for my pretection. Yesterday it gave me no protection at all and hasn't on any of the occasions I've spoken to their Indian people, indeed one even wondering what the problem was.

Whilst I know our CS expecially India can be hit or miss, as I understand it as standard unless a premier customer you should be asked for your password on the IVR menu before going through to a CSR.

There is your DPA. However if that doesn't come up then something is clearly a miss and rightly so you should be a bit peeved.

I was asked to key in certain letters of my password but they weren't being accepted.

In any case I just had a call from Orange's executive office who apologised for what happened and promised to trace the agent.

I am hoping he'll be greeted with the Indian equivalent of a P45

The general h/desk and billing have been merged, so you may still go offshore if selecting billing.

Orange were just fine before France Telecom came along. Now they're evil and corporate, with a chav girl as their main voice and really naff advertisments, like "yipeeeeeeeeee"

How I agree with that paragraph. I've posted before about my experiences with Orange which I won't repeat here. (Except to say, the usual suspects tried to accuse me of making things up!)

Wasn't there supposed to be a big in-house training program to bring Orange customer service up to acceptable levels? Called Dave because that was the most common name of an Orange customer.

Hi,

We have removed a number of unconstructive posts from this thread. We will not tolerate posting in order to bait other users.

Thanks

Well if you think Orange Indian CS can be bad, its nothing compared to 3's Customer Service! Now that is just 100% poor customer service!

I don't think she sounds chav - she just sound more like a 'student' type which is even worse.


How tragic is that? I can't stand it when companies pigeonhole their customers,

You do realise that, in doing so, you've broken the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 yourself?

Not to the best of my knowledge. At the start of the call my words were "Just to let you know I'm recording this call and if you lie to me or hang up on me I WILL use the recording against you". Kinda lets them know who's boss right off the bat.

... and will probably result in the CSR releasing the call on you regardless.

If the CSR does not want to be recorded they have a right to end the call.

Now that's where you're mistaken, I enquired about this from the lady who called from your executive office.

She told me agents can't just end the call because it's being recorded (even if you were then you'd have to let us know you were ending it and not just hang up like this guy did), if agents do object to it then they can pass it on to a team leader or a 'senior team member' to deal with it.

In any case I requested she put a note on my account to let any agents accessing my account in future know that calls get automatically recorded. That way both parties are protected. She told me some sort of 'pop up' notice about it will appear on my account so I won't even have to notify the agent anymore.

If you feel that the DPA has been breached then there's also the option to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office

This recording that you have as hard evidence could possibly be used.

Ahhh... that'll be the magical pop-up system that doesn't exist.... There may be a note about it on our main system, but it won't just "pop up". You'll have to look for it.

Also, I think you'll find we do have the right to object about the call being recorded.

And finally... it's not MY executive Office, it's Orange's Executive Office. I post on here in my own time and my views are nothing to do with Orange, nor do I represent them on here.

Someone who works for a soon-to-be-taken-over network should know that.

I didn't say you were not allowed to object. What I said was you're not allowed to to end the call. The executive office said if you don't want to carry on with the call you can pass it on to a team leader or a 'senior team member'.

But you cannot simply hang up (instant dismissal) or leave the customer go without speak to someone else. Personally I don't see the problem with the call being recorded but if you do object, you know now what you can do.

edit: no need to try and get smart with me, if you answer with apparent knowledge of Orange it's because of your status with them. Simply answering the post about Orange then saying you answer for yourself doesn't work.

In reality, other than a CSR not being confident of their abilities or knowing they usually say incorrect things; I can't see a real reason to object to having the call recorded.

Companies record the calls when customers phone up and customers don't object (and don't have the option of objecting to it other than by hanging up). Some companies also record ALL calls now.

I don't know about RIPA 2000 (which I think only applies to authorities) but I think it was the case that only recordings where both parties knew the conversation was being recorded was admissible in court (with some obvious exclusions e.g. court-authorised wiretaps).

Where have I said anything about how good you are or are not at your job?

Did a big chunk of this thread just get deleted?